Eight of the Republican 2024 hopefuls not named Donald Trump gathered in Milwaukee Wednesday night for the first debate of the presidential cycle.
Trump, far and away the frontrunner, opted not to participate despite the lobbying from executives and anchors at Fox News, which hosted the event that was guaranteed to bring in lots of eyeballs and lots of ad dollars for the network. He instead sat for an interview with ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which was released during the debate. They discussed Jeffrey Epstein’s death, among other things.
That left on the stage: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former VP Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, tech businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Haley, Christie and Pence emerged early on as the most vocal attack dogs, while DeSantis largely hung back and refused to answer one single question directly. But nearly all of the candidates’ fury came in response to remarks from the young “I’m not a politician” tech bro Ramaswamy, who riled the masses with his views on U.S. funding for Ukraine and his declaration that climate change is a “hoax.”
Fox hosts struggled to enforce the rules and little policy of substance was discussed throughout the at-times performative, at-times chaotic shitshow.
We reveled in the spectacle alongside you. Catch up below:
Eight of the Republican 2024 hopefuls not named Donald Trump gathered in Milwaukee Wednesday night for the first debate of the presidential cycle.
Trump, far and away the frontrunner, opted not to participate despite the lobbying from executives and anchors at Fox News, which hosted the event that was guaranteed to bring in lots of eyeballs and lots of ad dollars for the network. He instead sat for an interview with ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson, which was released during the debate. They discussed Jeffrey Epstein’s death, among other things.
That left on the stage: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former VP Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, tech businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Haley, Christie and Pence emerged early on as the most vocal attack dogs, while DeSantis largely hung back and refused to answer one single question directly. But nearly all of the candidates’ fury came in response to remarks from the young “I’m not a politician” tech bro Ramaswamy, who riled the masses with his views on U.S. funding for Ukraine and his declaration that climate change is a “hoax.”
Fox hosts struggled to enforce the rules and little policy of substance was discussed throughout the at-times performative, at-times chaotic shitshow.
We reveled in the spectacle alongside you. Catch up below:
Marlon Brando, imitating a cat!
If TPM is liveblogging the event, my condolences. I wouldn’t be caught spending a minute listening to those spineless traitors. Wait. I’ve already spent too much time on it. Good bye.
Reminds me of the amazing long tracking shot they did for the Jon Stewart Show finale, when they showed the young folks sitting on a couch, that were tasked with watching Fox - their eyes were bleeding…
I"m so excited that I wet my pants! Woopee!
PS: I actually won’t be watching this boring debate of second class candidates, most of whom can’t get their heads out of Trump’s buttocks.
Glad someone is watching so I don’t have to.