Candidates clash at 2nd GOP primary debate: The Morning Rundown, Sept. 28, 2023

SEVEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES LOOKED TO GAIN MOMENTUM DURING LAST NIGHT’S DEBATE AS THE ABSENT FRONTRUNNER LOOMED LARGE

AND —

DRIVERS ARE BEING ASKED TO PARK OUTSIDE DUE TO A MAJOR RECALL AFFECTING MILLIONS OF VEHICLES

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS.

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

TODAY IS THURSDAY — SEPTEMBER 28TH

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

SEVEN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS TOOK THE STAGE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN CALIFORNIA FOR THE SECOND REPUBLICAN PRIMARY DEBATE BROADCAST ON THE FOX NEWS CHANNEL. THE CANDIDATES TACKLED ISSUES SUCH AS IMMIGRATION, THE WAR IN UKRAINE, CHINA AND THE AUTO WORKERS STRIKE. AND WHILE THERE WAS SPARRING BETWEEN THOSE ON STAGE –THE PARTY’S FRONTRUNNER — FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WHO CHOSE NOT TO ATTEND THE DEBATE — BECAME A TARGET.

FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE WERE AMONG THOSE CRITICIZING THE FORMER PRESIDENT FOR SKIPPING THE DEBATE AS HE DID WITH THE FIRST ONE LAST MONTH.

“Where’s Joe Biden? He’s completely missing in action from leadership, and you know who else is missing in action? Donald Trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you to defend his record.”

“Donald, I know you’re watching. You can’t help yourself. I know you’re watching, okay? ‘And you’re not here tonight, not because of polls, and not because of your indictments. You’re not here tonight, because you’re afraid of being on the stage and defending your record.” 

REGARDING IMMIGRATION, CHRISTIE SAID HE WANTS IMMIGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO FILL SIX MILLION VACANT JOBS BUT ONLY IF THEY COME TO THE U.S. LEGALLY – CRITICIZING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR NOT ENFORCING LAWS AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR NOT COMPLETING THE BORDER WALL.

ENTREPENEUR VIVEK RAMASWAMY WAS TARGETED FOR HIS COMPANY’S CONNECTIONS TO CHINA AND HIS RECENT ARRIVAL ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA APP TIKTOK.

“We need to win elections. And part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are.”

“This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have and what you’ve got – I honestly., everytime I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.”

THE CANDIDATES ALSO VOICED THEIR OPINIONS ON THE UNITED STATES’ SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE AS CONGRESS DEBATES ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYING IT’S IN AMERICA’S INTEREST TO END THE WAR – AND SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR TIM SCOTT ARGUING THE FOCUS SHOULD BE IN DEGRADING THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.

“By degrading the Russian military, we actually keep our homeland safer, we keep our troops at home and we all understand Article Five of NATO.”

THE THIRD REPUBLICAN DEBATE IS SET FOR NOVEMBER 8TH IN MIAMI. ADVISERS TO FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SAY HE WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THAT ONE EITHER.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP OPTED OUT OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S DEBATE AND INSTEAD WENT TO THE BATTLEGROUND STATE OF MICHIGAN TO TOUR AN AUTO PARTS SUPPLIER AND SPEAK ON THE ONGOING AUTOWORKERS STRIKE.

HE DID BRIEFLY MENTION THE DEBATE DURING HIS SPEECH —

“It’s all over television this speech, you know, we’re competing with the job candidates, they’re all running for a job. No, they’re all job candidates, they want to be in the.. (Trump’s Cabinet). They’ll do anything, secretary of something. They even say V.P., I don’t know. Does anybody see any V.P. in the group? I don’t think so. No”

TRUMP’S SPEECH LARGELY CONSISTED OF CRITICIZING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE OVERHAUL AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

TRUMP TOLD THE AUTOWORKERS THAT A STRIKE MATTERED LITTLE WHEN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY IS ON THE LINE.

HE SAID THE FULL THROTTLE SHIFT TO E-V WILL KILL JOBS.

BIDEN WAS IN MICHIGAN ON TUESDAY WITH AUTOWORKERS AS THEY ARE ABOUT TWO WEEKS INTO THEIR STRIKE.

<2:49-2:58 you’re negotiating a contract, you’re all on picket lines and everything, but it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference what you get, because in two years you’re all going to be out of business. You’re not getting anything. 

<3:19-3:29> “I will not allow, under any circumstances, the American automobile industry to die. I want it to thrive and to thrive like never before.”

WHILE BOTH THE REPUBLICAN FRONT-RUNNER AND THE CURRENT PRESIDENT MADE THEIR CASES FOR THE AUTOWORKERS, THE UAW HAS YET TO ENDORSE A CANDIDATE FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. 

THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WILL BEGIN TODAY —

HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL HOLD THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING THIS MORNING —

WHERE HOUSE LEADERS SAY THE FOCUS WILL BE PRESENTING THE FINDINGS “FROM MONTHS OF INVESTIGATIONS”.

CHAIRMAN JAMES COMER SAYS HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE UNCOVERED A TROVE OF EVIDENCE SHOWING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS ABUSED HIS POWER IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

CRITICS INCLUDING THE WHITE HOUSE CLAIM THERE IS NO EVIDENCE.

ON THE EVE OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING —

THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE RELEASED A 700-PAGE REPORT ON THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRESIDENT’S SON — HUNTER BIDEN.

IT DETAILS WHISTLEBLOWER ALLEGATIONS — INCLUDING “PROSECUTORS IGNORING REQUESTS TO REVIEW EVIDENCE” AGAINST HUNTER IN A BRIBERY CASE — THAT ACCORDING TO THE WHISTLEBLOWERS — INVOLVED THE PRESIDENT.

EARLIER THIS MONTH WE REPORTED “X” WAS HIRING FOR ITS “TRUST AND SAFETY TEAM” AND ITS “ELECTIONS TEAMS” TO BETTER PROTECT THE PLATFORM FROM FAKE ACCOUNTS AND THREATS HEADING INTO A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR.

BUT X’S “ELECTION INTEGRITY TEAM” HAS NOW JUST LAID OFF FOUR POSITIONS — AS FIRST REPORTED BY THE TECH-FOCUSED OUTLET — THE INFORMATION.

IT’S UNCLEAR HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE LEFT ON THE TEAM.

THE CUTS COME AT A TIME ELON MUSK IS BEING HEAVILY SCRUTINIZED —

A TOP EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIAL SAID THIS WEEK HIS PLATFORM “X” IS THE LARGEST PROMOTER OF DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS.

ELON MUSK HAS DOUBLED DOWN AGAINST SIMILAR CLAIMS —

SAYING X DOES NOT PROMOTE HATE SPEECH —

BUT IT IS A FREE SPEECH PLATFORM.

KIA AND HYUNDAI ARE ISSUING A MASSIVE RECALL INVOLVING MORE THAN 3 POINT 3 MILLION VEHICLES.

THE AUTOMAKERS ARE TELLING OWNERS TO PARK OUTSIDE BECAUSE THE CARS COULD CATCH FIRE.

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 13 DIFFERENT MODELS FROM 2010-THRU-2015 BECAUSE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK COULD SPARK A FIRE.

KIA IS RECALLING A DOZEN MODELS FROM 2010-THRU-2019 – DUE TO A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT CAN ALSO IGNITE.

KIA AND HYUNDAI SAY THEY WILL SEND OWNERS NOTIFICATION LETTERS STARTING IN MID NOVEMBER.

DEALERS WILL REPLACE A FUSE FREE OF CHARGE.

THE COMPANIES BELIEVE THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM.

FINALLY THIS MORNING –  A PHOTO OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN FROM 165 YEARS AGO – WITH QUITE A BACKSTORY – IS BEING DONATED TO HIS MUSEUM IN ILLINOIS.

THE 1858 IMAGE WAS TAKEN DURING LINCOLN’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE SENATE.

AS THE STORY GOES – THE FUTURE PRESIDENT PRESENTED A COPY OF THIS PHOTO TO CHARLES LAME, AFTER THE MAN WAS SEVERELY INJURED WHILE TESTING A CANNON FOR LINCOLN’S CAMPAIGN RALLY.

THE PHOTO REMAINED WITH LAME’S DESCENDANTS UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN THEY DECIDED TO DONATE IT.

THE MUSEUM SAYS ORIGINAL IMAGES OF LINCOLN ARE EXTRAORDINARILY RARE AND THEY ARE THANKFUL FOR THE DONATION.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MORNING RUNDOWN PODCAST TO LISTEN TO OUR SHOW EACH WEEKDAY.

AND CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WORK AT SAN.COM AND ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!