The ding-ding 'your time is up' still sounds too much like a doorbell -- dogs all over America will be triggered as they were in 2016. #GOPDebate

"Our country is in decline," are the opening words spoken by a candidate at this first #GOPDebate -- #Florida Gov. DeSantis.

Political novice 38-year-old Vivek Ramaswamy is called a "blank slate" by Brett Baier. He responds that "it's going to take an outsider" to turn around America.

"I don't care about polls" says Nikki Haley when she is told by co-moderator Martha MacCallum that Ramaswamy is beating her in the polls.

"I'm incredibly proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration," says former VP Mike Pence. "I'm unquestionably the best prepared...in this race."

"Drill, frack, burn coal and raise nuclear" pledges Ramaswamy, saying he'll declare war on the federal bureuacracy.

Pence taunting Ramaswamy saying "I'll go slower" to explain things to him and "we don't need to bring in a rookie."

"We're just going to have some fun tonight," Ramaswamy tells Pence. "Do you want a super PAC puppet or a patriot who speaks the truth?"

Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, who injured his Achilles tendon quips: "I think I took it too literally when they said go to Milwaukee and break a leg."

After more than 20 minutes in to the debate, the former Arkansas governor, Asa Hutchinson, gets in his first words reminding folks he was also "head of the DEA."

"The climate change agenda is a hoax," says Ramaswamy. Many in the audience boo.

"I've had enough already of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT," says former NJ governor Chris Christie of Ramaswamy.

Nearly a half hour in to the #GOPDebate and the only one who has uttered the word "Trump" is Mike Pence and it was to tout that administration's accomplishments.

DeSantis did say Trump “coddled” Anthony Fauci and should have fired him.