One of the most memorable moments of the 2024 Republican primary debates was an exchange in the first debate between former Vice President Mike Pence and political newcomer and Donald Trump copycat Vivek Ramaswamy about the state of the people.

Pence, who is known for his embrace of Reaganesque Republicanism with a strong adherence to social conservatism, repeatedly said the United States just needs a government “as good as our people,” while Ramaswamy responded by saying “It’s not morning in America,” pejoratively invoking Ronald Reagan’s famous line.

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