Christie slams Trump for ducking debate: "They will call you Donald Duck"
From CNN's Alison Main
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley listens during the second Republican candidates' debate of the 2024 US presidential campaign at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Mike Blake/Reuters
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stepped up his direct attacks on Donald Trump from the debate stage, speaking directly to camera.
Asked about law and order, the former New Jersey governor drew attention to the fact Trump wasn't on stage. He turned directly to the camera, saying, "Donald, I know you are watching. You can't help yourself."
Continuing to speak directly to an absent Trump, Christie said the former president isn't skipping the debate because of his poll numbers or criminal indictments.
"You're not here tonight because you are afraid of being on the stage and defending your record," he said.
"If you keep doing that, no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore. They will call you Donald Duck," he added, floating a new moniker for the former president, who is known for giving his rivals nicknames.
Shortly after the moment, Christie tweeted out a cartoon image of Donald Duck giving a thumbs up and winking.
9:48 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Haley criticizes Biden for joining UAW picket line and pushes her economic plan on debate stage
From CNN's Ebony Davis
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by FOX Business Network and Univision on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Mark J. Terrill/AP
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley criticized President Joe Biden for joining the United Auto Workers picket line in Michigan earlier this week and blamed his economic policies for high inflation.
“I think we need to look at exactly what happened. Biden showed up on that picket line, but why are those workers actually there? It’s because of all of the spending that he has pushed through the economy that has raised the inflation,” Haley said during the second Republican presidential debate.
Haley went on to tout her economic proposal, dubbed “The Freedom Plan,” that she rolled out last Friday during a speech in Manchester, New Hampshire.
“I came out with an economic plan. Eliminate the gas and diesel tax so that they have more money in their pocket. Let's focus on going after middle America and cutting taxes for middle America and collapsing those brackets,” the former South Carolina governor said.
“Let's focus on what it takes to get more cash in the pockets of workers. That is when we will be able to do with strikes like this, not sitting on a picket line like Joe Biden,” she added.
More on Haley's plan: Haley’s proposal is part of her larger plan to revive America’s middle class and an attempt to reverse the Biden administration’s economic policies, dubbed by the White House as “Bidenomics.”
The proposal would eliminate the federal gas and reduce income tax rates, make small-business tax relief permanent, and end certain tax deductions such as the deduction for state and local income taxes, also known as SALT.
9:41 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Candidates interrupt moderators as they fight for speaking time
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
Republican presidential candidates debate during a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by FOX Business Network and Univision, on Wednesday, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Mark J. Terrill/AP
Republican candidates are sparring on issues relevant to voters and also for speaking time.
About 30 minutes into the debate, Republican primary candidates have already spoken over each other and interrupted the moderators multiple times to claim more speaking time on issues like the US economy and immigration.
For example, just as entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy wrapped his answer on uniting the Republican Party, other speakers tried to jump in as moderators were left urging the candidates to let them questions on immigration.
"We are going to talk about immigration and the border and ---," Univision anchor and moderator Ilia Calderón said as she was interrupted by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
Fox News anchor and moderator Dana Perino then stepped in to tell him "sir, we will get you some questions. But you're going to have to let us move on. We're going to the border next."
He spoke again, and Perino stopped him again, and Calderón proceeded with the question.
2:27 a.m. ET, September 28, 2023
Christie takes aim at Trump and blames "everybody" in Washington, DC, for potential shutdown
From CNN's Alison Main
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, center, argues a point during a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by FOX Business Network and Univision on Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Mark J. Terrill/AP
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took direct aim at Donald Trump in his first answer at the second Republican presidential debate, placing blame on both the former president and President Joe Biden for gridlocked spending debates in Washington, DC.
Pressed on whether voters should blame Republicans if the government shuts down at the end of the week, Christie said they should blame "everybody who is in Washington, DC."
He expressed the need to be "honest" with voters, pointing out the $7 trillion added to the national debt under the Trump administration, as well as the $5 trillion added under Biden.
"They have failed and they're in the spot they're in now because none of them are willing to tell the truth," he said, "None of them are willing to take on the difficult issues. They just want to keep kicking the can down the road."
Christie said Americans are suffering because of government spending, yet "Joe Biden hides in his basement, and won't answer as to why he's raising the debt the way he's done."
"Donald Trump hides behind the walls of his golf clubs and won't show up here to answer questions like all the rest of us," he went on.
Christie's campaign made clear he will keep his focus on Trump in tonight's debate, even though he is not on the stage.
More on the possible government shutdown: With just four days before government funding expires, there is still no clear path to avert a shutdown. The House and Senate are on a collision course as House Republicans have thrown cold water on the prospect of passing a bipartisan Senate proposal that contains additional aid to Ukraine.
The Senate has taken a bipartisan approach – unveiling a stopgap bill negotiated between the two parties to keep the government open through November 17. But House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has signaled that there is not sufficient support in the House for the Senate stopgap bill amid criticism of the measure from House conservatives. A number of House Republicans oppose further aid to Ukraine and oppose any kind of short-term funding patch.
CNN's Clare Foran, Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer, Kristin Wilson and Lauren Fox contributed reporting to this post.
9:36 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Scott and Ramaswamy lead the pack in speaking time so far
From CNN's Annette Choi, Ethan Cohen, Melissa Holzberg DePalo and David Wright
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Vivek Ramaswamy lead the group in speaking times, followed by former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey.
"Donald Trump is missing in action," DeSantis says
From CNN's Kit Maher
Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers remarks during the FOX Business Republican Primary Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on September 27, 2023 in Simi Valley, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his first speaking opportunity at the second Republican presidential debate to take a swipe at former President Donald Trump for his contribution to the national debt and failure to appear on the debate stage.
Fighting for time with Sen. Tim Scott, DeSantis – given the floor – said both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are “missing in action.”
“Where’s Joe Biden? He's completely missing in action for leadership, and you know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing an action. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record where they added $7.8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have now,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis then pointed to his record in Florida.
“As governor of Florida, we cut taxes, we ran surpluses, we've paid down over 25% of our state debt and I vetoed wasteful spending, when it came to my desk and as your President, when they send me a bloating spending bill that's going to cause your prices to go up, I'm going to take out this veto pen and I'm going to send it right back to them,” DeSantis said, holding a pen up to the camera.
9:49 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Tim Scott, again, walks back "you strike, you're fired" comment and blames Biden for UAW strike
From CNN's Aaron Pellish
Sen. Tim Scott speaks during a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by FOX Business Network and Univision on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Mark J. Terrill/AP
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott once again walked back comments he previously made suggesting he supported firing striking auto workers while criticizing the Biden administration’s role in the strike for approving union pensions that “overpromise and underdeliver” for auto workers.
Moderator Stuart Varney asked Scott, who struggled to capture attention in the first debate, the first question of the night about controversial comments he made, suggesting striking workers should be fired.
“Obviously the President of the United States cannot fire anybody in the private sector,” Scott answered. “However, we should look back at the first bill in Congress under Joe Biden. The first bill had $86 billion for the union pensions because they continue to over promise yet under deliver. One of the challenges that we have in the current negotiations is that they want four-day French work weeks but more money. They want more benefits, working fewer hours. That is simply not going to stand.” “We must make sure that we honor the commitments that we make and one of the ways that we do that: Do not over-promise and under-deliver and leave the taxpayers on the hook,” he continued. “I'll say this, Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border, working to close our southern border because it is unsafe, wide open and insecure.”
“Ronald Reagan gave us a great example when federal employees decided they were going to strike. ‘You strike, you’re fired,’” he told the audience. “Simple concept to me, to the extent that we could use that once again.”
The comment sparked strong pushback from the union and drew criticism from fellow Republican candidates.
In response to Scott’s comment, the United Automobile Workers union President Shawn Fain filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, arguing Scott’s comments unlawfully threatened members of his campaign staff if they went on strike, according to a copy of the complaint posted online by The Intercept.
Scott has since embraced the conflict with the auto workers union. He sent a fundraising email to supporters on Tuesday in which he called the UAW “one of the most corrupt and scandal-plagued unions in America,” encouraging supporters to donate to his campaign to “help me defend America’s workers.”
9:34 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Meanwhile, Trump made a pitch for UAW endorsement
From CNN’s Chris Isidore
In a speech at a non-union auto supplier just outside Detroit Wednesday night, former President Donald Trump, the current GOP front-runner, made a likely futile pitch for the union’s endorsement.
Trump, who skipped tonight's Republican presidential debate in California, told the crowd, which included United Auto Workers rank and file members, that they should push UAW President Shawn Fain and the union to endorse him because he would stop the auto industry’s planned shift to electric vehicles, which he predicted would lead to the demise of the US auto industry and jobs.
“Do me a favor, just get your union guys, your union leaders to endorse me,” he said later in the speech.
“Your leadership should endorse me, and I will not say another bad thing about them,” he added later.
Fain has so far declined to endorse Biden. He met with Biden Tuesday when he became the first sitting president to visit a union picket line.
But Fain has made it clear he would not support Trump. He told CNN Tuesday that he wouldn’t even meet with Trump when on his Michigan visit.
“I find a pathetic irony that the former president is going to a rally for union members at a non-union business,” Fain told CNN earlier in the week, ahead of Trump's visit. “I see no point in meeting with him because I don't think the man has any bit of care about what our workers stand for, what the working class stands for. He's the billionaire class and that's what's wrong with our country,” Fain said.
10:03 p.m. ET, September 27, 2023
Fact Check: Trump falsely claims Biden took money from foreign nations
From CNN’s Marshall Cohen
Former President Donald Trump speaks in Clinton Township, Michigan, on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. Mike Mulholland/AP
In remarks in Michigan, former President Donald Trump accused President Joe Biden of "personally taking money from foreign nations, hand over fist. Look at the money he got from China. Look at what’s coming out. China.”
Facts First:There is no public evidence that Joe Biden himself made any money from foreign deals in China or elsewhere. That being said, Hunter Biden, the president’s son, did earn millions of dollars from business deals in China, Ukraine, and other countries, including while his father was vice president, raising conflict-of-interest issues.
This has been one of the most persistent unproven claims from Trump and the congressional Republicans pushing for Joe Biden’s impeachment.
Trump may have been reacting to new disclosures from House Republicans, who said Tuesday that they received documentation of wire transfers where Hunter Biden listed his father's address in Wilmington, Delaware, when receiving payments from Chinese nationals.
However, the files don't prove that Joe Biden received any money — and Hunter Biden has lived at times at his father's home, and listed the address on his driver’s license, according to previous CNN reporting.
