The following is from
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/rnc-fourth-presidential-primary-debate-12-06-23-transcript
a record of yesterday's Republican presidential candidate debate.
Elizabeth Vargas (17:35): to Ron DeSantis
... I’d like to first get to some questions on Israel.
Eight Americans have been held hostage in the tunnels beneath Gaza for 60 days now, American troops and warships in the Middle East are under attack. How far would you go as president to secure the release of those eight American hostages and would it include sending American forces into combat?
Ron DeSantis (18:13): ...
(18:54) ...
Elizabeth Vargas (19:51):
But would you send American troops?
Chris Christie (19:55):
This is [inaudible 00:19:53]. This is the problem with the first three debates, Ron gets asked a question and he doesn’t answer it. Your question was very specific, you said, would you send American troops as commander in chief? And he went on to this minute and 30 second hosanna about his knowledge of the military and what we need to do and didn’t answer your question. Look, when your President of the United States, you’re not going to have a choice whether to answer that question or not. Your generals, your Secretary of Defense, your Secretary of State, your National Security Advisor are going to present plans to you. They’re going to look at you and say, “Do we go or don’t we, Mr. President?” And you can’t give a 90-second speech about your military services. Honorable as it is.
Elizabeth Vargas (20:35):
So would you send American troops in to rescue those hostages?
Chris Christie (20:36):
I would, absolutely. Absolutely. If they had a plan which showed me that we could get them out safely, you’re damn right I’d send the American Army in there to get our people home and get them home now, and I’ll answer that question directly.
Elizabeth Vargas (20:50):
Thank you Governor Christie.
Governor Chris Christie was the adult in the room last night, even with some minor function as a 4th moderator.
And Governor Christie did reply in superlative terms, as his opponent President Trump frequently does. BUT:
Though Governor Christie pretends to have answered this question, he really didn't.
The question was:
Elizabeth Vargas (
20:35):
So would you send American troops in to rescue those hostages?
In reality freeing such hostages is exceedingly difficult. And the risk is that they may be murdered by their captors to thwart their rescue.
Though Christie pretended to answer the question asked,
the question Christie answered was a fantasy, not realistic question, premised on the delusional absurdity, in Christie's own words:
"If they had a plan which showed me that we could get them out safely, you’re damn right I’d send the American Army in there to get our people home and get them home now, and I’ll answer that question directly." Christie
"If ..."?
It is a virtual certitude the hypothetical premise Christie invented as a premise of his reply doesn't happen. When in history has it ever?
Governor Christie might be a better Republican president than Donald Trump was.
But though Christie might have won this question with style points, in real world terms Christie's answer wasn't much better than Governor DeSantis'.
Governor Christie:
The notion of sending U.S. military troops into an active combat zone to achieve an objective as challenging as rescuing eight American civilians "safely" (your word governor) is fantasy.
We need a U.S. Commander in Chief with a reality based belief system sir.
