{"id":2010454,"date":"2023-08-24T06:45:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T10:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-trump-free-gop-means-more-ramaswamy-trends-and-highlights-of-the-first-debate\/"},"modified":"2023-08-24T06:47:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T10:47:42","slug":"analysis-trump-free-gop-means-more-ramaswamy-trends-and-highlights-of-the-first-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-trump-free-gop-means-more-ramaswamy-trends-and-highlights-of-the-first-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Analysis: Trump&#8217;s Absence Boosts Ramaswamy in GOP Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fanalysis-trump-free-gop-means-more-ramaswamy-trends-and-highlights-of-the-first-debate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2010454&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>After the \u200dfirst Republican presidential primary debate in Milwaukee, surrogates for the various candidates did what any good supporter should\u2013they sought \u2062to spin performances into clear-cut wins.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[Gov. Ron DeSantis] has no peer up \u200bthere \u200bin terms of his conservative consistency,&#8221; said Ken \u2062Cuccinelli, a veteran of the \u2062former President Donald Trump administration who is now with the Never Back Down Super Pac that supports Mr. DeSantis&#8217;s presidential run, in\u2063 an \u200cinterview with The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;[Former Gov. Nikki Haley] showed tonight that she can stand toe-to-toe, being the only woman on the presidential stage for \u200c2024,&#8221; Katon \u200bDawson, a supporter of Ms. Haley who formerly chaired the South Carolina Republican Party, told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/5-takeaways-from-the-first-republican-presidential-debate-5479819\">5 Takeaways \u200cFrom the First Republican Presidential Debate<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/24\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/5-takeaways-from-the-first-republican-presidential-debate-5479819\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/candidates-clash-over-ukraine-aid-at-gop-debate-5479801\">Candidates Clash Over \u2062Ukraine Aid at GOP Debate<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/24\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/candidates-clash-over-ukraine-aid-at-gop-debate-5479801\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yet, as\u2063 the dust settles after the two-hour, Trump-free spectacle on Aug. 23, it&#8217;s\u200d crucial\u200b to look beyond the spin.<\/p>\n<h2>By Drawing Attacks,\u2063 Ramaswamy Scores Victories<\/h2>\n<p>President Trump&#8217;s absence from\u2062 the Fiserv Forum, normally \u200chome to the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, meant one man stood in\u200c as the next best thing: biotech\u2064 entrepreneur, anti-woke investor, and occasional \u200drapper Vivek G. Ramaswamy, whose Trump-like stances and Trump-friendly rhetoric painted a bright target on his\u2064 back.<\/p>\n<p>On foreign policy, climate change, and other issues, Mr. Ramaswamy took fire from many opponents\u2013most notably, Ms. Haley,\u2062 former\u200d Vice President \u2062Mike Pence, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris \u2062Christie.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Mr. Christie \u2062compared the \u200cenergetic millennial to ChatGPT. Mr. \u200bPence, \u200cmeanwhile, dismissed Mr. \u200bRamaswamy as a &#8220;rookie,&#8221; while Ms. Haley accused him of failing to support \u200bU.S. allies.<\/p>\n<p>That pattern contradicted\u200d the predictions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/what-to-know-about-tonights-first-gop-debate-5478658\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">some insiders<\/a>, \u2063who told The\u200c Epoch Times that Mr. DeSantis would\u200b probably attract the most \u2062heat as \u200bthe favorite for the nomination \u2062after President Trump. Yet, Mr.\u2064 Ramaswamy&#8217;s rapid ascent \u200cin the past few months makes what happened more \u200cunderstandable: acceleration is easier \u2063to spot and attack than a relatively \u2063steady velocity.<\/p>\n<p>If Mr. Ramaswamy aimed to win by playing the\u2063 underdog, he appears\u2063 to have\u2064 succeeded.\u2063 Time and time again, he\u200b stole the show, even by drawing a swipe from one rival through effusive praise of the last Republican \u200dto reach the White House.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;President Trump was, I believe, the best president\u200c of\u200c the 21st century,&#8221; Mr. Ramaswamy told Mr. Christie to cheers from the audience, adding that he \u2062believes the former New Jersey governor&#8217;s crusade against his onetime boss is motivated by &#8220;vengeance \u2064and grievance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You make me laugh,&#8221; Mr. Christie responded before the audience&#8217;s boos drowned \u200chim out.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Vivek Ramaswamy, 1. Establishment politicians, 0,&#8221; said Chris Grant, senior advisor \u200cto the Ramaswamy campaign, \u200cin a spin room interview with The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I \u200bthink the reason career politicians\u2064 like Nikki \u200cHaley and Mike Pence get so upset is because \u2063of jealousy,&#8221; Mr. Grant added.<\/p>\n<p>Others offered a\u2063 more guarded response to \u2062the\u2062 entrepreneur.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ll see, how does his aggressiveness go over with a \u200clot\u200b of grassroots voters,&#8221; said Sean Spicer, a\u200d press secretary during Trump&#8217;s presidency.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Spicer told The Epoch Times \u200cthat Mr. Ramaswamy &#8220;landed some really good punches.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel<\/h2>\n<p>Some of\u200c the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-trump-free-gop-means-more-ramaswamy-trends-and-highlights-of-the-first-debate\/\" title=\"Analysis: Trump's Absence Boosts Ramaswamy in GOP Debate\">biggest disputes concerned foreign policy<\/a>. Most candidates \u2063staked out positions at odds with \u2062that of the race&#8217;s current frontrunner.<\/p>\n<p>When the candidates were asked if they oppose the Biden administration&#8217;s latest request\u2062 for billions in\u2064 Ukraine funding, Mr. Ramaswamy held his\u200c hand\u2062 high, while Mr. DeSantis&#8217;s wavered midway in the air. The other six\u200d contenders did nothing.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I would not support it,&#8221; Mr. Ramaswamy said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I would have Europe step up,&#8221; said Mr. DeSantis, adding that American backing &#8220;should be contingent&#8221; on additional contributions from American allies closer to\u200c Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Pence characterized Mr. Ramaswamy&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-ndaa-here-are-the-four-republican-senators-who-opposed-defense-bill\/\" title=\"Four GOP Senators Opposed Senate NDAA\">foreign policy proposal<\/a>, which would see the United States cede parts of Ukraine to Russia \u2063in exchange for ending their alliance with China, as a \u2064&#8221;giveaway \u2026 to Putin.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Vice President Pence, I \u2062have a newsflash. The \u200bUSSR does not exist anymore,&#8221; Mr. Ramaswamy responded.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Haley jumped in \u200btoo.<\/p>\n<p>She said Mr.\u200d Ramaswamy &#8220;wants to hand Ukraine\u200d to Russia,&#8221; &#8220;wants let China eat Taiwan,&#8221; and &#8220;wants to go and stop funding Israel.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You\u200c have no <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nikki-haley-at-rjc-biden-admin-cant-be-trusted-to-stop-iran-nuclear-threat\/\" title=\"Nikki Haley at RJC: Biden Admin Can\u2019t Be Trusted to Stop Iran Nuclear Threat\">foreign policy experience<\/a>,&#8221;\u200d said Ms. Haley, who served as\u2064 United Nations ambassador\u2062 under President Trump.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not that Israel needs America. America\u200d needs Israel,&#8221; \u2063she said.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. \u2063Ramaswamy described the relationship between Israel and the United States as &#8220;a friendship.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You\u2064 know what friends do? Friends help each other stand on their own two feet,&#8221; he said,\u2063 adding that he would work with the Middle Eastern state to &#8220;make sure Iran never is nuclear armed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;You know what\u2064 I love about \u200cIsrael?&#8221; Mr. Ramaswamy said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I love their border policies. \u200cI\u2063 love tough-on-crime policies. I love that they have a national identity and an Iron Dome to\u200b protect their homeland,&#8221; he continued.<\/p>\n<h2>Hopefuls Spar\u200c on Abortion<\/h2>\n<p>The feasibility of national restrictions on \u200dabortion also divided the candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Pence indicated he would support such a limit\u2064 on abortions\u2062 past 15 weeks, describing \u2064it \u2064as &#8220;an idea whose\u200c time has come.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s\u2062 not a states-only issue.\u200b It&#8217;s a moral issue,&#8221; said the former vice\u200c president, long known as a pro-life stalwart.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When you&#8217;re talking about a federal ban, be honest with the American\u2064 people,&#8221; Ms. \u2063Haley responded, saying that there weren&#8217;t enough pro-life senators \u2062to make it a reality.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t make women feel like they have to decide on this issue,&#8221; she told Mr. Pence, echoing a frequent complaint about \u2063the putative causes of the GOP&#8217;s\u200d lackluster midterm performance.<\/p>\n<p>North Dakota\u2064 Gov. Doug Burgum said he had pro-life views but\u2063 opposed a\u2063 federal ban, \u2064citing the 10th \u2062Amendment&#8217;s granting of unenumerated rights to the states by default.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t have Republicans, who fight for fifty years\u2063 for \u200cthis\u200d great cause to\u200c return it back to the states, [the] next day they \u2064turn \u2063around and go, &#8216;No,\u200b the feds should do that,'&#8221; he continued.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Tim Scot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>a surrogate for Gov. Ron DeSantis. Cuccinelli praised DeSantis&#8217; unwavering conservative stance, claiming he outshined other candidates in the Republican primary debate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":2010455,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2010454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2010454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010454\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2010455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2010454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2010454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2010454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}