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Second Republican Debate LIVE

Second Republican Debate LIVE

It’s still all about DeSantis, with Trump a no-show.

The debate begins at 9 PM ET. It’s on TV on Fox News, Fox Business, and Univision.

Rumble will livestream the debate:

Seven candidates made the stage:

  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
  • Sen. Tim Scott
  • Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
  • Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley
  • Former Vice President Mike Pence
  • Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
  • North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

DEBATE COVERAGE

DeSantis directly addresses Trump.

My Cubs are on so I’m “watching” the debate via Twitter. Guess it’s a train wreck, eh?

Christie copies DeSantis.

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Comments

Like Hollywood, no-one-cares.
Faux shouldn’t be allowed near debates

Trying to care…

Nope. I got nothing. From where I sit, Republicans are a waste of time. Those that aren’t Democrat-lite are incompetent and/or ineffectual. They can’t even win when they have an insurmountable majority.

    JohnSmith100 in reply to Rusty Bill. | September 27, 2023 at 9:41 pm

    Or competent RINOs, at lining their own pockets.

    Question: Do they get paid to be there?

    Because I can see maybe two legit candidates there so the rest must have ulterior motives. Like pocketing a check.

    mailman in reply to Rusty Bill. | September 28, 2023 at 5:02 am

    The only guy on that stage who has actually made a difference is DeathSantis. The others are just wasting everyones time, although Ramaswany says some good things. He may be interesting in the future if Democrats dont sick their judiciary on him??

      Lucifer Morningstar in reply to mailman. | September 28, 2023 at 8:55 am

      DeathSantis. Is that the latest and greatest nickname you Only Trumpers have given DeSantis? Given that Saint tRump has declared DeSantis a “loser” it makes me wonder why you Only Trumpers are so scared of him. So what about DeSantis scares you so much that you must make these continual attacks on the man, exactly. I’d really like to know.

        When liberals like you defend him, that tells us everything

          inspectorudy in reply to tlcomm2. | September 28, 2023 at 5:23 pm

          As usual, you magas call anyone who questions anything Trump does a liberal, traitor, Democrat, or other childish names just like your idol. Why don’t any of you try to answer the simple question? Why does Trump ALWAYS belittle DeSantis in his rants? He even did it in MI when talking to the union members. Why?

Are you sure this post is accurate? because I’m watching the republican candidate and next president give a speech in Michigan.

    gonzotx in reply to Concise. | September 27, 2023 at 9:18 pm

    Right on!!!!!

    inspectorudy in reply to Concise. | September 27, 2023 at 9:57 pm

    I watched his speech and it was an embarrassment to hear. He repeated every line he spoke and talked like he was in the fifth grade. It was a hate-filled speech with not one note of hope or a better future except threats and making fun of Biden. He could have made the speech in 30 minutes if he had any sense of how to focus his thoughts. He was like a comedian and as the response grew on any one line, he then talked about that for five minutes. He has now learned to use “We” instead of “Me” and boy did he use it. We did this and we did that. Never mentioned the 7 TRILLION dollars he added to the debt in only four years. He made some good points about the reason the Detroit jobs are in danger but then got off on EVs. His delivery has become almost monotone and he shows no emotion when he speaks. It truly was unwatchable!

      He’s not trying to please you. Mean tweets matter more to some, but it’s what someone does that matters. Most people understand, even if some don’t and get angry.

        Lucifer Morningstar in reply to oldschooltwentysix. | September 28, 2023 at 8:47 am

        Nope. He ain’t trying to please anyone. Little Donnie Trump just loves to hear his own voice trumpeting just how effing great he was during his bestest presidency ever in the history of the United States. But he forgets to mention he’s the one that came up with “Operation Warp Speed” that gave us the covid mRNA serum (not a vaccine so won’t call it one) that has wrecked untold havoc on the health of an unsuspecting U.S. population. How his administration was the most chaotically managed administration ever to be seen. Constant churn in White House staff. Couldn’t really keep anyone for any length of time. Chaos. And less said about his inability to appoint a U.S. Attorney General that wouldn’t stab him in the back in the end the better. How many U.S. Attorneys General did Trump have. Two? Three? I can’t remember. Chaos. Utter chaos. democrat lawsuits left and right. Wall not built. Swamp not drained.

        But nope. Trump ain’t trying to please you or anyone else for that matter.. Just a big egoboost for Trump. He has no effing clue what he will do if he’s re-elected and a second term will be just as ineffective as the first as the democrats will just walk right on over him again.

        Time for the republican party to state that since Little Donnie doesn’t feel it necessary to attend any of the debates he won’t be getting the presidential nomination no matter how the polls roll.

      ‘It was a hate-filled speech’.

      Begone, liberal concern troll, your buzz words have no power here.

      Even IF that were true (and it isn’t), the left openly hates us. It’s perfectly acceptable to hate them back.

      He’d be wasting his time trying to please an idiot like you.

      Yet you watched it.

      Of course it was a hate filled speech! You hated every second of the three seconds you watched darling 🙂

      AF_Chief_Master_Sgt in reply to inspectorudy. | September 28, 2023 at 7:31 am

      Wow! Based on your comments, I should run right to the polls and vote for Joe Biden!

      It was one of his best. I suspect you’re about as objective as Judge Chutkan

        inspectorudy in reply to Concise. | September 28, 2023 at 1:45 pm

        I’m a reasonably educated person who listens to many different views and opinions. Listening to Trump rant and blather on about what “We” did when things were perfect made me sick. Instead of saying that not only is Biden and his green energy nonsense the blame for their plight and the 40% loss of future jobs but the millions of illegal aliens will take their present jobs. He talked in comic-book terms and never offered a program to fix anything except canceling all of Biden’s mandates. I didn’t say that Trump was terrible but his speech was. It is like Hollywood and their aim is at 15-year-olds as their main audience.

Im busy

MST3K “Teenagers From Outer Space” is on

I’ll catch the DeSantis clips later

Just like the last one, another pointless ‘debate’ by a giant group of also-rans that the RNC is trying to prop up and pretend have the slightest chance of winning.

Nobody cares what Pence, Haley, Burgum, or Christie have to say. Just a waste of air time.

If they just had DeSantis and Vivek they could probably force Trump to participate in a 3 way debate. But having all of the also-rans there makes it so laughably easy for him to just ignore it and not face any kind of actual backlash.

    Nobody cares what Christie has to say. Just a waste of air time.

    gonzotx in reply to Olinser. | September 27, 2023 at 9:18 pm

    President Trump can’t be forced to debate
    He’s up by 50

      JohnSmith100 in reply to gonzotx. | September 27, 2023 at 9:50 pm

      Trump is doing very well as is, why would he want to to waste time on a bunch of losers?

      inspectorudy in reply to gonzotx. | September 27, 2023 at 10:00 pm

      So he owes nothing to the American people? He doesn’t have to answer any questions about his performance in the WH? No one on the stage gets to ask him policy questions? So it’s really only about him and not us?

        There’s a time and place for everything.

        I think that your point is well put. However, by comparison, Trump’s executed policies were like a miracle versus Joe Biden’s. The public has its answer, with the standard “are you better off” question. That said, this debate format is terrible and boring. Trump is not my first choice. But without any mechanism to get it down to a 2 or 3 man race, Trump will be the default candidate.

        artichoke in reply to inspectorudy. | September 27, 2023 at 10:37 pm

        It’s good strategy for both front-runners, Biden and Trump, to avoid debates. Both have credible challengers — RFK Jr., and DeSantis and Ramaswamy. They might not look good arguing with those knowledgable and very bright opponents, while they’re both pushing 80 and never had some of the skills of those people anyway. So best for both is to stay away and ride the front-runner wave and hope it lasts.

        Right or wrong, it’s smart, and so that’s what they are doing.

        What he doesn’t owe the American people is to be a punching bag for a bunch of no-chancers to throw rocks at on national television so they can earn cool kids points.

        He has the right to control who gets a shot at him and he is exercising it.

        Anyone who doesn’t know his policy positions by now hasn’t been paying attention. It’s not his job to spoon feed them.

          inspectorudy in reply to Gosport. | September 28, 2023 at 1:53 pm

          He said today NO debates ever. I don’t know his policy positions. What is his policy on the illegals who are here? What is his position on abortion? What will he do with the transgenders in the military? What will he do with men in women’s sports? What will he do with the Biden crime family if he is elected? Will he do what he did with Hillary? What will he do with McConnell and McCarthy when they say no to his agenda? I agree that many on the stage shouldn’t have been there but he is not above any of them.

        Considering that Trump’s time in office looks like a golden age compared to the current chaos, no he doesn’t have to answer any questions until the general election.

          I don’t know why the apoplexy from inspectorudy over Trump’s policy positions. How many times have we heard the candidates say during presidential debates “I have a plan for that … you’ll have to elect me to see what it is”. And after they’re elected, how quickly their policy positions get jettisoned. At least with Trump, we can look at the positives during his 4 years – no wars – $2 gas and more energy independence – no Kagan or wise Latinas on the USSC – employment gains – and – surely he’s learned enough about the swamp as not to repeat some of the mistakes and maybe this time drain it down some.

        AF_Chief_Master_Sgt in reply to inspectorudy. | September 28, 2023 at 7:40 am

        Oh, it’s all about you, all right.

        The only thing missing about the debates without Trump is the moderators playing gotcha games. Even though they did get in some punches.

        Lucifer Morningstar in reply to inspectorudy. | September 28, 2023 at 9:34 am

        According to Saint Trump his first term as president was the bestest and greatest presidency in the history of the United States. I repeat, the bestest and greatest. In that order. And that’s all the sheeple need to know. So why would he need to bother to actually show up for any stinking debates where he might actually have to articulate what he’d actually do if elected for a second term in office.

        Have you considered that what Trump is doing DOES benefit the people? He’s throwing sand into the gears of the GOPe, corrupt and biased media, DOJ, FBI, etc.? He’s doing the people a service to show what’s behind the smoke and mirrors illusion of a government of the people, by the people and for the people. With all of them gunning for him, it’s glorious to watch them expose, pummel and devour themselves when he refuses to run the gauntlet they’ve set for him (haven’t seen that 1977 Eastwood/Locke film in decades!)

          inspectorudy in reply to MrE. | September 28, 2023 at 5:32 pm

          I wish your summary was true but sadly it isn’t. He is not throwing sand in anyone’s gears and he certainly isn’t causing them to devour themselves. Not one of his pretrial requests has been approved. His lawyer team keeps resigning and changing. So far, all we have seen is the Fulton County mug shot and a lot of name-calling by Trump.

    AF_Chief_Master_Sgt in reply to Olinser. | September 28, 2023 at 7:35 am

    Romney’s niece needs to justify her paycheck.

Biden showed up for 12 minutes. Spoke for a minute. Jetted off to donors. Bring that up.

    AF_Chief_Master_Sgt in reply to oldschooltwentysix. | September 28, 2023 at 7:38 am

    Give Biden some credit.

    He spoke for 87 seconds, didn’t say anything of value, didn’t fall down, and doddered off to another pork fest.

    That’s huge!

    He’s gonna need another 5 days vacation.

    😉

What a joke, President Trump is kicking a$$ and taking names in MI

10,000 outside

They are screaming for him

Christie and DeSantis morph Biden into Trump.

The border was most secure under who?

China was confronted first by who?

DeSantis sure stepped in a steamy pile, debates will not fix this.

Kind of surreal. They all talk about the issues, but so far not THE issue that the elections is about, the police state.

They should be hammering the Democrats for taking America to the brink of a collapse. Hopefully they will better use the opportunity to say Biden is a crook and a tyrant that only recently recognized his own grandaughter after pretending she did not exist. Shoot some arrows!

    Republicans are partly and even largely to blame for the police state. GWB and his “global war on terror” that quickly turned inward against Americans who might differ with the government on certain key policies and directions. It is a vital issue, and so which candidate will do the most to bust it up? I suspect Ramaswamy, who has promised to close many government agencies, but DeSantis might be nearly as good on this issue because he knows the difference between freedom and tyranny and doesn’t lie about it.

I quit watching the debate. I don’t care what Scott, Pence, or Burgum have to say, or Christie. At one time I believe everyone was talking at the same time. I had a hard time understanding the Latina woman and her questions were all the same, immigrants, immigrants, immigrants. Perino should stick to the Five and not try to be an intellectual. Varney looked lost and helpless. What a disaster. I believe unless they narrow it down to two or three it will be the last debate.

    Agree. It’s not a good look at all. They need to attack Biden and his competency and crookedness.

    I would be more interested if they were actual, structured debates. This current format is just an insane waste of time where candidates try to have a viral soundbite and avoid catastrophe.

      Olinser in reply to Dathurtz. | September 27, 2023 at 11:47 pm

      That’s what I said for the first debate.

      This ‘debate’ format is absolute nonsense. A giant group of also-rans sit on stage answering with stupid canned sound bites to dumb gotcha questions, while the REAL questions that people want answered aren’t brought up.

      A REAL debate is where a small group of candidates that have an actual chance of winning, ask each other hard questions.

        Someone should put on a Lincoln Douglas style debate, and structure it like a music festival. DAYS of hours-long debates. I bet huge numbers would attend.

        inspectorudy in reply to Olinser. | September 28, 2023 at 1:56 pm

        “A REAL debate is where a small group of candidates that have an actual chance of winning, ask each other hard questions.”

        Where was Trump?

After seeing the clips, I’m sure glad I missed this schittshow

Haley is Karen! Burgum is a potted plant. DeSantis does okay, but angry. Ramaswamy is a target.

They need a 12th Commandment for Haley.

There goes Haley again. Would like to be hear more from Burgum.

DeSantis finally makes a mark.

I liked all three of them — DeSantis, Ramaswamy and Christie, in those clips. Christie isn’t a serious candidate, but he was right on with that comment. Ramaswamy handled the attack from both sides well and raised his voice so that he was heard, despite Scott’s very unprofessional attempt to stop him from being heard.

Trump’s trolling looks very bad for Trump. I understand why it’s politically smart for him to skip the debates, which is fine. I suspect he would come out second-best if arguing with DeSantis or Ramaswamy — maybe could have held his own 8 years ago, but now he’s too old. His snarky tweet will alienate people. Maybe his only hope is to ride his momentum, but can he really win the general? Already he’s lost the civil case, most people wouldn’t be sued like that or have a judge rule against them, but people can see what he did and understand why the judge would find that he broke the rules there.

It is a terrible shame though to see a NY judge destroying the businesses of the only man in about 100 years to really rebuild any part of NYC. Drive down the West Side Highway and it’s not just a slum because of Trump.

    Trump has his own way of debating, and he gets his point across. Some wonks say a lot, but do not say much. In any event, his trolling looks no worse than the chaos of the presentation that just ended.

    Lucifer Morningstar in reply to artichoke. | September 28, 2023 at 9:06 am

    Nope. Little Donnie will bully his way into the 2024 republican nomination, totally screw the pooch and lose the election, and then we’ll get to hear another four years of Little Donnie whining and whinging about how the election was stolen from him by democrats. Not something I really look forward to but there you go and here we are.

the debate kinda crushes the theory of a GOP deep bench

if these guys are the best, the GOP is trouble

So far it’s not looking like I missed much by skipping watching the JV debate.

Had Trump been there the ‘debate’ would have focused entirely upon him.

It would have been an excuse for everyone else to not answer questions but instead to turn them into attacks on Trump. In fact, had he been there I’d bet the ‘moderators’ would have had an entirely different stack of questions chosen specifically to attack Trump with.

And anyone with an ounce of honesty knows it.

    CommoChief in reply to Gosport. | September 28, 2023 at 8:03 am

    Maybe, Heck probably true to a large extent. The problem with this line of thinking is that it carries over for the general election debates as well. Will Trump trap this argument and say, with good reason, that ‘moderators gonna be mean to me so I ain’t showing up’. Even Biden can use this argument to avoid debating in the general election for similar reasons.

      Gosport in reply to CommoChief. | September 28, 2023 at 1:28 pm

      Televised debates are high risk – low reward for incumbent or leading candidates.

      The reality is that neither Trump nor Biden need or particularly want to appear before an unpredictable partisan free-for-all, which is what the debates have become due to the total lack of self-discipline, even handedness, and decorum of the moderators.

      So maybe at some point the moderators will learn their lesson and start playing the game straight, but I doubt it. Until the Candidates see some value added to doing a debate, they won’t.

        CommoChief in reply to Gosport. | September 29, 2023 at 10:02 am

        I don’t disagree. There’s always a risk of a stumble or one of the desperate barely qualifying for the stage candidates to land a body blow. See Harris getting pummeled by Tulsi Gabbard in an early ’20 d/prog primary debate.

        The moderators ain’t gonna ‘play it straight’ as.long as they are chosen from the same pool of mainstream media folks more worried about how their peers (and bosses) will view their line of questioning. Play it straight and the other media members will say mean things about them and these folks are far too uptight about that possibility to change their habits.

        I don’t have a real issue with Trump not attending the first few debates until the stage is narrowed down to two other candidates. At that point though it is time to show up and begin honing his responses off the competition statements, present more detailed policy answers and practice against snarky moderator questions. All in preparation for the general election where he will face the same sort of things. IMO, preparation with live reps so to speak is far better than prep in a room off some staffer. It’s different under the glare of the lights with cameras rolling.

2024 should have been easy for yhe GOPhers. Instead, they chose the hard path of stupidity and dumb. These debates with seven people onstage is monumentally stupid.

GOPhers continue to be the stupid party.

Look at that, a lot of irrelevant people. Waste of time.

Yawn……

I turned it off after a half-hour. What a complete shit-show. Even my favorite, the governor of North Dakota, stood up there and bellowed with the rest of them. Tragic.