Is it 'presidential' for a candidate to call another candidate 'scum'?

I think that bar has been lowered already. Apparently, R was insulting her daughter when she said it.

This is helping to teach kids how to be bullies.

I read about the exchange in the NY Times. Apparently when he mentioned her daughter, it got the best (or the worst) of her. It’s undertandable, and I am sure she is regretting letting her emotions out like that. It’s not diplomatic to call another person scum, but I can’t say that I would have behaved differently if I was under the same circumstances.

Her defense to the comment was “That was showing a lot of restraint, that’s all I’ll say,”

Bar fights get that way, not people who are presidential quality.

I suppose it is in 2023.

I didn’t watch the debates but I just read a review of their performance. The writer rated Christie as the person with the most cogent delivery and answers. They rated Haley next but said through all the debates she is great when answering questions on policy but really thin-skinned about perceived slights and goes back to comments others make when she should leave them be. So no, not a very presidential quality. But again, we have had a president who modeled that crassness.

Society has changed what is and isn’t acceptable. As it changes, is it any surprise that presidential candidates don’t stick to past versions of what is “presidential”? Calling someone scummy is no worse than calling someone crooked (Crooked Hillary), Sleepy (Sleepy Joe Biden), deplorable (Half of Trump supporters can go into what I call the Basket of Deplorables), and any number of other monikers or descriptors.

For all of the (many) reasons not to vote for either candidate, “presidential language” would be the very last on the list

If someone had a gun to my head I’d vote for Haley. Ramaswamy is one of those guys you just want to face punch—and I’m generally a pacifist.

The simple answer is no.

I did watch the debate.
First off, Nikki is right. R is scum. I like that she told the truth.
Secondly, I was surprised by her response “Leave my daughter out of your voice!”. Was channeling Will Smith her best response?

@filmfann I’ve seen articles today referring to Will Smith when they talk about Nikki Haley’s comment, but Will Smith didn’t invent that phrase. I worked in an urban area for a few decades and it wasn’t uncommon for people who were arguing vehemently to say to each other “You better keep my name out of your mouth.”

I didn’t watch it, but my instinct is like @filmfann ‘s on this:

Sounds like Ramaswamy was being scum (and what I’ve read sounds like he is would-be dictator-like scum, too), and “Leave my daughter out of your voice!” sounds like it was entirely appropriate, in the context.

For too long, too many Republican candidates have deserved to be called scum, and it’s long overdue that people said the truth more.

“Presidential” no longer equals “class”, unfortunately. It makes it kind of embarrassing to be an American, but I suppose most countries have a ‘moment of shame’ or three.

I can think of worse names to call someone…
But, otherwise, no harm done, really…

If Ronald Reagan can call, in a debate, Walter Mondale an invalid for seeking help from a psychiatrist then insults are presidential.

Would have enjoyed it if Haley said, “That was quite a ramasmarmy thing to say, Vivek.”

I despise NH & very little that she does impresses me, but I LOL’d at her comment. She didn’t lie & I was a LOT more offended by VR’s comment about her ADULT daughter who is NOT running for any government position!!! Personally, I feel that ALL children of candidates should be off limits no matter their age.

At this point, I believe that NH understands that she’ll NEVER be the candidate for 2024 & at best 45 will choose her to be his running mate. The bar for insults there is so fukin low that what she said was actually a compliment.

VR is also tanking in his chance to be the 2024 pick & you will probably see him attacking a LOT of others who are running…it’s what excites their base!!! He doesn’t even have a chance at being VP because he enjoys the limelight way too much & 45 will see him as competition.

Presidents and candidates have been insulting each other since this country began, and any politicians since the beginning of time.

No. Trump turbocharged this insulting behavior, branding it “MAGA”. This branding contributed to him being elected President and continues to be what his supporters want to hear. No one should be surprised that some politicians are now mimicking this brand of despicable behavior in an effort to snatch a few disaffected MAGA votes.

Honestly, it’s really hard for anyone, let alone someone running against him, to disregard that he is scum. I’m going to channel Nixon and say that if the President does it, then it is presidential. The voters decide what presidential means, besides being 35 and a natural born citizen, which are in the Constitution.

What I predict is going to happen is that the Trump Fan Clubbers are going to start posting photos of Haley with her mouth wide open, looking hysterical, the same type of photos they post of Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, and the type they used to post of Hillary Clinton. They will start spreading the “hysterical, crazy older woman” type of posts to discredit anything good she’s ever said or done and really turn people’s anger toward her.