Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press” that he would not let former President Donald Trump “get away” with not participating in the Republican Party’s primary debates.
Host Chuck Todd asked, “If Donald Trump doesn’t do debates, will you not support him, if he’s the nominee?”
Ramaswamy said, “I’m not going to let him get away with that.”
Todd said, “What does that mean? He can do what he wants to do.”
Ramaswamy said, “I don’t think the other candidates, including Donald Trump, are going to relish being on that debate stage with me.”
He added, “What people gave him credit for was that he was [an] outsider and a disrupter. I’m the outsider in this race. And I think that if you want to be like Joe Biden, an existing establishment that doesn’t want to debate, I think people are hungry for new blood.”
Todd asked, “What should the party use as leverage to force him to show up?”
Ramaswamy said, “I think it’s the voters. It’s my job and the job of candidates that if you want someone sitting across the table from Xi Jinping, if you want someone with a spine to take on the state at the top of the agenda, you better not be scared to show up on the debate stage.”
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If I were Pres Trump I wouldn’t debate either. I’d skip it and move on in a vigorous fashion, forget 2020(so very sad and suspicious) and lay out the needed plan to get our country out of the pit it’s in domestically and internationally. Honestly why go to a debate where hostile panel ?s are known by some, nasty caustic remarks from mediators, and rhetoric from other candidates who are so worldly. The only thing ragaswammy or whatever has in favor is his age since Biden has made all under 50 think anyone in 60s up should just die and eat pablum. Of course this is the same bunch who think they know everything because of tech etc. the words honesty and integrity are missing in their hearts. Patriotism is a word that this group doesn’t get because they have never defended anything but their greed to “climb” if they weren’t already silver spooned from birth. Ugh. Debate— forget it— let’s see just how w limited campaign funds(which should exist). Every candidate can show his/her true person. I don’t and won’t hear the pure rhetoric and foolishness that I’ve heard in all of the previous debates. Promises made with behind the scene deals and corruption Who’s running this country now. W Susan rice leaving, does this mean she will enter the arena. You know Benghazi sue. The political get rich bunch that are RINOS and far left crazies are what’s representing us it seems. I pray that honest God fearing truly dedicated to the preservation of our country leadership will stand up and be elected. Not some AI nitwit that wants to plunge headlong into unknown waters like so many others that see tech as the wherewithal to all success!!! There must be value driven people that use all the inventions in a positive way— not to self enrich and dominate others. Ugh. NO debates. What a farce. And no I’m not saying joe should stay in his basement again. Lol.
Interesting point of view!