Eight Republican presidential candidates met on Wednesday in the Conservatives’ first debate ahead of the 2024 primary, with Donald Trump as a great protagonist, despite refusing to attend.
Trump’s critique seized the opportunity for his group of rivals, far behind in the polls, to meet the former president live arranged on stage for two hours in Milwaukee.
Instead, Trump gave a taped interview to Tucker Carlson, a former star host of Fox newswhich was published on the internet a few minutes before the debate.
In any case, the former president appeared to be mentioned repeatedly in the debate, with various questions from the presenters and moderators Fox news about his many trials with the judiciary.
When they asked the candidates who would support Trump if he was nominated by the party and found guilty in the criminal cases, they all raised their hands. except Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
“This is the limit. Someone needs to stop normalizing this behavior,” Christie said. “Whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of President of the United States.”
He was booed, as was Hutchinson, who added:Obviously I’m not going to support someone who has been convicted of a crime.”.
This Thursday, Trump will turn himself in to authorities in Atlanta following his fourth indictment this year, in this case for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election result he lost to Joe Biden.
Trump said that in the interview with Carlson there was no point in participating in the debate if your lead in the polls is between 50 and 60 points.
He called Biden “the worst president in American history” and suggested he might not be the Democratic nominee in the November 2024 election.
“I think he’s worse mentally than physically, and physically he’s not exactly a triathlete,” Trump said of the 80-year-old Biden.
The 77-year-old Republican also dismissed and named his four criminal charges trivial and nonsense.
Fierce debates and clashes
For his closest rival, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantisthe debate was an opportunity to reverse the downward trend in his support shown by the polls and show that he is a viable alternative.
DeSantis, 44, warned that the country is “in decline” and that it is “not inevitable. It’s a choice,” he said.
He also recalled keeping the state of Florida open during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was applauded when he said he would have fired the government’s science adviser. Anthony Fauci.
With Trump clearly ahead in the polls, the debate provided a showcase for those who would eventually become the former president’s running mates.
Low profile businessman Vivek Ramaswamy took the opportunity to introduce himself to the public and advocate for jobs in a future Trump administration.
Mike Pencewho was vice president of the Republican magnate, said he was “best prepared” for the position.
The candidates questioned climate change, criticized street crime and supported restrictions on access to abortion, an issue that polarizes the United States, to the point that Pence questioned former UN ambassador Nikki Haley: for calling for a ‘consensus’ on this issue.
The Biden campaign paid for expensive ad space Fox news and on the network’s website before the debate, and the president said he would watch the event”as much as I could”.
Hours before the debate, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, along with Trump and 17 others charged with conspiracy in the case, turned himself in in the Georgia state capital. (JO)
Questions and answers from the 2023 Elections
Source: Eluniverso
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