Okay, maybe it just felt like a scream. Haley fired back in the politest way possible: “Leave my daughter out of your voice!”
Allow me to translate. “Voice” came out of her mouth before she could stop it. What she was really saying was: If your filthy mouth ever mentions my daughter again, a cow’s tongue in a Tiffany box will be delivered to your door. That will be a warning. (Please see Carrie Fisher.)
Then Haley really did say, “You’re just scum.”
The audience, which had begun loudly booing, apparently agreed. Is Ramaswamy just insane? This is a serious question. At best, his opposition research staff needs to grow up. The worst they could come up with about Haley was that her daughter, like millions of other daughters around the world, once joined TikTok. Weak, cheap, immature — the list of derogatory adjectives could fill the rest of this column.
But Ramaswamy was just getting warmed up. Something tells me he’s always getting warmed up. The man seemed possessed, his fire-breathing assault on Haley bordering on something like hatred. When she was given an opportunity to respond to his personal attack, Haley bridged to China, driving this very strange candidate to utter distraction. Haley can’t talk tough on China, Ramaswamy seethed, because she once referred to our greatest enemy as a “great friend.”
Haley’s overture apparently was made during her tenure as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She was recognizing China and Russia’s cooperation in negotiating with her to create “the largest set of sanctions against North Korea in a generation,” which, she said, led to the rogue nation’s cessation of ballistic-missile testing.
Sometimes one’s enemy is one’s friend. Sometimes not. But all things geopolitical are subject to change, which even Ramaswamy ought to know. In another zinger, Haley fired back: “You would never have been able to get that negotiation done.” I feel safe in saying that no one in the audience doubted it.
Talk about exhausting. Can you imagine having an everyday marital disagreement with Ramaswamy? If he didn’t pound you to death with his high-velocity verbiage, you’d play dead to shut him up.
I’ll refrain from further mention of tongues, unless, obviously, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) succumbs to glossolalia, which is always possible when he has the floor. Scott was at his evangelical best during the debate when he signaled to Iowa voters that he and Jesus are tight. This is the Tim Scott we know and love — an unapologetic Christian who often acknowledges God and Jesus for grace in his life. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But it does seem, given the war between Gaza and Israel and the rise of antisemitism here at home, that now might be a good time to hit the pause button on America as a Christian nation.
Honorable mention goes to Chris Christie, who should begin thinking about which Cabinet seat he wants. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered his best debate performance thus far. He seemed less a deer in the headlights and more confident, especially when telling Israel to “finish the job.” He’s still in second place among GOP voters, waaaaay behind Donald Trump nationally (14.4 percent to 58.5 percent, according to RealClearPolitics), but Haley is closing in at 9.0. Scott barely registers.
In a general election, however, it’s a tie among Trump (45.6), Biden (45.1) and Haley (45.5). Come on, Republicans. Debate-wise, Haley outdid the competition — again.
On foreign policy, she’s plainly the strongest Republican candidate. In another swipe at Ramaswamy — do I sense a drinking game in the making? — she said of his foreign policy bona fides: “I’m telling you Putin and President Xi are salivating at the thought that someone like that could become president.”
On the key Democratic issue, abortion, she managed to thread a microscopic needle. Though pro-life, Haley said she doesn’t want to judge pro-choice women or be judged for her position. She urged letting states determine their own destinies while the country works toward consensus.
Once again, she reminded voters that a federal ban on abortion is impossible — for now.
“Consensus” is a word we don’t often hear these days. On abortion, consensus is probably a pipe dream — for now. But the sentiment is a welcome shift from some of the hardened, draconian positions that have surfaced since Roe v. Wade was overturned. My bet is women are hearing her loud and clear.
Men, well, you know how they are. A woman’s voice, if they can hear it, drives some of them crazy. Just ask Vivek Ramaswamy.
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