A few seconds into the video, the two were on the floor behind the news desk.
On a private news channel in Pakistan recently, a debate between two panellists from opposing parties turned into an ugly brawl. Sher Afzal Marwat, a lawyer who back Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Afnanullah Khan locked horns, literally, following their disagreements during the programme. In the video, Sher Afzal Marwat — in a maroon shirt — was the first to get up from his chair and slap Afnanullah Khan.
Mr Khan, too, sprung into action and pushed his opponent as the anchor attempted to calm them down. A few seconds into the video, the two were on the floor behind the news desk while the anchor and crew members tried to separate the two.
A user on X, formerly Twitter, shared the video in which the two leaders went no-holds-barred at each other. “If you abuse the Murshid, the disciple will answer. And the answer is made! Someone is going to understand them in their language! To catch or to leave,” read the text accompanying the video.
مرشد کو گالی دو گے تو مرید تو جواب دے گا ہی۔۔ اور جواب بنتا بھی ہے! کوئی تو ان کو انکی زبان میں سمجانے والا ہو! پکڑنا ہے یا چھوڑنا ہے ???????? pic.twitter.com/i52eSgjrGL
Following the debate, senator Afnan wrote on X saying that he believed in non-violence but he was also “Nawaz Sharif’s soldier”.
مروت نے کل ٹاک شو میں مجھ پر حملہ کیا، میں عدم تشدد پر یقین رکھتا ہوں مگر میں نواز شریف کا سپاہی ہوں۔ جو پھینٹا مروت کو لگایا ہے یہ تمام پی ٹی آئی اور بالخصوص عمران خان کے لیے ایک اہم سبق ہے، کہیں شکل دیکھانے کے قابل نہیں رہیں گے، بڑی بڑی کالی عینکیں لگانی پڑیں گی۔???? pic.twitter.com/si4jvyboeJ
“The trick that has been put on Marwat is an important lesson for all PTI and especially for Imran Khan, they will not be able to see the shape, they will have to wear big black glasses,” he wrote.
Former United States president Donald Trump is still the likely Republican nominee to run for the White House in 2024, despite his no-show – again – at the party’s second primary debate, observers told CNA on Friday (Sep 29).
This is also in spite of his Republican rivals performing better than they did at the first debate last month, they added.
“The issue is that relatively, even if they had an okay night, they didn’t break out from the pack and they didn’t provide an overwhelming reason to reject Donald Trump among Republicans,” said campaign and public affairs consultant Craig Varoga, a fellow at the American University’s Center for Congressional & Presidential Studies.
Most polls are showing that Mr Trump is still holding a steady lead, and none of his other opponents have seen a breakthrough, said Dr Jacob Neiheisel, associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo.
“It’s not even close at this point,” he told CNA’s World Tonight.
“I didn’t see anything that’s fundamentally going to change the nature of this race, which is everyone’s really looking to play for second best.”
The second GOP presidential debate was held in California on Wednesday night, featuring seven candidates who are vying for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in 2024. The debate was heated and tense, with several clashes and confrontations among the contenders.
TOPSHOT – (L-R) Former Governor from South Carolina and UN ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy speak during the second Republican presidential primary debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on September 27, 2023. (Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP)(AFP)
One of the most fiery exchanges was between former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who sparred over the issue of TikTok and China.
Ramaswamy, who recently joined the popular social media app, defended his decision as a way to reach “the next generation of young Americans where they are.”
Haley, however, was not impressed by his argument. She blasted him for supporting a platform that she claimed was dangerous and harmful to the national security of the US. She also accused him of helping China make medicines and of being ignorant about policy.
“This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have and what you’ve got, I honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley said.
She explained that China was using TikTok to harvest data from Americans, such as their contacts, financial information, emails, and text messages. She said that China knew exactly what they were doing and that Ramaswamy was making the country more vulnerable.
Ramaswamy responded by saying that he favored declaring independence from China and that he had been very clear that kids under 16 should not use addictive social media. He also said that the Republican Party needed to win elections and that he was the only one who was reaching out to young people.
“I have a radical idea for the Republican Party. We need to win elections.” Ramaswamy said.
“So while the Democrats are running rampant, reaching the next generation 3 to 1, there’s exactly one person in the Republican Party, which talks a big game about reaching young people, and that’s me,” he added.
ALSO READ| ‘Are there no heights his hair won’t reach?’: Netizens troll Vivek Ramaswamy over his ‘bouffant’ hair during GOP debate
He also criticized Haley for hurling personal insults at him instead of having a legitimate debate about policy. He said that the party would be better served if they focused on the issues rather than on attacking each other.
The debate did not seem to end well for Ramaswamy, as his spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement after the event, expressing disappointment at Haley’s behavior.
“It’s a shame that Nikki Haley feels she has to resort to personal attacks in lieu of an actual vision for the country,” McLaughlin said.
“I’m sure she didn’t launch personal attacks in the boardroom at Boeing, and the American people expect the same as part of the electoral process.”
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“They’re going to remember how you spoke, how you showed up and how your presence was in those particular moments,” said body language expert Chris Ulrich in an exclusive with The Post.
“They’re going to remember how you spoke, how you showed up and how your presence was in those particular moments,” said body language expert Chris Ulrich (AP)
According to Chris, some of the best indicators of leadership potential have little to do with words spoken. Instead, candidates at the second Republican debate of the 2024 campaign were challenged to balance two key factors: confidence and likability.
“They’re trying to do two things: One, come across competent and effective like they could sit in the presidential chair,” he began. “And then in the same vein, the other thing that voters are looking for is: ‘Are you likeable? Can I trust you?’
“What we’re looking at is openness vs. closed in our body language or an increase of anxiety or a calmness,” he put forth.
Chris Christie: ‘Show up or Shut up’
Chris Christie created a huge buzz Thursday night, slumping over the podium in his typical shoot-from-the-hip approach.
When he made one of the most memorable comments of the night calling Donald Trump- former American president- ‘Donald Duck’, he shined with a powerful hand gesture, said Chris Ulrich.
Additionally, he pointed to the camera to emphasize his point.
“It’s kind of like if you ever seen those ‘Uncle Sam wants you’ posters [from World War II],” began the expert.
“He is saying to Donald Trump, ‘Show up or shut up.’”
Nikki Haley: ‘Powerful’
Nikki Haley’s performance on Wednesday evoked confidence and relatability through her decisive answers and assertive gestures, said Chris.
The chopping motion she used while making her points helped her come across as a very focused and powerful candidate.
Vivek Ramaswamy: ‘Laughing’
Vivek was one of the most targeted candidates in the Republican debate, considering his enormous jump in the polls post the first debate.
While Chris appreciates the Indian-American candidate’s openness and enthusiasm he thinks he made a mistake by answering too jovially to the remarks made on him.
“It’s important to laugh it off, but at a certain moment, it would have been nice to see him back up and say, ‘Hey, enough is enough,’” said Chris.
“We saw him kind of do that a little bit, but not enough, And so he got beat up to the point where I think he got hurt a little bit tonight, ” he added.
Tim Scott: ‘Relaxed’
Tim Scott garnered more speaking time in the second debate and was noticeably more vocal this time.
“Tim Scott was much more relaxed in his body language. He was at ease,” said Chris. “He was trained, probably, but he came across very comfortable in his body language and the pace of his speech.”
According to the body language expert, a factor that hurt Tim’s performance during the discussion was his inability to converse amid interruptions.
“He would ultimately get quiet,” he said. “We saw that with Jeb Bush when he was battling with (Donald) Trump, and that hurt him in those times.”
Ron DeSantis: ‘Not a normal smile’
As per Chris, Ron has got an issue with his smile.
“It is just not his thing.”
The Florida governor’s strained grin- which has become the source of many memes was visible again as he tried to smile through his criticisms.
“It’s not a normal smile – he doesn’t engage the corners of his mouth, there’s no crow’s feet,” pointed Chris.
“The only time we see that slowdown is literally at the end of the debate. In the last half hour, we see a calmer DeSantis, a clearer DeSantis,” he added.
Doug Burgum: ‘Talked so fast’
“For Doug, it’s like, ‘Thanks for playing, Doug.’” “I mean, he had to literally force himself into the debate as he gets so few questions.”
The North Dakota governor got little to no footage in the debate and was nearly being squeezed out of the picture, observed Chris.
When Doug did get questions, he failed to answer them correctly with confidence as he “rushes his answers.”
“He talked so fast.”
Mike Pence: ‘Awkward’
Mike Pence has served as the Vice-President in 2016, serving a term alongside former President Donald Trump.
Chris states that Mike played well in the first Republican debate.
“He’s a known entity, and at the last debate, he was more presidential,” Ulrich said. “When he talks, he slows down and delivers his lines.”
However, in the second one, he fumbled over his point at times.
“Today he was stepping over himself – he couldn’t even deliver his lines,” Ulrich said. “And so that awkwardness hurts him.”
Who won the 2nd GOP debate?
“You can make the argument there’s no alternative yet to (President) Biden or Trump,” began the body language expert. “At the end of the day, these folks are trying to ‘survive on the island’ – and the question will be, ‘Do they resonate with the American people?’ – not only from what they said, but how they showed up.”
“Did the folks at this debate show up in a way that will, at the end of the day, have the American people and Republican voters say, ‘I’ve seen on this debate stage as an alternative to President Trump?’” Ulrich asked.
“I’m not sure.”
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Viewership for the second Republican debate fell to 9.5 million viewers, off by 26% from the 12.8 million who tuned in for the first GOP 2024 gathering last month.
Even with the viewership drop, the debate was still the most watched show on TV on Wednesday. Fox Business and Univision telecast the event, and it was simulcast on Fox News, and streamed on Fox Nation.
The debate drew almost 2 million viewers in the 25-54 demo. The first debate drew 2.82 million in the demo.
Although Trump has claimed that the first debate got low ratings, it actually was a robust figure given that he did not participate. Fox News said that the 9.5 million also was larger than 60% of the debates that have aired since the 2016 cycle. A drop off from the first debate to the second also is not out of the ordinary, given the curiosity factor for a first matchup.
The debate averaged 1.82 million viewers on Fox Business Network, 6.69 million on Fox News, 813,000 for Univision and around 200,000 on digital streams, according to the network.
DeSantis also had his sights on Trump, digging even further into Trump’s absence on the debate stage by saying in a Fox News interview that Trump should “defend why is he running on the same program in 2016 that he did not actually implement.”
“He has had a lot to say about me on social media since 2022 — right before the midterm election, he started attacking me when we were supposed to be united to a red wave,” DeSantis said. “[It’s] one thing to do it behind the keyboard. Do it to my face. I’m ready for it. You used to say I’m a great governor. Now you say the opposite. Let’s have the discussion. We can do it one-on-one.”
The digs come after DeSantis failed to create a viral, memorable moment at Wednesday night’s debate — or even one at the August debate. Instead, DeSantis appeared only to be going off rehearsed riffs.
DeSantis was seen as Trump’s top potential Republican challenger when he first announced his presidential run in May, but his poll numbers have only fallen since then — both nationally and in early-voting states. DeSantis ranked fifth place in a CNN/University of New Hampshire poll released this month. A recent Wall Street Journal poll showed Trump’s lead over DeSantis has nearly doubled since April.
At a time when his standing in the polls has slid — and Republican donors have talked about finding another candidate to stop Donald J. Trump from cruising to the nomination — Gov. Ron DeSantis acted like the former president’s leading challenger at the second Republican presidential debate.
Standing center stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday night, he deployed a newly assertive tone against the absent Mr. Trump, using criticisms he has been honing in recent weeks at the urging of his allies. He drew attacks from rivals who did show up, but none seemed to land a killer blow. And despite not saying a word until 15 minutes in, he ultimately imposed himself on the proceedings, speaking more than any other candidate.
“Donald Trump is missing in action,” Mr. DeSantis said during his first remarks of the debate. “He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt.”
The question is whether the performance will be enough now to stop him from losing ground and to build momentum. Time is running out to convince both skeptical voters and skittish donors that he is still the most competitive challenger to Mr. Trump than anyone else in the field. Mr. Trump’s standing in the race has only risen since the first debate in August, which he also skipped, and national surveys show him leading Mr. DeSantis by roughly 40 percentage points But as his rivals onstage Wednesday night clamored for airtime, conscious of their fading window, the Florida governor projected an air of confidence.
“This is a two-man race,” Andrew Romeo, Mr. DeSantis’s communications director, told reporters in the spin room following the debate.
Still, it was not exactly a breakout showing, and the debate may be best remembered for the seven candidates chaotically shouting over each other as the moderators tried to regain control. Even Mr. DeSantis conceded in an interview with Fox News after the debate that, had he been watching as a viewer, he would have “changed the channel.”
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr. Trump, said that Mr. DeSantis had “embarrassed” himself in front of the entire country, a seeming confirmation that the former president’s team still sees him as enough of a threat. (Mr. Trump’s team also sent out an email blast assailing Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and former ambassador to the United Nations.)
Backers of Mr. DeSantis said they were pleased with his performance and stressed the necessity of narrowing the field.
“We need to get one-on-one with Trump, and we need to let the voters decide,” said Roy Bailey, a Dallas businessman and major fund-raiser for the governor.
Saturday night is the deadline for third-quarter fund-raising, and candidates’ reports, due on Oct. 15, will provide insight into the campaigns’ donor momentum and spending. Mr. Bailey declined to provide specifics on what the DeSantis campaign had brought in since July 1, but he said the campaign was “putting money in the bank” with more disciplined spending. Mr. DeSantis recently held multiple fund-raisers in Texas and California.
Hal Lambert, a Texas investor who is raising money for Mr. DeSantis, did not offer specifics on a third-quarter haul either. He emphasized the significance of the early voting states over national polling numbers.
“I do think that it’s time to get Trump to debate,” Mr. Lambert said.
Over the summer, Mr. DeSantis’s campaign strategy crystallized into one clear imperative: beat Mr. Trump in Iowa, the first state to vote in the Republican primary. Such a victory would pierce the sheen of the former president’s invincibility and potentially force some of the other candidates to drop out, his supporters say, allowing Mr. DeSantis to consolidate support.
Having poured his resources into Iowa, and seen Mr. Trump attack the state’s popular governor and anger its influential anti-abortion activists, a win there seems more plausible for Mr. DeSantis than it did ahead of the first debate in Milwaukee. At that encounter, the other candidates avoided criticizing Mr. DeSantis, even as they could have taken advantage of his reputation as prickly and awkward when attacked.
By the second debate on Wednesday night, however, their calculations had changed, and Mr. DeSantis was squarely in the cross hairs.
Former Vice President Mike Pence went after him over increased government spending in Florida, as well as the Parkland school shooter’s not receiving the death penalty (a decision by a jury that was not in Mr. DeSantis’s control and to which he responded by signing a bill making it easier to execute people). Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina sparred with the governor over how slavery is taught in Florida schools, a frequent topic of dispute between the two men.
Ms. Haley attacked him for opposing offshore drilling and fracking in Florida as governor while pushing for more oil and gas extraction in the United States as a presidential candidate. Of all the barbs, that one seemed to cut the sharpest. As Ms. Haley talked, Mr. DeSantis theatrically and somewhat uncomfortably laughed, saying that she was “entirely wrong,” although the thrust of her criticism was largely accurate.
The attacks helped make Mr. DeSantis the center of attention in a way he was not in Milwaukee. And rather than starting fights of his own, and allowing other candidates to take back the spotlight, Mr. DeSantis generally stuck to his talking points on immigration, China and the economy while criticizing President Biden and Democrats.
He even led the other candidates in a mini-revolt against the moderators, refusing to engage in a gimmicky attempt to have those onstage write down the name of the rival they thought should drop out of the race.
Still, the bulk of Mr. DeSantis’s attention clearly remains on Mr. Trump.
After the debate, he told the Fox News host Sean Hannity that he wanted to face Mr. Trump one-on-one.
“I think he owes it to our voters to come and make the case,” Mr. DeSantis said.
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Today’s top stories
Seven Republican presidential hopefulsmade their case for the GOP nomination at last night’s debate in California. They spent the night attacking President Biden, each other, and former President Donald Trump — who skipped the event. These are six takeaways from the night.
Republican presidential candidates, from left, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and former Vice President Mike Pence, at a debate hosted by FOX Business and Univision, Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
Mark Terrill/AP
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Mark Terrill/AP
Republican presidential candidates, from left, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and former Vice President Mike Pence, at a debate hosted by FOX Business and Univision, Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif.
Mark Terrill/AP
NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben says the debate was chaotic. There was a lot of bickering and several meme-able moments. But Kurtzleben tells Up First that she didn’t see any standout candidates and Republican voters left the debate without gaining clarity on the candidates’ policy differences.
The House Oversight Committee is set to hold its first hearing for President Biden’s impeachment inquiry today. Meanwhile, members of their party battle over spending bills and a government shutdown looms two days away. The committee is focused on the president’s son, Hunter, and his business dealings. They allege Hunter exploited the Biden name and that Biden knew about it prior to his presidency. Read what you can expect from the hearing and watch it live here later this morning.
It could be a very long day as the committee rehashes evidence, according to NPR’s Claudia Grisales. She spoke to Committee Chairman James Comer, who said the media has been getting it wrong about their claims. Democrats are expected to argue that Republicans haven’t connected the dots between the president and his son, and the hearing is distracting from the government shutdown threat.
Travis King, the American soldier who crossed the border into North Korea in July, has been transferred into U.S. custody and is on his way home, according to U.S. officials. A Defense Department official tells NPR he is headed to a military hospital in Texas.
When it comes to climate change, it’s not often that you hear good news. But countries are setting records deploying climate-friendly technology, and there could be a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. The hopeful message is more optimistic than the agency’s 2021 report. However, it also shows that the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy will have to speed up even more in the coming decade.
Picture show
Winnie-the-Pooh: The Deforested Edition is a word-for-word republishing of the A.A. Milne classic, with one arresting change: all of the trees have been cut down.
Who Gives A Crap
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Who Gives A Crap
Winnie-the-Pooh: The Deforested Edition is a word-for-word republishing of the A.A. Milne classic, with one arresting change: all of the trees have been cut down.
Who Gives A Crap
Oh bother! Where are all the trees? Toilet paper company Who Gives A Crap has reimagined A.A. Milne’s classic Winnie the Pooh book, with illustrations where all the trees have been cut down. Winnie-the-Pooh: Deforested Edition aims to spark conversation between parents and children about how daily habits affect the environment, according to Danny Alexander, the company’s co-founder. See examples of the jarring illustrations and read about why deforestation and sustainability are more complicated than they seem.
Life advice
Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images
Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images
Fiber is a dietary superhero — but most Americans aren’t eating enough of it. Diets rich in fiber have been linked to a lower risk of major health problems, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Plus, it can help keep you regular and your gut healthy. NPR’s Life Kit has these expert tips on how to add more fiber to your diet:
Eat a variety of plant-based foodslike fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts.
Add fiber to your staple meals. Try adding avocado to your salad and chia seeds to your yogurt or snacking on popcorn.
Don’t forget the freezer aisle: Frozen berries tend to be cheaper and last longer than fresh ones, for example.
Start slowly and drink plenty of water. This will give your gastrointestinal tract time to adjust if you don’t normally eat a lot of fiber.
3 things to know before you go
Donna Kelce, wearing her son Travis’ No. 87 jersey, and Taylor Swift are seen during the Kansas City Chiefs’ game with the Chicago Bears in Kansas City, Missouri. Sales of Kelce’s jersey soared after Swift appeared at the game.
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Donna Kelce, wearing her son Travis’ No. 87 jersey, and Taylor Swift are seen during the Kansas City Chiefs’ game with the Chicago Bears in Kansas City, Missouri. Sales of Kelce’s jersey soared after Swift appeared at the game.
Jason Hanna/Getty Images
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce saw sales of his jersey spike nearly 400% after Taylor Swift attended a game and sat with his mom on Sunday.
Biden’s dog Commander has bitten another Secret Service officer. The German shepherd is known to have bitten several agents 10 times in total from October 2022 to January 2023.
An 85-year-old woman is suing McDonald’s. She alleges workers were negligent in securing her coffee cup lid, which caused coffee to spill and burn her stomach, groin and leg area. The incident is renewing interest in a similar 1994 lawsuit.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Rachel Treismancontributed.
Artist and entertainer Mary Millben is set to sing the public song of devotion at the subsequent GOP banter on Wednesday
She is a recognized American vocalist, entertainer, and media character known for her exhibitions
She has performed in front of an audience before George W. Shrubbery, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump
Vocalist and entertainer Mary Millben is set to sing the public hymn at the second conservative essential discussion on Wednesday. The discussion is planned for September 27 at the Ronald Reagan Official Library in Simi Valley, California.
The major 2024 conservative official competitors, barring Donald Trump, will partake in the subsequent GOP banter. There will be less applicants this time around than there were in the past discussion. The RNC’s stricter confirmation necessities were met by Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Chris Christie, and Doug Burgum, however not by Asa Hutchinson.
Who is Mary Millben?
Mary Jorie Millben is an eminent American vocalist, entertainer, and media character known for her enamoring exhibitions. She has separated herself by performing in front of an audience for three progressive American presidents: George W. Hedge, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
Furthermore, Millben has performed for worldwide gentry, for example, Princess Basmah bint Saud Al Saud and Jordan’s Sovereign Noor. Notwithstanding her creative exercises, she established and fills in as Chief of JMDE Undertakings. Her impact can be felt in the web-based series “Effect Now,” for which she was designated for a Helen Hayes Grant in 2010.
In the wake of graduating, Millben wanted to seek after her music profession in New York City. Her overwhelming stage presence and voice immediately won her acknowledgment. She was a recognized visitor at places like Lincoln Community and Carnegie Corridor. Her book index contains significant collections including her self-named 2008 presentation and her latest contribution, “Effect Now,” from 2020.
Millben is a cultivated performer as well as being a gifted entertainer. Among her achievements are the basically commended film “Valuable” and the TV program “The Great Spouse.” She serves on the sheets of the Young men and Young ladies Clubs of America and the Public Metropolitan Association as a committed supporter for civil rights.
Nikki Haley, as governor of South Carolina in December 2012, appointed Tim Scott to the Senate. Nearly 11 years later, on Wednesday night, Ms. Haley said he had squandered repeated opportunities to rein in spending. Mr. Scott said Ms. Haley had never seen a federal dollar she didn’t like.
“Bring it, Tim,” Ms. Haley said, taunting him from across the Republican presidential debate stage.
Nervous laughter erupted from the friendly audience as two South Carolinians seeking the Republican presidential nomination finally shed the shared Southern politesse that had kept them from attacking each other on the campaign trail.
Their skirmish began when Ms. Haley dismissed Mr. Scott’s promise to limit spending in Washington by pointing out the increase in the national debt during his time in the Senate.
“Where have you been?” Ms. Haley asked. “Where have you been, Tim? Twelve years we’ve waited, and nothing has happened.”
A few minutes later, Ms. Haley couldn’t contain her smile as Mr. Scott slowly wound up his counterattack, which fully unleashed their most vigorous exchange toward the end of an otherwise wearisome two-hour Republican debate.
She grinned, watching him as he spoke. She stole a glance into the audience, raising her eyebrows as if to acknowledge that the moment was as unavoidable as it was preposterous.
In past elections, Mr. Scott and Ms. Haley had campaigned together. Now, the former political allies were pitted against each other — bickering over the cost of gas and the price of drapes in a government office — in the increasingly desperate fight over second place to the race’s front-runner, former President Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Scott, whose sunny disposition typically casts him more naturally in the role of a happy warrior on the campaign trail, tried on the persona of a political brawler. It was an imperfect fit, and he stumbled over his words, stammering as the accusations trickled out.
As he turned to directly address Ms. Haley, he found her gaze waiting for him.
Their eyes met, and they nearly broke character, sharing the briefest of smiles — while trying to level criticisms at each other — and signaling the absurd twist that their longtime political alliance had taken.
“You literally put $50,000 on curtains at a $15 million subsidized location,” Mr. Scott said, waving his hand at Ms. Haley. It was a reference to a State Department allocation — made during the Obama administration and not by Ms. Haley — for $52,701 for the installation of customized window curtains in the high-rise apartment for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
But it wasn’t immediately clear that Mr. Scott was finished. “Next,” he said quickly but awkwardly, suggesting that she could respond.
“You got bad information,” Ms. Haley said, emphasizing her adjective with a long drawl and wagging her left index finger at him first and then following it with a wag from her right.
She then defended herself against Mr. Scott’s accusations that she pushed to increase the gas tax, saying, “I fought the gas tax in South Carolina multiple times against the establishment.”
“Just go to YouTube,” Mr. Scott interjected. “All you have to do is watch Nikki Haley on YouTube.”
She relented a bit, acknowledging having expressed her interest in a gas-tax increase if lawmakers would agree to offset it with an income-tax cut.
“So you said, ‘Yes,’” Mr. Scott said.
But Ms. Haley — a more natural political debater — was rolling, and she waved her open palm at Mr. Scott as if she could tamp him back from across the stage they shared with five other Republican candidates.
“On the curtains — do your homework, Tim, because Obama bought those,” Ms. Haley said.
The smiles had vanished, replaced by the corrosiveness of the Republican Party on full display: friends turning on each other to squabble over the cost of window coverings. The exchange underscored the unease inside a party that has shifted over the course of their relationship and now belongs to a man who declined to show up for the debate.
“Did you send them back?” Mr. Scott asked Ms. Haley about the drapes. Mr. Scott’s eyes widened, and he extended his arms at his side as he repeatedly asked if she had tried to return them.
Ms. Haley tilted her forehead toward him, narrowed her eyes and returned the same accusatory question reminiscent of an I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I schoolyard taunt.
“Did you send them back?” Ms. Haley asked. “You’re the one who works in Congress.”
“Oh my gosh — you hung them,” Mr. Scott said, holding his arms in the air to simulate the act of hanging drapes on a curtain rod. “They’re your curtains.”
“They were there before I even showed up,” Ms. Haley said, adding, “You are scrapping.”
“I’m not scrapping,” Mr. Scott said.
The split screen they shared as they pointed at each other on television was a long way from the moment just a decade earlier when they stood side by side in South Carolina. Back then, Ms. Haley introduced him as the best pick to represent the state in the Senate.
“He knows,” she said at the time, “the value of a dollar.”
During the GOP’s second debate for the 2024 US presidential election, Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican Presidential candidate and Indian-American multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur, stated that he believes that gender dysphoria should be regarded as a mental health disorder.
Ramaswamy said, “Transgenderism is a mental health disorder. We have to acknowledge the truth of that for what it is. It is not compassionate to affirm a kid’s confusion. That is not compassion. That is cruelty.”
Ramaswamy further informed that more than 50% of kids with gender dysphoria have considered suicide. “And yet politicians reject a law that would require schools to inform parents if their kids change their gender identity at school. Parents have a right to know about their kids: that shouldn’t be controversial. Ban genital mutilation & puberty blockers before age 18. Treat gender dysphoria as a mental health disorder. Time to empower parents again.”
Ramaswamy stressed that parents have a right to know about their kids and that shouldn’t be controversial. “Ban genital mutilation and puberty blockers before age 18. Treat gender dysphoria as a mental health disorder. Time to empower parents again.”
The second debate among Republican candidates for the 2024 election is underway at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.
Also Read: GOP Debate: GOP Debate: Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says ‘Transgenderism’ a mental health issue. 5 Top Updates
To illustrate his argument, Ramaswamy mentioned encountering two young women who later had regrets about their gender-affirming surgeries.
Seven prominent Republican Party figures are taking part in the GOP’s second debate to select their nominee for the 2024 US presidential election. The two-hour debate started at 9 pm EST on Wednesday (6:30 am IST on Thursday) and is being hosted at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Also Read: US Presidential Election 2024: Indian Americans divided over Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley
Furthermore, Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is absent from the debate stage; instead, he is in Michigan, delivering a speech at an auto parts manufacturing plant owned by Drake Enterprises.
Donald Trump’s campaign team has minimized the significance of the Republican primary debates, suggesting that Donald Trump considers himself beyond such proceedings. According to Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita, the debate scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, was a “joke”.
(With inputs from agencies)
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