2024 GOP presidential candidates debate.
Disclaimer: This transcript is a rough draft and subject to revision.
Moderators: Fox News host Dana Perino, Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney Univision anchor Ilia Calderón.
Ms. Calderón: President Reagan famously described America as a shining city on a hill. And tonight, seven candidates will make the case they should be the one to lead that city into a brighter tomorrow. But first, they have to convince you the voter.
Ms. Perino: And good evening so let’s meet the candidates who have qualified and chosen to be on this stage tonight. They are positioned by the order they rank in the polls with the highest polling candidate in the middle standing center stage Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Mr. Varney: Alongside him is Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Ms. Calderón: Next, is South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Ms. Perino: On the wings tonight, former Vice President Mike Pence and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Mr. Varney: We have questions on a wide variety of issues important to primary voters. The candates get one minute to answer and 30 seconds to respond if singled out. When their time runs out, we’ll all hear this [chiming bell]. We have a lot of ground to cover, so please keep it civilized.
Ms. Perino: Let’s get going. We are in this spacious, sunny place tonight. Designed to reflect the very nature and character of Ronald Reagan. It’s a place that makes you proud to be an American. Yet today our nation is drowning in division and incivility.
Ms. Calderón: Voters say they dread the 2024 election and find politics exhausting, two in three Americans think the country is on the wrong track. And three in four say the economy is not in good shape.
Mr. Varney: Prices are up 18% Since 2020, more than half of the US population has little access to childcare. 85% of Americans say that personal finances are a source of stress.
Ms. Perino: Americans want to believe a leader who says you can follow me. I’ve got you don’t worry. President Biden is trying to do that with “Bidenomics.”
Mr. Varney: And yesterday he joined the picket lines where auto workers are demanding more wages and job security, such as Scott, you recently reacted by praising Ronald Reagan for firing air traffic controllers in the 1980s it’s saying you strike you’re fired. Would you fire 1000s of striking auto workers today, Senator?
Mr. Scott: Obviously, the President of the United States cannot fire anybody in the private sector. However, we should look back at the first bill in Congress under Joe Biden. The first bill had $86 billion for the Union pensions because they continue to over promise yet under deliver one of the challenges that we have in the current negotiations is that they will have four day French work weeks but more money they want more benefits, working fewer hours.
That is simply not going to stand. I said in the finance committee hearing when a widow came for the committee who was promised pensions from the unions for $1,000 a month. Unfortunately, it had been cut to $1,000 a month. We must make sure that we honor the commitments that we make and one of the ways that we do that. Do not over promise and under deliver and leave the taxpayers on the hook.
I'll say this; Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open and insecure. leading to the deaths of 70,000 Americans in the last 12 months because of fentanyl. It is devastating. Every county in America is now a border county because, no that’s devas Americans single state also say million illegal. crossings since Joe Biden has taken office and he eliminated title 42 The one thing he should do is finish the wall, reinstate title 42 and get the job done.
Ms. Perino: I can promise you that we are going to have a lot of questions on the border and immigration but in the meantime, we do want to talk about the economy and jobs and especially want to talk about this strike for just a moment more Mr. Ramaswamy. You’ve said you really empathize with the strikers. You’re standing next to Senator Scott and do you agree with what he said or do you think he’s wrong?
Mr. Ramaswamy: I agree with some of what he said for sure. I like the spirit of it. I'll say that I don’t have a lot of patience for the union bosses. I think that’s where he and I actually have a common view. I do have a lot of sympathy for the workers. However, people are going through real hardship in this country. I’ve been through hardship growing up.
My father stared down layoffs at GE under Jack Welch’s tenure at the GE plant in even Dale Ohio. My mom had to work overtime in nursing homes in southwest Ohio to make ends meet and pay off our home loan. So I understand that hardship is not a choice. But victimhood is a choice. And we choose to be victorious in the United States of America. You know what if I was given advice to those workers?
I would say go pick it in front of the White House in Washington, DC that’s really where the protests needs to be disastrous economic policies that have driven up prices that have driven up interest rates and mortgage rates at the same time wages remaining stagnant. What we need is to deliver economic growth in this country.
Unlock American energy drill frack burn coal, embrace nuclear energy, put people back to work by no longer paying them more money to stay at home, stabilize the US dollar itself and rescind a majority of unconstitutional federal regulations that are hampering our economy. That is how we unleash American exceptionalism. And that’s not a Democratic vision or Republican vision. That is an American vision that we embrace economic growth, and capitalism is still the best system known to man to lift us up from poverty and we should not apologize for it. That’s what it means to be an American.
Mr. Varney: To be an American. To the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and still antas make 336 times the number of ranking member number of rank and file workers. That’s just part of a worldwide income inequality trend in the country that richest 1% now controls 1/5 of all income, Vice President Pence, last week you said you side with American workers, but you also support, how these companies operate, which is it.
Mr. Pence: Look, I do disagree with something Tim Scott just said Joe Biden doesn’t belong on a picket line. He belongs on the unemployment line. I mean, look, I’m I’m from the second leading manufacturing state in the country per capita.
I was governor of the state of Indiana. We brought 12,000 factories back to America during our administration. I know something about manufacturing And I gotta tell you a while while the union bosses are talking about class warfare and talking about disparity in wages, I have to tell you, I really believe what’s driving that Biden up to fail. Wages are not keeping up with inflation auto workers and all American workers and families are struggling in this economy. and Joe Biden’s Green New Deal agenda is good for Beijing and bad for Detroit, we got to repeal the green New Deal get rid of the mandates and subsidies that are driving American gasoline automotive manufacturing into the graveyard.
And beyond that also, as president, the United States, I‘ll be standing with workers all across America, and I’ll be standing for the right to work of every American to join a union or not join a union as they decide, you got to respond.
Mr. Varney: Mr. Scott, would you like to respond?
Mr. Scott: Joe Biden needs to be fired. That’s why I’m running for president. I look forward to being the next President of the United States. I will also say, I know America can do for anyone, but she’s done for me. It’s why we’re focusing on restoring hope, creating opportunities and protecting the America we all love growing up in a single parent household. I wonder if the American dream would work for a kid in the inner city. I’ve got good news for every single child whether you’re in the inner cities of Chicago, or the rural parts of Iowa, America and the dream, it is alive. it is well and it is healthy. God bless these United States of America.
Ms. Haley: I think we need to look at exactly what happened. Biden showed up on that picket line, but why are those workers actually there? It’s because of all of the spending that he has pushed through in the economy that’s raised the inflation so when you look at the fact that we are paying higher gas prices, higher grocery prices $7,000 more a year for families. What we need to do is I came out with an economic plan, eliminate the gas and diesel tax so that they have more money in their pocket.
Let’s focus on on going after Middle America and cutting taxes for middle America and collapsing those brackets. Let’s get rid of unfair distortions like the state and local tax that they give to wealthy people in blue states and not in paid by red states. And let’s make sure we make the small business taxes permanent, they only made those temporary they made the corporate taxes permanent. Let’s focus on what it takes to get more cash in the pockets of workers. that’s when we'll be able to deal with strikes like this not sitting on a picket line like Joe Biden
Ms. Calderón: We have other questions to get to about the economy.
Mr. Burgum: Allow me to allow me to allow me to jump in because we’re missing the point and every other network is missing the point the reason why people are striking in Detroit is because Joe Biden’s interference with capital markets in which free markets, the subsidies were subsidizing the automakers and we’re subsidizing the cars and a particular kind of car not every car we’re particularly we’re subsidizing electric vehicles.
And when you decide that we’re going to take all of your taxpayer monies take a billion dollars subsidize a certain type of vehicle and the batteries come from China, China controls 85% of the rare earth minerals, they’re called Rare Earth because they’re measured in parts per million. China is moving 100,000 pounds Earth in Indonesia in Africa; they’re literally destroying the planet, so that we can make it make a battery that’s in a car subsidized here. That’s why they’re striking because they need two thirds less workers to build an electric car. This strike is at Joe Biden’s feet.
Ms. Calderón: We have other questions to get to about the economy. Allow me to direct a question to Governor Christie. The government will shut down if Congress does not reach a deal by the end of this week. Vice President Pence warns that the politics of, quote Trump’s populist prodigies like Mr. Ramaswamy are a road to ruin for the GOP. If the government shuts down. should voters blame populous Republicans?
Mr. Christie: Everybody who’s in Washington DC, they could sit down there to do the job and they’ve been failing at doing the job for a very long time. And let’s be honest about this with the voters. You know, during the Trump administration, they added $7 trillion $7 trillion in national debt.
And now the Biden administration has put another 5 trillion on and counting. They have failed and they’re in the spot they’re in now because none of them are willing to tell the truth. None of them are willing to take on the difficult issues. They just want to keep kicking the can down the road. And the inflation that Nikki spoke about is absolutely right. And it’s caused by government spending. And that’s why people all across this country are suffering tonight.
And yet we don’t get any answers because Joe Biden hides in his basement and won’t answer as to why he’s raising the debt the way he’s done. And Donald Trump, he hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won’t show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us are up here to answer he puts 7 trillion on the debt. he should be in this room to answer those questions for the people you talk about who are suffering, and if the government and if the government closes and if the government gets the blame it is to the blame of everyone.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Calderón: Can we please respect the time. Gov. DeSantis, you haven’t spoken, please.
Mr. DeSantis: the people in Washington are shutting down the American dream with their reckless behavior. They borrow, they printed they spent and now you’re paying more for everything. They are the reason for that they have shut down our national sovereignty by allowing our border to be wide open, so please spare me the crocodile tears for these people they need to change what’s going on in Where’s Joe Biden. He’s completely missing an action from leadership, and you know who else is missing an action. Donald Trump is missing in action 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 that set the stage for the inflation that we have. now I can tell you this as governor of Florida, We cut taxes, we ran surpluses, we’ve paid down over 25% of our state debt. and I vetoed wasteful spending when it came to my desk and as your President when they send me a bloating spending bill that’s going to cause your prices to go up. I’m going to take out this veto pen and I’m going to send it right back to them.
Ms. Perino: I just want to address a question that is on the minds of a lot of moms and dads and Americans and I know that you’ve been thinking about it because childcare costs they are up there topping $10,000 per month. Some families are spending up to half of their income on childcare, and they’re having to decide is it worth it for me to work? Or does it not make sense for me financially, in three days, the billions of dollars in pandemic-era funding is going to end and 70,000 daycares could close So you had an effort to broaden eligibility for childcare assistance that fell apart last year.
And for the moms and dads out there who are worried. What can you tell them if you weren’t able to get it through the Congress, how could you do it as president?
Mr. Scott: As a member of Congress I was to make sure that we protected the Headstart programs around the country giving people the opportunity to pick and choose the place that they send their children, the challenges that we see today.
Ms. Perino: I’m going to give you 15 seconds, go ahead
Mr. Ramaswamy: Ilya mischaracterized a part of my view. I think this artificial division is unhelpful in our party. The real real divide is not between the Republicans on the stage and in the Reagan Library. I want to say these are good people on this stage. The real divide is between the majority of us in this country who loved the United States of America and share our founding ideals, free speech, meritocracy, the idea you get ahead in this country, not in the color of your skin, but on the content of your character and the fringe minority in the Democrat party that has a chokehold over that party. That’s the real divide so this party is artificial. We need to unite this party.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Perino: We are we are we have all these questions we’re gonna get to you we’re gonna come back to you there’s a lot of time
Mr. Burgum: Nobody answered the question. In North Dakota we serve that we knew that the cliff was coming we knew that there was going to be millions of people without it and so guess what we planned okay when we we pet we pass legislation …
Ms. Perino: You’re gonna have to let us move on. We are going to the border.
Ms. Calderón: in 1984 President Ronald Reagan said the following “The idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and who’ve lived here even though, sometime back. Even thought they may have entered illegally.”
Two years later, President Reagan granted amnesty to nearly 3 million immigrants, something no democrat or republican president has done since Governor Christie. as governor of a non border state in 2010. You supported a path to citizenship, But when you ran for president in 2016 You flipped, saying, immigrants should be tracked like FedEx packages. Where do you stand now on a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants
Mr. Christie: The problem is that says no one has done anything since we first had this discussion. 13 years ago, we’re not in a position to be able to do any of that anymore. What we have to do now is first treat this like the law enforcement problem it is our laws are being broken every day at the southern border every day. And Joe Biden and his crew is doing nothing about enforcing that law. They are letting it go. and by the way, they announced during the presidential race, that we’re going to let it go. And we need to have a guy president who acts like I did as governor, enforce the law.
first and foremost. And that means what I'll do on day one is sign an executive order to send the National Guard to partner with Customs and Border Patrol to make sure that we stopped the flow of fentanyl over the border, but also to make sure that we send a much different message. We want you here in this country to fill the 6 million vacant jobs we have but only if you come here to follow the law. and only if you come here legally. If you come here illegally, we will apprehend you and we will send you back across the border from which you came.
And the fact is that until we set a law and order agenda in this country, not only now but in the future we won’t we won’t be able to continue this and I‘ll look I’ll tell you this, Donald Trump, failed on this as well. He said he was going to build a wall across the whole border. He built 52 miles of wall and said Mexico would pay for it, guess what, I think if Mexico knew that he was only gonna build 52 miles, that might have paid for the 52 miles.
Ms. Perino: Gov. Haley; Most illegal immigrants are coming from the country south of the border. You’ve seen the Fox News drone. It’s captured this steady stream of people coming into the country on a daily basis. In fact, I believe we have a live picture of it tonight. That is happening right now live. In the last decade the US has spent nearly $55 billion dollars to address the root causes of migration, but crime, poverty and corruption they persist and the number of migrants is only growing. Are we wasting our money?
Ms. Haley: Well, what happens is when Joe Biden waved the green flag, It told everybody to come and now we’ve seen 6 million people cross the border we’ve had more fentanyl, that have killed Americans and the Iraq Vietnam or Afghanistan wars combined, we need to make sure that we are a country of laws, the second we stopped being a country of laws we give up everything this country was founded on.
So we have to secure the border the way we do that is first of all defund sanctuary cities you see what’s happening in Philadelphia right now, it’s got to stop. We need to make sure we put 25,000 more Border Patrol and ICE agents on the ground and let them do their job, I spent 400 miles down that border, and I’m telling you, border patrol agents aren’t allowed to do their job.
Let’s go back to remain in Mexico policy instead of catch and release let’s go to catch into port.
Ms. Perino: what about the aid that federal taxpayers are paying to deal with the root causes? it’s not working.
Ms. Haley: The only aid that we should be spending right now is to secure the border the southern border, the northern border period. it would cut jerrican safe And right now Americans are not safe. Only when we fix the immigration system. only when we get the border secure. should we ever look at putting any more money into this. our money should be about keeping Americans safe. we’re not doing that Joe Biden’s not doing that. And you mentioned Congress and shutting down government, I'll make it clear we have to change the budget process. In four years in 40 years, Congress has only delivered a budget on time, four times in 40 or if they don’t keep the government open, they should not get paid no pay, no budget, that’s the way we should do it.
Mr. Varney: Gov. DeSantis, We have a question for you. Governor DeSantis China invested a $12 billion in Latin America. just last year, they signed a strategic partnerships with seven countries, including Mexico, and China’s military ties to the region now include arms sales and training exercises. Are you comfortable with China, deepening ties with our southern neighbors?
Mr. DeSantis: Of course not. And the reason why we’re in this mess is because elites in DC, for far too long, have chosen surrender over strength when it comes to the CCP some people in our country got rich, our industrial base got hollowed out and they have been able to build the second most powerful military in the entire world.
We need a totally new approach to China. we are going to have real hard power in the Indo Pacific like Reagan to deter their ambitions. we’re going to have economic independence from China, or we’re decoupling our economy, and we are going to go after the cultural power, they have in this country.
As governor of Florida. I banned the CCP from buying land in our state. We should do that all across these United States. we shouldn’t have them in our universities. We shouldn’t have Confucius Institutes. So, what you see a country in decline, our powers in decline, China’s going to surpass us this decade, and if they do that, that’s gonna affect every single American household
As your President, I am not going to let that happen. I’m in reverse this country’s decline, we are going to choose strength, not surrender when it comes to the CCP.
Mr. Doug: Mr. Ramaswamy you proposed, “universal deportation for all undocumented immigrants and their children, even if the children are citizens of the United States. Under what legal premise will you expel us citizens?
Mr. Ramaswamy: So the first thing I want to say is I agree with everything. The Republicans on the stage are on the right side of this issue, militarize the southern border, stop funding sanctuary cities and end foreign aid to Mexico and Central America to end the incentives to come across. But I do go a step further. You’re right about that Ilya. I favor ending birthright citizenship for the kids of illegal immigrants in this country.
Now, the left will how about the Constitution in the 14th Amendment? The difference between me and them is I’ve actually read the 14th amendment. What it says is that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the laws and jurisdiction thereof are citizens. So nobody believes that the kid of a Mexican diplomat in this country enjoys birthright citizenship not a judge or legal scholar in this country will disagree with me on that. Well, if the kid of a Mexican diplomat doesn’t enjoy birthright citizenship, then neither does the kid have an illegal migrant who broke the law to come here
and as the father of two sons, it is hard for me to look them in the eye and say you have to follow the law. When our own government fails to follow its own laws. That’s how we really go the distance and solve this problem, and restore the rule of law in the United States of America, because that is part of what it even means to be an American
Ms. Calderón: Senator Scott ending birthright citizenship. What does Mr. Ramaswamy have wrong on that issue?
Mr. Scott: It was about the fact that we think of the Constitution in the 14th amendment. It was certainly written as it relates to slavery, not as it relates to illegal immigration, it’s been applied to illegal immigration.
So the challenge that we face is in fact, one that has to do with whether or not the people that come here are under the jurisdiction of our laws. And frankly, if you come here illegally, you are not. Surviving a Supreme Court argument is something I can’t tell you, but from a perspective of the Constitution I think it’s simple that clearly it was designed for slavery, and not for a legal immigration.
I'll go one step further, though. When we have a conversation about the things that are happening on this stage we think about the fact that Vivek just said we were all good people, and I appreciate that because last debate, he said we were all bought and paid for, You know, I can’t imagine how you could say that knowing that you are just in business with the Chinese Communist Party and the same people that funded Hunter Biden millions of dollars was a partner of yours as well.
Mr. Ramaswamy: That’s nonsense. These are good people for tainted by a broken system and it’s not the fault of anybody.
(Crosstalk)
Mr. Ramaswamy: Thank you for speaking while I’m interrupting … talking. (Crosstalk) Gentlemen, go have your turn.
Mr. DeSantis: Let’s focus on holding Joe Biden accountable.
Mr. Ramaswamy: I actually agree with Ron DeSantis.
Ms. Calderón: If you talk at the same time no one can understand you.
Mr. Ramaswamy: I agree with Ron DeSantis on China, when every other CEO expanded into the Chinese market. You know what I did with my first company? We opened a subsidiary in China, but you know what I did that was different than every other company. We got the hell out of there. And when I started my own company you ran strive right. years ago, right when I started my next company struggling to compete against excuse me to compete against I made it that we would never do business in China.
(Ms. Haley and Ms. Scott both attempted to speak)
Ms. Calderón: I think you’ve had more than time to explain your position.
Mr. Ramaswamy: Well if I was interrupted by a lot of people here and I want to be respectful because I believe you were respectful last but I do not believe in these. Were sitting in the Reagan Library. Tim, from one admirer of Ronald Reagan to another, from one admirer of Reagan to another (unintelligible crosstalk). Let’s have a policy debate. And the right answer here is to declare independence from China, and I will see that through.
Ms. Calderón: Vice President Pence, in 2017, the Trump pence administration cancelled DACA which put the legal status of 600,000 dreamers in the hands of the courts. Dreamers work and they pay taxes as precedent in the Supreme Court and stuck up. Would you work with Congress to reach a permanent solution for dreamers?
Mr. Pence: Well, first let me say I’m glad I’m glad Vivec pulled out of his business deal in 2018 in China that must have been about the time you decided to start voting in presidential elections.
So let me let me speak to this issue number one: I negotiated the remain in Mexico policy with the with the Mexican government. We use economic power to bring the Mexican government to the table. We build hundreds of miles of border wall. And despite what’s said here today, we reduced illegal immigration and asylum abuse by 90%.
And as President of the United States, I can do it again. And the truth is, the truth is we need to fix a broken immigration system and I'll do that as well. But first and foremost, a nation without borders is not a nation. And we have to secure the southern border of the United States of America. I know how to do it, and we will do it again.
Let me say one of the things about China.
Ms. Calderón: Vice President, will you negotiate with Congress to give a solution to the problem that dreamers have right now, they are gonna limbo.
Mr. Pence: I served in Congress for 12 years, although it seemed longer. But you know, something I’ve done different than everybody on this stage is I’ve actually I’ve actually secured reform in Congress. you know, you know, Ron, you talk really good game about cutting spending, but you’ve increased spending and Florida by 30%. When I was a member of Congress in 2006, right after Hurricane Katrina Danna you remember it. We stood our ground.
I lead house conservatives we cut $100 billion out of the federal budget. It can be done but as I said in the last debate, I'll say again, this is no time for on the job training, I’m gonna be ready on day one, and to get Congress to step up, you secure the southern border of the United States, build a military have fitted to our times and we’re gonna get spending in Washington DC under control once and for all.
Mr. DeSantis: I got mentioned.
Varney: On the other side of a break, and I propose we go to go to a break: How will these candidates make America safer as rising crime plagues our cities? Debate nights continues in moments.
(Break)
Ms. Perino: And welcome back to the Reagan Library for the second Republican presidential debate. I do want to just remind everyone, there’s a one minute for questions 30 seconds for a follow up and the more you mentioned each other that means if your questions you’re gonna get Okay, so we want to talk about crime. This has been a horrendous problem in our country with Fox News and others have been covering it.
Governor Christie crime in major cities is striking fear into the hearts of Americans, just last night looters took over the streets of Philadelphia. You said in the last debate that you would use US attorneys to prosecute crimes, Local prosecutors won’t, but they are stretched as well and they could not handle all of the lawlessness the shoplifting, all the car jackings the armed robberies, they’re all surging. progressive prosecutors were elected by their constituents and they can’t be fired by a president. So what would you do to end the revolving door of criminality.
Mr. Christie: I’m the only one on this stage who has done it for seven years I ran the fifth largest office in this country, the US Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, and we set records for the number of prosecutions that we brought that still have not been broken. And the reason was that we went after the crime that was affecting people’s lives and as President, I will appoint an attorney general and instruct that Attorney General, that you are to put all the resources that are necessary to bring our cities back under control.
The fact is, they will be stretched. There’s no doubt about that, but that’s what they take the job for, because they love the idea of enforcing the wall, we’ve got to bring law and order back to this country. And not just in our cities, but we need law and order back everywhere we go on our back in our suburbs, people are threatened there we needed our rural areas, people feel threatened there, and we need in Washington DC also and Donald Trump should be here to answer for that.
But he’s not and I want to look at a camera right now. Tell you, Donald, I know you’re watching. You can’t help yourself. I know you’re watching. Okay. And you’re not here tonight. Not because of polls, and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight, because you’re afraid of being on the stage and defending your record. You’re ducking these things and let me tell you what’s going to happen. you keep doing that. No one appears gonna call you Donald Trump anymore. we’re gonna call you a Donald Duck.
Ms. Perino: Gov. DeSantis, I want to ask you fired a couple of prosecutors in your state but as governor, as President, you would not have the ability to do that. How do you think about dealing with the root causes of crime, especially this revolving door of criminals that just get out and come back and commit another crime?
Mr. DeSantis: Well, the crime in the cities is one of the strongest signs of the decaying of America. We can’t be successful as a country if people aren’t even safe to live in places like Los Angeles. and San Francisco just being in Southern California over the last couple of days. my wife and I have met three people who have been mugged on the street and that would have never happened 10 or 20 years ago in Florida, We back the blue we support the men and women of law enforcement. they are keeping us safe. We have a 50 year low. In the crime rate. And yes, when I had to progressive prosecutors that weren’t following the law in Florida. I removed him from their posts and the people of Florida are safer as a result of it.
as President. I will use the Justice Department to bring civil rights cases against all of those left wing Soros funded prosecutors, we’re not going to let them get away with it anymore. We want to reverse this country’s decline, we need to choose law and order, overriding and disorder.
Mr. Varney: On a related subject, Governor Haley, there’s a nationwide policing shortage. retirements are up. Recruitment is in the tank and morale is at a record low. Three years ago, you signed a pledge to support law enforcement. now, pledges are a nice idea. but what’s your actual plan to get more police on our streets?
Ms. Haley: Well, and I actually did it in South Carolina to you know what we knew in South Carolina was you take care of those who take care of you. We have to start taking care of law enforcement but it’s not just taking care of them with words. it’s making sure that you also follow through on what they do right now. we have a lot of stolen guns on the street. well, these law enforcement officers, they arrest these people, and then they go in there lead out the very next day so law enforcement feels like they don’t, no one has their back, we have to start prosecuting according to the law, we have to make sure we have the backs of law enforcement, and we have to make sure that we’re a country of law and order,
But I want to go back to China because I don’t think we spend enough time on that. Right now. we have to look at what government is doing to hurt us against China to you have a company us antibiotics that produces amoxicillin, the number one antibiotic that we need. And right now there’s a company in Bristol, Tennessee, that produces that yet, our federal government only gets it from China
We need to be focusing on companies that produce in America and supporting those companies that produce an American not companies that are helping China.
Mr. Varney: We will be talking foreign policy later.
Ms. Calderón: Thank you Stuart we’re gonna stay on the topic of crime because it affects all of us, Governor Burgum, for the first time ever, the Univision poll found that mass shootings, and gun safety are one of the most important issue for Latino voters. mental health concerns are not unique to the United States. but gun violence is what is your specific plan to curb gun violence?
Mr. Burgum: Well, we know it’s understand this I think that the liberal left is seems to be just completely bent on prosecuting law abiding citizens that are gun owners because every solution they have to this is take away the Second Amendment rights of Americans that somehow that’s gonna solve the problem but all these cities was that we’re talking about they showed the videos of tonight they have some of the strictest gun laws in the country. So we know that that’s not what’s working.
But we have to do is get back to the core issues about the family. We have to get back to behavioral health and mental health. We’ve got to get back to actually enforcing the laws these people talked about. And like we’ve done in North Dakota, where we’re that we’ve got the goal and we’re on the track being the most military friendly state and nation. We’ve got the most military and the most support of what we’re doing in terms of law enforcement because the the morale is down because we’ve been defunding the police because they’ve been attacked in the press. And police have become the bad guys when they’re the one they there’s all these jobs available in America, why would you be a policeman if people don’t respect them?
Every time I see a policeman The first thing I say is thank you and so does everybody else in my family and most of the people in our state because they know we have to respect the people that are out there defending us every single day.
Ms. Calderón: Mr. Ramaswamy, according to Customs and Border Protection, about 90 percent according to Customs and Border Protection, about 90% of fentanyl is ceased at official border crossings. and 57% of the smugglers are US citizens. How would you stop fentanyl brought into the country, mostly by US citizens through ports of entry.
Mr. Ramaswamy: There’s two sides to this that we have to be very honest about it. One is we do have to seal that southern border. Building the wall is not enough. They’re building cartel financed tunnels underneath that wall semi trucks can drive through them. We have to use our military to seal the Swiss cheese of a southern border. but we also have to be honest, there’s a demand side problem in this country to a mental health epidemic.
I met family in Iowa, two parents Kathy and Derek they lost their son Sebastian 17 years old. He bought Percocet on Snapchat, and then he died. Why did he die because it was laced with fentanyl that is closer to bioterrorism not a drug overdose that is poisoning. so it is our job to make sure that never happens. but it’s also our job to make sure that 17 year olds don’t turn to Percocet via Snapchat. we have to bring back mental health care in this country.
Not with pumping pharmaceuticals, but with faith, faith-based approaches that restore purpose and meaning in the next generation of Americans. many of them are getting it through social media, and this isn’t a Republican point or a Democrat point. But if you’re 16 years old or under you should not be using an addictive social media product, period.
This is something that we can both agree on. And we can revive both the mental health of this country while stopping the fentanyl epidemic that will kill more people this year than who died on 911. And I refuse to be a passive bystander sitting in the White House like the hollowed out husk of a current president we have we will step up and address this problem to stand for Americans and our children.
Ms. Haley: Stop encouraging TikTok then.
Mr. DeSantis: That is why, I agree with that is why as Commander in Chief. I’m gonna use the US military to go after the Mexican drug cartels, they are killing our people, and the stories that I’ve seen. In Florida we had an infant 18 months, Parents rented an Airbnb. and apparently the people that had rented before were using drugs the infant was crawling. the toddler was crawling on the carpet and ingested fentanyl residue and died.
Are we just going to sit here and let this happen this carnage happen in our country. I am not going to do that. So I guarantee you on day one This border is going to be a day one issue for me as president we’re going to declared a national emergency yes, we'll build the wall will do remain in Mexico, but those Mexican drug cartels are going to be treated like the foreign terrorists organizations that they are.
Ms. Perino: I’m going to go to Vice President Pence. We’re going to move on to a different issue. (Crosstalk).
Vice President Pence. You said if elected you would repeal all Obamacare mandates however, you also made that same promise in 2016. And at that time, Trump pence had congressional majorities for at least the first two years, and you did not deliver on that promise. So Obamacare right now, it is more popular than ever. Why should Americans trust you if you become president to fix that or is Obamacare here to stay.
Mr. Pence: First, let me speak to the mass shootings issue and then I'll answer that question is important one day. I’m someone that believes that Justice delayed is justice denied. And as a father of three is the grandfather of three beautiful little girls. I am sick and tired of these mass shootings happening in the United States. of America and if I’m President of the United States, I’m gonna go to the Congress of the United States, and we’re going to pass a federal expedited death penalty for anyone involved in a mass shooting so that they they meet their fate in months, not years.
It is unconscionable that the Parkland shooter, Ron, is actually going to spend the rest of his life behind bars in Florida, that’s not justice. We have to mete out justice and send a message to these would be killers that you are not going to live out your days behind bars. You’re gonna meet justice in this system.
Ms. Perino: I appreciate that, but does that mean Obamacare is here to stay?
Mr. Pence: Well, thank you for reiterating the question because I'd love to answer it. Look, it’s one of the chart I think it’s one of the choices here you know my former running mate Donald Trump actually has a plan to start to consolidate more power in Washington DC and consolidate more power in the executive branch.
If I’m President of the United States. it’s my intention to make the federal government smaller by returning to the states those resources and programs that are rightfully theirs Under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, that means all Obamacare funding all housing funding all HHS funding, all of it goes back to the states will shut down the Federal Department of Education will allow states to innovate, we’re going to revive federalism in America and states are going to help bring America back.
Mr. Varney: May I remind everyone one to keep within that timeframe so that we can get as many questions in as possible.
Governor DeSantis, over 26 million Americans don’t have insurance coverage. Governor DeSantis, two and a half million of them are in your state. That’s worse than the national average. Can Americans trust you on this?
Mr. DeSantis: I think this is a symptom of our overall economic decline. everything has gotten more expensive. You see insurance rates are going through the roof, people that are going to get groceries I spoke with a woman in Iowa and she said you know for the first time in my life, I’m having to take things out of my grocery cart when I get to the checkout line because the total goes up so quickly.
So this is very real and people are hurting out there. so we’ve got to address the underlying problem with Biden omics, the overspending taking all Biden’s rules and regulations. I’m gonna throw him in the trash can on day one, you’re not gonna have to worry about that. We’re going to open up all of our energy we will be energy dominant in this country that will lower your gas prices, and what we need to do with healthcare is recognize our healthcare is putting patients at the back of the bus,
We have big pharma, big insurance and big government and we need to tackle that and have more power for the people and the doctor patient relationship.
Mr. Varney: Why is your record in Florida on insurance worse than the national average in your state?
Mr. DeSantis: Our state’s a dynamic state. We’ve got we’ve got a lot of folks that come of course, we’ve had a population boom. We also don’t have a lot of welfare benefits in Florida. You know, we’re basically say we want to This is a field of dreams; you can do well in the state, but we’re not going to be like California and have massive numbers of people on government programs without work requirements.
We believe your work and you got to do that. And so that goes for all the welfare benefits. and you know what that’s done, Stuart. Our unemployment rate is the lowest amongst any big state, we have the highest GDP growth of any big state and even CNBC, no fan of mine, ranked Florida the number one economy in America.
Ms. Calderón: Gov. Haley, on the topic of healthcare. Healthcare is the leading cause of bankruptcy for American families, accounting for two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies, as President, how you protect Americans who get sick from financial ruin?
Ms. Haley: First of all, how can we be the best country in the world and have the most expensive health care in the world? We have an issue my mom was in the hospital and when she was in the hospital they tried to bring are a couple of Tylenol, and she said I don’t need it and they said hunting go ahead and take it because you’re paying for it anyway. Why is it that when we got the bill, the insurance company in the hospital negotiated the bill for her without her having anything to do with it.
When I’m President. we will break all of it from the insurance company to the hospitals to the doctor’s offices to the PBM, to the pharmaceutical companies we will make it all transparent because when you do that, you will realize that’s what the problem is.
Second thing is you’ve got to deal with door tort law. the lawyer the doctors won’t give you the 10 tests because they want to it’s because of the 90% chance they'll get sued. And then we need to bring competition back to health care, get rid of certificate of need systems, and make sure that they can compete.
We have to put the patient in the driver’s seat. they’ve been in the backseat for way too long. And once we give the patient the ability to decide their healthcare deciding which plan they want that is when we will see magic happen but we’re gonna have to make every part of the industry open up and show us where their warts are because they all have them and we need to fix this on behalf of the people.
Ms. Perino: Gov. Burgum 30 seconds. Do you have a better way and 30 seconds?
Mr. Burgum: We’re not talking about the real problem ever. We talk about why do we have the most expensive health care in the world? It’s because the federal government got involved the same way they did with EVs. and they said we’re gonna subsidize a particular kind of software back in 2008 Under Obama, and they said, Hey, we’re going to do this it’s going to make everything more productive.
All of you that are watching have been to a doctor’s office when the doctors got his back to you and their hands on a keyboard. The only industry in the world has ever absorbed $1 trillion of it and became less productive they saw less patients per day is US health care, because they were subsidizing a certain kinds of technology.
It wasn’t it wasn’t about improving healthcare. it was about picking winners and losers. Every time the federal government’s involved, whether it’s higher education, health care, or now the auto industry, things get more expensive and less good.
Ms. Perino: That was a great transition because we’re going to move on the future of education in America. What’s the government’s role in finding a way forward. The second Republican debate rolls on from Simi Valley.
Ms. Perino: We are back live at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in the Air Force One pavilion for the second Republican debate and let’s get back to our questions Governor Haley American students, they are in academic trouble, they have lower scores in math and reading. There’s chronic absenteeism that’s at record highs. And this has even been called education, homicide.
You say school choice is the answer. but South Carolina your home state still has not enacted universal school choice, and even the current expansion won’t be fully implemented until 2027. parents can’t wait four years for a fix. So what would you do right now,
Ms. Haley: Well, school choice is the only answer, but I‘ll tell you it’s not out of a lack of trying that we didn’t try and get school choice in South Carolina. what I’ll tell you first of all, is we have to acknowledge the fact that 67% of our eighth graders are not proficient in reading or math over 80% of our eighth graders. aren’t proficient in history or civics, and recently they came out and said our 12 and 13 year olds are scoring at the lowest levels, they’ve been scoring in reading and math in decades.
So the first thing we’ve got to do is we’ve got to make sure we catch our kids back up. we have to make sure they can read. a child that can’t read by third grade is four times less likely to graduate high school, we need to do reading remediation we need complete transparency in the classroom. No parent should ever want to what’s being said, or talk to their child in the classroom.
We need to make sure that we have school choice so that there’s competition we need to move all the programs from the federal government down to the states and let states decide what education looks like in their states. And we need to start building things in America again let’s put vocational classes back in our high schools, and let’s get our kids building the things that we know that we can make.
When we start to focus on that and really bring in that parental involvement. that’s when we'll start to see a difference but we’ve got to get parents back included, we’ve got it quit spending time on this DEI and CRT and instead focus on financial literacy on digital layer, literacy, and on making sure that our kids know what they need to do to have the jobs of the next generation.
Mr. Varney: ON the subject of education, a question for Gov. Christie. Students in your state are getting high marks on their report cards. But minorities are not doing well with math and reading. Black and Hispanic students averaging 29 points lower than white students in New Jersey. would you address minorities first?
Mr. Christie: You have to address all students and look in our state Stewart. Frankly, before I was governor, that cap was close to 50%. And what we did was Institute more charter schools and more Renaissance schools and more public school choice in New Jersey with innovative solutions in cities like Camden, we’re now we took what was the worst school districts in America during my time, and we have now increased that by nearly 40% in terms of their proficiency. It can be done when you give people choice.
but let’s tell the truth. everybody have a what this is. this public school system is no longer run by the public. It is run by the teachers unions in this country. Randi Weingarten and her crew are absolutely strangly they’re taking the worst of their members and defending them rather than advocating for our kids. And when you have the president united states, sleeping with a member of the teachers union, there is no chance that you could take the stranglehold away from the teachers union every day. They have an advocate inside the White House every day for the worst of their teachers, not for our students to be the best they can be
a president knighted states has to take on the teachers union, I didn’t New Jersey, and I will do it as president United States.
Gov. DeSantis: I have a question for you. New black history curriculum says slaves develop skills which in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit. You have said slaves develop skills in spite of slavery not because of it. But many are still hurt for descendants of slaves. This is personal. What is your message to them?
So first of all, that’s a hoax that was perpetrated by Kamala Harris. We are not going to be doing that. Second of all, that was written by descendants of slaves. These are great black history scholars. So we need to stop playing these games. Here’s the deal. Our country’s education system is in decline. because it’s focused on indoctrination, denying parents rights. Florida represents the revival of American education. we’re ranked number one in the nation in education by US News and World Report. my wife and I, we have a six, five and three year old this is personal to us.
We didn’t attend just about universal school choice. We enacted universal school choice. We didn’t just talk about parents Bill of Rights. We enacted the parents Bill of Rights. We eliminated critical race theory and we now have American civics and the Constitution in our schools in a really big way. Just like President Reagan asked for and his farewell address back in 1989. Florida is showing how it’s done. We’re standing with parents and our kids are benefiting.
Ms. Calderón: Sen. Scott, you’re apposed to this new standard. What is your message for Governor DeSantis?
Mr. Scott: There is not a redeeming quality in slavery. He and Kamala should have just taken the one sentence out. America has suffered because of slavery. but we’ve overcome that we are the greatest nation on Earth, because we faced our demons in the mirror and made a decision. So often we think that all the issues you talked about crime and education and healthcare. We always think that those issues go back to slavery.
Black families survived slavery. We survived poll taxes and literacy tests. We survived discrimination being woven into the laws of our country. What was hard to survive was Johnson’s Great Society where they decided to put money where they decided to take the blind father out of the household to get a check in the mail and you can now measure that in unemployment and crime and devastation if you want to restore hope. you’ve got to restore the family restored capitalism and put Americans back at work together as one American family.
Our nation continues to go in the right direction is why I can say I have been discriminated against But America is not a racist country. Never ever doubt who we are. We are the greatest country on God’s green earth. and frankly, the city on the hill needs a brand new leader and I’m asking for your vote
Ms. Perino: I’m gonna have a question for you, Mr. Ramaswamy over 10.7 million students in over 18,000 public schools nationwide have the ability to change their identity without parental notification. Governor Christie told Stewart last week that he would pass a federal law to protect parental rights, would you try to do the same. parental notification.
Mr. Ramaswamy: I have to be very clear about this. transgenderism, especially in kids is a mental health disorder. We have to acknowledge the truth of that for what it is. I met two young women early in this campaign …
Ms. Perino: Specifically on parental rights in school
Mr. Ramaswamy: Parents have the right to know and you know.
And you know what the hypocrisy of this is even New Hampshire failed tax would get passed a piece of legislation here, the very people who say that this increases the risk of suicide are also the ones saying that parents don’t have the right to know about that increased risk of suicide, and I’m sorry, it is not compassionate to affirm a kid’s confusion, that is not compassion that is cruelty.
I met two young women Chloe and Katie early in this campaign, who are in their 20s now regret getting double mastectomies, and a hysterectomy one of them will never have children, and the fact that we allowed that to happen in this country is barbaric so I will ban genital mutilation or chemical castration.
Ms. Perino: So I want to know, would you try to pass a federal law that says that parents should have that right?
Mr. Ramaswamy: We are going to … States absolutely to follow that law. We stand for parental rights, yes.
Ms. Perino: So I want to ask Gov Burgum just a followup on this, because you in your state, you do not have a law that says parents can’t be notified. But you want to be President. Would you try to pass a federal law to say parents have that right?
Mr. Burgum: I think this is a state’s issue. but I do want to say something because all night long. we’ve been talking about issues about how it’s broken in Washington and I respect all of the people on the stage here for their 100 plus years of public service. Thank you. But the reason why we’re not talking about education or health care or safety being a problem in North Dakota is because we have a business leader, I’ve got more experience as a business leader that I think this whole group combine I know have created more jobs than everybody else on stage 1000s of high paying jobs that have real meaning.
So as a business leader, you come in and you treat the taxpayer like a customer So in North Dakota instead of fighting with the teachers unions, we actually created a K 12 Coordinating Council, everybody gets in the room in the customer is …
Ms. Perino: But you do understand that this is an issue that many people in America really are concerned about worried about, about parents and notification in schools?
Mr. Burgum: Yes. And that’s why we have 50 platforms of innovation. That’s why we have states there are certain things the federal government is supposed to do. It’s not the department of education that needs to be assembled. we got to move it back to states do what we did in North Dakota, instead of like, Oh, here’s the choice school and here’s an old Here’s an old school the old way with the teachers union, the kids are trapped.
We made every school in North Dakota and innovation school. every school got out from under the red tape and the things that that helped teach the values that we’re trying to get like 4H and FFA.
Ms. Perino: You know I love the 4H but we’re gonna move on.
Mr. Burgum: By the way North Dakota is now at the top of the median SAT scores in the country, right now.
Ms. Calderón: Vice President Pence. The Department of Homeland Security warns that violence against LGBTQ plus people is on the rise and intensifying. According to a recent study, members of that community are nine times more likely to be victims of violence hate crimes. As President, how would you protect this community from violent attacks and discrimination for vice president united states all?
Mr. Pence: I'll stand up for the safety and the civil liberties of every American from every background. and I want the American people to know that. But I want to answer the question as well, the data that you just asked Mr. Burgum, because my way of full disclosure, Chris, you mentioned the President’s situation. I’m my wife isn’t a member of the teachers union, but I gotta admit, I’ve I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years and a full disclosure.
Education is a state and local function. State of Indiana had one of the very first school choice programs in the country. And when I was governor of state of Indiana, we doubled it and so your question, Dana, let’s let’s be very, very clear, hen the landmark Community Schools in Iowa had a policy where you couldn’t, you had to have a permission slip from your parents to get a Tylenol but you could get a gender transition plan without notifying your parents.
I weighed in with the foundation that’s not bad policy. that’s crazy. We’re going to stand up for the rights of parents, and we’re going to pass a federal ban on transgender chemical or surgical surgery anywhere in the country. We’ve got to protect our kids from this radical gender ideology, agenda, and we’ve got to empower parents at the state level, with, with the ability to choose where their kids go to school, whether it’s public private parochial or homeschool you empower parents and our schools will straighten up and reflect our values, and focus on the basics faster than you could possibly imagine.
Mr. Varney: Next subject China, China China (Crosstalk). If you talk over everybody please, lose time, China is investing heavily in that tech companies.
China is investing heavily in that tech companies $280 billion every year on semiconductor research and development. That is one chips per year. Governor DeSantis. you say companies like Google and metta have too much power. doesn’t going after them. give China an edge?
Mr. DeSantis: No, I think you look at how our societies develop they have huge amount of power over our society, they’ve cracked down on free speech. We’re not saying you don’t want to do business, but you want it to be a free market. and right now they’re monopolies. but this issue of China I think, is really going to be fundamental. we have subcontracted out so much of our national needs. to the CCP, we rely on them for a whole host of issues we need to reassure and we need to decouple all those important industries.
We need to get that back in the United States. they are our top geopolitical adversary by a country mile. Gigi pings got huge ambitions not only in the Asia Pacific, but as you mentioned earlier in our region. But ultimately, we’ve got to beat them on the economy. And so that’s what we'll do is president the United States.
Mr. Perino: Mr. Christie, I wanted to follow up on this because 22% of American workers fear their jobs will be lost to a robot. And you said in the past that the free market is the way to go. Would you retrain workers who lose a job to artificial intelligence, and to do what?
Mr. Christie: What I think artificial intelligence offers us is an extraordinary opportunity to expand well beyond the productivity that we have now and to have Americans be able to involve be involved in that revolution Tina, you each time we have shown incredible innovation and progress in this country.
Yes, we have to do retraining for folks who lose some of their jobs and we shouldn’t be doing that, and we should have more training available both at the county college level and the local level for people to be able to access it. So yes I would be in favor of that.
But this is a much bigger issue than that. We can’t be afraid of innovation. America has been the great innovator of this world over the last 250 years, a technological innovator im manufacturing innovator and a freedom and governmental innovator. And that’s why America has to continue to stand strong in the world, pro innovation pro progress.
And I will tell you this as president united states, what I will do is to make sure that every innovator in this country gets the government the hell off its back and out of its pocket, so that it can innovate, and bring great new inventions to our country, that will make everybody’s lives better.
Mr Varney: Mr. Ramaswamy, TikTok is banned on government and government issued devices because of its ties to the Chinese government. you join tick tock After dinner with boxer and implements Jake Paul. Should the commander in chief be so easily persuaded by an influencer?
Mr. Ramaswamy: So the answer is I have a radical idea for the Republican Party. we need to win elections. and part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are so when I get into office, I’ve been very clear. kids under the age of social under the age of 16. should not be using addictive social media.
We’re only going to ever get to declaring independence from China, which I favor if we actually witness so while the Democrats are running rampant reaching the next generation three to one, there’s exactly one person in the Republican Party which talks a big game about reaching young people. and that’s me and let me level with all of you. I’m the new guy here. And so I know I have to earn your trust.
What do you see you see a young man who’s in a bit of a hurry? Maybe a little ambitious? bit of a No at all? it seems at times I’m here to tell you no, I don’t know at all. I will listen. I will have the best people the best and brightest in this country. whatever age they are advising me, we will be probably many of the people on the stage included that’s how I built my companies, I want to be challenged.
I want people who disagree with me, that’s what makes America great, because we’re not a perfect nation were founded on the pursuit of perfection, and that is what makes America great Americans every.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Haley: This is infuriating because Tiktok is one of the most dangerous social media so 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. Because I can’t believe I’m here with Tiktok situation. What they’re doing is, these 150 million people are on Tiktok, that means they can get your contacts they can get your financial information they can get your emails they just say he’s messages.
This is very important for our family. This is very important. we got a new mate In China, not America. excuse now wanting kids to go and get on this social media. that’s dangerous for all of you when you were in business with the Chinese that gave Hunter Biden $5 million dollars. We can’t trust you.
Mr. Varney You have 15 seconds. You have 15 seconds. And the answer is, that is what actually makes our country strong and I believe I believe in these people.
Mr. Ramaswamy: Thank you. I think we would be better served as a Republican Party. If we’re not sitting here hurling personal insults and actually have a legitimate debate about policy following Reagan’s 11th commandment. They disagree. Let’s have a legitimate disagreement.
Mr. Burgum: Stuart can we get back to the question
Ms. Perino: No we cannot. (Crosstalk) Sir, will have to cut your mic and I don’t want to do that, I don’t.
So Governor DeSantis let me go to you. experts say President Putin has ordered assassinations across Europe cheated on arms control treaties with the US and seeks to work with China to force our decline. President Reagan believed that if you want to prevent a war you better be prepared to fight one. Today the Republican Party is at odds over aid to Ukraine. The price tag so far is $76 billion.
But is it in our best interest to degrade Russia’s military for less than 5% of what we pay annually on defense? especially when there are no US soldiers in the fight.
Mr. DeSantis: Is in our interest to end this war and that’s what I will do as President. we are not going to have a blank check. we will not have US troops and we’re going to make the Europeans do what they need to do but they’ve sent money to pay bureaucrats pensions and salaries and funding small businesses halfway around the world.
Meanwhile, our own country is being invaded. We don’t even have control of our own territory we have got to defend the American people. Before we even worry about all these other things. And I watch these guys in Washington DC and they don’t care about the American people, they don’t care about the fentanyl deaths, they don’t care about the communities being overrun, because of this border, they don’t care about the Mexican drug cartels.
So as Commander in Chief, I will defend this country sovereignty,
Ms. Haley: It’s not a territorial dispute.
Mr. Scott: 90% of the resources that we send over to Ukraine is guaranteed it’s a loan it’s not 90% of what we send over there is loan. we could talk about this, but at the end of the day 90% of money that we send over there is actually actually not be paid by Ukraine. it’s paid by the NATO or NATO allies.
So I think it’s I think it’s, I will say let’s, let’s this debate the fact that our national vital interest is in degrading the Russian military. By degrading the Russian military. we actually keep our homeland safer. We keep our troops at home and we all understand article five of NATO.
We want the American people about waiting until your turn to talk. So at the end of the day finished by, I'll be happy to respond, and look forward to this one right now. So at the end of the day, when you think about the fact that you want to keep American troops at home. Attack on NATO territory would bring us in our troops in by degrading the Russian military. We reduce, if not eliminate attacks.
Mr. Ramaswamy: We have to level with the American people. We have to level with the American people on this issue. The reality is just because just because Putin is not an Putin’s an evil dictator does not mean that Ukraine is good. This is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties so when it has to say we’re driving …
Ms. Haley: A win for Russia is a win for China
excuse me if you like you‘ll have you’ll have your chance in just a moment
Ms. Haley: but I forgot, you like China.
Mr. Ramaswamy: The hurling personal insults isn’t helping. China is the real enemy and we’re driving Russia further into China’s arms, we need a reasonable peace plan to end this. Especially, this is a country whose president just last week was hailing …
Mr. Pence: Vivek, if you let Putin have Ukraine, that’s a green light China take Taiwan. Peace comes through strength.
Mr. Varney: Gov. Christie. President Biden’s first two years abroad, China, Russia and Iran closer together. Are we focused too much on Ukraine, and not enough on this threat from the New World Order?
Mr. Christie: They’re all connected Stewart. They’re all connected. The Chinese are paying for the Russian war in Ukraine. The Iranians are supply more sophisticated weapons, and so are the North Koreans now as well with the encouragement of the Chinese, the naivete on the stage, from some of these folks is extraordinary.
Look, I understand people want to go and talk to Putin. guess what Saudi George W. Bush, Saudi Barack Obama, So to Donald Trump. And so to Joe Biden, when he said a small invasion wouldn’t be so bad. Every one of them has been wrong.
And the fact of the matter is we need to say right now that the Chinese, Russian alliance is something we have to fight against, and we are not going to solve it by going over and cuddling up to Vladimir Putin. Well, Donald Trump said, Vladimir Putin was brilliant, and a great leader.
This is the person who is murdering people in his own country, And now not having enough blood. He’s now going to Ukraine to murder innocent civilians and kidnap 20,000 children. And let me tell you, if you think that’s where it’s going to stop. If we give him any of Ukraine, Next will be Poland. This is a guy who said, Wait one second, this guy and 1991, who said that was the darkest moment world history, when the Soviet Union fell.
Listen everybody he wants to put the old band back together, and only America can stop it, and when I’m President, we will.
Ms. Perino: Gov. Burgum, I want to get to Gov. Burgum, he hasn’t had a chance. I have a question I think you’re going to really like. Or at least you have experience in it.
And we need to talk about America’s farmers, because there was a foreign policy connection here, the US and China in this fierce economic competition, ’Is hurting American businesses, and there is blowback against American farmers because China then targets them in retaliation.
How would you as president protect American farmers and ranchers from that kind of retaliation from a foreign government like China?
Mr. Burgum: Well, first of all, we’ve got the best farmers and ranchers in the world right here in America. If they have a level playing field, they can out compete anyone in the world but this is part of the larger issue that we’re talking about here. Which is we’re in a cold war with China. The Biden administration won’t admit that but we’re also in a economic war, through the what we’re doing with agriculture and energy.
And we’re also in a war with them relative to cyber where we get attacked every day in North Dakota, every state, every school district, our tribes all being attacked every day by either China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. and now we’ve got a Biden administration whose whole policy is appeasement. They’re out there, creating the world making less safe $6 billion.
They traded for five people. They’ve just now set a price on anyone’s head who is a tourist from America who’s a student from America for kidnapping if you want more kidnapping put a price on it. and then that’s in there also helping Iran get to have more closer to nuclear weapons than the which pushes all of the Middle East closer to China and Russia. The whole thing is absurd.
And then of course, we’re going to give Ukraine to Russia and then we’re going to give Taiwan to China and think that’s a foreign policy. That will make our nation less, less successful, make us more poor. And at the core of all that is energy policy because China imports 10 million barrels of oil a day. They’re the largest importer in the world.
And we’ve had four Cabinet members from the Biden administration there this summer and none of them talked about us energy, the first one to go to each of those countries was Kerry to talk about the folly of the climate, climate policy, which is making the world less stable. it’s empowering dictators. it’s not about climate change that we need worried about. it’s about the Biden climate policies that are actually the existential threat to America’s future.
Ms. Calderón: Gov. Haley, Mexico’s president called those who support sending US military into the country “scoundrels.” Mexico is the United States most important trade partner and border security you say you will send special operations to attack the cartels in Mexico. So this means boots on the ground? Drone strikes?
Ms. Haley: It means Special Operations. It’s how we deal with our terrorists and what you need to do is understand that Mexico is not being a good partner if we lost 75,000 Americans last year. Mexico is not being a good partner, if they’re letting the cartels get away with what they’re getting away with what
What we will do is make sure that we send in our special operations, and we will take out the cartels will take out their operations will take out anything that’s doing it. But we’re gonna go after China because China is the one sending the fentanyl in the first place, and we will end all normal trade relations until China stops sending fentanyl.
This is where President Trump went wrong, he focused on trade with China. He didn’t focus on the fact that they were buying up our farmland he didn’t focus on the fact that they weren’t killing Americans he didn’t focus on the fact that there were stealing $600 billion, and intellectual property. He didn’t focus on the fact that they put a Spy Based off our shores and Cuba. They didn’t focus enough on the fact that all of our law enforcement drones in America are Chinese, and we’ve got all these little surveillance cells.
As your president, I will make sure every American is safe.
Ms. Perino: You’re all auditioning for the job as President of the United States. You want to earn these votes, but the world’s problems land in the oval office during the presidential debates in the year 2000. Neither Al Gore nor George W. Bush was asked about al Qaeda. yet, Just one year later, I'll quote his attack on September 11, claimed nearly 3000 lives And the farther we get from September 11. The closer we are to September 10.
Senator Scott, you have no executive branch experience. What has prepared you to protect the nation from a major man made national security crisis?
Mr. Scott: One of the things I’ve had the good fortune of doing is serving on committees in the United States Senate like the Senate Armed Services Committee. I’m on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also on the Finance Committee and the Banking Committee. talk about addressing the issue of fentanyl.
I’ve written the legislation, pass it through the Banking Committee and the Senate that would freeze the assets and sanction the accounts of the Mexican cartels there. are weapons that we have within the arsenal that I was able to get past 23 to zero and polarizing Senate as it is.
I’ve also understood without question, the fact that if you look at the details before 911 There was information to intelligence that was available that suggested an attack was coming, having the right intelligence partners with us is key to making sure that we prevent the next 911 from ever happening.
Having that experience with the last 10 years, is really important in getting the job done.
Ms. Perino: 30 seconds to you, Mr. Pence.
Mr. Pence: Well I think you asked a question about executive experience, I think it’s vitally important. And I stand before you today as a candidate for president because I think this country is in a lot of trouble. You hear the fire on the stage tonight you hear the fire and all of our voices that just because Joe Biden is weak in this country at home and abroad. This is a time for those of us that have the experience.
The tested experience and commitment of the conservative agenda that Ronald Reagan brought forward in this party have a strong national defense standing with our allies standing up to our enemies, supporting limited government and traditional values need to step forward understand because frankly, our party does face a time for choosing as they said at the top of this debate, whether we’re going to stand on the foundation of that conservative agenda that Ronald Reagan poured.
Or whether we’re going to follow the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative, most experienced most qualified and most consistent conservative in this field and I’m ready to lead America at home and abroad on day one.
Ms. Perino: It is now a time for choosing to go to a break. Ilia.
Ms. Calderón: We need to go to a commercial break. Ronald Reagan built a coalition that lasted decades, Can any of these candidates do the same? We'll take that up when the debate continues.
Mr. Varney: Welcome back to the Republican primary debate here at the Reagan Library. We’ve got a lot more issues to cover, and a lot more questions to go, so let’s dive right back in. We’re here in California, where gas is nearing $6 A gallon oil is close to $100 a barrel again.
You say “drill baby drill,” but the courts won’t let you, Mr Ramaswamy. How would you bring down prices without immediate drilling.
Mr. Ramaswamy: Well, look, I think that we do have to run through the courts and get through that administrative state.
and get through that administrative state to make sure we’re using the Natural Resources here at home but here’s the other thing that we can do, it’s easy.
Mr. Varney: It’ll take forever Mr. Ramaswamy.
Mr. Ramaswamy: or governments to reform and it addresses the national debt as well as brings down prices, put people back to work. We are using taxpayer money to pay people more to stay at home than to go to work that is wrong, that contributes to our supply chain crisis. it contributes to inflation. that’s the easiest way to unlock this economy. and here’s the other thing. we have to put the Federal Reserve back in its place. This is an agency that has gone rogue.
So in January 2026, When I have the opportunity, is there next commander in chief, we will have a new Chairman of the Federal Reserve who places priority on dollar stability and then most importantly, send packing 75% of the administrative state reduce the federal employee headcount by 75% rescind 50% of unconstitutional federal regulations that are shackling businesses both large and small, I’ve offered a very clear practical plan to do it.
That’s how we unleash the economy. That’s how we revive the integrity of a three branch. constitutional republic, rather than this technocracy.
Mr. Varney: Vice President Pence, your response please.
Mr. Pence: I think one of the signature accomplishments of our administration was in just a few short years, we achieved energy independence, we became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 75 years.
But on day one, Joe Biden declared a war on energy, which was no surprise because when Joe Biden ran for president, he said he was going to end fossil fuels. and they’ve been working overtime to do that ever since. If I’m President of the United States.
We’re going to open up federal lands, we’re gonna unleash American energy, we’re gonna have an all of the above energy strategy, and I have a plan that actually would not only reclaim energy independence, but in 2006, America lost our position as the leading energy producer on earth
I believe in the next 10 years with the right policies and an experienced leadership in the White House, we can reclaim our role as the leading energy producer on Earth and that'll grow the American economy for generations to come.
Mr. Varney: Gov. Haley, reaction to that please.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Haley: So you know the first thing I’ll say is, what I saw at the United Nations is that energy security is national security.
We need a president that understands we have to partner with our producers and make sure that they we have their backs. What you don’t need is a president who is against energy independence.
Ron DeSantis is against fracking, he’s against drilling, he’s been against … you did it. Every he always talks about what happens on day one, you better watch out because what happens on day two is when you’re in trouble de to in Florida.
You ban fracking you van offshore drilling, you did it on federal lands, and you took green subsidies that you didn’t have to take.
Mr. Varney: Gov. DeSantis you were mentioned, you have the right to respond, 30 seconds.
Mr. DeSantis: I just did a plan out in West Texas for American energy dominance. We’re going to choose middlin over Moscow. we’re going to choose the Marcellus over the Molas and we’re going to choose Bakken over Beijing and we are going to lower your gas prices. we are going to get that job done. because it’s important for our national security. it’s important for jobs and that’s one of the best ways to drive down inflation.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Haley: You banned fracking.
Mr. DeSantis: This is ridiculous, because the state of Florida, our voters enacted a constitution … that doesn’t allow
Ms. Haley: You banned it before they voted
Mr. DeSantis: No that’s not true.
Ms. Haley: And not only that, they didn’t vote on fracking.
Mr. DeSantis: She’s completely wrong. They voted it in, that’s what we did.
Ms. Haley: Check it. Check it.
Mr. DeSantis: On shore, we do it in Florida. And we don’t have as much as maybe West Texas, but we do it. But that was a constitutional amendment. So that’s just wrong. And let’s just get real here. My plan will get the job done.
Ms. Haley: You banned it before the voters even voted, and they didn’t even vote on fracking.
Mr. Varney: Moving on with this question for Gov. DeSantis, Governor. Excuse me.
(Crosstalk)
We cannot talk over each other, we must respect each other’s time. My apologies for that.
Gov. DeSantis, this is your question. The Biden Administration is hell bent on student loan forgiveness, but you say colleges should be on the hook. When graduates cannot pay their debt. How does that address the cost of college itself?
because the colleges are gonna have to make a decision do we offer do we expand the Gender Studies Department knowing some of those graduates may not have great I learned about this? no. they’re gonna focus on the things that really matter. They’re going to make different choices. they’re gonna try to graduate people in four years.
I also just want to come back some Dana said in the last segment about 911. Because I was just at the 911 Memorial with the families my wife and everybody’s very touching to be there and it affected my life because I ended up joining the military as a result of that. I’ve been a blue collar kid minimum wage in Florida. I ended up getting through Yale and Harvard Law School and somehow came out more conservative than when I went in and that is not easy to do.
I had a lot of opportunities to make money but I wanted to serve and I‘ll never forget coming back on the plane from Iraq, landing in Coronado, California North Island and feeling that breeze up the Pacific Ocean to say you know what, I am lucky to have been born in America. And I think being able to serve and I’ll be the first president elected since 1988 has actually served overseas in a war.
I think that’s going to help me as Commander in Chief to know how you see these issues and understand that there are real lives at stake for people that wear the uniform.
Ms. Perino: And we know that the governor Haley’s husband is serving right now as well. And we thank him for that.
Sen. Scott, the national debt has nearly doubled in your time in office, the approval rate for Congress is at a mere 19 percent. If this were a business, you probably all be fired in Washington, but you’re here tonight. looking for a promotion. In 2013 Governor Haley, ran for the Senate. I'd like you to tell her why you should be promoted to CEO of the nation, instead of her.
Mr. Scott: One of the things I'd say is if you look at our national debt of $33 trillion, I would love to have an opportunity to have this country pass a balanced budget amendment that would constrain the spending in Washington in the same fashion that it does in every state in our nation, number one.
Number two, if you want to actually reduce our national debt, you have to grow our economy in order to grow our economy. you need to create about 10 million jobs, to grow our economy.
At 5%. you can do that in three specific sectors. number one, the energy sector we could create between three and three and a half million jobs if we unleashed all of our energy resources. America is the most. We’re the richest country if you combined coal, gas and oil, why not unleash all of our resources. Number two, we’ve lost 100,000 factories 100,000 factories in the last 25 years.
if we continued on my Made in America plan, we could bring jobs back to America. In a similar fashion that we did when I wrote the tax cuts and Jobs Act. We actually lowered the corporate tax from 35% 21% reassured are repatriated $1.7 trillion. We brought the unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanics and Asians to the lowest level in the history of the country, the seven year low for women.
Ms. Perino: Gov. Haley, Do you think you think you would deserve a promotion?
Ms. Haley: I appreciate him. We’ve known each other a long time. But he’s been there 12 years and he hasn’t done any of that. He hasn’t. They’ve only given four budgets on time in 40 year. Where have you been? We’ve waited and nothing has happened.
Mr. Scott: I’ve voted on most of those things.
(Crosstalk)
Mr. DeSantis: Here’s the thing that I find interesting. All of these guys have said good things, and I appreciate a lot of the things they’re saying. I’m the only one up here who’s gotten in the big fights, and it’s delivered big victories for the people of Florida.
When it gets hot in there, when they’re shooting arrows at you, are you going to be stand up for parents rights, keep the state free. Are you going to be able to do all those things into the state of Florida, because of our success, the Democratic Party lies in ruins. We have won the big fights, we have turned our state into a Republican state people respond to leadership, I’ve done it, while others have talked about it.
(Crosstalk)
Mr. Ramaswamy: If I may just briefly interject here. We need a zero based budget. Start with zero as the baseline at a party lies in ruins. We have won the big fights. We have turned our state into a Republican state people respond to leadership. I’ve done it while others have talked about what we plan to
Just look at zero based budgeting. That’s the way businesses are actually run. Start with zero as the baseline for the budget and then see what’s actually necessary. There isn’t a blue state or a red state in this union that does it. The federal government doesn’t do it but successful companies including the ones that are built as a CEO, and need a CEO in the White House.
Ms. Perino: I think that Gov. Burgum would disagree with you though. Gov. Burgum runs a state tho.
Mr. Burgum: You don’t ask anything but I’m just gonna say right now. When you say nobody else has done it. the energy plans that have all been announced in the last month by these other folks on stage. we’re already doing it North Dakota. border plans already talking about we’ve got troops down at the border flying helicopter missions from North Dakota from San Diego to the Gulf Coast. trying to stop transnational criminal organizations from inflicting the invasion and the mass casualties in our state, and on the energy policy we’re already doing it in North Dakota.
Border plans already talking about we’ve got troops down at the border flying helicopter missions from North Dakota from San Diego to the Gulf Coast. Trying to stop transnational criminal organizations from inflicting the invasion and the mass casualties in our state and on the energy policy we’re already doing and it’s not saying we nobody else done the big fights in North Dakota was leading the charge.
We won the battle to get the Biden administration was ignoring the law. they were the first administration since Truman that wasn’t holding the quarterly required lease sales, and we want that in federal court, Lotus we won that we’re fighting the Biden administration on 20 fronts to say that nobody’s fighting the big fights just look at the record of what we’re doing right now. Energy Economy national security have been talking about it since day one.
And now finally good we’re having the conversation about it, but we’ve got the answer in North Dakota, done in government.
Mr. Varney: Gov. Burgum, you say you want to shrink the size of government. It’s been a century since any President has done that. Why would you be any different?
Mr. Burgum: Because we do it. we’re doing We’ve done it in North Dakota. When I took office we shrunk the state budget general fund by 27%. In the first four months I was office and we all a train stop running on time. Why? because you had a business leader that was actually there.
Inside of every government job there’s 10 or 20% of mind numbing, soul sucking work that even the state and federal employees don’t want to do. And you can engineer that workout in the job that would free up right there and 20% of 2 million civilian employees. And by the way, we’ve got 10 million jobs open they'd have plenty to do and they could be generating taxes instead of being paid by taxes.
This is totally possible to do It if you have somebody that understands, and having worked in technology for 30 years everything we had to do was to be better, faster and cheaper. The next day. That’s what we can do a government that’s what we’re doing in North Dakota.
Ms. Perino: Gov. DeSantis want to ask you about something I think it’s on a lot of Republicans minds. This election could come down to less than 50,000 votes in three states. abortion was on the ballot in six states in 2022. Republicans lost all of them. Next year abortion will likely be on the ballot in Arizona. That is a must win state.
Gov DeSantis, how are you going to win over independent pro choice voters in Arizona?
Mr. DeSantis: The Same way we did in Florida we won the big greatest Republican victory and a governor’s race in the history of the state over 1.5 million votes. We were winning places like Miami Dade County, Palm Beach and nobody thought was possible. because we were leading with purpose and conviction.
And I reject this idea that pro lifers are to blame for midterm defeats. I think there’s other reasons for that. The former president, you know he’s missing an action tonight. He’s had a lot to say about that. He should be here explaining his comments to try to say that pro life protections are somehow a terrible thing. I want him to look into the eyes and tell people who’ve been fighting this fight for a long time.
I was at my wife and I earlier today we’re at the gravesite of President Mrs. Reagan. And I noticed that there was a quote where it says every single person has purpose and worth, we’re better off when everybody counts, and I think we should stand for what we believe in. I think we should hold the Democrats accountable for their extremism, supporting abortion, all the way up until the moment of birth that is fantasize that is wrong.
Ms. Perino: Let me ask Gov. Christie. Gov. Christie, do you think that Republicans … ok, Gov. Christie, do you think that Republicans can do that in Arizona, if this referendum is on the ballot.
Mr. Christie: Yeah, because I did it in New Jersey, Dana.
Ms. Perino: Then why are all these other states losing?
Mr. Christie: Because they don’t have leaders in those states who are leading the fight the way it should be that. And, in fact is I was governor here of the only blue state that’s represented up here. This is where the fight is really tough for Republicans, and those are the states that we’re gonna have to try to win. If we’re going to win the White House back.
And what we did was 14 times in eight years, I’ve either Planned Parenthood. 14 times. No one else gets it that much. The Democrats have three and I kept saying no, because I believe in life, but also believe in states rights, and I think we fought hard against Roe versus Wade. For decades the standard states should make these decisions.
So we’re going to have those fights in the states where what you need is a leader who can talk to people and make them understand that if you’re pro life. You have to be prepared for the entire life, not just the nine months in the womb. And we talked a lot about fentanyl tonight and we haven’t spoken one moment about treatment.
We need to make sure that for the drug addicted 16 year old and before the county lockup for life is precious to and we need to be providing treatment to cure this as a disease that is if you’re pro life, you got to be pro life for the entire life. We'll start talking like that. They’re going to do what I did in the blue state, which was getting reelected with 61% of the vote and one 70% of independents and 51% of Latinos because I told them the truth from my heart.
Ms. Perino: Thank you.
Ms. Calderón: Vice President Pence. Revision for found that 73% of Latino voters think the Republican Party doesn’t care about, or is being hostile toward them. Only Governor DeSantis has translated his campaign into Spanish. How will you reach out to Latino voters?
Mr. Pence: I promise you that we’re going to continue to build bridges every community in this country, and I’m incredibly proud of that. Tax cut of tax reform bill I worked on Capitol Hill to help get that bill passed into law the largest tax cut in American history we saw, literally, the lowest unemployment ever recorded for Hispanic Americans, lowest unemployment ever recorded for African Americans 50 year low, for women.
So I think the President of the United States needs to be a champion. for the American Dream for every American. It begins with the unborn, and the agent and the infirm, and it begins with every ethnic group in this country.
And I promise you if our president of the United States, I‘ll be a champion, I’ll be a champion for the American Dream for Hispanic Americans and for every American. So help me God.
Ms. Calderón: Sen. Scott, you reaction?
Mr. Scott: There’s no doubt that if you lead by example, It’s the best way to get the job done to look at my office in the Senate. my chief of staff is the only Hispanic female chief of staff in the Senate. I hired her because she was the best highest qualified person, we have what we need our leaders who lead by example.
I would love to finish my conversation with Nikki as it relates to the job that needs to get done. Nikki offered a 10% 10 cent gas tax increase in South Carolina, talking about someone who has never seen a federal dollar she doesn’t like. 10 cents on this gallon in South Carolina.
Ms. Haley: Bring it Tim.
Mr. Scott: As the UN ambassador, you literally bring in $50,000 on a $15 million subsidized location.
Ms. Haley: You got bad information. First of all, I fought the gas tax in South Carolina against the establishment, and do you want to know what that 10 cents was?
Mr. Scott: Just go to YouTube.
Ms. Haley: When they wouldn’t pass the gas tax, the establishment and the companies wanted me to do it so much, that I said the only way that we would do it is if you give me three times the deduction in income tax, then I will look at your gas tax.
Mr. Scott: So you said yes.
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Haley: Secondly, on the 50 million … on the curtains. Obama bought them, it’s in the press.
Mr. Scott: Did you send them back? Did you send them back?
Ms. Haley: Did you send them back? You’re the one that works in Congress.
Mr. Scott: You hung them on your curtains.
Ms. Haley: They were there before I even showed up at the residence. You are scrapping. You are scrapping. You know I find …
(Crosstalk)
Ms. Perino: Cue the music!
Mr. Varney: We do not intend to go on like this. In fact we are about to take a commercial break. we'll have more of the second Republican debate live from the Reagan Presidential Library in just a few moments.
Ms. Perino: And welcome back to the final minuets. I could go another hour, but we only have a few minutes.
It’s now obvious that you all stay in the race, former President Donald Trump wins the nomination, none of you have indicated that you’re dropping out. So, which one of you on stage tonight, should be voted off the island.
Please use your marker to write your choice on a notepad in front of you. 15 seconds starting now, of the people on the stage.
Mr. DeSantis: All due respect, I mean, we’re here like we’re happy to debate, but I think that that’s disrespectful to my fellow competitors.
Ms. Perino: Nobody wants to?
Mr. DeSantis: Let’s talk about the future of the country.
Ms. Perino: Let me ask you this. If you won’t answer that question, let me ask you this one. What is your mathematical path Governor DeSantis in order to try to meet President Trump who has a commanding and enduring lead in this race.
Mr. DeSantis: Poles don’t elect presidents voters elect president and we’re going to take the case of the people in these early states we’re going to do in the state by state direction and why because as Reagan said in his day, this is our time for choosing.
We are not getting a mulligan on the 2024 election Republicans have lost three straight elections in a row, we were supposed to have a red wave with inflation at 9% and crashed and burned not in Florida, didn’t we delivered it in Florida. And so we’ve got to choose right we’ve got a win and we need somebody that’s going to be able to serve two terms.
So in January of 2023, They'll be able to address the nation saying, we turn the economy around we secure the border, and we fend it off the threat from communist China as your president, I will get that job.
Mr. Varney: Gov. Christie I believe I did see you write something (crosstalk). Gov. Christie I believe I did see you write something on the card.
Mr. Christie: No, but I’ll certainly tell you. I’m the only one on this stage that’s been clear about this. I vote I’ve looked Donald Trump off the island right now. The reason I vote him off the island. Every person on this stage is showing the respect for Republican voters to come here to express their views honestly candidly and directly at the take your questions honestly. I have respect for every man and woman on this stage because if that ever that … put your hand down for a second, I’ve still got time to chill out.
Look, this guy has not only divided our party. He’s divided families all over this country. He’s divided friends all over this country. I’ve spoken to people and I know everyone else has who have sat at Thanksgiving dinner or at a birthday party and it can’t have a conversation anymore. If you disagree with Donald Trump off the island.
Ms. Perino: Can we give Vivek 15 seconds, Vivek.
Mr. Ramaswamy: I have a different view on this I think Trump was an excellent precedent, but the America first agenda does not belong to one man, it does not belong to Donald Trump. It doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to you. The people of this country. And the question is who’s going to unite this country and take the America first agenda to the next level.
When we rally behind the crowd and make America great again. We did not just hunger for a single man. We hunger for the unapologetic pursuit of excellence and yes, your saddles spit out Trump and his legacy because it’s the right thing to do. but we will unite this country to take the America first agenda to the next.
Mr. Varney: And that does it. I repeat, that does it for the second Republican Primary debate, live from live from the Reagan Presidential Library.
Ms. Perino: Thank you to the candidates. We’ve loved having you here, tonight and we will see you out on the campaign trail.
Ms. Calderón: Have a great evening. Thank you for joining us everyone. Goodnight.
