'We're going to call you Donald Duck... I feel a little bit dumber.'
Debate (#2) takeaways ... faster than a Ramaswamy finger point.
You can read my 1000+ words wrap on the second Republican primary debate for McClatchyDC — and I plead with you to, because *clicks* on our fragile newspaper websites keep me and my colleagues duly employed.
But because you’re surfing on the #Stack and I realize even 2 minutes of your inbox time is valuable — I’ve siloed the topline of my takes below. To be clear, these takes are instantaneous, formulated, cooked, written and edited in a 2 and half hour span. Sometimes takes can prove foul with age; others blossom into brilliance.
But here they are laid bare:
DESANTIS STEELS HIMSELF AS NO. 2
But besides a brief scuffle with Haley over fracking in Florida, DeSantis did not find himself in the center of the crosshairs with either. And during a mostly steady and crisp performance, the second-term Florida governor decided to take only two brief glancing shots at the former president.
TIM SCOTT STEPS IT UP
He delivered a feistier performance Wednesday, particularly during the opening 40 minutes, when he intervened in several rhetorical skirmishes on the stage and was the first candidate to toss a punch at a rival when he targeted Ramaswamy.
RAMASWAMY (TRIES TO) DIALS IT BACK
But Ramaswamy, who experienced a dip in some polls over the last month due to rising negative personal ratings, conceded that while he might appear to be a “man in a hurry” he doesn’t know everything. It was an admission that the 38-year-old political novice needed to soften his pugnacious nature.
CHRISTIE TURNS UP
Christie isn’t seen as a real threat for the nomination, but his willingness to take on Trump could impact the race if the field compresses early next year.
IGNORING TRUMP
The moderators ignored the former president and so did the candidates, for the most part. Trump’s four indictments — totaling 91 criminal counts — was not a topic that was probed deeply.
Whole piece HERE.