Ramaswamy was a fast-talking bomb-thrower until he got bust upside the head by Nikki Haley. He cooled considerably after that…lol

DeSantis and Tim Scott were afterthoughts, at best. And Asa Hutchinson and Gov. Burgum were simply there.

1. Without Trump there, Chris Christie wasn’t quite his quick-wit and dominating self. His performance was okay. But I think he Underperformed.

2. Pence did better than expected. But Nikki Haley really Over-performed! It took her a minute to figure out how to smack down Ramaswamy but she figured it out. I’m sure he’s got a few real bad bruises this morning.

Former President Donald Trump skipped the first GOP debate Wednesday night, opting instead for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson as a form of counterprogramming.

The pre-taped interview was made available on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, five minutes before Wednesday night’s debate began. Trump, who made little news Carlson in the roughly 45-minute interview, explained why he didn’t show up to the debate.

“You see the polls have come out, I’m leading by 50 and 60 points,” Trump said. “And some of them are at one and zero and two. And I’m saying, ‘Do I sit there for an hour or two hours, whatever it’s going to be and get harassed by people that shouldn’t even be running for president? Should I be doing that? And a network that isn’t particularly friendly, frankly.'”

During the debate, the eight candidates on stage were asked if they would support Trump as the GOP nominee if he is convicted in any of the four separate cases against him. Six of the candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, raised their hands. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were the only two who did not.

Trump’s interview time and format is a slight to Fox News, which is hosting the debate, in addition to the rest of the GOP field. Trump, who once praised Fox News for its coverage, has soured on the conservative news network, according to his social media posts. Fox News canceled Carlson’s show in April, days after the company settled a lawsuit over its 2020 election reporting.

And I think if they really nominate Trump (the guy could be a convicted felon by then¹) things could actually get a little interesting for the Republican party!

But we’ll see. 🙂