8/23 Republican primary debate live commentary thread

[Sir Mohamed]

I was too lazy and tired to comment here while watching live, but a few thoughts on the individuals:

- Haley: Had the best performance compared to others. She at least was honest on stuff like an abortion ban and at least brought some intelligence on foreign policy to the table, which isn't quite the norm in the GOP. She countered Ramaswamy pretty good, though I doubt it will change any mind.

- Ramaswamy: While horrible on issues, especially with a GE electorate, he's most in line with the base besides Trump. I think he's a jerk, but has some IT factor. If Trump wasn't in the race, he might stand a serious shot at the nomination. For sure he widened his name ID which alone is a win and lets people forget he was weak on policy substance. The GOP base also likes the outsider sh**tick.

- DeSantis: Ugh, while he didn't have a huge blunder, he failed to regain momentum or land a few important points. He didn't land anything and just repeated the usual soundbites aside from not using the word "woke". Given that he's under pressure, he lost by default as the debate won't change the trajectory of his sinking campaign.

- Christie: Had good moments, especially going after Ramaswamy with the ChatGPT stuff. However, he's out of step with his party with no chance to win the nomination. His performance was solid all things considered, but he won't change the fundamentals of this race.

- Pence: I underestimated him, though he's among the better debaters in the GOP. He landed a few points. I might gain a little, but not nearly enough. A pyrric victory.

- Scott: Failed to actually stand out, although he was self-confident and knew the issues. Neither a win, nor a loss.

- Hutchinson & Bourgum: Dull. Imho don't belong on the stage, although I'd prefer them over Trump, RDS and Vivek.

All things summarized, I doubt there's much of an impact other than RDS continue to lose support while Vivek may actually surge to 2nd place. Christie is the John Kasich of 2024 at best and not going anywhere. Which is kind of ridiculous as he's the only one who stands out in supporting the rule of law. The debate all in all lacked actual substance (hardly a surprise as we're talking about the GOP here) and won't change the fact Trump will win in a landslide. And neither of them will be VP.

[wbrocks67]

As others have stated, one of Pence's major problems is his he's a terrible public speaker. He talks slow, takes a while to get to the point, sounds very robotic and uninterested. He doesn't even come off as "serious", he just comes off like there's like nobody home inside and it's just a lifeless robot spouting out information. I don't need the president to have the "IT factor" but he's just so utterly boring and lifeless that it's hard to listen to him for more than a few seconds. Not only that, but somehow he comes off robotic *and* disingenuous at the same time.

As for DeSantis, I kind of wish they did go after him just to give a knock out blow. He's been on the decline for months, why not just finish him off officially at this point?

[Sir Mohamed]

As others have stated, one of Pence's major problems is his he's a terrible public speaker. He talks slow, takes a while to get to the point, sounds very robotic and uninterested. He doesn't even come off as "serious", he just comes off like there's like nobody home inside and it's just a lifeless robot spouting out information. I don't need the president to have the "IT factor" but he's just so utterly boring and lifeless that it's hard to listen to him for more than a few seconds. Not only that, but somehow he comes off robotic *and* disingenuous at the same time.

As for DeSantis, I kind of wish they did go after him just to give a knock out blow. He's been on the decline for months, why not just finish him off officially at this point?

I actually wouldn't say Pence is bad public speaker. Sure, he's no Obama and no Reagan, but at least in debates he performs well. Let's be honest, he beat Kaine pretty easily. Harris was just a better debater than Kaine.

[Landslide Lyndon]

As others have stated, one of Pence's major problems is his he's a terrible public speaker. He talks slow, takes a while to get to the point, sounds very robotic and uninterested. He doesn't even come off as "serious", he just comes off like there's like nobody home inside and it's just a lifeless robot spouting out information. I don't need the president to have the "IT factor" but he's just so utterly boring and lifeless that it's hard to listen to him for more than a few seconds. Not only that, but somehow he comes off robotic *and* disingenuous at the same time.

He actually came alive when he hit Ramaswamy on Ukraine, which I believe just shows how much all the other candidates dislike him.

[Santander]

I would give kudos to Asa Hutchinson for acting like the only normal human being if he didn't wear such an inappropriate flag pin for the occasion. From the ~1/2 of the debate I watched, he gave mature answers.

[wbrocks67]

I mean, is anyone even home???

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1694704812875501663

[Landslide Lyndon]

I mean, is anyone even home???

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1694704812875501663

BTW, what was that with Scott making up numbers?
16% inflation?
Six million illegal immigrants during Biden's term?
And nobody even bothered to call him on these lies even after the debate.

[Sir Mohamed]

I mean, is anyone even home???

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1694704812875501663

BTW, what was that with Scott making up numbers?
16% inflation?
Six million illegal immigrants during Biden's term?
And nobody even bothered to call him on these lies even after the debate.

Facts don't matter in GOP politics. Remember in 2016 when Trump once claimed the real unemployment rate was 42%?

[WalterWhite]

Next GOP debate:

Moderator: "What are your thoughts on a potential military intervention in Mexico to stop drug traffickers?"

DeSantis: "I support an American invasion and annexation of Mexico, and I will leave every single drug dealer dead. The woke left wants to paint invading countries as morally abhorrent; they always rail against Bush's invasion of Iraq and Putin's invasion of Ukraine, but often these leaders have legitimate reasons for invading these countries. In our case, against the wishes of the woke mob, we will invade Mexico and end the drug crisis once and for all. For all those opposed to this, think logically: we can afford to lose a few Mexican civilians if it means saving the lives of thousands of Americans each year from drug overdoses. This invasion would save lives, and I would be 100% in support of it."

Ramaswamy: "Americans are dying from this drug crisis. If we want to defeat the Hydra of drug trafficking, chopping off heads, which in this case would be arresting drug traffickers, would not help. We must cauterize the Hydra's flesh; we must conquer Mexico and kill every single drug dealer. To repeat what DeSantis said, the people in positions of power have this misguided notion that invasions are inherently morally wrong; when you put all invasions into a box of wrongness, you overlook the nuances each invasion has. Unlike what the liberal elites claim, I do believe the United States was justified in invading Iraq and that Russia is justified in invading Ukraine. When you analyze the circumstances regarding this drug crisis, invading Mexico is the only long-term solution to defeat this beast."

Pence: "It is a major tragedy to see many Americans die from drug overdoses caused by drug trafficking from Mexico. I do believe military intervention will help this drug crisis dramatically. Military intervention has been a taboo amongst the left, and recently the right as well, but I think we must revive the decades-old American tradition of military veneration. We successfully toppled an oppressive regime in Iraq using our military, and I personally believe we should send troops into Ukraine to fight the Russians. We have used our military to fight crises across the globe. Can we all agree to use our military to solve the domestic crisis of this drug epidemic by sending troops into Mexico, the heartland of these drug cartels?"

Haley: "The liberal administration of Joe Biden has taken an extremely soft approach to foreign policy. It withdrew from Afghanistan, has been extremely soft on Ukraine, and has done nothing to secure the border. People closely allied with Biden even claimed the Iraq War was a mistake, even though it toppled a dictatorial regime. A Haley administration would be completely different. As a former United Nations ambassador, I understand, better than anyone else on this stage, that you must show peace through strength. We will send troops to Ukraine; we will launch a full-scale invasion of Russia; we will conquer Mexico; I might even consider invading China, North Korea, and Iran to protect American hegemony from these evil regimes. Margaret Thatcher, one of the best British prime ministers, used military force to defend the Falkland Islands against Argentinian aggression. The Biden administration does not recognize the necessity of defending its borders by force, but a Haley administration would."

Christie: "Joe Biden's foreign policy has been a complete failure. Do you remember the disaster of the Afghanistan pullout? Can you see that the War in Ukraine is coming to a stalemate? He has been a coward. Under my administration, I would use our military for its intended purpose: protecting American interests. The War in Iraq, which by the way was a complete success because of our toppling of a foreign dictator, is often used by the mainstream media as an example of failed foreign policy; they confuse unpopular foreign policy with bad foreign policy. Neither Obama, nor Trump, nor Biden would even consider these basic measures; but I would. I would conquer Mexico and punish every Mexican drug kingpin to the fullest extent of the law. I would send troops into Ukraine to fight the Russian army. I would send troops into Taiwan to protect against a Chinese invasion. These are basic measures that anyone who cares about America's standing on the global stage would take."

Scott: "I would whole-heartedly support a full invasion and annexation of Mexico to stop the drug crisis impacting our borders. The American military has been too afraid to exert its might after the War in Iraq. Forgetting that the War in Iraq was objectively a success because of our toppling a foreign dictator, this drug crisis presents a more immediate threat to Americans. The only way to stop this threat is to invade Mexico and to prosecute every single drug kingpin currently terrorizing American families. These people must be treated as terrorists, and I would not be opposed to waiving their 8th Amendment rights if it deters others from starting their own drug empires."

Hutchinson: "As a former DEA head, I understand, better than anyone else on this stage, the impact of the drug crisis on American families. To be completely frank, our measures to stop this crisis have been lacking. I would absolutely support an American military intervention in Mexico to stop these drug dealers. American military intervention successfully overthrew Hussein in Iraq, successfully killed the threat of ISIS in the Middle East, and should be used to stop these drug cartels from terrorizing American families. Additionally, unlike anyone else on stage, I led the DEA; I understand logistics, so I believe I am the most qualified candidate to stop the drug crisis dead in its tracks and to lead an intervention in Mexico to do so."

Burgum: "Coming from a small town, I understand how tight-knit communities can be. I would know that in such a community, the loss of anyone for any reason would send ripples of grief throughout the town. I would understand how tragic the loss of anyone from drug-related overdoses would be in these communities. I believe it is in the interests of the American people to stop the drug crisis dead in its tracks. We must send our military into Mexico and eliminate these drug kingpins who are terrorizing our cities and towns. We often use our military to defend our interests abroad; we sent troops into Iraq in 2003 and successfully toppled a dictatorial regime that was potentially creating weapons of mass destruction. I must say the Biden administration has been fairly cowardly in this regard; we should be sending troops into Ukraine to defeat Russia, but we are not. Under my presidency, I would use our military to protect American interests abroad by sending troops to Ukraine. Additionally, I would also use our military to protect our interests at home by sending troops into Mexico to stop this drug crisis. Small towns need this protection if they want to avoid tragic loss of life from the drug crisis."

[Meatball Slayer]

Next GOP debate:

Moderator: "What are your thoughts on a potential military intervention in Mexico to stop drug traffickers?"

DeSantis: "I support an American invasion and annexation of Mexico, and I will leave every single drug dealer dead. The woke left wants to paint invading countries as morally abhorrent; they always rail against Bush's invasion of Iraq and Putin's invasion of Ukraine, but often these leaders have legitimate reasons for invading these countries. In our case, against the wishes of the woke mob, we will invade Mexico and end the drug crisis once and for all. For all those opposed to this, think logically: we can afford to lose a few Mexican civilians if it means saving the lives of thousands of Americans each year from drug overdoses. This invasion would save lives, and I would be 100% in support of it."

Ramaswamy: "Americans are dying from this drug crisis. If we want to defeat the Hydra of drug trafficking, chopping off heads, which in this case would be arresting drug traffickers, would not help. We must cauterize the Hydra's flesh; we must conquer Mexico and kill every single drug dealer. To repeat what DeSantis said, the people in positions of power have this misguided notion that invasions are inherently morally wrong; when you put all invasions into a box of wrongness, you overlook the nuances each invasion has. Unlike what the liberal elites claim, I do believe the United States was justified in invading Iraq and that Russia is justified in invading Ukraine. When you analyze the circumstances regarding this drug crisis, invading Mexico is the only long-term solution to defeat this beast."

Pence: "It is a major tragedy to see many Americans die from drug overdoses caused by drug trafficking from Mexico. I do believe military intervention will help this drug crisis dramatically. Military intervention has been a taboo amongst the left, and recently the right as well, but I think we must revive the decades-old American tradition of military veneration. We successfully toppled an oppressive regime in Iraq using our military, and I personally believe we should send troops into Ukraine to fight the Russians. We have used our military to fight crises across the globe. Can we all agree to use our military to solve the domestic crisis of this drug epidemic by sending troops into Mexico, the heartland of these drug cartels?"

Haley: "The liberal administration of Joe Biden has taken an extremely soft approach to foreign policy. It withdrew from Afghanistan, has been extremely soft on Ukraine, and has done nothing to secure the border. People closely allied with Biden even claimed the Iraq War was a mistake, even though it toppled a dictatorial regime. A Haley administration would be completely different. As a former United Nations ambassador, I understand, better than anyone else on this stage, that you must show peace through strength. We will send troops to Ukraine; we will launch a full-scale invasion of Russia; we will conquer Mexico; I might even consider invading China, North Korea, and Iran to protect American hegemony from these evil regimes. Margaret Thatcher, one of the best British prime ministers, used military force to defend the Falkland Islands against Argentinian aggression. The Biden administration does not recognize the necessity of defending its borders by force, but a Haley administration would."

Christie: "Joe Biden's foreign policy has been a complete failure. Do you remember the disaster of the Afghanistan pullout? Can you see that the War in Ukraine is coming to a stalemate? He has been a coward. Under my administration, I would use our military for its intended purpose: protecting American interests. The War in Iraq, which by the way was a complete success because of our toppling of a foreign dictator, is often used by the mainstream media as an example of failed foreign policy; they confuse unpopular foreign policy with bad foreign policy. Neither Obama, nor Trump, nor Biden would even consider these basic measures; but I would. I would conquer Mexico and punish every Mexican drug kingpin to the fullest extent of the law. I would send troops into Ukraine to fight the Russian army. I would send troops into Taiwan to protect against a Chinese invasion. These are basic measures that anyone who cares about America's standing on the global stage would take."

Scott: "I would whole-heartedly support a full invasion and annexation of Mexico to stop the drug crisis impacting our borders. The American military has been too afraid to exert its might after the War in Iraq. Forgetting that the War in Iraq was objectively a success because of our toppling a foreign dictator, this drug crisis presents a more immediate threat to Americans. The only way to stop this threat is to invade Mexico and to prosecute every single drug kingpin currently terrorizing American families. These people must be treated as terrorists, and I would not be opposed to waiving their 8th Amendment rights if it deters others from starting their own drug empires."

Hutchinson: "As a former DEA head, I understand, better than anyone else on this stage, the impact of the drug crisis on American families. To be completely frank, our measures to stop this crisis have been lacking. I would absolutely support an American military intervention in Mexico to stop these drug dealers. American military intervention successfully overthrew Hussein in Iraq, successfully killed the threat of ISIS in the Middle East, and should be used to stop these drug cartels from terrorizing American families. Additionally, unlike anyone else on stage, I led the DEA; I understand logistics, so I believe I am the most qualified candidate to stop the drug crisis dead in its tracks and to lead an intervention in Mexico to do so."

Burgum: "Coming from a small town, I understand how tight-knit communities can be. I would know that in such a community, the loss of anyone for any reason would send ripples of grief throughout the town. I would understand how tragic the loss of anyone from drug-related overdoses would be in these communities. I believe it is in the interests of the American people to stop the drug crisis dead in its tracks. We must send our military into Mexico and eliminate these drug kingpins who are terrorizing our cities and towns. We often use our military to defend our interests abroad; we sent troops into Iraq in 2003 and successfully toppled a dictatorial regime that was potentially creating weapons of mass destruction. I must say the Biden administration has been fairly cowardly in this regard; we should be sending troops into Ukraine to defeat Russia, but we are not. Under my presidency, I would use our military to protect American interests abroad by sending troops to Ukraine. Additionally, I would also use our military to protect our interests at home by sending troops into Mexico to stop this drug crisis. Small towns need this protection if they want to avoid tragic loss of life from the drug crisis."

I can’t lie, this gave me a chuckle