Chris Christie is on the GOP primary debate stage for one reason: to take out a candidate the way he did before in 2016.

Christie has zero chance of winning the GOP nomination, but he is currently parlaying a stronger-than-normal showing in New Hampshire as his ticket to the debate tonight. The assumption was that Christie would play attack dog against Donald Trump, but that he would also be aiming fire at a candidate on stage. I think most people assumed that the fire would be aimed at Ron DeSantis. In a surprise twist, Christie took on Vivek Ramaswamy.

Now, Vivek Ramaswamy has made a mess out of himself this week. Here’s a pro tip – never insist that you were quoted wrong when audio of your quote exists.

The disdain for Vivek Ramaswamy from multiple candidates was palpable, but the first one to really draw some blood about it was Chris Christie. This started at the very beginning of the debate, when Ramaswamy, who was acting like a kid who forgot to take his ADHD meds. I mean, what the hell is this?

I feel bad for DeSantis having to stand next to Vivek…look at his annoying little hand! pic.twitter.com/6d7lNnCgFr

— Brent Scher (@BrentScher) August 24, 2023

Ramaswamy, in his opening statement, lifted a line directly from pre-president Barack Obama wholesale.

What a fraud. Vivek Ramaswamy plagiarizes Barack Obama. #GOPdebate #rumble2024debate pic.twitter.com/9iNxopMlPF

— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) August 24, 2023

And Chris Christie got his moment to aim and fire directly at Ramaswamy for it.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie blasted Vivek Ramaswamy for sounding a little too robotic while cutting into a discussion on climate change during the Republican primary debate on Wednesday.

“Hold on, I’ve had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT,” Christie broke in.

“The last person in one of these debates, Bret, who stood in the middle of the stage and said, ‘What’s a skinny guy with an odd last name doing up here?’ was Barack Obama. And I’m afraid we’re dealing with the same type of amateur.”

Someone had to unplug the computer. pic.twitter.com/3dac0fpZ1x

— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) August 24, 2023

Ramaswamy then responded with a fair hit on Christie.

“Give me a hug just like you did to Obama, and you’ll help elect me just like you did to Obama,” Ramaswamy fired back.

That is a direct reference to Christie hugging Obama (which Christie claimed did not happen), as the then-president toured New Jersey after Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy during the campaign in October 2012. The line was good, but got lost in the cheers and jeers of the audience.

Christie and Ramaswamy continued to trade jabs, and their next big conflict was over Christie’s disdain for Donald Trump. This was Christie fulfilling his other purpose for being on the debate stage. But when Ramaswamy – who has not been attacked by Trump, and the rumor was floated that Ramaswamy got into the race specifically to aim for DeSantis – defended Trump, Christie continued on, even though a hostile audience had already booed him.

I will not bow to anyone who disrespects the Constitution. pic.twitter.com/kdhAkfLV0G

— Chris Christie (@GovChristie) August 24, 2023

Chris Christie is going nowhere fast and won’t make the GOP debate stage next time. But did he take Vivek Ramaswamy out? Vivek certainly drew fire from Mike Pence and from Nikki Haley, and while he had some good answers, also came off during the first segment as a smartass who didn’t take his meds. I’m sure that Christie gained zero support or votes tonight, but he might have seriously undermined Vivek Ramaswamy by belting him with the Obama plagiarism, and Ramaswamy’s behavior didn’t help him. He finished much better than he started, but you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Featured image: original Victory Girls art by Darleen Click