Burgum, Christie, Pence, and possibly Asa Hutchinson are a waste of space on the stage, IMO, but maybe I'll be proven wrong on that. I think the anti-communist base needs to see the contrast between DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Scott, and Haley in the debate and go from there.

I wonder if governors Noem and Youngkin stepping aside for DeSantis to take this thing was a mistake. I bet those two will be nominee favorites in 2028.

Based upon this recent interview by Shawn Ryan, he looks pretty good. Basically running on slashing the executive branch jobs by 70%, including disbanding the FBI, IRS and Dept. of Education.

lead said:

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Tibbers said:

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I think we are closer to "Robot Ron" than whatever you are spewing. Wednesday will be a good test. A juxtaposition between Vivek and Desantis. Can't wait to see it. I just wish it was only those two on the debate stage.

---

Not sure what you mean by "robot Ron". I too wish it was only Vivek and RD. Seems like a win/win though the jury's still out on VR.

---

Mainly this, https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/17/ron-desantis-awkward/

---As he sought to connect with voters and donors, critics said DeSantis had resembled to quote a couple of posts "a robot put together from scrapped spare parts from Disney's The Hall of Presidents" or "an extraterrestrial in a skin-suit trying to learn to be human."

I don't care who you are, that's hilarious.

I've decided that after being enlightened to the awesomeness of Larry Flippin Elder that I must cast aside Vivek, Ron and Trump and throw all efforts behind a washed up book writer from the early oughts who now makes his cheddar slinging Relief Factor.

Buck Turgidson said:

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Based upon this recent interview by Shawn Ryan, he looks pretty good. Basically running on slashing the executive branch jobs by 70%, including disbanding the FBI, IRS and Dept. of Education.

---

Too bad that isn't possible. He knows it. He just knows how to sell people a vision. He'll blame the swamp for his failures in order to keep selling the same vision he was incapable of implementing.

DeSantis is the only genuine candidate. The rest all politicians, inexperienced or trade in snake oil.

But DeSantis, he rises above all. Long live DeSantis!

But seriously, we are going to learn Wednesday night who the lead horse(s) are. For those who don't want Trump, then I would find a way to get your candidate to work out a deal with Trump to get him to step aside and NOT run as an independent.

Agreed, if trump did that, he would be handing the presidency to the Democratic Party. I don't think he's game to do that but you never know with that guy.

And now the Atlantic has released the audio and turns out VivekGPT was lying yet again: https://t.co/lQgaaDJyph

He’s done this repeatedly. https://t.co/qKO3iOwc5k

— AG (@AGHamilton29) August 22, 2023

This is my shocked face

What is VivekGPT?

Fox News busting Ramascammy on yet another one of his multiple lies:

he lied about not voting until age 35 (he didn't vote for George Bush against Kerry but voted libertarian)
he was trying to do business with the commie chinese
he wanted to set up a national database for all americans to track covid compliance

Ramaswamy was already millionaire when he accepted Soros award he said he needed to pay for law school


Ramaswamy reported $2.2M income during same year he accepted Soros scholarship
By Jessica Chasmar Fox News Published August 22, 2023 7:00am EDT

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was already a millionaire by the time he accepted the Soros scholarship he previously said he needed in order to pay for law school.

Ramaswamy defended himself last month for accepting a $90,000 award from the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, which was founded by Daisy and Paul Soros, the late older brother of liberal billionaire financier George Soros.

Ramaswamy said that after graduating from Harvard, he "didn't have the money" to afford Yale Law School.

What? Vivek lied again.

D-Fens said:

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Only way Vivek wins is if the dems take foot off gas on persecution of Trump.

---

The only way Vivek wins is if there is a rip in the fabric of space and time.

and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

Aztec1948 said:

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We all recall how Obama came out of left field..thoughts on this fella?



Tucker interviews him here.

---

Can't help but notice the YouTube account with this video was banned by Google/YouTube.

Who's channel was this?

LMCane said:

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and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

fka ftc said:

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LMCane said:

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and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

---

I don't think he's defending Obama. Merely calling the comparisons bad

The Banned said:

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fka ftc said:

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LMCane said:

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and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

---

I don't think he's defending Obama. Merely calling the comparisons bad

---

Nope, reads like defending Obama.

LMCane said:

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and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

I think most people trying to make the comparison between Obama and Vivek are

1) really stretching in an attempt to explain how Vivek could potentially be successful in D.C. and

2) too young to really have been aware of Obama's rise and experience prior to becoming President.


Its just simply a matter of Vivek capturing the imaginations of younger people.

fka ftc said:

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LMCane said:

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and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

---

He's not doing that, and you know it. You're a good poster except when you post disengenuous deflection attempts like this.

Ramaswamy is the only candidate in the field not named "Trump" with any positive momentum, and it has been that way for almost a month now...

FireAg said:

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Ramaswamy is the only candidate in the field not named "Trump" with any positive momentum, and it has been that way for almost a month now...

---

Delegate count is still:
Trump 0
DeSantis 0
Vivek 0

FL_Ag1998 said:

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fka ftc said:

---

LMCane said:

---

and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

---

He's not doing that, and you know it. You're a good poster except when you post disengenuous deflection attempts like this.

---

Obama was not a lifelong politician. He was an academic then community organizer. Elected to 3 2-year terms to Illinois Senate is not "many years", its just about 6. That included a failed primary run for US House in 2000, just 4 short years before the DNC speech. The DNC speech was the first time I had heard of him and likely the same for many Americans.

2004 was also the year he entered the US Senate race after incumbents decided not to run. He had a nice victory in the primary, was a critic of the hated Bush 43, and became an instant darling of the DNC. From that point forward he was a candidate for POTUS.

So I think it is absolutely disingenuous to say "Obama did not come out of the shadows" as he very much did. I knew of Vivek before his current run for the R nominee and other folks did as well, though his surge in the last 30 days does appear to many to be out of nowhere.

Its not deflection, its simply calling out someone using Obama to try and tar Vivek in my opinion.

Trend is:
Trump UP
DeSantis DOWN
Vivek UP

Yep. DeSantis is really screwing up his campaign. I've heard commentators say it was known that he is bad on the campaign trail but I really expected more out of him. He lost all of the fiery, rational matter of fact-ness that made him so popular as Florida governor. It's almost like he is trying too hard to not be like Trump. Really odd.

Vivek is going to end up the clear #3 candidate in the GOP field in my opinion and is setting himself up to be a major up and comer for the 2028 cycle.

There's always a chance he catches lightning in a bottle this cycle but I think the way he is campaigning makes it pretty clear he knows Trump is going to be the nominee and this is just his introductory tour.

I bet Barrack is very grateful to have heroes defending his celebrity status as a community organizer and state senator on texags.com. This just proves Ramaswamy should not be a viable candidate for president.

FireAg said:

---

Trend is:
Trump UP
DeSantis DOWN
Vivek UP

---

So it isn't 0-0-0? What is the count then?

fka ftc said:

---

FL_Ag1998 said:

---

fka ftc said:

---

LMCane said:

---

and again- Obama did not come out of the shadows like Ramascammy has!

It's insane to even claim that.

Obama was a LIFELONG politician who was well known in Chicago even before he became an ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR for many years.

He also WAS ELECTED A SENATOR

He also GAVE A SPEECH AT THE 2004 DNC CONVENTION.

Vivek has used his OWN bank account of millions of dollars gained from Big Pharma to publicize himself.

if anyone can't see there is a huge difference- well....

---

Imagine having to defend Obama in order to attack Vivek. That is 100% awesomeness.

---

He's not doing that, and you know it. You're a good poster except when you post disengenuous deflection attempts like this.

---

Obama was not a lifelong politician. He was an academic then community organizer. Elected to 3 2-year terms to Illinois Senate is not "many years", its just about 6. That included a failed primary run for US House in 2000, just 4 short years before the DNC speech. The DNC speech was the first time I had heard of him and likely the same for many Americans.

2004 was also the year he entered the US Senate race after incumbents decided not to run. He had a nice victory in the primary, was a critic of the hated Bush 43, and became an instant darling of the DNC. From that point forward he was a candidate for POTUS.

So I think it is absolutely disingenuous to say "Obama did not come out of the shadows" as he very much did. I knew of Vivek before his current run for the R nominee and other folks did as well, though his surge in the last 30 days does appear to many to be out of nowhere.

Its not deflection, its simply calling out someone using Obama to try and tar Vivek in my opinion.

---

So you see those track records as very similar?

LostInLA07 said:

---

Yep. DeSantis is really screwing up his campaign. I've heard commentators say it was known that he is bad on the campaign trail but I really expected more out of him. He lost all of the fiery, rational matter of fact-ness that made him so popular as Florida governor. It's almost like he is trying too hard to not be like Trump. Really odd.

Vivek is going to end up the clear #3 candidate in the GOP field in my opinion and is setting himself up to be a major up and comer for the 2028 cycle.

---

I'm not sure which surprises me more...Ramaswamy basically coming out of nowhere and making a push to have a chance at being relevant, or the absolute failed ability to date for DeSantis to gain any sustainable traction at all...

DeSantis has the right message, and he has skins on the wall at the state level to back it up...

But from the Twitter launch debacle, to down-sizing and reorganizing his campaign staff, to his 'listless vessels' comment that was not received in the manner for which I believe he intended...he just does not seem to have a great campaign staff behind him...

I really think he is the best, conservative option in the field...I just don't see how he gets there when he can't seem to generate any momentum...

aggie93 said:

---

FireAg said:

---

Trend is:
Trump UP
DeSantis DOWN
Vivek UP

---

So it isn't 0-0-0? What is the count then?

---

Trends mean something, my friend...

I can guarantee you no one in the DeSantis camp is giddy over the continuing trend...

Now, trends can change...but it's hard to deny that he hasn't had any momentum since March of this year...if he had been holding steady, that would be something...but it has been a consistent, steady decline...

It is what it is...

FireAg said:

---

LostInLA07 said:

---

Yep. DeSantis is really screwing up his campaign. I've heard commentators say it was known that he is bad on the campaign trail but I really expected more out of him. He lost all of the fiery, rational matter of fact-ness that made him so popular as Florida governor. It's almost like he is trying too hard to not be like Trump. Really odd.

Vivek is going to end up the clear #3 candidate in the GOP field in my opinion and is setting himself up to be a major up and comer for the 2028 cycle.

---

I'm not sure which surprises me more...Ramaswamy basically coming out of nowhere and making a push to have a chance at being relevant, or the absolute failed ability to date for DeSantis to gain any sustainable traction at all...

DeSantis has the right message, and he has skins on the wall at the state level to back it up...

But from the Twitter launch debacle, to down-sizing and reorganizing his campaign staff, to his 'listless vessels' comment that was not received in the manner for which I believe he intended...he just does not seem to have a great campaign staff behind him...

I really think he is the best, conservative option in the field...I just don't see how he gets there when he can't seem to generate any momentum...

---

Dude, give it up. It's not surprising at all. Trump has diehards. Those diehards aren't giving up, and with each passing indictment those diehards become even more entrenched. Any support ramaswammy is getting is only because half the party is hoping for ANYONE to beat Donald and there are so many candidates it's going to be split a billion different ways. Just like 2016.

Many on this board called in months ago. If this is trump vs 3+ other candidates, trump is the likely winner. The only real hope is desantis winning the first few states and riding that momentum to a solid race down the stretch. But as soon as idiots like Haley, Scott, Pence, etc entered the race, it was always going to be a long shot

FireAg said:

---

aggie93 said:

---

FireAg said:

---

Trend is:
Trump UP
DeSantis DOWN
Vivek UP

---

So it isn't 0-0-0? What is the count then?

---

Trends mean something, my friend...

I can guarantee you no one in the DeSantis camp is giddy over the continuing trend...

Now, trends can change...but it's hard to deny that he hasn't had any momentum since March of this year...if he had been holding steady, that would be something...but it has been a consistent, steady decline...

It is what it is...

---

Wait, there was a trend in Iowa with DeSantis going up? Doesn't that mean something or did you just discard that bit of information from yesterday.

The Banned said:

---

So you see those track records as very similar?

---

Yep, that is EXACTLY what I said.

FireAg said:

---

LostInLA07 said:

---

Yep. DeSantis is really screwing up his campaign. I've heard commentators say it was known that he is bad on the campaign trail but I really expected more out of him. He lost all of the fiery, rational matter of fact-ness that made him so popular as Florida governor. It's almost like he is trying too hard to not be like Trump. Really odd.

Vivek is going to end up the clear #3 candidate in the GOP field in my opinion and is setting himself up to be a major up and comer for the 2028 cycle.

---

I'm not sure which surprises me more...Ramaswamy basically coming out of nowhere and making a push to have a chance at being relevant, or the absolute failed ability to date for DeSantis to gain any sustainable traction at all...

DeSantis has the right message, and he has skins on the wall at the state level to back it up...

But from the Twitter launch debacle, to down-sizing and reorganizing his campaign staff, to his 'listless vessels' comment that was not received in the manner for which I believe he intended...he just does not seem to have a great campaign staff behind him...

I really think he is the best, conservative option in the field...I just don't see how he gets there when he can't seem to generate any momentum...

---

Is there a correlation between the good or bad way someone runs a campaign and the way he would run an executive branch? This has been a big argument made against Trump. That his actions during the campaign are big reasons not to vote for him. Does Hwy 6 run both ways? Or does it only run against the one you don't like?

The Banned said:

---

FireAg said:

---

LostInLA07 said:

---

Yep. DeSantis is really screwing up his campaign. I've heard commentators say it was known that he is bad on the campaign trail but I really expected more out of him. He lost all of the fiery, rational matter of fact-ness that made him so popular as Florida governor. It's almost like he is trying too hard to not be like Trump. Really odd.

Vivek is going to end up the clear #3 candidate in the GOP field in my opinion and is setting himself up to be a major up and comer for the 2028 cycle.

---

I'm not sure which surprises me more...Ramaswamy basically coming out of nowhere and making a push to have a chance at being relevant, or the absolute failed ability to date for DeSantis to gain any sustainable traction at all...

DeSantis has the right message, and he has skins on the wall at the state level to back it up...

But from the Twitter launch debacle, to down-sizing and reorganizing his campaign staff, to his 'listless vessels' comment that was not received in the manner for which I believe he intended...he just does not seem to have a great campaign staff behind him...

I really think he is the best, conservative option in the field...I just don't see how he gets there when he can't seem to generate any momentum...

---

Dude, give it up. It's not surprising at all. Trump has diehards. Those diehards aren't giving up, and with each passing indictment those diehards become even more entrenched. Any support ramaswammy is getting is only because half the party is hoping for ANYONE to beat Donald and there are so many candidates it's going to be split a billion different ways. Just like 2016.

Many on this board called in months ago. If this is trump vs 3+ other candidates, trump is the likely winner. The only real hope is desantis winning the first few states and riding that momentum to a solid race down the stretch. But as soon as idiots like Haley, Scott, Pence, etc entered the race, it was always going to be a long shot

---

The "diehards" were there from the beginning...

Trump's numbers continue to steadily rise while DeSantis's decline...so Trump (and probably Ramaswamy) are picking up support at DeSantis's expense...that's what it appears to be anyway...

A shirtless tennis video by GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy certainly grabs headlines.

This comes after he was shown on video rapping to Eminem a little over a week ago. There are plenty of people who don’t like this.

So many of our politicians forget to show their… pic.twitter.com/1kNFVJZ1mY

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) August 21, 2023