Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy held a press conference following the first Republican debate in Milwaukee. Opinions columnist Charles Lane recently spoke with two fellow columnists who are unlikely to vote for the Republican nominee in 2024. They discussed their thoughts on the GOP debate and whether it had any impact on President Biden’s chances of being reelected. To listen to the complete conversation, use the audio player or access The Post’s “Please, Go On” podcast feed.
During the discussion, columnist Alexandra Petri pointed out that there are two ways to form a bond among a group of people. The first is if they all have a strong connection, and the second is if they all dislike one particular person. In the absence of former President Trump, whom everyone either avoided mentioning or spoke of cautiously, Vivek Ramaswamy became the target of dislike among the candidates.
Greg Sargent noted that the level of contempt directed at Ramaswamy resembled the contempt directed at Trump in 2016. It was clear that Ramaswamy was aware of this, as he seemed to be vying for the role of showman in the debate.
Petri remarked that this group of people has proven to be efficient in stopping candidates they dislike, particularly those without political experience. Therefore, it seems promising that they may be able to prevent Ramaswamy from securing the nomination.
Charles Lane observed that regardless of one’s opinion of Ramaswamy, he has recognized that a businessman with significant financial resources, coming from seemingly nowhere and making outrageous statements, had been successful in 2016. It is impressive that Ramaswamy believes he can replicate that same success this year.
The conversation also touched on an exchange between Mike Pence and Ramaswamy during the debate. Pence claimed that it was still a morning of hope in America, to which Ramaswamy countered with the belief that the country was in an unofficial cultural civil war. Petri found Ramaswamy’s vision bleak and terrifying, especially as a millennial. She interpreted Ramaswamy’s desire for revolution as an attempt to evoke something beyond the nostalgia for Reagan, which she found ominous.
Sargent agreed with Petri, emphasizing that the debate revealed a significant generational divide within the party. This divide seemed to be a defining moment of the event.
The conversation then focused on the ideas presented by Ramaswamy, particularly his proposal for a civics test to limit the number of voters. Petri noted that the younger generations, including Gen Z, felt excluded by this idea, especially considering their concern for climate change. Lane expressed curiosity about the polling and focus group results regarding Ramaswamy’s performance, as well as the level of attention he received during the debate.
Sargent pointed out that criticisms of Ramaswamy’s behavior, such as interruptions and barking, were similar to the criticisms of Trump’s behavior. Lane raised the question of whether there is a market within the Republican electorate for someone like Ramaswamy or Ron DeSantis, who can effectively replicate Trump’s qualities without the controversies associated with him.
Petri humorously suggested that maybe the cost of the “real thing” (referring to Trump) has become too high due to inflation. She playfully added a comment about Joe Biden being told to go back to his basement.
To listen to the full conversation, click on the provided link to access The Post’s website.
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