Appropriately for a debate aired by NBC, Vivek Ramaswamy was the biggest loser of Wednesday night’s third Republican primary gabfest, The Post’s panel of political experts unanimously agreed.
Appropriately for a debate aired by NBC, Vivek Ramaswamy was the biggest loser of Wednesday night’s third Republican primary gabfest, The Post’s panel of political experts unanimously agreed.
“He was way too hot and way too nasty,” said Republican consultant Rob Ryan of the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur. “Hurt himself big time.”
“As sanctimonious and tedious as ever,” agreed Democratic consultant Chris Coffey.
The night’s biggest talking point was the moment when Ramaswamy defended himself from criticism by Nikki Haley over his use of TikTok by pointing out that Haley’s adult daughter also dabbled in the alleged Chinese spy app.
That drew an angry response from Haley, who told her rival to “keep my daughter’s name out of your voice,” before dismissing Ramaswamy as “scum.”
“Going after Nikki Haley’s daughter was a stupid thing,” said Ryan.
Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf agreed, also telling The Post Vivek’s attack was “stupid” and “didn’t work.”
Sheinkopf added that Vivek’s earlier salvo at Haley, in which he accused her of being “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels” also didn’t work, and in fact “only made her look better.”
O’Brien Murray, who advises Republicans and moderate Democrats, added that Haley’s retort that she was wearing “five-inch heels” and they were “not for a fashion statement,” but for “ammunition” was a “fantastic response.
