The Ben Shapiro Show – Ep. 1817 – It’s FIGHT NIGHT #2

Intro

In this episode of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” Ben discusses the second Republican debate, which took place without Donald Trump. He analyzes the candidates’ performances, the state of the race, and the key issues discussed during the debate. Ben also covers other topics, including the ongoing fraud case against Trump and the looting that occurred after peaceful protests in Philadelphia.

Main Takeaways

Republican Debate Analysis

• Last night’s Republican debate saw candidates attacking each other in the absence of Donald Trump.
• Despite Trump’s lead in the polls, many voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are considering other candidates.
• Trump has vulnerabilities in places like Iowa, and if something terrible were to happen in his candidacy, many voters would shift to other candidates.
• The field is looking very fragmented with voters split between Trump and other candidates.
• Trump has a locked-in base of 20-23% in early states, but the remaining voters are split between him and other candidates.
• Someone would have to take votes directly away from Trump to consolidate the remaining voters, not just pick up everybody who’s anti-Trump.
• The field is likely to winnow, with three candidates on the bubble: Tim Scott, Chris Christie, and Doug Burgham.
• Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are the two most viable candidates, with DeSantis ahead of Haley in Iowa and running even in New Hampshire.
• The debate did not change anything, with Trump not showing up and the other candidates fighting each other, which is a win for Trump.

Debate Highlights and Attacks on Trump

• The debate was moderated by a Univision host, which was biased towards the left.
• The debate was chaotic and difficult to watch due to candidates talking over each other.
• Nikki Haley had some momentum going into the debate but is still behind DeSantis and Christie in Iowa.
• Chris Christie attacked Trump for not showing up to the debate and called him “Donald Duck.”
• Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis called out Trump for not showing up to the debate, with DeSantis making a better attack by highlighting Trump’s absence from leadership.
• DeSantis pitched himself as someone who cut taxes, ran surpluses, paid down state debt, and vetoed wasteful spending, promising to veto any bloated spending bill as president.
• Mike Pence tried to make a pre-planned laugh line about Joe Biden showing up at a UAW strike, but it fell flat.
• Nikki Haley gives a strong performance, emphasizing the need for border security and the end of sanctuary cities.

Fraud Case Against Trump and Looting in Philadelphia

• Trump faces a fraud case in New York where the state can sue for discouragement of profits without showing loss or incremental fraud.
• Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump committed fraud by inflating the value of his assets and stripped him of control over some of his New York properties.
• Attorney General Latisha James seeks a penalty of about $250 million in a trial scheduled to begin on Monday.
• If the properties go into receivership, Trump can’t manage his own businesses, and they go to the hands of a third-party receiver who decides how to dispose of assets to pay off creditors.
• Donald Trump is the only person who has lost to Joe Biden in the past.
• At least 20 people have been arrested and two guns have been recovered after looting in Philadelphia.
• Looting occurred after peaceful protests against the dismissal of charges against a former police officer.
• Witnesses reported seeing a large group of young people, including children, ransacking stores.

Summary

Republican Debate Analysis

The second Republican debate took place without Donald Trump, allowing the other candidates to attack each other. Despite Trump’s lead in the polls, many voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are considering other candidates, indicating vulnerabilities in Trump’s candidacy. The field is currently fragmented, with voters split between Trump and other candidates. To consolidate the remaining voters, someone would have to directly take votes away from Trump. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are considered the most viable candidates, with DeSantis leading in Iowa and running even in New Hampshire.

Debate Highlights and Attacks on Trump

The debate, moderated by a Univision host, was chaotic and filled with candidates talking over each other. Chris Christie attacked Trump for not showing up, while DeSantis made a better attack by highlighting Trump’s absence from leadership. DeSantis pitched himself as a fiscal conservative, emphasizing his record of cutting taxes and vetoing wasteful spending. Nikki Haley delivered a strong performance, focusing on border security and the end of sanctuary cities.

Fraud Case Against Trump and Looting in Philadelphia

Trump faces a fraud case in New York, where the state is suing him for inflating the value of his assets. If the properties go into receivership, Trump will lose control over them. In Philadelphia, looting occurred after peaceful protests against the dismissal of charges against a former police officer. Witnesses reported seeing a large group of young people, including children, ransacking stores.

Conclusion

The second Republican debate provided insight into the state of the race and the candidates’ performances. Despite attacks on Trump’s absence, a significant percentage of his supporters do not hold him accountable for his actions in office. The ongoing fraud case against Trump and the looting in Philadelphia highlight the challenges faced by the country. As the race continues, it remains to be seen how the candidates will differentiate themselves and address the key issues affecting the nation.