Vivek Ramaswamy stole the show when he roasted both Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels” during Wednesday night’s Republican presidential primary debate.
The unmatched zinger came in response to moderator Lester Holt asking Ramaswamy what sets him apart from the other candidates.
“I want to be careful to avoid making the mistakes from the neocon establishment of the past,” the successful entrepreneur responded. “Corrupt politicians in both parties spent trillions, killed millions, made billions for themselves in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting wars that sent thousands of our sons and daughters, people my age, to die in wars that did not advance anyone’s interests, adding $7 trillion to our national debt…”
Both Haley and DeSantis are extremely hawkish on issues of war, especially when it comes to Iran.
“You have the likes of Nikki Haley, who stepped down from her time at the U.N., bankrupt or in debt was her family,” Ramaswamy continued. “Then she becomes a military contractor. She joins the board of Boeing and otherwise — and is now a multimillionaire. So, I think that that’s wrong when Republicans do it or Democrats do it.”
Next came the roast that will surely become the most memorable comment of the evening.
The choice should be clear: We can elect a president who will keep us out of World War III or we can elect a Dick Cheney in 3-inch heels. Because there are two of them on stage with me tonight. @RonDeSantis @NikkiHaley pic.twitter.com/i21U4tErmU
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) November 9, 2023
“That’s the choice we face. Do you want a leader from a different generation who’s going to put this country first, or do you want Dick Cheney in three-inch heels? In which case, we’ve got two of them on stage tonight.”
“Do you want Dick Cheney in 3 inch heels?”
The Timcast crew goes wild over Vivek roasting Haley & DeSantis at the same time. LOL pic.twitter.com/vv1JJjZeFs
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) November 9, 2023
DeSantis has recently been accused in many viral social media posts of wearing lifts inside of his boots to appear taller. He was also questioned about his height and footwear during a recent interview with Patrick Bet David, during which he insisted that he wears normal cowboy boots that are “off the rack.”
Donald Trump Jr. explains why Ron DeSantis wears lifts in his boots.
It is because he is insecure with himself. pic.twitter.com/Ueqd5JrYC2
— Brianna、 (@200229chie) November 1, 2023
Haley tried to get a shot back later in the debate, saying, “They’re five-inch heels, and I don’t wear them unless you can run in them,” though the line appeared to fall flat. Her team also tried to run it as a post on X, but she was ratioed and widely mocked.
Vivek, I wear heels. They’re not for a fashion statement— they’re for ammunition.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 9, 2023
“Vivek, I wear heels. They’re not for a fashion statement— they’re for ammunition,” the post said.
Author and political commentator Ashley St. Clair replied, “so ur gonna shoot ur heels at brown kids in the middle east?”
so ur gonna shoot ur heels at brown kids in the middle east?
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) November 9, 2023
YouTuber Mark Dice asked, “So, you’re going to give them to foreign countries at the expense of our own?”
So, you’re going to give them to foreign countries at the expense of our own?
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) November 9, 2023
Many others replied simply with the word “cringe” or confusion about what the post meant.
