Presidential debates are the foreground of determining who has the oratory that can resonate with America. Consider this like comparing the various products of the same category on Amazon.
Don’t you like to compare features, prices, and quality and then decide which one to buy? A live debate between presidential candidates serves just that.
Here’s a classic clip from the hit American series Veep that shows how to turn the tides to your side in a debate–
These debates bring out the best and the worst in a candidate as they battle it to assert dominance. With millions of eyes on them, the pressure can be crucifying. The moderator also asks questions on various issues and reforms for America if they are elected as president.
Their answers give a glimpse of their aptitude on the topic and show their stance on various social issues. Every word is dissected, implying the candidate must keep composure while bringing their A-game.
The Second Republican Presidential Debate of 2024 was a spectacle of candidates talking over each other, dodging uncomfortable subjects, and giving each other nicknames. Here is a quick highlight of what happened on the live debate–
- Tim Scott and Nikki Haley engaged in a heated exchange of words over the latter’s role in spending as the U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
- Ron DeSantis exhibited an inconsistent performance. At one point, he called out Trump, comparing his absence to Biden’s. When asked about the healthcare situation, he pulled out the inflation card and played it safe during the abortion debate. His misstep let Tim Scott get the last word in the recent controversy over Florida’s Black History curriculum. But he did manage to get a one-up when he rejected the moderator’s attempt to vote one candidate off the island. DeSantis stated–“Polls don’t elect presidents; voters elect presidents.”
- At one point, the collective turned against Vivek Ramaswamy, raising questions over his ties with the Chinese Communist Party. It seemed like Tim Scott was determined to pick fights with everyone as the two talked over each other in a mess.
- Mike Pence also showed his passive aggression while piling on Ramaswamy. Pence’s stance on healthcare was ambiguous and deflected to mass gun violence. Overall, his performance was 2.5/5 at its best. He could have done better, considering his influence.
- The abortion law topic was like the Bermuda Triangle, where no one wanted to take a dip.
But the show’s highlight came from the former Governor of New Jersey. Those unversed, Donald Trump decided to skip the Republican presidential debate, taking the ‘running as an incumbent’ approach. This indeed proved a fruitful strategy for him, considering he could have faced scrutiny over his debacle of four years at the White House.
However, Christie wasn’t ready to let it go so easily.
During the second presidential debate on September 28, 2023, Chris Christie called out for ducking the event, considering Trump is the Republican frontrunner. He said that Donald Trump should have been on the podium to answer the difficult questions about bringing back law and order in the country. He then directly looked into the camera to address Trump, stating that if he kept “ducking” these debates, he would be called “Donald Duck” henceforth. This comment received mixed reactions from the public, while Twitter went berserk.
Why Did Chris Christie Call Trump as Donald Duck?
In an attempt to entice the audience, Chris Christie showed his passion for bringing order back to the country, considering the violence and natural calamities, and ensuring that people don’t feel threatened. During his last few statements, he stated that–
“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.”
“When you go on our back in our suburbs, people are threatened there. We need it in our rural areas. People feel threatened there, and we need it in Washington, D.C., also. And Donald Trump should be here to answer for that, but he’s not.”
The moment he mentioned Trump’s name, he found another opportunity to pull the strings one last time. Christie broke the fourth wall for Trump and said–
“I want to look at that camera right now,”
“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.”
And then he decided to go all in with what is one of the most memorable moments of the debate–
“You’re ducking these things. And let me tell you what’s going to happen. You keep doing that. No one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. We’re going to call you a Donald Duck.”
Here’s How Twitter Is Reacting
Netizens were divided on the joke; some stated that the joke fell flat, while others said that Trump had given worse nicknames to fellow candidates. Here are a few reactions on Twitter–
What is your take on the debate? Who would you consider voting based on the debate? Do you think Chris Christie’s remark was the lowest blow, or did Trump deserve it for skipping the event? Let us know in the comments section below.
