"Voldemort, Fascist": 4th Republican Debate Was All Personal for Nominees

Gloves were off at the fourth Republican presidential debate on Wednesday when the remaining four candidates questioned each other's intelligence and didn't refrain from calling them names. As the debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, progressed, the attacks got more personal, something not unusual or not seen before.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie referred to tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy as "the most obnoxious blowhard in America" for mocking fellow Indian-American Nikki Haley's intelligence. Mr Ramaswamy initially focused more on Nikki Haley, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations, calling her "the only person more fascist" than US President Joe Biden.

In another segment, he said that Ms Haley can't even name three provinces in Eastern Ukraine. He then said his three-year-old child could help the only woman in the race for Republican nomination locate Israel on the map. Not long after that, he waved a note, which read, "Nikki = Corrupt."

"It was not worth my time to respond to him", Ms Haley said when asked if she would react to Ramaswamy's barb.

Mr Christie came to Ms Haley's defence and targeted Ramaswamy for questioning the intelligence of an "accomplished woman".

The tech entrepreneur, currently in fourth place in most national polls, addressed Mr Christie and said, "Chris, your version of foreign policy experience was closing a bridge from New Jersey to New York," Mr Ramaswamy said. "So do everybody a favour, just walk yourself off that stage, enjoy a nice meal and get the hell out of this race."

Former US President Donald Trump, who is leading most polls by over 40 points despite not participating in any of the four debates so far, came under attack from Florida Governor Ronald Dion DeSantis and Chris Christie. "I think we need a young President," DeSantis said, adding, "I think we need a president who could serve two terms."

Mr Christie, who was a senior adviser to Trump's 2016 campaign, equated the former US President with Voldemort, the fictional character from the Harry Potter series. Voldemort was so evil that people were afraid to utter his name.

"Voldemort - he who shall not be named," Mr Christie said. "They don't want to talk about it."