On Wednesday, President Biden was met with a flock of reporters after a pilates class. When asked if he had any expectations for the debate, he laughed, saying he had none. The first Republican primary debate occurred that night, proving President Biden’s expectations true. It was undoubtedly disappointing but not surprising. The current state of the GOP is plagued by moral decay, out-of-touchness, and fear-mongering, and if it wasn’t obvious before, it certainly is now. The debate potentially promoted some candidates previously drowned out by others, like Vivek Ramaswamy, while effectively displaying the weaknesses of others, such as Ron DeSantis. No matter the outcome, all candidates pale compared to Trump, the apparent frontrunner.
Former President Donald Trump was absent, which is not as unusual as others may think. No former president has ever appeared in a re-election primary debate, even when challenged as strongly as Gerald Ford was by Ronald Reagan in 1976. Despite his lack of attendance, candidates found a way to promote an excessive focus on sensationalism and personal attacks rather than substantive policy discussions. It brought us some misleading or outright false claims, such as Ramaswamy, the center of attention, and his claim that the Constitution won us the American Revolution. It’s pretty jarring to think that a presidential candidate would fail a relatively simple US history test, considering the Constitution was written in 1787, and the American Revolution took place in 1776. Candidates ignored the claim, focusing mainly on Ramaswamy’s mirroring of Trump.
Even without the front runner, candidates declined to attack the second frontrunner after him, Ron DeSantis, who only made his presence known when necessary. DeSantis has been plummeting in the polls since May, his campaign attempting to make him seem more folksy, yet failing. Perceptions of a candidate’s personality are often influenced by media portrayals, public speaking styles, and campaign strategies, something highlighted in 2000 with Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore. DeSantis mirrors Gore, who was often criticized for his stiff and formal demeanor, which led to perceptions of him as lacking warmth and relatability. Yet, somehow, DeSantis is worse than Gore. Halfway through the debate, moderator Brett Baier asked, “If former President Trump is convicted in a court of law, would you still support him as your party’s choice? Please raise your hand if you would.” Governor DeSantis looked to see the other candidates answers before meekly raising his hand.
In addition to awkward mannerisms, Republicans continued to reject science. When asked if they believe humans cause climate change, Asa Hutchinson was the only candidate to say yes before Ramasway called it entirely a hoax. As bizarre as that reaction is, some Americans will continue to believe both parties are the same, while the Democratic platform emphasizes the urgency of addressing the issue.
Though it’s only the first debate, a clear pathway exists for a Biden re-election. Anyone who says otherwise simply doesn’t understand the state of the electoral, or is plain ignoring it. His qualifications exceed beyond any of the Republican candidates, and his administration continues to own the playing field with its digital presence and voter outreach. This will only continue into the election year as the Republicans deal with their inevitably convicted nominee. After all the hurly-burly, the clear winner of the debate was President Biden, who will undoubtedly serve a second term.
