(Thursday PO) Republicans attack Biden and each other at the second GOP debate

[GuideToACrazyWorld]

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.
Sponsor Message

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
Elections
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."
Sponsor Message

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.
Sponsor Message

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
Main Character of the Day
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.
Sponsor Message
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."

[GuideToACrazyWorld]

I just can't bring myself to watch this year. And now Fox News is going to host a Desantis/Newsome debate. Which will probably get more views. Oh and Shaun Hannity is going to be the moderator. All that I can think of is part of a Stephen Stills song

All we get to see are the rednecks and revolution crazies
So, they rent out soldiers field to have Gerry Rubin vs Mayor Dale
For the benefit of peace admission is free
But we'll all stay home and watch it on our TVs.

[Tarmaque]

I just can't bring myself to watch this year.

You ain't missing much. I've tortured myself a couple times, but they don't have anything. Still blowing Diet Coke bubbles up The Defendant's ass, and nit picking each other when they aren't blaming everything on Biden. There's not a single adult in there this time. DeSantis trying to defend his school policies was insanely cringy, and the others were no better. Christie tried to blame failing schools on Joe Biden's support for unions. (huh?) It seems to me that Haley is getting the most talking time, but it's hard to tell when I'm just popping in and out and reading a live blog.

BTW, Sean Hanity is not moderating this. Dunno where you heard that. Stuart Varney and Dana Perino along with Ilia Calderón from Univision were the moderators. (Hanity was commentating though.)

[Tarmaque]

Been checking out some analysis and discussion, and people are pretty clear that the winner of the debate was Nikki Haley and the loser was Ron DeSantis. And by loser they're saying the one that lost the most. Pence and the other also-rans didn't change much. If The Defendant were to drop dead today of an aneurysm (one can hope) I think Haley would be the front runner, in a possible race with Tim Scott. Vivek Ramaswamy came across as a high school douchebag and Doug Burgum just a loudmouth asshole. Pence, as usual, was a dry piece of white bread toast that even Elwood Blues wouldn't eat. Not that he has a chance in hell anyway.

[Slip Shod]

A whole lot of blah, blah, squawk, squawk . No different than these press conferences where the President's dingbat walks in and it's blah blah, bs, blah
the economy is going to hell, spending out of control, a balanced budget nowhere in sight, the digital dollar is just around the corner, and under Biden's administration the country is more divided than ever before, there are literally at the moment wars all over the globe, & our colleges are turning out woke idiots. Other than that we ain't doing bad at all
I think we're ready for another pandemic. Probably one cooking in the kitchen - soon to be served compliments of the New World Order
'order out of chaos'

[GuideToACrazyWorld]

You ain't missing much.

I heard audio on the radio today, for at least part of the time the bickering was so bad it made the entire thing unintelligible. I heard it was like that for the first 3rd. SMH.

I think Haley would be the front runner, in a possible race with Tim Scott.

How is she pulling this off?

[GuideToACrazyWorld]

the economy is going to hell, spending out of control, a balanced budget nowhere in sight,

We haven't seen a balanced budget since 2001. An unbalanced budget isn't even news.

Probably one cooking in the kitchen - soon to be served compliments of the New World Order

Who exactly do you think this new world order is?

[Slip Shod]

the economy is going to hell, spending out of control, a balanced budget nowhere in sight,

We haven't seen a balanced budget since 2001. An unbalanced budget isn't even news.

Probably one cooking in the kitchen - soon to be served compliments of the New World Order

Who exactly do you think this new world order is?

In a word Mr Guide, CENTRALIZATION where national sovereignty is yielded over to an over ruling central bureaucratic government. A European Union template on steroids encompassing the entire world. A coming together in common accord of a political ruling of united nations over individual states, over individual constitutions and rights into a blended world government - judicial, arbitrary, and one executive enforcement.
In other words, our Constitution with with its premise of an individual's rights is dog shit.
Can't you see the handwriting on the wall ? Where this is all heading? The LIE of a golden era of peace and security prosperity for all. Can't you see that as the old saying goes absolute power corrupts absolutely ? When all is handed into the hands of a few at the top there are no individual rights. Damn it Guide ! We're going there, but for some of us it will not be willingly. People wake up get your shit together
That's why Trump's message of making America great is so particularly loathsome to globalist. It's the antithesis of their vision of the future with the few (them) holding all the strings of power, ruling the world. It's been their dream for over 100 years now

[GuideToACrazyWorld]

A European Union template on steroids encompassing the entire world.

We are a long way form that. Unless you are referring to the UN and things like the Janiva agreement. But these are less about world order then they are about world peace. In fact, the UN has shown us a level of peace that hasn't been seen in the world before. I'd call that a goo thing. There is a lot of grey between a New World Order and global anarchy.

Can't you see the handwriting on the wall ? Where this is all heading? The LIE of a golden era of peace and security prosperity for all. Can't you see that as the old saying goes absolute power corrupts absolutely ? When all is handed into the hands of a few at the top there are no individual rights. Damn it Guide ! We're going there, but for some of us it will not be willingly. People wake up get your shit together

I think the US people have given up liberty for security and they will soon have either. But the global part of this I'm not seeing.

[Slip Shod]

I thank you for your response Mr Guide. As far as you not seeing it, I'll accept that. History has shown me that events can turn on a dime, in a moment's time. What seems to have come out of nowhere at all actually in hindsight the foundations of events had been laid & there all the while.

[Tarmaque]

How is she pulling this off?

No idea. I think mostly by being more likable than DeSantis and slightly more stable appearing than the rest of the nuts. I'm a bit shocked that Christie isn't doing better than he is, but we're in the era of The Defendant cult so go figure.