At the second Republican Presidential debate, For a moment, it was Nikki Haley vs. Vivek Ramaswamy, round two. As they did in last month’s debut debate, Haley and Ramaswamy had a split-screen sparring back-and-forth in which Haley went after the political newcomer for inexperience and, she alleged, dangerous ideas. Asked about his recent conversation with a TikTok influencer, Ramaswamy defended his use of the platform. “I’m the new guy here, and so I know I have to earn your trust,” Ramaswamy said. “I’m here to tell you, no, I don’t know at all. I will listen.” Interjecting by calling TikTok “dangerous,” Haley went on to address Ramaswamy directly — and personally. “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley said. “We can’t trust you.”
The Associated Press has the story:
Nikki Haley to Vivek Ramaswamy: “We can’t trust you”
Newslooks- SIMI VALLEY, California, (AP)
Haley pivots debate conversation to China again and again
Warning about the threats she perceived are posed by China is key to Haley’s stump, and it’s on full display in the debate.
Several times, Haley has pivoted her part in the conversation by noting that some U.S. supplies of amoxicillin come from China. Several times, she has pointed to Ramaswamy’s ties to the country, from business deals to his presence on TikTok, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.
Haley also went after Trump’s China policy, saying that she feels the former president was too focused on the U.S.-China trade relationship and did too little about possible threats from the country.Haley defends sendi
ng special ops to deal with Mexican cartels
Mexico has been a critical partner on border enforcement with the Trump and Biden administrations, but Haley defends sending special operations to deal with Mexican drug cartels, a common position among those on the debate stage.
It’s a nonstarter for Mexico’s leaders.
Mexico has deployed thousands of troops to its southern border to stop U.S.-bound migrants.
In January, it agreed to take back people from Cuban, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela if they enter the United States illegally, a major concession to deal with populations that are difficult to deport.Going against medical professionals, Ramaswamy calls being transgender a ‘mental health disorder’
Ramaswamy called being transgender a “mental health disorder” and “confusion” in response to a question about parental notification about their children’s gender identities. That’s in direct contrast to guidance from the American Psychiatric Association, which says diverse gender expressions “ are not indications of a mental disorder.”
To make his point, Ramaswamy noted that he recently met two young women who later regretted their gender-affirming surgeries.
While it’s possible, regret after a gender transition is rare. In a review of 27 studies involving almost 8,000 teens and adults who had transgender surgeries, mostly in Europe, the U.S and Canada, 1% on average expressed regret.
Haley tells Ramaswamy: ‘We can’t trust you’
For a moment, it was Haley vs. Ramaswamy, round two.
As they did in last month’s debut debate, Haley and Ramaswamy had a split-screen sparring back-and-forth in which Haley went after the political newcomer for inexperience and, she alleged, dangerous ideas.
Asked about his recent conversation with a TikTok influencer, Ramaswamy defended his use of the platform.
“I’m the new guy here, and so I know I have to earn your trust,” Ramaswamy said. “I’m here to tell you, no, I don’t know at all. I will listen.” Interjecting by calling TikTok “dangerous,” Haley went on to address Ramaswamy directly — and personally.
“Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley said. “We can’t trust you.”
Ramaswamy responded by saying that “I think we would be better served as a Republican Party if we’re not sitting here hurling personal insults,” before the moderators moved on to another topic.
Moderator threatens to cut Burgum’s mic
The debate is getting chaotic at times, with candidates shouting over one another and the moderators scolding them for not waiting their turns.
At one point, moderator Dana Perino warned Burgum, who was trying to interrupt the questioning, that they would have to cut off his microphone if he didn’t stop interjecting. “I don’t want to do that,” she said, pleadingly “I don’t.”
Moderators also told candidates multiple times that the cross-talking meant they would get fewer questions.Scott says there is no redeeming quality in slavery
The topic of education also led to the issue of teaching about racism in public schools. Under DeSantis, Florida approved a controversial curriculum that suggests some enslaved people learned useful skills while they were in bondage.
Scott, the only Black candidate on stage Wednesday night, reiterated his criticism of the curriculum under DeSantis by saying, “There is not a redeeming quality in slavery.”
He also suggested that the United States had turned the page on its history.
“We are the greatest nation on earth because we faced our demons in the mirror,” Scott said. He added that, “America is not a racist country.”Debate brings the cringe
A question about education took two uncomfortable and unexpected turns at Wednesday night’s presidential debate.
Saying that America’s public schools are “run by the teachers unions in this country,” Christie said U.S. schools would continue to struggle because, in his view, the Biden administration is too close to the unions.
“When you have the president that states sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you can take the stranglehold away from the teachers union every day,” Christie said.
In a later question, Pence chimed in, saying that he had been “sleeping with a teacher for 38 years” — but noting that his wife, Karen, is not a union member.
