Haley and DeSantis struggle to overcome their Trump dilemma as GOP race tightens
A weekend of intense political clashes unveils the chaotic landscape of the 2024 White House race as Election Day nears Trump's vision for a second term emerges while Biden's camp intensifies campaign efforts to combat the looming Trump threat
The 2024 White House campaign revealed a turbulent reality through a weekend filled with intense political exchanges, shedding light on the forthcoming Election Day less than a year away. The battle for the GOP nomination holds far-reaching implications beyond a mere competition between candidates. Its ultimate result will determine whether the nation encounters an extraordinary general election. If former President Donald Trump emerges as a potential nominee, he would confront numerous criminal trials and advocate for a presidency driven by retribution, potentially causing unprecedented upheaval within US democracy.
Time is running out for one of his distant Republican rivals to reframe the election less than two months before voting begins. The past weekend provided further proof that other well-known candidates have not yet figured out how to capitalize on Trump's biggest vulnerability in the general election - his disregard for the law and potential criminal liability - while still keeping the support of GOP voters.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, the former U.N. Ambassador, delivered a speech at the NBC News Republican Presidential Primary Debate on November 8, 2023, held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami-Dade County, Florida. With five presidential contenders participating, the third Republican primary debate proceeded without the presence of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who chose once again not to participate due to ongoing legal proceedings against him in four different locations. The photograph capturing this event was taken by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.
Haley disagrees with Trump's derogatory comment, distancing herself from his controversial statement. This comes amidst allegations that Trump's rhetoric resembles Nazi propaganda and his determination to exploit his presidency for personal vendettas. Nikki Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, voiced her strongest criticism of Trump to date. However, her careful choice of words reveals the challenging political situation she faces and further emphasizes Trump's control over the primary.
In Iowa, Haley expressed her disagreement with Trump's recent comments, in which he referred to political opponents as "vermin." These remarks drew Nazi analogies from the White House and other critics of the former president. Without directly mentioning Trump's impending criminal trials or his attempt to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, Haley alluded to the potential chaos of a second Trump term.
"The constant chaos is concerning, isn't it? I believe he has good intentions, but the chaos needs to come to an end," stated Haley, who previously served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. "It's not just about Donald Trump; his personality and inappropriate remarks are an issue. Right now, our nation is too distracted. And when America is distracted, the world becomes less safe."
Another Trump opponent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is facing a challenging campaign to salvage his position after placing fourth in a recent CNN/University of New Hampshire poll of the initial GOP primary state. In an attempt to criticize Trump, DeSantis opted for a distinct approach, similar to Haley, by avoiding the ex-president's most conspicuous historical controversies.
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JULY 17: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, delivers a speech at the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) summit on July 17, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. The summit, organized by CUFI, brings together pro-Israel activists and hopefuls for the 2024 Republican presidential candidacy to address the audience. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
DeSantis contends that Trump and Biden are too elderly to hold the position of presidency. DeSantis pointed out to CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday that being 80 years old is unsuitable for such a role. Additionally, DeSantis highlighted that by January 20, 2025, Trump would surpass Biden's age at his inauguration on January 20, 2021.
"The presidency is not suitable for someone who is almost 80 years old. This fact has been evident with Joe Biden. Time always wins in the end, and Donald Trump is not immune to that. On the other hand, I am currently in the best phase of my life. I am ready to start on Day 1 and serve two terms, achieving significant results and revitalizing the country."
However, achieving such a goal appears to be unlikely. Despite being initially considered the most formidable Republican challenger to Trump, the Florida governor is now relying on a successful performance in Iowa to regain national momentum.
DeSantis pointed out an irony in the 2024 campaign by attempting to criticize both potential party nominees. Despite voters expressing a desire for alternatives to a rematch between Biden and Trump, who will likely be the nominees, there is significant resistance within their own parties.
However, the Florida governor was successful in persuading one Iowa voter who appreciated his viewpoint on serving two terms. This voter, John Walker, mentioned seeing DeSantis' interview on "State of the Union" and expressed liking the former president. However, Walker also voiced concern about the substantial uncertainty surrounding Trump and the possibility of him facing legal consequences.
However, both Haley and DeSantis are aware that a significant number of the former president's followers have embraced his unfounded allegations of victory in the 2020 election. Furthermore, even attendees at GOP campaign events who express willingness to consider alternative candidates frequently believe that Trump's criminal charges are a result of political subjugation by the Biden administration. Therefore, there is minimal demand for endeavors to undermine Trump.
Candidates such as former Vice President Mike Pence or former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who have openly criticized Trump for his alleged illegal activities, including his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling of classified documents, are either no longer in the race or struggling to gain national recognition. In an effort to maintain their viability, Haley and DeSantis are avoiding addressing Trump's transgressions. However, they are failing to hold him accountable in a manner that could potentially weaken his grip on the nominee selection process, ultimately hindering their own campaigns.
Trump gives a glimpse of what a second presidency would look like
Trump's weekend activities highlighted the continued radicalism of his campaign and his lack of moderation in the almost three years since leaving the White House. While visiting Iowa, he resorted to petty insults against Haley and DeSantis, harshly criticized Biden by calling him "stupid" and "incompetent," and cautioned against his suitability to run the country.
Notably, Trump's unrestrained rhetoric is not only indicative of what a potentially turbulent second term might bring, but it is also causing him difficulties in his ongoing legal battles, leading judges to issue gag orders.
Trump's legal team will argue to a Washington, DC, appeals court on Monday that an order imposed in his federal election subversion criminal case is unconstitutional. The order, issued by District Judge Tanya Chutkan, aims to prevent Trump from targeting court officers, potential witnesses, and special counsel Jack Smith and his staff through verbal and social media means. The former president argues that this measure violates his First Amendment rights and serves as an attempt to silence his presidential campaign.
The temporary freeze on the gag order, pending appeals, highlights a constant characteristic of the former president - his disregard for political and legal conventions. Recently, a similar gag order in his New York civil fraud trial was temporarily lifted, emphasizing the difficulty in controlling his impulsive behavior. This uncontrollable nature poses a significant risk for the upcoming election and the potential of a second presidency. The ex-president is eager to engage in a potential general election battle, as demonstrated by his call for a decisive victory in the Iowa caucuses to eliminate rival primary candidates.
Biden camp cranks up the pace of his campaign amid Trump threat
Trump stated during a speech, expressing the need to send a powerful message that would prompt individuals to acknowledge that the situation has reached its conclusion. He emphasized the urgency to shift attention towards scrutinizing Joe Biden and the Democrats, as he strongly criticized the president's handling of China following his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump's increasing aggression coincides with concerns among Democrats about recent polls, which reveal that the former president is ahead of his successor in the crucial swing states that will determine the outcome of the election. Although Biden's team has stated that the situation will change once there is a clear distinction between the candidates (assuming Trump becomes the GOP nominee), indications suggest that the president's team is intensifying his campaign efforts for re-election.
"We are raising the intensity and focusing attention on the exact consequences of allowing him back into the White House," a Biden campaign official informed CNN's Arlette Saenz about Trump.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Facility on Monday, November 6, in Bear, Delaware.
Matt Rourke/AP
We are turning up the heat: Biden sharpens critiques of Trump with a year to go until the election
Biden highlighted one instance of Trump's increasingly harsh language by referring to his alarming remarks on immigration during a fundraising event in San Francisco.
Referring to Trump's recent comment on how the "blood of America is being poisoned," Biden drew parallels to the phrases commonly used in Nazi Germany. Urging the audience, he emphasized the urgency of addressing the threat that Trump poses, stressing that failure is not an option.
The former president, however, demonstrated his intention to make the Biden administration's struggle to control border crossings in the southern region the main focus of his potential general election campaign. He traveled to Texas on Sunday and secured the endorsement of Greg Abbott, the governor of the Lone Star State, who cautioned that the situation was posing a "terror threat" in the United States. Trump contended that the United States is afflicted by "the most insecure border in history, in my opinion, truly, worldwide."
The intensity of his comments over the weekend serves as a reminder that Americans can expect one of the most divisive White House races of modern times when the campaign intensifies after Thanksgiving.
