After the network showed a clip of a young conservative activist saying that climate change was the number one issue for young voters, Fox News moderator Martha MacCallum asked for a show of hands in response to her question, “Do you believe human behavior is causing climate change?”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis refused to participate, and then GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy declared, “I’m the only person on the stage who isn’t bought and paid for, so I can say this: The climate change agenda is a hoax.” A crowd full of Republicans started to boo.
Most of the Republicans on stage fell short of completely denying that climate change is caused by human activity. Ramaswamy, perhaps taking a page out of the Trump playbook of making the most outlandish comment possible, came right out and said it.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie shot back, “I’ve had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT.” Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley went so far as to venture, “Climate change is real.”
But moderator Bret Baier seized not on Ramaswamy’s blatant denial of the scientific consensus on climate change, but on his claim that he was the only candidate on the stage who was “not bought and paid for.” Baier took turns asking candidates, “Are you bought and paid for?” In classic Fox News fashion, a moment that could have provided insight into how far Republicans are willing to go to please young voters concerned about the environment devolved into senseless crosstalk. Still, for a party that has spent years ignoring or denying the biggest threat to our planet’s future, tonight’s responses were actually, almost, a little bit refreshing.
spoiler to those who were born yesterday
Barring the GOP just straight up blocking Trump from becoming the presidential nominee, Trump is going to become the presidential nominee. If Trump doesn’t become the presidential nominee, the GOP can kiss their chance at the Oval Office goodbye. Either option (Trump becoming the nominee or the GOP forfeiting their chances at getting a Republican president) means the Republican primaries debates are all complete wastes of time. They’re only worth watching if Trump’s there and it’s only because of the dunks.
I’m not American, nor a fan of Trump, but holy shit is him not participating in these debates making him look better than the alternatives. Dude literally got arrested for the fourth time in five months, had an insane presidency, suggested shooting up bleach and shining UV lights into people’s lungs as a cure for a virus and somehow still comes across less batshit than those in the debate. Interesting times indeed.
That was a genuine thing they used to do in political primaries. They’d get a bunch of low tier party members on the stage to all fuck up and look like clowns to get the audience members going “Okay could the adults show up now please?” And that’s when the actual candidate joins the race.
I think they do serve a purpose, but not everyone on the stage was aware of what that purpose actually was. The purpose was to audition to be Trump’s new VP pick since he’s definitely not going with Pence again.
yea the republican party is an authoritarian movement. there is no debate… there is only trump.