Participants in the first Republican Party primary debate of the 2024 election season did not spend much time addressing the elephant conspicuously absent from the room.

Just after former President Donald Trump’s pre-recorded sit down with an ousted Fox News host hit the web, his Republican rivals mounted a stage in Milwaukee Wednesday evening to attempt a debate without him.

Nine candidates qualified for the debate stage, though only eight arrived after the 45th President declined, perhaps to avoid further incriminating himself ahead of his impending fourth arrest, scheduled this time for Thursday in Georgia.

The first question asked to candidates by the Fox News hosts was framed around a Billboard charting song by independent country artist Oliver Anthony.

“Our country is in decline,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in response. “Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation.”

Newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, recently charging forward in the polls, was the frequent target of criticism.

“Now is not the time for on the job training,” former Vice President Mike Pence said to the businessman.

“The real choice we face in this primary is this – do you want a super PAC puppet or a patriot that speaks the truth?” Ramaswamy said in response, not mentioning the fact that he and everyone else there is at least 40-points behind Trump in polling.

Candidates were asked to raise their if they believed in man made climate change. DeSantis declined the premise.

“The climate change agenda is a hoax,” Ramaswamy said, to boos.

“I’ve had enough already tonight, of a guy who sounds like chat GPT standing up here,” former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said in response.

“Being childish is not helpful to the American people,” U.S. Sen. Tim Scott said.

On abortion, candidates were clear about their pro-life stances.

“I am unapologetically pro life,” former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said.

“You gotta do what you think is right – I believe in a culture of life,” DeSantis, currently polling in second, said. “I’m going to stand on the side of life.”

“It’s a moral issue,” Pence said.

“I’m a pro-life governor of a pro-life state,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said. “We should not have a federal abortion ban.”

“It’s fine for it to be addressed at the national level,” former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.

On crime, Ramaswamy said he would re-open the nation’s mental institutions.

“It is not morning in America,” he said.

“You are equating people in America with the failed government in Washington D.C.,” Pence replied.

“One of the biggest reasons (for crime), is you have George Soros funding these left wing district attorneys,” DeSantis said.

Trump wasn’t mentioned until about an hour into the debate, and only after Hutchinson brought him up and called for him to remove himself from the race.

This is an early edition version of this story.