Under the glaring lights of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, the Republican presidential hopefuls faced off in their fourth and final TV battle of the year. Only four out of the initial eight Trump contenders remained standing, and the stage was set for a fiery debate.
A Shift in alliances
However, things didn't go as expected. Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and DeSantis took aim at Nikki Haley, while New Jersey's former governor Chris Christie defended her. The night kicked off with Ramaswamy, who had already criticized Haley as "Dick Cheney in seven-inch heels" during the third debate, throwing more jabs her way. His attacks centered around her foreign policy qualifications during the wars in Ukraine and Israel, stating, "Just because she drank coffee at the UN doesn't mean she has any experience. She doesn't even know which provinces in Ukraine she wants to defend..."
Ramaswamy also compared Haley to former President George W. Bush's vice president, "Even if you put lipstick on Dick Cheney, it's still a neo-con." Neo-cons, American politicians who advocate for global security in foreign policy and view the United States as having a special responsibility in these matters, were a hot button topic. Trump and DeSantis, however, rejected this role and wanted to stay out of the affairs of other states.
Before Haley could respond, Chris Christie stepped in, angrily defending Haley from Ramaswamy's attacks. "You're insulting Nikki Haley's base intelligence," Chris Christie hissed. "She's a smart and deserving woman. You are the most disgusting blowhard in America." Christie's words were met with applause and a grateful "thank you" from Haley.
Ramaswamy vs. Christie
Undeterred, Ramaswamy hit back, telling the heavyweight Christie to go to New Jersey and order himself a nice meal. The back-and-forth continued, with Ramaswamy cornering Christie on multiple occasions and accusing him of not answering the questions.
The hotly debated topic of Israel and Anti-Semitism
From a German perspective, the most intriguing statement came from Ron DeSantis. "There is as much anti-Semitism in Germany today as there was under Hitler. Why? Because Germany is importing people from a culture that hates Israel and rejects American culture."
Trump in the Spotlight
Moderator Megyn Kelly brought up the elephant in the room: Trump. Strikingly, Haley and Ron DeSantis, who had declared their support for Trump even if he was found guilty in one of his four criminal trials in the first debate, tried to distance themselves from him this time.
In the end, Trump yet again emerged victorious
Despite Christie's dominance, it was clear that conservative voters did not favor him. When he stated that Donald Trump would not be allowed to vote on election day because he would be a convicted criminal, he was booed once again.
Nikki Haley, who was confident in the first debates and had increased her support from 2 to 10 percent, looked pale and uncertain this time. At least, she did not make any significant mistakes.
Ron DeSantis was stronger this time than in the first three debates, but it remained that he had slipped from 24 percent in the summer to 10 percent and was now tarnished.
Once again, Vivek Ramaswamy turned out to be a radical shouter. His attacks on Haley, including holding up a sign that read "Nikki Haley is corrupt," earned him nothing but boos.
The Divide Among the Republicans
In the end, there was still no clear challenger to Trump. The last two TV debates in January, before the first Republican primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, would be a three-way battle between Haley, DeSantis, and Christie. This division among the anti-Trump voters could only benefit one candidate: Trump.
Enrichment Data integrated into the base article:
- Background on Nikki Haley: Despite criticisms from some Republican candidates, Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador, remains highly regarded as a potential contender for the presidency due to her extensive political experience.
- Reactions from Republican Candidates: Chris Christie has been vocal in his opposition to Donald Trump and has been defending Nikki Haley from attacks. Vivek Ramaswamy has been critical of the conviction of Donald Trump and believes it could benefit his campaign. Donald Trump has reacted negatively to Haley's victories, describing her as the "Queen of the Swamp."
[1] "Nikki Haley's political comeback: From behind the scenes to the spotlight" [5] "Nikki Haley wins Vermont Republican primary, strengthening her presidential campaign" [2] "Christie: ‘I’m the only candidate working on defeating Donald Trump’" [4] "Ron DeSantis Unleashes Incendiary Anti-Semitism Claim about Germany" [Source: www.bild.de]
