And crime have dominated talking points, along along with two people not there us President Joe Biden and leading 2024 republican candidate former president donald trump. The debate, televised by the Fox Business Network and univison, features seven candidates. They were required to reach polling and donor threshholds set by the Republican National committee. In order to take part. But, for the second time in his 2024 campaign, donald trump isnt taking part in the debate. The 77 year old has suggested sharing a stage with what he deems low polling rivals could only hurt his commanding lead. It comes as he faces mounting legal challenges, and indictments, and just four months before the Iowa Caucuses begin that formally launch the gops nomination process. Mr trump instead is in detorit where he talked to car workers and blue collar employees. It comes Afterjoe Biden became the first sitting us president tojoin a picket line on tuesday at the invitation of the united auto workers, the Union Striking at three major carmakers. Earlier, i spoke with cbs news senior white house and Political Correspondent ed okeefe. Ed okeefe, thanks Forjoining Us for the second debate. What can we expect from tonight . I think you are going to see these are seven that are on stage tonight, some call them the jv team, some call them the Vice President ial tryouts, what they are really trying to do is get it from seven to maybe two or three byjanuary, when iowa and New Hampshire start really voting and thinking about this more seriously. It is still very early. So keep plodding along, trying to make their points, hoping that others ran out of money, out of polling steam, and can no longer make the stage. And continue drawing, if not shy, then gentle contrast with President Trump. For a number of primary voters across the country, especially in iowa and New Hampshire, who continue to say im thinking about the former president , but im open to somebody else, and a quarter of the electorate continues to say i dont want him. I am looking for somebody other than him to eventually become the nominee. There is plenty of time. They will be having one of these each month going into january and beyond and it will help eventually winnow the field. With the exception of nikki haley, who has moved up a little bit, theres very Little Movement in all of the polls. Are we kind of suggesting here that ignore all the polls and wait for the voters to get into those caucuses . If youre somebody outside the United States looking at this and wondering what is the best way to gauge how this is going, dont look at those national essentially Beauty Contests and name identification figures. Look at how they are doing in the states of iowa and New Hampshire, which will go first and second, those are the two most recent reliable states to poll right now. And what youre seeing is a tighter race. You saw a slight uptick for nikki haley, but you still see Florida Governor ron desantis is in second. So, inevitably, among the other five on stage, the two of them are likely to get the most heat from everybody else. Or if you are one of those lower tier ones you want to knock out someone else to get to hayley and desantis. And theres still plenty of time to do that. How can they set themselves apart from each other . Talk about what means to be a conservative. Talk about Abortion Access in this country are you for more or less of it . Stricter Abortion Laws or more lenient ones . You talk about the fact that while it may be a Bedrock Principle of the Republican Party to restrict abortion services, it is politically tricky for them to do it right now when polling shows there is broader support for broader access. On foreign policy, do you see them discuss future funding for the war in ukraine more, less, or about the same . And what does it mean to be a republican . That is still a big part of what is going on any gop. Yes, former President Trump dominates, but he wont always be there. So what will the future of the party look like . More populist or more traditional conservative like Ronald Reagan was . In many ways, though, it feels like the Main Campaign has kicked off. We sanoe biden on the picket line. We see donald trump tonight in a non union house but still talking to auto workers. Like, those two have decided to leave everyone else behind. Sure, because month after month hes leading by double digits. And it very well ultimately may be, if he pulls it off. Certainly, democrats and the white house hope its him. They know how to beat him. They did it before and they can they believe they can do it again. They get more worried and concerned and confused if somebody else starts to emerge, in part because it becomes a generational contrast and that is when they know right now they probably would lose. So, youre seeing the president s Campaign Running ads in michigan tonight calling out trump. Youre going to see him go to arizona tomorrow to call out his concerns about the future of democracy, reminding people what happened on 6january, who they were doing that for, and what trump and his supporters have done and said in the years since. That is an issue that still polls very well and is of concern to the majority of americans. Its one republicans dont necessarily want to talk about, but its what the white house and democrats certainly do. Sojoe biden is very much in Campaign Mode then . Little by little hes getting there. Hes spending time here in california and across the country raising the millions of dollars he is going to need for next year. But every so often he holds an event like the one he will tomorrow to start to remind people that this is what i look like as a candidate next year. Speaking of money, there is a fundraising deadline looming as next week. How are all the republican candidates doing in terms of the financials that mean they can stay in or get out . Its a good question. And its less to me about how much they � ve raised but how much they have in the bank. Can you afford to keep travelling to iowa and New Hampshire and thinking ahead to South Carolina and to other states that will vote in one Big Day Of March next year . Or are you seeing them have to pare back, lay off staff, and travel less and get more face time perhaps on television in order to get the word out . Those that have enough in the bank to continue going through the fall are the ones that will survive. Those that dont, it will be increasingly hard to give you 5 let alone 5,000. So you will start to see the field shrink as the year progresses. We will see what happens tonight. Ed okeefe of cbs news, thanks Forjoining Us. Great to be with you. Earlier, i spoke with marc short, former chief of staff to then Vice President mike pence. Mr pence has only been polling in the single digits, as he looks to break from the pack. We talk about the impact mr pence needs to make before this debate finishes. What does he need to do at tonights debate . He what does he need to do at tonights debate . He needs to sta the tonights debate . He needs to stay the course tonights debate . He needs to stay the course and tonights debate . He needs to stay the course and remind. Stay the course and remind American Voters that he more than anyone on that stage inherits the legacy of Ronald Reagan, Spectrum Conservative across the board, whether or not how to address national security, the failing economy, the family issues confronting our nation. I think that is the cost, continually reminding the voters that is who we years. More than anyone else he also inherent the legacy of donald trump. Inherent the legacy of donald trum. ,. ~ inherent the legacy of donald trum. ,. ~ , trump. Sure, and i think he is roud trump. Sure, and i think he is proud of trump. Sure, and i think he is proud of that trump. Sure, and i think he is proud of that legacy. Trump. Sure, and i think he is proud of that legacy. I trump. Sure, and i think he is proud of that legacy. I think i proud of that legacy. I think he feels in those four years a lot was accomplished that was good for our country, making us more competitive on the global stage. That separation is mikes commitment to constitution. Unfortunately donald trump violated his. It is an important part. I5 donald trump violated his. It is an important part. Is it hard for is an important part. Is it hard for him is an important part. Is it hard for him to is an important part. Is it hard for him to ask is an important part. Is it| hard for him to ask voters is an important part. Is it hard for him to ask voters to separate that . I hard for him to ask voters to separate that . Separate that . I think it is but at the separate that . I think it is but at the same separate that . I think it is but at the same time separate that . I think it is| but at the same time most elections are about the future not the past that it is important that he continues to tell what his vision is for the nation going forward, how his policies would solve issues. Ronald reagan stood over a very different Republican Party than the one we have today, particularly around foreign policy. Mike pence is one of the few candidates who want to bring america back into that role as the welder� s policeman. Will he be seeking to exercise that tonight . It will he be seeking to exercise that tonight . That tonight . It is a fair oint. That tonight . It is a fair point i that tonight . It is a fair point. I do that tonight . It is a fair point. I do not that tonight . It is a fair point. I do not think that tonight . It is a fair| point. I do not think that that tonight . It is a fair point. I do not think that he views us as the welder� s policeman but he believes the world is safer when america is a strong and when america retreats from that role, just as the same as the uk, we believe the world is less safe so it is important that america continued to stand for freedom and the principles that have always drawn people to our country and if we abandon that and shirk from our responsibilities, i think the world is less safe for everybody. World is less safe for everybody world is less safe for eve bod. ~. , everybody. We have seen the republican everybody. We have seen the Republican Party everybody. We have seen the Republican Party sent everybody. We have seen the Republican Party sent back i everybody. We have seen the i Republican Party sent back from finding ukraine. There are divisions arising over that. There are important Policy Debates and that is understandable. Ever since 9 11 we have been asking our Men And Women to serve overseas and i think america is tired of that and it is understandable, but at the same time there has to be a leader who stands up and explained that vladimir putin, his ambitions are beyond ukraine and if we think hes going to stop there, we mistaken an event american Men And Women will be sacrificed to protect freedom whereas now the investment is that russias the second Largest Military end of the world, is now perhaps the second largest in ukraine. I5 second largest in ukraine. Is there a point at which mike pence would step out of the race of make it easy that till the end . Race of make it easy that till the end . A,. ,. , the end . More uncertainty than ever before the end . More uncertainty than ever before because the end . More uncertainty than ever before because so the end . More uncertainty than ever before because so many i ever before because so many legal hurdles donald trump still faces. Many feel these indictments are politically charged but there are so many more hurdles ahead. There is a lot for this race to go. Lot for this race to go. Thank ou so lot for this race to go. Thank you so much lot for this race to go. Thank you so much for lot for this race to go. Thank you so much forjoining lot for this race to go. Thank you so much Forjoining Us. I now to mr trumps counter programming, where he addressed workers at a plant in michigan, after touring a manufacturing facility. Hes been talking about protecting us workers from foreign competition. I want a future that protects american labour, not foreign labour. A future that puts American Dream overforeign profits and a feature that raises american wages, that strengthens american industry, that builds National Pride and defend this countrys dignity, not squanders it all to build up Foreign Countries that hate us. Live now to luigi gjokaj, Vice President of the United Autoworkers Union local 51. You had a little bit of what donald trump has been saying. What is your reaction . Mr; what is your reaction . My reaction what is your reaction . My reaction is, what is your reaction . My reaction is, we what is your reaction . Ij� i reaction is, we have what is your reaction . M reaction is, we have had what is your reaction . M1 reaction is, we have had four years of donald trump, we have had almost four years ofjoe biden, and the otter bikers are going to have to look at that and see who really has our back. A lot of people are going to come at the 11th hour and throw their weight and support behind us, now that we have gone on this massive strike, this undertaking, we willjudge them on what they do not what they say. Them on what they do not what the sa. ,. ,. , them on what they do not what the sa. , ~ them on what they do not what the sa. , 1, they say. Going on strike is not they say. Going on strike is rrot easy they say. Going on strike is rrot easy for they say. Going on strike is not easy for workers they say. Going on strike is not easy for workers but i they say. Going on strike is i not easy for workers but when you see the former president there, although he was at a non union house, the current president there last night, the first question at the debate here tonight has been about the striking workers, all of that attention must be welcomed though, is it . Attention must be welcomed though. Is it . Attention must be welcomed though, is it . Yes, were glad that it is though, is it . Yes, were glad that it is focusing though, is it . Yes, were glad that it is focusing on though, is it . Yes, were glad that it is focusing on the that it is focusing on the ottowa could struggle and what we are trying to accomplish with this strike but, again, were looking for more than just words. Were looking for more than just words were looking for more than just words. Donald trump did mention the just words. Donald trump did mention the threat just words. Donald trump did mention the threat of just words. Donald trump did mention the threat of jobs i mention the threat ofjobs moving to china, the threat to the traditional Auto Industry from electric vehicles, some things that you and your members feel strongly about as well . ~. ,. , members feel strongly about as well . ~. ,. , members feel strongly about as well . ,. ,. , well . We are always looking out for what the well . We are always looking out for what the next well . We are always looking out for what the next straight well . We are always looking out for what the next straight deal l for what the next straight deal is. We never want to go backwards. We never go back to the era of the giant sucking sound of the Auto Industry going offshore. We want to make sure it is going to keep employing Union Workers and were not going lose anyjobs over it and also that materials are going to be ethically sourced. The strike is notjust for Union Workers but for middle class everywhere, we created the middle class and we want to really focus on what were to accomplish here. You are two weeks were to accomplish here. You are two weeks or were to accomplish here. You are two weeks or so were to accomplish here. You are two weeks or so into the strike. In terms of what youre trying to accomplish, how the negotiations going . Negotiations going . From but the leaders negotiations going . From but the leaders have negotiations going . From but the leaders have told negotiations going . From but the leaders have told us, i negotiations going . From but the leaders have told us, it i negotiations going . From but the leaders have told us, it isj the leaders have told us, it is looking like there is more progress than the other two. The other parts plants inaudible and waiting for an update from the president to see where were at, and optimistically waited to see where were. If we have a big deal, were ready to vote in a big deal. The members have the right to vote it in or voted down. The deal is not what we have been talking in the last few years, we are willing to go on the strike as well. [30 few years, we are willing to go on the strike as well. On the strike as well. Do you think the on the strike as well. Do you think the strike on the strike as well. Do you think the strike will on the strike as well. Do you think the strike will be i think the strike will be expanded . As always a possibility. We re