On this week’s second edition of The Editors, Rich asks Maddy about Wednesday’s DeSantis–Haley debate and if it will make a difference in Iowa.

Unfortunately for the candidates, Maddy thinks it won’t. “I think part of this is just that it must be demoralizing to be in a race for second place,” she says. “DeSantis was once Trump’s most formidable opponent, and now he’s, you know, the real risk [is] of him coming in third.”

On top of this, there seemed to be a “charisma deficit” on stage. Maddy: “I think that we noticed just how much entertainment value Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie were providing on the debate stage. . . . When you have somebody like that, even if they’re obnoxious, but they are a good talker . . . the other people can play off them and have their moments.”

The debate left viewers like Maddy with no memorable moments, on “a lot of bickering . . . a lot of pettiness, really not projecting the kind of image you want for a presidential candidate.”

“They did attack Trump,” Maddy reminds listeners, “but this was overshadowed by how much they were attacking each other.”

“It’s just a reminder again and again that this is a race for second place.”