LARRY KUDLOW: Debate tips for the first GOP primary debate

If any of the Republican Presidential candidates at tonight’s Milwaukee debate are looking for message tips, I strongly recommend a careful read of today’s Wall Street Journal op-ed by my pal Ken Khachigian, who was an ace Reagan speechwriter way back when.  

In his wonderful piece today, Ken says he’ll shamelessly plagiarize Ronald Reagan and I’m about to shamelessly plagiarize both Ken and The Gipper.  Start with this at the 1984 Dallas Republican convention on supply-side tax cuts. Take a listen: 

RONALD REAGAN: “Our tax policies are and will remain pro-work, pro-growth and pro-family and most important, to bring the tax rates of every American further down, not up.”  

It just doesn’t get any better than that, but wait! That was pretty good, but this next one is off the charts awesome.  

FOX BUSINESS TO HOST SECOND GOP PRIMARY DEBATE IN SEPTEMBER 

RONALD REAGAN: “Now, if we bring them down far enough, growth will continue strong; the underground economy will shrink; the world will beat a path to our door; and no one will be able to hold America back; and the future will be ours.”  

There you go, folks!  There you go, debaters. Prosperity. Period. Positive. Period. Growth. Period. No one will be able to hold America back. Period. The future will be ours. Period. Can’t beat that and Ken Khachigian also quotes President Reagan at the August 1988 Republican convention when The Gipper said: “We left with a mutual pledge to conduct a national crusade to make America great again.”   

Well, folks, have you ever heard that line before? “Make America Great Again.”  Well, it’s Reagan, vintage 1988. Think of it.  Anybody looking for some more debate tips?   

How about the failure of Bidenomics: high inflation, stagnant growth, zero affordability, central planning, big government spending.  Want more?  How about drill, baby, drill to slash costs and promote growth? Return to an all-of-the-above energy policy.   

Make the Trump tax cuts permanent.  Zero out Biden’s zillion new regulations.  In fact, how about ending Bidenomics means burying obsessive left-wing climate change, which is driving Americans crazy by taking away their appliances, their cars and their freedom of choice?  

In other words, how about attack Biden tonight — not Trump.  Go after the Biden scandals. Defend freedom of speech. Argue against a two-tiered justice system, which is now aimed at Trump and Republicans, but is coming to a theater near you for ordinary Americans.   

Close the border. Use the military to stop the cartels. Pro-parent and pro-school choice.  Wait a minute, once more with feeling: “The world will beat a path to our door; and no one will be able to hold America back; and the future will be ours and Make America Great Again.” How about all of that!?  

 This article is adapted from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary on the August 23, 2023, edition of “Kudlow.”