(Thursday PO) Republicans attack Biden and each other at the second GOP debate
Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2023 2:27 am
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/27/12018486 ... california
Candidates vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination are debating tonight at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, Calif. Former President Donald Trump, who currently has a sizable lead in the crowded field of GOP candidates, will once again not be on stage at the debate.
Instead, Trump is in Michigan speaking at an auto parts manufacturing plant. That plant, owned by Drake Enterprises, is a non-union shop, according to the AFL-CIO. Other sources familiar with the situation say it is not affiliated with the UAW or the ongoing strikes.
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Seven candidates qualified to take part in Wednesday's debate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
2024 Republican presidential candidates: A list of who is or may be running
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2024 Republican presidential candidates: A list of who is or may be running
The two-hour debate is being hosted by Fox Business Network, alongside the Spanish language TV news outlet Univision, and Rumble – an online video platform mostly used by conservatives. Fox News host Dana Perino, Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney, and Univision's Ilia Calderón are serving as the debate's moderators.
Attacks on Trump more welcome at second debate
While focusing more on Republican priorities and attacking President Biden, the Republican candidates on stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library also attacked former President Trump.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie addressed Trump directly, accusing him of skipping the debate out of fear. He said Trump deserves a new nickname: "Donald Duck."
"You're not here tonight because you're afraid of being on the stage and defending your record," Christie said. "You're ducking these things. And let me tell you what's going to happen. You keep doing that. No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We're going to call you Donald Duck."
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Unlike at the last debate in Wisconsin where his attacks on Trump were shouted down, Christie actually received a few giggles to his critical comments.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also took an early swipe at Trump for skipping the debate.
"You know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action," DeSantis said. "He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt. That set the stage for the inflation that we have now."
Pence wants an 'expedited' death penalty for mass shooters
When asked about the scourge of mass shootings in America, many of which continue to take place in schools, the former vice president said he wants to expedite criminal penalties against perpetrators of these mass killings.
"I am sick of these mass shootings," he said.
Pence said, if elected, he would push for a federal expedited death penalty for mass shooters. He said this would ensure they would "meet their fate in months, not years."
DeSantis takes aim at Donald Trump
It's hard to imagine that Donald Trump won't be a major topic of conversation this time around. With the clear exception of Christie, most Republican presidential candidates have tried to avoid directly critiquing the former president. Some candidates might be feeling more pressure to comment on what will happen if Trump becomes the nominee amid his growing legal issues.
DeSantis, who has been reluctant to take direct aim at the former president and current frontrunner in the race, criticized Trump for missing the debates so far.
He said the president should be on the stage and told Republican voters that Trump "owes it to you" to talk about the high spending in his administration and his economic choices while in office.
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Trump has missed the last two debates because of his refusal to sign an RNC pledge stating that he will support whoever primary voters chose as their nominee in 2024.
DeSantis also partially blamed Trump and his policies for the looming federal shutdown. DeSantis played a key role in the 17-day shutdown in 2013.
Ramaswamy: Revoke birthright citizenship for undocumented immigrants
During a discussion about curbing illegal immigration, Ramaswamy called for ending the practice of granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States, in cases where the parents were in the country illegally at the time of the birth.
In the second GOP debate, expect Ronald Reagan to loom large in name — but not policy
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In the second GOP debate, expect Ronald Reagan to loom large in name — but not policy
Ramaswamy warned that Democrats would "howl" at this idea and complain that it violates the U.S. Constitution. He argued that there is precedent for denying citizenship to some people born on U.S. soil, given that children of diplomats are not given citizenship. It's important to note, however, that birthright citizenship is denied to those children as a specific carveout, because diplomats generally are given immunity under international law. Diplomats therefore are not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States as outlined in the Constitution, and their children are not automatically eligible for citizenship.
Candidates also criticized Ramaswamy's business dealings.
Ramaswamy has been in the hot seat during tonight's debate with several candidates raising concerns about his business ties in China. The businessman and political newcomer had one of the standout performances during the first debate and is polling third behind Desantis in some national polls.
Scott accused Ramaswamy of previously being in business with "the Chinese communist party" and even accused him of sharing business ties with Hunter Biden.
Pence added that it was "a good thing" Ramaswamy pulled out of business in 2018 which he claimed was probably around the time Ramaswamy started voting for the first time. Ramaswamy has admitted to participating in U.S. elections later in his adult life.
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Trump taunts Republican rivals over debate
Trump went 30 minutes into his speech to Michigan autoworkers before mentioning the second GOP debate.
He pointed to his lead in the polls and ridiculed his Republican rivals, suggesting that they were competing for a job in his future administration.
"We're competing with the job candidates. They're all running for a job," Trump said. "They're all job candidates. They'll do anything, Secretary of something. They even say VP. Has anybody seen a VP anywhere?"
It's another sign that Trump is looking ahead to the general election and focusing on Biden. Trump's visit comes just a day after Biden was in Michigan where he joined union autoworkers on the picket line.
Michigan voters helped both Trump and Biden win the White House — Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Those elections were largely clinched with union voters.
Candidates weigh in on President Biden joining auto worker picket line
Republican presidential hopefuls took aim at President Biden for walking the picket line on Tuesday with UAW workers. This week, Biden became the first sitting U.S. president to join a picket line.
Scott said the president "should not be on the picket line, he should be on the southern border."
Pence commented that the president instead belongs on the "unemployment line."
Ramaswamy instead focused on the workers. He said he blames the White House for their financial woes, but he understands why workers are upset. Ramaswamy said he doesn't "have patience with union bosses but sympathizes with the workers."
He did, however, accuse some of the striking workers of playing the role of victims and said "victimhood is a choice."