Vivek Ramasamy’s astonishing brilliance in Wednesday’s Republican debate

He filled the void. In the absence of Donald Trump, this is ultimately one of many The downtrodden In the race for the Republican nomination, Vivek Ramasamy was the center of attention Wednesday evening in Milwaukee during the first debate of the American right-wing candidates who dream of ousting Joe Biden from the White House in 2024.

A moment for the 38-year-old young entrepreneur, new to politics, but the alter ego of the former president, the surge in the polls, already palpable for weeks, may now increase after this first election. Competition.

Who is Vivek Ramasamy? On Wednesday evening, on Fox News, the rising star of the Republican Party responded to the favor like Barack Obama and had fun: “Who is this skinny guy with the funny family name? What is he doing in the middle of this House? The first African-American president to introduce himself at his party’s convention in 2004. The words used are basically repeated, thereby going down in history four years later.

“I’m the only person on stage who hasn’t been bought,” Vivek Ramasamy teased his opponents, calling them “super PAC puppets”. Political Action Groups », these tools of influence and fundraising are firmly anchored in American politics. The tone is set.

Unbeknownst to Republican voters a few months ago, the race between Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the son of Indian immigrants, a Hindu, was born in 1985 in the working-class state of Ohio. He defies the odds, basking in public cheers during his speeches Wednesday night, as has his rapid third-place finish in the polls since entering the race last February.

This unexpected turn of events in the race does not displease Vivek Ramasamy, who is carefully cultivating his “reclusive” character by breaking with the party elite. “For too long we’ve had professional politicians in the Republican Party running from something. Now it’s time for us to start running towards something,” he said Wednesday, talking about breathing new life into a party looking for renewal. »

Follower of Trumpism

A kind of “new wave” Trump, the student is not far from the master – and he admires and protects.

Last June, the former president turned himself in to federal court in Miami to answer multiple counts in a case related to classified documents illegally stored at his private residence at Mar-a-Lago, with the candidates placed front and center in court. He called on his opponents to support the populist in the race for the Republican nomination and promised him a presidential pardon. A possible apology that Vivek Ramasamy has again promised to deliver to Donald Trump from Milwaukee on Wednesday evening.

The young politician has no loss of hope, ambition or self-confidence after escaping the modest background from which he came. His parents — poor immigrants, he likes to recall — immigrated to America, which opened doors to success for him, he often insists.

He was 28, Vivek Ramaswamy, after studying biology at Harvard University and then a law degree at Yale, founded Rowant Science, a pharmaceutical company specializing in biotechnology. More than a political campaign for him. The man says he is at the beginning of “a cultural movement” aimed at “building a new American dream.” Nothing less.

A substantial stock sale at the beginning of the year allowed him to build a warship of more than $32 million to carry out the plan and, above all, to grant him the freedom of speech he so often abused. Slipping.

A few days ago, In an interview AtlanticHe accepted conspiracy theories that government agents were behind the September 11, 2001, attacks and the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots.

But, in general, it is the progressive and liberal left above all – these “awakenings”, in his words – that he wants to kill to the ground, as in his article. Vogue Inc.Written in 2021, it sums up the ideology of placing his political opponents in the image of a “cultural cancer” that will consume the country.

This book, during his first term, drew as much attention as his stances against US involvement in Ukraine, the idea of ​​global warming, or cutting federal “red tape” by 75%. That of the conservative Fox News Network.

Because these perspectives with radical and populist overtones are compelling. “He’s a great speaker, he’s a great intellectual and has a lot of knowledge,” said Marguerite Goodnow, a retired Republican from Iowa who faces his first election deadline next January. He was quoted by the Associated Press a few days ago. “It’s like he has Trump’s ideals, but in a more eloquent version. Not like a crazy uncle who talks,” said Amy Piper, from another state. “That’s what we need.”

That’s a bit of a worry for other candidates in the race, many of whom didn’t hesitate Wednesday evening to fire several arrows in the direction of the young aspiring president, who was limited to an “initiative” role. Mike Pence. “There’s no time for on-the-job training,” he said.

“I’m sick of the guy standing here like ChatGPT,” said Chris Christie, while Nikki Haley pointed to the risk of young, bubbly but inexperienced entrepreneurs weighing down the country. “Under your leadership, you will make America safer. You have no experience in foreign policy, and it shows,” she said straight into his eyes.

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