'Ballistic Podiatry:' Moments From the GOP Debate

Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley got plenty of talking time in Wednesday night's GOP debate given that they were the only candidates on stage, and they largely used it to attack each other rather than frontrunner Donald Trump. (The former president again skipped the debate and instead took part in a town hall on Fox News.) Haley relentlessly promoted a new website called deSantisLies, while he accused her of being a "mealy-mouthed politician." Some moments:

• Trump: Both candidates declined to say that Trump doesn't respect the Constitution, per the New York Times. DeSantis again said he feared Trump would be too distracted by his legal fights to be an effective president. Haley said that while Trump has called Jan. 6, 2021, a "beautiful day," she considers it a "terrible day," per the Washington Post. She also said it was "ridiculous" to state (as a Trump attorney did in court) that a president who assassinated a political rival would have immunity, and she said she was wary of the "chaos" Trump might bring to a second term.
• Odd joke: DeSantis joked that Haley has a "problem with ballistic podiatry," which he explained means "shooting yourself in the foot every other day," per the AP. Haley responded with an eye roll.

• A slam: Haley criticized how DeSantis has run his campaign, asserting that he has "blown $150 million" with little to show for it. "If he can't handle the financial parts of a campaign, how is he going to handle the economy when it comes to the White House?" she asked. DeSantis responded that she was focused on campaign minutia instead of issues voters actually care about. When moderators cut him off, Haley added, "I think I hit a nerve."
• Admiration: After two hours of hurling sometimes nasty insults at each other, the candidates were asked what they admired about each other. DeSantis said Haley spoke out strongly on important issues as UN ambassador, and he also said he liked her state of South Carolina, adding that becoming its governor was a "great achievement." Haley was more succinct: "I think he's been a good governor."
• Ukraine: The pair split notably on Ukraine, with DeSantis accusing Haley of supporting a war she doesn't know how to end, reports Politico. "You can take the ambassador out of the United Nations," he said, "but you can't take the United Nations out of the ambassador." (This quip came well before he praised her UN performance.) Haley countered that allowing Russia to win would be a big victory for China, too.
• Much more: The Hill has a comprehensive roundup of key points.

(More GOP presidential debate stories.)