DeSantis shines, Haley criticizes ‘lies’ in Republican debate
Likely Iowa Caucusgoers Seek Strong Alternative to Trump
As the Iowa caucuses approach, likely caucusgoers in Iowa are faced with a decision: should they support Governor Ron DeSantis or former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley as a stronger alternative to former President Donald Trump? With Trump absent from the debate stage at Drake University, the front-runner’s presence was felt across Des Moines as he participated in a televised town hall on Fox News.
“I wish Donald Trump was up here on this stage,” Haley expressed during the CNN debate. “He’s the one that I’m running against.”
Initially hesitant to criticize Trump, both DeSantis and Haley eventually scrutinized his record on immigration, the economy, and law enforcement. They also challenged his blanket presidential immunity defense. While DeSantis won the early rounds of the debate, Haley held her ground and relentlessly criticized him throughout the night.
According to debate coach Aaron Kall, DeSantis presented himself as a solid alternative to Trump in Iowa, while Haley appealed to moderate and independent voters, which could benefit her in New Hampshire.
Ed Lee, director of Emory University’s Alben W. Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation, and Dialogue, agreed that DeSantis had a strong start, while Haley seemed more under pressure than in previous debates.
During the debate, Haley missed a question and failed to deliver her usual one-liners. She also provided political fodder for Trump, DeSantis, and even President Joe Biden over entitlement reform.
“The various attacks weren’t as personal as in previous debates, but DeSantis clearly got under Haley’s skin,” Kall noted. “At times, Haley resorted back to her stump speech, which we’ve heard several times.”
Haley’s closing remark effectively differentiated herself from DeSantis as a better alternative to Trump, citing recent polling data that indicates she can beat Biden while DeSantis cannot. However, Lee wished that more of her responses throughout the debate supported this conclusion.
When given the opportunity to criticize Trump’s character, Haley declined and emphasized the need for new leadership and moral clarity. DeSantis, on the other hand, scrutinized Trump’s economic policies and criticized him for adding trillions to the federal debt. Both candidates confidently attacked their opponent’s claim of presidential immunity.
While DeSantis and Haley had more opportunities to make a positive case for their candidacies, they spent more time comparing themselves to each other.
“This is somebody that wrote in her book that Hillary Clinton inspired her to first run for office,” DeSantis pointed out.
“I thought he lied a lot,” DeSantis added, referring to his debate with Governor Gavin Newsom. “Man, Nikki Haley may give him a run for his money — she may even be more liberal than Gavin Newsom.”
Haley highlighted DeSantis’s extravagant campaign spending and lack of results, contrasting it with her own campaign that spans across multiple states.
“He has blown through $150 million,” she said. “I don’t know how you do that, through his campaign. He has nothing to show for it. He spent more money on private planes than he has on commercials trying to get Iowans to vote for him.”
The buzzword of the night was “lies,” with Haley launching a new website called “DeSantisLies.com” and repeatedly mentioning the URL throughout the debate.
“Every time he lies, Drake University, don’t turn this into a drinking game because you will be over-served by the end of the night,” she warned.
DeSantis responded by criticizing Haley’s tendency to shoot herself in the foot with her statements.
The candidates also differentiated themselves on foreign policy, with DeSantis suggesting that Haley’s hawkish stance is out of touch with the Republican base.
“If we support Ukraine and Israel, that’s only 5% of our defense budget,” Haley began.
“So you’re going to borrow all that?” DeSantis questioned. “You can take the ambassador out of the United Nations, but you can’t take the United Nations out of the ambassador.”
As the Iowa caucuses draw near, caucusgoers will need to gather more information to make an informed decision on who can best fill the void left by Trump’s absence.
In what ways did DeSantis and Haley differentiate themselves from Trump during the debate on issues like immigration, the economy, and law enforcement
T a significant portion of the debate focusing on each other. This allowed Trump to maintain a strong presence throughout the night, despite not being physically present.
Overall, the performance of both DeSantis and Haley in the Iowa debate provided likely caucusgoers with a strong alternative to Trump. DeSantis presented himself as a solid alternative, while Haley appealed to moderate and independent voters. However, Haley seemed more under pressure than in previous debates and failed to deliver her usual one-liners.
Despite these criticisms, Haley’s closing remark effectively differentiated herself from DeSantis as a better alternative to Trump, citing polling data that indicates she can beat Biden while DeSantis cannot. However, some observers wished that more of her responses throughout the debate supported this conclusion.
Both candidates confidently attacked their opponent’s claim of presidential immunity and criticized Trump on various issues, including immigration, the economy, and law enforcement. DeSantis scrutinized Trump’s economic policies and criticized him for adding trillions to the federal debt.
As the Iowa caucuses approach, likely caucusgoers will have to carefully consider which candidate presents the strongest alternative to Trump. With Trump’s absence from the debate stage, DeSantis and Haley provided voters with a glimpse of what their leadership could entail. Whether it be DeSantis’s solid alternative or Haley’s appeal to moderate and independent voters, the decision ultimately lies in the hands of the people of Iowa.
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