Are you ready to rumble: Live-blogging the 1st Republican Presidential Primary debate

Tonight’s the night it al begins in earnest. Bloodied noses, dented egos, dogs and cats, living together – it should be AWESOME.

So. Let’s get the particulars out of the way first:

Dateline: Tonight

Where:….WISCONSIN?

Well, hello, Milwaukee!

The two-hour debate will start at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday. It’s being moderated by Fox News Channel hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.

Unlike some previous presidential debates, which have been simulcast across a number of major networks and cable channels, the first forum is airing exclusively on Fox News and the Fox Business Network as well as on Fox’s website and other streaming and digital platforms.

In lieu of the network’s YouTube channel, the Republican National Committee has partnered with Rumble — a video sharing platform popular with some conservatives — to livestream the debate. Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said earlier this year this was a decision aimed toward “getting away from Big Tech.”

Another debate partner is the Young America’s Foundation, a Virginia-based outfit headed up by former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker that bills itself as “the principal outreach organization of the Conservative Movement.”

The eight contenders vying for the nominee crown who qualified and accepted the invitation to attend are: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, former vice president Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.).

Now, there has been a little wrinkle with North Dakota’s gov, Doug Burnam. It seems he was in a pick-up bball game yesterday, and reportedly torn his Achille’s tendon – yeouch. After leaving the ER in Milwaukee on crutches, they’re going to do a walk-through today to see if standing is even going to be an option.

…“We’re hopefully going to make the walk-through this afternoon, and then make an assessment and decide then as to whether he’s going to make the debate tonight,” Trover told ABC News Live on Wednesday morning, referring to when the candidates visit the debate venue before the main event. “Obviously, standing for two hours when your leg has been injured can be quite problematic.”

I’ll certainly wish him the best and know that’s a tough decision to make. But it very well could be damn near “impossible” vice problematic.

As for the folks still able to stand on the stage, obviously the biggest bullseye is on FL Gov ROn DeSantis, and besides taking shots from the stage, he’s got the Trumpistas firing repeated salvos from offstage. They are just all kinds of pissed at him.

…Trump has gone after DeSantis for more than a year, outraged that the politician he helped elect as governor decided to run against him. DeSantis has shrugged off the attacks as evidence that he’s “over the target,” but the level of mockery and volume of criticism from Trump underscore the level of the former president’s deep and personal antipathy.

To drive the point home, the Trump campaign made a “Ron DeSanctimonious Debate Night Bingo” card – among other mocking paraphernalia – that it began circulating online that features DeSantis in the middle square. He’s flanked by sarcastic observations about his tics (“wipes snot” or “bobbles head”) or misleading or disputable shots at his policies (“Ron defends slavery” or “gaslight Covid record”).

In each corner of the 25-square bingo card is the same joke: “Saved by Fox News.”

There was also some slick footwork on X, with what looks to have been Trumpistas mass reporting the DeSantis pac for “violations” and getting it suspended.

X suspends DeSantis PAC’s account hours before debate https://t.co/aYWTdzZ9a9

— Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) August 23, 2023

I mean, as guerilla warfare goes, that’s brilliant. It’s back up.

The 3000lb GOP elephant NOT on the stage is the former president, of course.

Oooh! Can I say that?

He’s going to chat up Tucker. But Lindsey Graham and MTG are going to be 2 of the Trump surrogates in the Green Room – my congressman Matt Gaetz along some other folks will be, as well.

DeSantis will have folks like Chip Roy, OK Gov Stitt, and our LtGov, Jeanette Núñez surrogate-wise. I haven’t seen much chatter on any of the other candidates’ cheering sections, but I guess that’s to be expected.

WaPo says inflation is going to be the “hot topic” of the evening, leaving one to assume tap dancing around Trump, and gang jumping DeSantis are going to be the entertainment. It IS a pack, and someone is going to have to distinguish themselves somehow – being polite and waiting for your turn to speak will get you left in the dust if a chance to draw blood arises, especially with a blowhard like Christie up there.

Hopefully, someone takes the time to take Ramaswamy apart about the contradictions in his terrific campaign patter and what he’s said previously. A little squirm would be entertaining, and he hasn’t run into any pushback of that magnitude yet.

Anyway, it all lights off in a little bit. I’ll have me a big, old glass of a lovely red to help me through and keep my flying fingers limber – in a nod to Vodka Pundit I’m calling it “cabernet blogging.”

Hope to see you right here on this post in a few.

7:58 Okay, I’m here. *slurp*

Shut UP through the National Anthem, you guys

*:04 Oh how nice Gov Burnam made it. And dang, Tim Scott – wave and smile…

8:07 Good strong RDS start. Woot Hits Hunter. Nice tie-in to the Rich Man song