Fox Information moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum struggled to maintain each the gang and the candidates in line, with the GOP contenders interrupting one another and speaking past their allotted time per query all through the evening.

GOP debate stay weblog: Republican presidential candidates spar over Trump, abortion, Ukraine

Listed here are essentially the most viral moments and highlights from the GOP debate, for anybody who missed out or who was flipping forwards and backwards between the controversy on Fox Information and the pre-taped Trump interview on former Fox Information host Tucker Carlson’s X newsfeed:

Christie calls out Ramaswamy for ‘sounding like ChatGPT’ and copying Obama

Whereas former New Jersey Gov. Christie drew loads of boos all through the evening, he bought a zinger in towards Vivek Ramaswamy early within the evening.

Ramaswamy had launched himself on the high of the controversy with the self-deprecating line, “Let me simply tackle the query that’s on everyone’s thoughts at dwelling tonight: Who the heck is that this skinny man with a humorous final identify, and what the heck is he doing in the course of this debate stage?” Which, as loads of viewers following alongside on X (previously Twitter) famous, was nearly word-for-word what former President Barack Obama Mentioned through the 2004 Democratic Nationwide Conference keynote speech, when he referred to himself as, “a thin child with a humorous identify.”

After Ramaswamy referred to as local weather change a “hoax” throughout Wednesday evening’s debate, Christie interrupted to say he’d “had sufficient already tonight of a man who seems like ChatGPT,” earlier than calling Ramaswamy an “newbie” Obama. “The final individual in considered one of these debates … who stood in the course of the stage and mentioned, ‘What’s a thin man with an odd final identify doing up right here?’ was Barack Obama. And I’m afraid we’re coping with the identical kind of newbie standing on the stage tonight,” he mentioned.

Nikki Haley scored applause with a Margaret Thatcher line

The one lady on the controversy stage drew inspiration from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in taking just a few swings at her male opponents.

This goes again to the climate-change query talked about above: The candidates had been requested to offer a present of palms for whether or not they believed that human conduct has contributed to local weather change. Earlier than anybody may elevate their palms, nonetheless, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned they need to debate this absolutely on stage. Whereas DeSantis took the chance to criticize Biden’s response to the Maui wildfires, Ramaswamy referred to as local weather change a “hoax,” and Christie referred to as Ramaswamy “ChatGPT.”

So Nikki Haley stepped in to reset the dialog again to the unique query. “I feel that is precisely why Margaret Thatcher mentioned, ‘If you would like one thing mentioned, ask a person. If you would like one thing performed, ask a lady,’” Haley mentioned, drawing applause.

“Is local weather change actual?” Haley requested. “Sure, it’s. However if you wish to go and actually change the atmosphere, then we have to begin telling China and India that they must decrease their emissions.”

Would the candidates help Trump as nominee if he’s convicted? Effectively…

The candidates have all signed a pledge to help the eventual Republican nominee for president. However apparently there’s some exceptions to this rule for no less than one or two GOP contenders.

The moderators requested, by a present of palms, who would nonetheless help Trump if he was the GOP nominee and if he was convicted in a courtroom of regulation as a part of one of many 4 indictments he’s dealing with for costs associated to his dealing with of confidential paperwork, hush-money funds and making an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Ramaswamy’s hand shot up within the air first, and one after the other the opposite candidates. However Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson saved his hand down. And Christie raised his hand barely, however mentioned he was extra wagging his finger.

“Somebody’s bought to cease normalizing this conduct,” Christie mentioned, to a mixture of applause and boos. “Whether or not or not you imagine that the prison costs are proper or improper, the conduct is beneath the workplace of president of america.”

Hutchinson mentioned that Trump was “morally disqualified from being president once more on account of what occurred on Jan. 6.” He continued, “So, clearly, I’m not going to help someone who’s been convicted of a severe felony or who has been disqualified underneath our Structure and that’s in keeping with RNC guidelines — and I hope everyone would agree.”

Christie added that one of many nice issues about this nation is that “booing is allowed, nevertheless it doesn’t change the reality” — which bought a loud refrain of boos.

Candidates conflict over Ukraine, with Haley telling Ramaswamy ‘you haven’t any international coverage expertise and it exhibits’

One other space the place the eight candidates butted heads was whether or not the U.S. ought to help Ukraine.

Ramaswamy and DeSantis had been each vocal about slicing off U.S. monetary support for Ukraine, and sending these sources to safe America’s border with Mexico as an alternative. DeSantis mentioned Europe needs to be doing extra: “I might have Europe step up and do their job.” And Ramaswamy referred to as out politicians like Pence and Christie for visiting Ukraine. “I discover it offensive that now we have skilled politicians who will make a pilgrimage to Kyiv, to their pope, Zelensky, with out doing the identical for the folks in Maui or the south aspect of Chicago,” he mentioned.

Haley, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, argued that supporting Ukraine towards Russia is a matter of nationwide safety for the U.S., and accused Ramaswamy of being prepared to “hand Ukraine to Russia” and “let China eat Taiwan.”

“You’re selecting a assassin [Putin] over a pro-American nation,” she mentioned. “You don’t have any foreign-policy expertise, and it exhibits. It exhibits,” she mentioned, to very large applause.

Christie bought caught with the UFO query. ‘C’mon, man!’

Throughout the lightning spherical on the finish of the controversy, moderator MacCallum hit Christie with a “little out-of-this-world” query in regards to the current UFO testimony in Congress: “Should you had been president, Gov. Christie, would you stage with the American folks about what the federal government is aware of about these encounters?”

Christie’s response — “I get the UFO query? C’mon, man!” — bought an enormous snort from the gang. However his reply was, “Look, the job of the president of america is to stage with the American folks about every part. The job of the president of america is to face for fact.”

For a deeper dive into the primary GOP debate, try these items on MarketWatch: Republican presidential debate: Haley impresses, as Pence, Ramaswamy additionally rating factors

In addition to what Trump was as much as: Trump calls his 4 indictments ‘nonsense’ throughout Tucker Carlson interview airing reverse the GOP debate.

And comply with the stay weblog recap right here.