Ohio GOP Senate debate nearly gets physical as Gibbons, Mandel get into altercation

Fox News ^ | 3/18/2022 | Kyle Morris

[grayboots]

The GOP's Friday night U.S. Senate candidate forum in Ohio featured a face-off between candidates Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel that nearly brought them to blows.

The argument between the two erupted after Mandel claimed Gibbons had "made millions" from business dealings with Chinese companies.

"You may not understand this," Gibbons told Mandel, who then stood up from his seat and confronted Gibbons at the event hosted by FreedomWorks.

"I do," Mandel replied.

"You have never … you have never been in the private sector in your entire life," Gibbons told Mandel.

"Two tours in Iraq. Don’t tell me I haven’t worked," Mandel responded, raising his voice to Gibbons.

A moderator approached the two men and attempted to defuse the situation. As Mandel was taking his seat, Gibbons said, "You don't know squat," prompting Mandel to rise from his seat again. Gibbons then told Mandel to "back off."

[brownsfan]

Mandel was a marine. Good for him, but that doesn’t impart knowledge in all areas. People that use their service as some kind of magic shield irritate me.

[Menehune56]

Has President Trump endorsed anyone in this primary?

[Nateman]

It would be great if the winner punched Chucky Schumer the first time he lied to them.

[carton253]

Love Gibbons.

[rrrod]

Nice bit of enthusiasm.

[hinckley buzzard]

Mandel never made anything of his Marine status in past campaigns. Suddenly he appears to be trying to capitalize on it.

[brownsfan]

“Suddenly he appears to be trying to capitalize on it.”

Smells of desperation.

[BobL]

“Mandel was a marine. Good for him, but that doesn’t impart knowledge in all areas. People that use their service as some kind of magic shield irritate me.”

So what branch did you serve, a-hole?

Just kidding. I agree with you, I call people here ‘Special Interests’ when they have a background and then try to use it as a club against others. Once they out themselves, I simply tell them that I don’t debate ‘special interests’. Similar to my doctor telling me to go on statins. I said no, and he tried to debate me, as if he had any interest in hearing my side. I said no debate. I then asked if he still wanted me around, and he was ok with that.

[RckyRaCoCo]

"you watch what happens", Mandel

....hmmmmm

[nathanbedford]

I was very much impressed by the way Mandel handled himself in one interview I heard. He was articulate, knowledgeable, and he hit all the right notes.

I know nothing about Gibbons except the allegation that he has done business with China and that disqualifies him for me, if true. I want a Senator will not promptly kiss Mitch McConnell on all four cheeks and continue to sell us out to China. That is the most important issue because unless we can insulate ourselves from China, end our dependence on China and clean ourselves of Chinese corruption, we will not prevail in this life and death marathon race for survival.

So I asked myself, who is more likely to put America before China, the Marine who honorably served or the man who did business there?

The answer for me is simple but one that should be answered now because to win the primary in Ohio is almost certain means to win the Senate seat, if you're Republican.

[brownsfan]

“Just kidding. I agree with you, I call people here ‘Special Interests’ when they have a background and then try to use it as a club against others. “

I spent 4 years in the Navy. No war during my time, never was shot at, but spent 3.5 years of that at sea on combat vessels. I generally don’t make a fuss about it, I did what I did. I don’t think less of those that didn’t serve. But it just hits a nerve when someone leans on their service as a crutch. You know, like John F’ing Kerry and his “service” in VietNam. My son-in-law is retired Army, 20 years. Was in Iraq twice, Afghanistan once, and he never uses that as a crutch, or a way to imply he’s somehow better than others.

[excalibur21]

Spoken like a politician. The old “ don’t tell me I haven’t worked” comment doesn’t respond to the accusation.

[alternatives?]

Two things that rankles are:

Someone like McCain who uses the military service of his grandfather and father to receive repeated special treatment in the military. Ditto those who use their gender race.

The MSM emphasizing the need for military service if the Democrat has it, but flips if the Republican has it. Think Clinton/Dole, Bush/Dukakis, Bush/Kerry, McCain/Obama.

[dfwgator]

I always said our Senate needed to be more like the Taiwanese Parliament.

[Tommy Revolts]

I don’t think so. I would have told them to stuff a sock in it too. The left wants this to be all about race and skin color.

[Seruzawa]

I worked with a guy who was a 20 USAF veteran. He was also a Clinton boy and believed Dan Rather’s fake letter. Military service guarantees little.

[BobL]

” But it just hits a nerve when someone leans on their service as a crutch. You know, like John F’ing Kerry and his “service” in VietNam. My son-in-law is retired Army, 20 years. Was in Iraq twice, Afghanistan once, and he never uses that as a crutch, or a way to imply he’s somehow better than others.”

Sounds like you raised your boy well. And you can add McCain to that list, and Max Cleland, if you remember him. He was the triple amputee (from combat) in the Senate who was a Flaming Leftist. So when he was called out for being a Flaming Leftist, Bill Clinton (along with media) basically said that we couldn’t criticize him, since none of us were triple amputees. It was SICKENING. If you’re in political office (or running for it), and feel no one should attack your positions on issues, for any reason, there is only one term for that: Stalin. Thankfully, whoever was running against him still defeated him.

...and there was one guy who did point out his service here that I really admired. He only did point it out because he was trained to kill Russians on sight, and wondered whether that could be affecting his judgment. Cannot remember his name here, but very, very, classy of him.

[dsrtsage]

“ It would be great if the winner punched Chucky Schumer the first time he lied to them.”

If somebody punched Chucky Schmucky every time he lied, he would be nothing but a quivering pile of gray goo

[TankerKC]

People that use their service as some kind of magic shield irritate me.

I don't know anything about these guys, but I agree.

I'm curious, though, are you a vet?