Key learnings from the third Republican presidential debate
The 2024 Republican primary kicks off in two months, and the third debate showcased familiar themes from past contests Foreign policy, intense clashes between candidates like DeSantis and Haley over China, Ramaswamy's aggressive stance, and personal feuds added spice Christie and Scott stood out as fringe contenders
Within 24 hours of voters in several states rejecting GOP leaders who aimed to limit abortion rights, five Republican presidential candidates disregarded the issue entirely during the initial 99 minutes of their third primary debate. In contrast to their previous meeting, characterized by disorderly interruptions and cross talk, the debate held on Wednesday evening in Miami delved into substantial matters. However, the majority of the discussion revolved around foreign policy.
Debating the worth of those questions was necessary, even though the candidates mostly agreed on key points such as supporting Israel and opposing Hamas, Iran, and China. However, this ultimately left an unsettling effect: if the GOP intends to regain the White House, why disregard the political obstacles in its path?
Considering the candidates' limited interests, this approach seemed reasonable. None of their views on abortion, which were revealed only 20 minutes before the end, are currently widely accepted. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's call for consensus on the issue, along with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott's insistence on a 15-week federal ban, echoed the reasoning put forth by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin in the days and weeks leading up to his state GOP colleagues falling short in a high-stakes legislative competition.
Abortion was not the only contentious issue sidelined in Miami. Former President Donald Trump also received minimal attention throughout the night, with only a few reserved criticisms directed at him in his absence and at the urging of the moderators. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis summarized the argument against Trump, highlighting that he has changed since 2016 and advising Republicans to focus on the present rather than dwelling on past successes.
The most heated moments on stage arose from a strangely prolonged discussion about TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media platform that the candidates were eager to criticize.
Vivek Ramaswamy was the only one who disagreed with his opponents on this issue. He promoted the use of the app as a tool for his campaign, while his rivals promised to discredit it. Ramaswamy then indirectly accused Haley of hypocrisy, pointing out that even her daughter used the app.
Naturally angered by this, Haley told Ramaswamy to refrain from involving her daughter in his argument, and she dismissed him as "scum." (It seemed that Ramaswamy made an effort to avoid Haley after the debate, especially when their families joined them on stage).
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is known for being one of the harshest critics of Donald Trump on cable news, had a minimal impact during the debate. This further undermines his reputation as a skilled (yet sometimes impolite) public speaker.
Here are six key points to take away from the third Republican presidential primary debate:
Foreign policy takes center stage
On Israels war with Hamas, there was little disagreement between the five candidates. In fact, their answers were often quite similar.
DeSantis urged Bibi to completely eradicate these killers, while referring to the Israeli prime minister by his nickname.
Haley shared that she immediately expressed her desire for complete annihilation when the incident occurred.
Video Ad Feedback
GOP candidates share what they would do about Israel-Gaza war as president
01:44
- Source:
CNN
However, opinions were heavily divided regarding whether the United States should uphold its support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression. Ramaswamy made his stance abundantly clear by delivering a lengthy criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing the war-torn nation of fostering Nazism and anti-democratic ideologies.
Ramaswamy dismissed the idea of portraying the situation as a battle between good and evil and advised against believing it. Continuing the exchange onstage, Haley argued that the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were eagerly anticipating the possibility of someone like him becoming president.
Christie assented, emphasizing the need to recall the consequences of our previous disengagement from a conflict in Europe. He pointed out that such a decision resulted in only a brief respite, followed by the tragic loss of 500,000 American lives in the fight against Hitler. It is imperative to understand that we cannot afford to repeat this mistake, as the situation demands our unwavering commitment.
DeSantis and Scott redirected the discussion away from Ukraine towards the US-Mexico border, casting uncertainty on their stance regarding ongoing US assistance for the country.
"The deployment of American troops to Ukraine is not on our agenda," stated the governor of Florida. "Instead, we plan to prioritize sending forces to secure our southern border."
It was like Tuesday night never happened
Similar to the second debate, the discussion of abortion concerns did not surface within the initial 90 minutes of the program. However, this instance of exclusion is particularly noteworthy, considering it followed the recent enshrinement of abortion rights in the Ohio state constitution and significant losses suffered by Republicans in crucial races nationwide, where the issue of abortion played a prominent role.
When the topic was finally brought up, the majority of the candidates remained steadfast in their stances, implying that they had not been influenced by the results of Tuesday. Scott remained resolute in advocating for a 15-week federal ban, while Haley persisted in advocating for a moderate approach.
"When we consider this issue, we observe that certain states are leaning towards a pro-life stance. I appreciate that," expressed Haley. "On the other hand, there are certain states that lean towards a pro-choice stance. I wish that wasn't the case, but it is the result of the people's decision."
As for DeSantis, he appeared to attribute Tuesday's losses to anti-abortion groups, noting that they were unprepared for these referenda. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, voters in various states across the political spectrum, including Kansas, Michigan, California, Vermont, and now Ohio, have confirmed the right to abortion through ballot measures.
In a stark contrast to the second debate, DeSantis completely changed his stance on the 2022 election results, stating, "I firmly disagree with the notion that pro-lifers should be held responsible for the midterm defeats."
Furthermore, DeSantis's flip-flopping continued regarding his stance on abortion. In the September debate, he confidently stated that he would sign a bill prohibiting the procedure after 15 weeks if he became president. However, he now avoids expressing support for a federal ban on abortion.
"Iowa may approach it differently from Virginia, so it is crucial to adopt a grassroots approach," he explained on Wednesday.
Christie revealed that the results on Tuesday aligned with the intentions of the constitutional framers and the desires of anti-abortion advocates who sought to overturn Roe v. Wade by granting the power of decision to individual states.
"Now we have individuals advocating for bypassing state jurisdictions and directly implementing a federal prohibition on abortions within a specific timeframe," he stated.
DeSantis and Haley spar over China
DeSantis lambasted Haley for enticing a Chinese fiberglass company to relocate to her state while she served as governor.
"She warmly embraced them in South Carolina, provided them with land in close proximity to a military base, and even penned a heartfelt letter to the Chinese ambassador, expressing their exceptional friendship. It seemed to be their primary strategy for fostering economic growth," according to DeSantis.
"In Florida, I prohibited China from purchasing land within our state," he stated. "Furthermore, we expelled the Confucius Institutes from our universities. We have acknowledged the danger and taken prompt and firm actions."
Although Haley wasn't granted an immediate opportunity to respond, she didn't allow the criticism to pass unnoticed. Later, she counterattacked by highlighting DeSantis' track record concerning his state's economic development agency.
"I did acquire a fiberglass company in South Carolina a decade ago, but, Ron, you currently hold the position of chair at an economic development agency which, just last week, declared Florida as the optimal destination for Chinese enterprises," she asserted.
Ramaswamy interjected, acknowledging that DeSantis was "right" in highlighting Haley's past endorsement of Chinese investments. However, he proceeded to criticize the governor of Florida for his association with a donor who advocated on behalf of Chinese investments in the United States.
That seemed to reference the reports of Ken Griffin, the CEO of Citadel, a DeSantis donor, advocating for changes to a bill that permitted Chinese individuals to buy properties close to US military bases. DeSantis contradicted Ramaswamy's claims.
Ramaswamy comes out swinging
During the initial debate, Ramaswamy referred to the other Republican candidates as "super PAC puppets." However, at the recent event in Simi Valley, California, he softened his tone and described them as "good people affected by a flawed system."
The question at hand was whether he would display his clever and argumentative nature from previous debates, or present himself as a dignified statesman. The answer became evident within minutes. The biotech entrepreneur immediately launched into criticism against the media, Haley, the debate moderators, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, DeSantis, and even the Florida governor's footwear.
Basically, everyone except Trump was considered a legitimate candidate.
When questioned about why voters should support him instead of Trump, Ramaswamy expressed a multitude of concerns. Firstly, he held McDaniel responsible for the series of defeats that Republicans have experienced since 2017, coinciding with her tenure as RNC chair (which also aligns with Trump's presidency). He even offered her the opportunity to step down publicly. Additionally, he criticized the choice of NBC News' Lester Holt and Kristin Welker, alongside Salem Radios's Hugh Hewitt, as hosts.
"Consider the moderators for this debate - Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Elon Musk," he asserted, criticizing the "corrupt media establishment."
Regarding Israel, Ramaswamy suggested that he would encourage Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take strong action against terrorists on their southern border, while he himself would take similar action against terrorists on our southern border. Ramaswamy, who aims to differentiate himself as an America First candidate among the "neocons" in the field, then criticized Haley for her foreign policy. DeSantis, who has faced speculation about his boots, got caught in the middle of the argument.
"Do you want a leader of a different generation whos going to put this country first, or do you want Dick Cheney in 3-inch heels?" Ramaswamy said. "Weve got two of them."
The Haley-Ramaswamy feud gets personal
Heading into Wednesday night, it was expected that the most intense exchanges would take place between DeSantis and Haley, the candidates competing for second place behind Trump. However, the former South Carolina governor surprised everyone by engaging in heated arguments with Ramaswamy.
Throughout three debates, the rivalry between these two Indian American candidates has become more and more personal. This occasion was no exception. Within minutes, Ramaswamy made a remark about her "3-inch" heels, to which she responded defiantly that they were actually 5-inch heels meant "for ammunition." The situation quickly deteriorated from that point onward.
Haley and DeSantis did exchange words, however. Haley referred to the Florida governor as a "liberal" for his lack of support for offshore drilling in his state. They also revisited their previous criticisms of China. However, when Ramaswamy chimed in, the tone of their disagreement escalated. Haley explained that her positive comments about China were in relation to her work as the US ambassador to the United Nations, where she negotiated North Korea sanctions with Beijing. Ramaswamy interrupted, stating that she had referred to China as a "great friend." This led to approximately 20 seconds of overlapping conversation.
Ramaswamy criticized Haley for highlighting his campaign's use of TikTok, a platform that some Republicans are concerned about regarding security issues. He further criticized her by mentioning her daughter's use of the app. In the Simi Valley debate, Haley expressed feeling intellectually diminished whenever she heard him speak.
He stated, "She mocked me for joining TikTok when her own daughter had been using it for a considerable period. It would be wise to prioritize your family's well-being."
The crowd booed and Haley jumped in.
"Leave my daughter out of your voice," she said, before adding: "Youre just scum."
Christie and Scott become the fringe candidates
It is easy to overlook the presence of Christie and Scott during Wednesday night's debate. The focus of the other three candidates was primarily on attacking one another, with little attention devoted to Christie and Scott, who were considered to be trailing significantly in the polls.
Scott and Christie were rarely acknowledged throughout the discussion, except for one instance when Haley criticized Scott's position on abortion. While Scott advocated for a "15-week national limit" on abortion as president and asked for DeSantis and Haley's agreement, Haley countered by pointing out that Scott had not supported an anti-abortion bill sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham and had been ambiguous about his stance on abortion. Scott promptly refuted her claim by saying it was false. However, aside from this exchange, Scott and Christie largely stayed out of the argument, to which the other three candidates showed no objections.
This story has been updated with additional information.
