Ramaswamy Goes After Haley and DeSantis
Before Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy told ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks that his strategy for the debate was to “be unhinged.”
Ahead of tonight’s debate in Miami, @maryaliceparks says GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy told her that his strategy is to “be unhinged.” pic.twitter.com/OHtf6Eop9F
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) November 8, 2023
Ramaswamy was true to his word and took a few shots at the other presidential candidates who shared the stage with him.
During the debate, Ramaswamy went after the two politicians polling behind frontrunner Donald Trump.
Ramaswamy took aim at Haley during the debate following a question from moderator Lester Holt about what he would tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the country’s war with Hamas.
VIVEK: “Do you want a leader from a different generation who’s going to put this country first, or do you want Dick Cheney in 3-inch heels… in which case we’ve got two of them on stage tonight.”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 9, 2023
From The Hill:
Taking a swipe at Haley, Ramaswamy said, “She becomes a military contractor. She joins the board of Boeing … and is now a multimillionaire.”
“I think that that’s wrong when Republicans do it or Democrats do it.”
“Do you want a leader from a different generation who’s going to put this country first, or do you want Dick Cheney in three-inch heels?”
“We’ve got two of them onstage tonight,” Ramaswamy said, as the audience could be heard raising their voices.
Haley later shot back at Ramaswamy, “I’d first like to say, they’re five-inch heels — and I don’t wear them unless you can run in them.”
“We’ve got two of you onstage!” Ramaswamy repeated, an apparent dig at fellow 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. Fashion critics have questioned whether a pair of cowboy boots worn recently by Florida’s governor had height-increasing inserts or heels on them.
“The second thing I will say: I wear heels, they’re not for a fashion statement, they’re for ammunition,” Haley said.
Vivek, I wear heels. They’re not for a fashion statement— they’re for ammunition.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 9, 2023
Ramaswamy also called Haley out for her tough talk on China, reminding her that she called China “our great friend,” while she was an ambassador to the United Nations.
After the debate, Haley called Ramaswamy dangerous and also brought up some of his past comments and said he was not worthy of being the President of the United States.
Nikki Haley on Vivek Ramaswamy: “He doesn’t think that we need to be helping Israel. He sides with Putin and thinks that Ukraine doesn’t matter. He’s okay with giving Taiwan to China…He has proven that he’s just not worthy of being President of the United States.” pic.twitter.com/PdlSMusxgg
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) November 9, 2023