Television viewers will get to see and hear from two of the GOP candidates running for President tonight. C-N-N’s event is the nation’s first chance to watch Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis go head-to-head since December's debate here in Alabama. They’re the only two contenders who qualified for the C-N-N event. The APR news team covered that December debate nationally on NPR’s All Things Considered and Weekend Edition Sunday. APR spoke again to the two University of Alabama professors from that coverage. They offer their thoughts going into tonight’s debate…
“I think Nikki Haley probably did the best in Tuscaloosa, aiming towards Iowa because she's been increasing her endorsements,” said Doctor A.J Bauer. He teaches Political Communication at the University of Alabama. He’s looking for CNN to do one thing during the debate between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis.
“Put them head to head and see which one is going to be your person to go up against Trump,” he said.
How Haley and DeSantis did during the Tuscaloosa GOP Presidential Debate is one issue we’ll be focusing on in this story. But, something happened with Nikki Haley right after the event in Alabama…
“What do you want me to say about slavery?” That was Haley’s response to a question about the cause of the U.S. Civil War. Leaving slavery out of her answer made headlines, and was considered by many to be a political gaffe…
“So, you can think back to Rick Perry, forgetting an agency in a debate in 2011, I believe you can think back to perhaps the most infamous moment, which would be the Howard Dean scream,” said Doctor Josh Bramlett, who teaches Political Public Relations at the University of Alabama.
“And so, the Haley campaign, and Haley herself, immediately went to correct those comments. She even said, of course, the Civil War was about slavery and a follow up interview with The New Hampshire journal,” said Bramlett.
Bramlett and A.J. Bauer took part in APR’s national debate coverage for NPR. Chris Christie and Vevek Ramaswamy came to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama event. But neither will be on stage tonight with C-N-N. Donald Trump won’t be there either. He chose to not appear at any GOP debate so far. Josh Bramlett says Trump’s wide lead over his GOP opponents could still change…
“So let's imagine that a candidate like Haley or DeSantis, who are polling around 15%, let's say that in Iowa in a few weeks, they get 25% or 30%,” Bramlett speculated. “Or, or for President Trump, who's about who's at about 55 to 60%. He gets 45% That could change the momentum and momentum coming out of Iowa is important. In 2008, Barack Obama won Iowa. He went on to become president.”
Bramlett took part in APR’s national story for NPR’s All Things Considered. A.J. Bauer was in a separate story APR did for Weekend Edition Sunday. He watched the Tuscaloosa debate closely, and says one candidate was trying to show a different side of himself.
“I thought DeSantis had a little more energy than in previous debates that I've seen him in,” Bauer recalled. “He seemed relatively straightforward. I don't know that he made any inroads one way or the other. I don't think he was particularly effective or ineffective.”
Tonight’s debate will be ahead of the Iowa Caucuses which take place five days from now. The event in Tuscaloosa was perhaps best known for the moment when Vivek Ramaswamy held up a handwritten sign that read Nikki equals corruption. Bauer says the fact the C-N-N event is happening in the Iowa could change how Haley and DeSantis behave.
“I was watching the debate with students,” Bauer said. “And they all found Vivek’s performance, despite the fact that he's the youngest on the stage, as being a bully. And I think that if that's kind of the demeanor and reputation you get, that's not really going to carry very far, especially in a state like Iowa, which, you know, prioritizes kindness in some ways.”
After this evening’s debate at Drake University in Iowa, C-N-N will hold a follow up event at New England College in New Hampshire, just days ahead of that’s State GOP primary.
