This show is sponsored by ExpressVPN. It's time to stand up against Big Tech protect your data at ExpressVPN.com slash Ben. Last night's fourth Republican debate will likely end up as a footnote in presidential history. Donald Trump, who's leading the race by leaps and bounds, wasn't on the stage. The debate aired on News Nation rather than Fox News, so the viewership is likely to be a lot lower than the prior debates. But in some ways, the debate was by far the most interesting debate of the race. It was interesting for a few reasons.

First. lower than the prior debates. But in some ways, the debate was by far the most interesting debate of the race. It was interesting for a few reasons. First, it showed that governance

actually matters. The battle between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, who are the top two candidates

fighting for a distant second place behind Trump, is a battle over policy positions, sure.

The debate exposed serious differences of position on social issues,

for example, where in Haley has posed as more moderate and DeSantis is more conservative.

But DeSantis' main advantage against Haley, an advantage she thought would carry him further than

it has in the polling so far is that he can point at his accomplishments and contrast

them with the empty words of his opponents. In a normal world, DeSantis would be running away with this nomination. DeSantis is by far the most conservative candidate who can win on the stage as a record of victory in Florida. There are four candidates on the stage last night, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, and for some odd reason Vivek Ramaswami, who is still in the race. But DeSantis is by far the most classically

conservative person on the stage. Here, for example, was Ron DeSantis talking about

Calvin Coolidge, who was Ronald Reagan's favorite president.

Reagan, Washington, Lincoln, excellent. One of the guys I'll take inspiration from is Calvin

Coolidge. Now, people don't talk about him a lot.

He's one of the few presidents that got almost everything right.

He understood the proper role of the federal government under the Constitution.

We need to restore the U.S. Constitution as the centerpiece of our national life.

And that requires a president who understands the original understanding of

the Constitution, who has a good sense of the Bill of Rights, and who knows how we've gone

off track with this massive fourth branch of government, this administrative state, which

is imposing its will on us and is being weaponized against us. So Silent Cal knew the proper role of the federal government.

The country was in great shape when he was president of the United States, and we can

learn a lawful lot from Calvin Coolidge.

...