Taking Off the Gloves: The Fiery GOP Debate
During Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, Vivek Ramaswamy criticized Nikki Haley for allowing her daughter to use TikTok (“Real ‘Scum-Dinger,’” Nov. 9).
Haley’s response was akin to “shut your trap.” Then she whispered: “You’re just scum.”
Had the former South Carolina governor said Vivek was a fool, brat or toad, I doubt people would be talking much about her reply today. But she said “scum.” Words matter, especially in a presidential debate.
Remember what President Ronald Reagan said of Walter Mondale in 1984: “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
My guess is that Haley’s four-letter word will be repeated a million times between now and Iowa’s GOP caucus in January.
Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Every Republican candidate is qualified to be
president. But no more debates: These candidates’ time will come.
But for now, they need to get together and back former President Donald Trump. We must make America great again — and keep it that way. J.R. Cummings
Manhattan
The third Republican presidential debate was the most substantive so far. It was largely civilized, informative and well-moderated.
Most notable was Vivek Ramaswamy’s performance
— but not in a good way. He spoke like an overly scripted hustler. Fortunately, his antics backfired and he was exposed for what he is — an unelectable fast-talking con-man who obfuscates rather than elucidates.
These debates clearly have value: They expose the candidates’ imperfections. Peter Janoff
Stamford, Conn.
When the third Republican debate discussed Israel, it became a contest to see who could deliver the strongest language upbraiding Hamas, without a breath of concern for the slaughter of Gazan innocents.
Diplomacy and lawful justice systems seem no longer relevant to farright Republicans.
Today’s politicians appeal to the basest instincts of the electorate. This war-mongering is just an effort to fill campaign coffers with warindustry money.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah