Reagan and Trump loom above second GOP debate
| Washington
Though neither was present, two larger-than-life Republicans towered over the presidential primary debate stage Wednesday night: Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan.
Former President Trump, the for the 2024 GOP nomination, again opted not to participate. But unlike in the first debate, this time his intraparty rivals went after him. Even Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, polling a distant second, finally took the gloves off, calling Mr. Trump "missing in action" for not debating.聽
The late President Reagan was present both visually and in spirit. The debate took place at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California, and clips from his time in office played throughout. But the Reagan aura only served to show how much the current-day Republican Party is stomping all over his legacy.
Why We Wrote This
The second GOP presidential debate, at the Reagan Library, showed how far the current field has come from Mr. Reagan鈥檚 era. Former President Trump鈥檚 persona hovered, despite his absence.
From the start, the debate was ugly, with candidates talking over each other and ignoring the rules. At times, the Fox News moderators lost control. Eventually, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy stated the obvious, referencing Mr. Reagan鈥檚 so-called 11th Commandment 鈥� 鈥淭hou shalt not speak ill of another Republican鈥� 鈥� and urging the other six candidates, 鈥淟et鈥檚 have a legitimate disagreement.鈥�
It was, in a way, a mea culpa by Mr. Ramaswamy, a brash young political novice who had spent the first debate attacking his fellow Republicans 鈥� earning headlines but not, it turned out, a bump in the polls.
On substance, too, Wednesday鈥檚 debate showed how far the GOP has strayed from some Reagan values. A video clip was shown of the 40th president calling for an 鈥渁mnesty鈥� for those in the United States illegally. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, called for 鈥渆nforcing the law.鈥�
Mr. Reagan鈥檚 devotion to fighting tyranny abroad also came under challenge, as candidates debated U.S. aid to Ukraine. Former Vice President Mike Pence and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley defended the Reagan perspective, while Governor DeSantis reflected the Trumpian 鈥淎merica First鈥� rhetoric of 鈥渘o blank check鈥� to Ukraine while 鈥渙ur own country is being invaded鈥� 鈥� a reference to the crisis on the U.S. southern border.
The debate contained its share of zingers, including Ms. Haley鈥檚 attack on Mr. Ramaswamy after he defended , a Chinese-owned app. 鈥淗onestly,鈥� she said, 鈥渆very time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.鈥�
Mr. Christie called the ex-president 鈥淒onald Duck鈥� for refusing to debate. But the reality is, Mr. Trump can afford not to debate 鈥� as his gain in the polls after skipping the last debate showed. Instead, he addressed former and current autoworkers at a nonunion manufacturing plant in suburban Detroit the day after President Joe Biden made history by joining a United Auto Workers picket line near Detroit.
Mr. Trump mocked his rivals, and suggested none are worthy of being his running mate in 2024. 鈥淒oes anybody see any VP in the group?鈥� he asked. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think so.鈥�
As with the last GOP debate, Ms. Haley garnered positive reviews for her performance 鈥� leading some pundits to pine for a head-to-head showdown between Ms. Haley, who was also governor of South Carolina, and Mr. Trump. Polling averages show a Trump-Biden race as a dead heat, while a Haley-Biden race shows the South Carolinian solidly ahead.
But a two-person GOP nomination race is hardly imminent, and time is running short. When asked whom they would 鈥渧ote off the island鈥� during the debate, the candidates balked, with Mr. DeSantis calling the idea 鈥渄isrespectful to my fellow competitors.鈥澛營t鈥檚 still very much Mr. Trump鈥檚 party.聽
