READY FOR DEBATE: Five of the hopeful presidential candidates on Thursday night. From left: Former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former Governor Nikki Hailey and Senator Tim Scott. Photo: JONATHAN ERNST / Reuters / NTB
The biggest favorite shines with his absence during the Republicans’ first presidential debate on Thursday night.
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At 03 Norwegian time, the televised debate between the Republicans’ hopeful presidential candidates started in Milwaukee in the state of Wisconsin.
Eight candidates are taking part here – but not the big favourite, Donald Trump.
In advance, one big question characterized the American media:
Will any of the eight candidates manage to present themselves as an actual competitor to Trump?
The former president has a big lead in the opinion polls, and is a clear favorite in the battle to become the Republicans’ presidential candidate for the 2024 election.
Comments: The debate will not be the same without Trump
Info
These are included in the debate:
Ron DeSantis, Florida GovernorMike Pence, Former Vice PresidentTim Scott, Senator from South CarolinaNikki Haley, Former Governor of South CarolinaChris Christie, Former Governor of New JerseyVivek Ramaswamy, BusinessmanDoug Burgum, Governor of North DakotaAsa Hutchinson, Former Governor of ArkansasShow more
Appeared on Tucker Carlson interview
Trump himself has chosen to drop the night’s debate, and has pointed to his lead to explain why:
– People know who I am and how successful my presidency was, he wrote in a statement on his platform Truth Social earlier this week, and pointed to a CBS poll in which he has 62 percent support.
That’s 46 percentage points ahead of the next man on the list, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Instead of running with the other candidates, the former president chose a pre-recorded interview with tidligere Fox-journalist Tucker Carlson. It was released on X, formerly Twitter, just before the start of the debate.
– Am I going to sit there for an hour or two, whatever it is, and be harassed by people who shouldn’t even be running for president? he asked, among other things, and lashed out at debate organizer Fox News – with whom he is in an ongoing conflict.
– Should I do it on a network that is not particularly friendly to me?
Trump and Fox: From love to conflict
Trump’s election staff are also clear that they believe the former president has so many fans that he can win even without standing.
– He has already won this evening’s debate, because everything is going to be about him, writes adviser Chris LaCivita on X before the start of the debate, writes news agency AP.
– It really shouldn’t even be called a debate, but rather an audition to be part of President Trump’s team in his second term as president, he adds.
However, the election campaign is not the only thing that occupies Trump during the day. He is scheduled to report to prison in Georgia on Thursday, where he remains accused of trying to change the election results.
– Balance walk
In the first half of the debate, the viewers got to see, among other things, former vice-president Mike Pence criticize politics-freshman and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and argued that he himself is ready for the job.
– I am without a doubt the one who is best prepared, most tested and the most qualified conservative politician in this fight.
He also defended the Trump administration’s economic policies:
“I want to get our nation back on the path to growth and wealth, and restore fiscal responsibility, just as I did in Congress, as governor and as vice president.”
Carrie Sheffield, who comments on conservative politics in the United States, says Al Jazeera that the Republican candidates have to balance on a knife’s edge:
They must be able to criticize Trump, but not too harshly, they must hope to attract some of his supporters.
– It is a balancing act. In the Republican Party, it is often either or, she says.
– Either you criticize Trump like Pence does, or like Chris Christie, or you support him wholeheartedly and try to be like him, like Ron DeSantis does, she says.
RAISE YOUR HANDS: The candidates raise their hands (or not) when asked if they will support Trump as their party’s nominee. From left: Asa Hutchison, Chris Christie, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Doug Burgum. Photo: WIN MCNAMEE / AFP / NTB
An hour into the debate on Thursday night, Fox News showed a picture from the Fulton County jail in Georgia, where Trump will report on Thursday.
– We want to spend a little moment on the elephant in the room, said the debate moderators, and asked the eight Republicans to raise their hands if they would support him if he is chosen as the party’s presidential candidate – also if he ends up being convicted in one or several of the ongoing criminal cases against him.
Six candidates stretched according to AP News hands in the air.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchison did not, while former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie raised his hand halfway up, according to the AP.
Published:
Published: 24.08.23 at 03:08
Updated: 24.08.23 at 04:22
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2023-08-24 01:08:29
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