Despite receiving the lion’s share of attacks from her three rivals on stage in Alabama, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was once again the standout performer in Wednesday night’s fourth Republican primary debate, The Post’s panel of political experts agreed.
“Haley is head and shoulders above the boys,” said GOP consultant Bill O’Riley. “He was attacked with withers from [Ron] DeSantis and [Vivek] Ramaswamy and proved himself unstoppable.”
“Haley was thoroughly prepared and her answers were considered and substantive,” he added. “The momentum has to continue.”
“Haley was a leader on stage from start to finish,” agreed O’Brien Murray, a campaign strategist for conservative Republicans and Democrats. “He’s staying ahead of the pack and showing he’s the biggest threat to Donald Trump, who is still far ahead for the GOP nomination.”
Democratic negotiator Hank Sheinkopf said the man on stage came across as “jealous” of the former ambassador to the United Nations.
“It’s pin-the-tail-on-Haley,” he said. “Did it work? I don’t think so. He did a good job of defending himself … If there was an election, he would be the one to lose.”
“Haley was thoroughly prepared and her answers were considered and substantive,” said GOP consultant Bill O’Riley. “The momentum has to continue.” AFP via Getty Images
Instead, our experts consider the debate another missed opportunity for DeSantis, who polls show is battling with Haley to be the only viable alternative to Trump, both nationally and in key early states.
O’Riley said the 45-year-old “had his best performance to date, but he continues to look awkward and uncertain on the debate stage at times.”
Although DeSantis got the loudest cheers from the Tuscaloosa crowd by disparaging sex-reassignment surgery for children, O’Riley said: “That’s Ron DeSantis fading in the polls over the last six months. A competent administrator DeSantis might have given him a better look. He had a good night, but he didn’t do anything to change the main dynamic.”
DeSantis was “too vanilla” and “missed an opportunity to persuade why he should be an alternative to Trump.” AP
Murray said DeSantis was “too vanilla” and “missed an opportunity to make the case for why he should be an alternative to Trump,” while a third GOP negotiator, Rob Ryan, called DeSantis and Ramaswamy’s attacks on Haley “an embarrassment to the Republican Party.”
“They obviously have never heard of Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment [Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican],” he said. “Their attack on him backfired on them.
Ryan also cited DeSantis’ praise of Calvin Coolidge as a role model for his presidential candidate, calling Silent Cal “a ridiculous choice.”
As in previous debates, Ramaswamy received the lowest marks from the panel, with O’Riley calling him “annoying” and Ryan describing him as a “big loser.” AP
As in previous debates, Ramaswamy received the lowest marks from the panel, with O’Riley calling him “annoying” and Ryan describing him as a “big loser.”
“Ramaswamy showed flashes of brilliance, but he hurt himself with excessive rhetoric,” explained O’Riley. “His best moment was talking about his wife, a doctor, and the costly disaster US health care is experiencing. His call to address the teen mental health crisis seemed very sincere.
“But Ramaswamy is going nowhere fast, and he knows that,” he added. “I would be surprised to see it at the next stage of the debate.
“Vivek has been going crazy since the first debate,” Murray said. “He proves the case why everyone is tired of him.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got mixed reviews, with O’Riley saying he “deserves credit for speaking straight” about the 45th president, even if it won’t pay off for him with the party’s nomination. Getty Images
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got mixed reviews, with O’Riley saying he “deserves credit for speaking straight” about the 45th president, even if it won’t pay off for him with the party’s nomination.
More than one panelist agreed Christie had the line of the night in the first half hour of the debate, when he told Ramaswamy: “This is the fourth debate that you’re going to be voted in the first 20 minutes as the most annoying hard hitter in America.”
Ryan added that Christie told “the ultimate fib” during his closing remarks, when he promised to show “humility” as commander in chief.
“Christie’s not stuck in the dirt,” Murray said. “But going after Trump doesn’t help you in the Republican primary.”
Democratic negotiator Hank Sheinkopf said the men on stage came across as “jealous” of the former UN ambassador. AFP via Getty Images
O’Riley agreed that the 77-year-old former president “remains in the driver’s seat” when the calendar turns to 2024.
In the end, he says, “it’s impossible to score major points against an empty lectern.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
