Previewing the upcoming GOP debate in Milwaukee
Eight Republican candidates for the party’s nominee in the 2024 election are readying themselves for their showdown on Wednesday night when they take to the stage in Wisconsin for the first debate of the presidential campaign.
With the notable absence of Donald Trump hanging over proceedings, the Republican National Committee is pressing ahead with the event, hosted by Fox News and moderated by presenters Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will stand centre stage respectively flanked by former Vice President Mike Pence and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Beyond them will be former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the left and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott to the right. The two end spots will be occupied by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the left and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum on the right.
Mr DeSantis has fallen back in the polls but remains in second place, though significantly behind former president Trump. Other candidates will be looking for a breakout moment to get their campaigns on a firmer footing to better challenge the one-term president as he faces multiple criminal charges.
Key takeaways Trump’s Georgia indictment: Mob boss law, 30 mystery co-conspirators and an unmasked plot
Rachel Sharp reports on some of the key takeaways in the 98-page indictment of the former president and his 18 co-defendants.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 18:00
Trump co-defendant Jenna Ellis mocked for flag error
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 17:40
Matt Gaetz rips Miami Mayor Francis Suarez for failing to make cut for GOP debate
Rep Matt Gaetz today ripped Miami Mayor Francis Suarez over the longshot GOP presidential candidate’s announcement that he had qualified for the party’s first debate when he actually had not met the Republican National Committee requirements.
“Imagine how low a candidate’s self awareness must be to post this, and keep it pinned, when they didn’t make the debate,” Mr Gaetz’s posted, sharing Mr Suarez’s 18 August post announcing his debate attendance.
The Miami mayor also told the Associated Press in an interview that he had qualified for the debate. The RNC later clarified that he had not.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 17:20
What’s next for Donald Trump after his Georgia indictment
On 14 August evening, Mr Trump was charged with violating the RICO Act as well as other charges alleging conspiracy, making false statements and filing false documents related to his combined efforts with 18 other named defendants in changing election results.
Now, Mr Trump will have to add another series of court hearings for this case, including his official arraignment, to his already packed schedule.
Here’s what we know about what’s next for Mr Trump in the Georgia indictment.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 17:02
Full story: John Eastman surrenders in Fulton County
Donald Trump’s former attorney John Eastman, a key architect of the scheme to change the results of the 2020 election, surrendered on criminal charges in Georgia on Tuesday.
The ex-Trump campaign legal mind was the second co-defendant of 19 known to have surrendered this week following the unsealing of a sprawling indictment last week charging Mr Trump, Mr Eastman and others with numerous felonies related to the election-tampering effort, including a violation of the state’s RICO law.
Mr Trump is thought to be planning a Thursday surrender.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 16:40
Fox News’ ability to pivot tested again b y Trump’s decision to back out of debate
If 2023 has taught anything to the people running Fox News, it’s the importance of being able to pivot.
The decision by former President Donald Trump to skip Wednesday’s first debate of the 2024 presidential primary season likely deprives Fox of a huge late-summer audience. Even worse for the network, Trump has talked of appearing in an online interview with former Fox star Tucker Carlson at the same time.
Trump’s announcement on Sunday wasn’t necessarily a surprise. Fox debate moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum had been preparing for two events — one if he were there and one if he wasn’t.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 16:20
DeSantis and Ramaswamy to stand centre stage at first GOP debate
The Republican National Committee has released the placement of the candidates who have qualified to participate in the first GOP debate of the 2024 presidential election.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will stand centre stage respectively flanked by former Vice President Mike Pence and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Beyond them will be former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to the left and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott to the right. The two end spots will be occupied by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the left and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum on the right.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 16:10
How to watch the first GOP presidential debate
It’s almost time for the first debate among Republicans competing for their party’s 2024 presidential nomination.
Here’s all of the information on how to watch:
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 16:00
Watch: Fox News anchor Bret Baier tells Hugh Hewitt he assumes Trump will do one debate
“It’s not a coronation, it’s an election.”
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 15:55
Poll reveals MAGA followers believe Trump over family and friends
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough compared supporters of Donald Trump to cult followers after a new poll revealed that they trusted the former president more as a source of true information over their loved ones.
The latest CBS survey conducted between 16 and 18 August found that 71 per cent of US adult residents believed the former president as telling the truth, while 63 per cent picked friends and family. Conservative media figures stood at 56 per cent, and religious leaders gathered about 30 per cent fewer votes than the former president, gathering 42 per cent of the votes.
Oliver O’Connell22 August 2023 15:40