There are millions of people who still “support” Donald Trump and plan to vote for him in 2024. The thing is, I believe he really only has his core supporters at this point – the average Republican knows that Trump is bad for the party, bad for the country and that he’s a completely deranged lunatic. Right? The problem is that Republican leaders are terrified of Trump’s core support, that 30-40% of the Republican Party which dictates extremism, racism, white supremacy and misogyny. Well, I don’t know how this figures in, but Trump will skip the first Republican “presidential” debate, scheduled for Wednesday.
Former President Donald J. Trump plans to upstage the first Republican primary debate on Wednesday by sitting for an online interview with the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, according to multiple people briefed on the matter. In the past 24 hours, Mr. Trump has told people close to him that he has made up his mind and will skip the debate in Milwaukee, according to two of the people briefed on the matter.
Mr. Trump is notoriously mercurial, and left himself something of an out to change his mind with an ambiguous post on his website, Truth Social, on Thursday. He wrote that he’s polling well ahead of his rivals and added, “Reagan didn’t do it, and neither did others. People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate?”
For weeks, the former president has been quizzing aides, associates and rally crowds about what he should do. Until earlier this week, Mr. Trump had been giving people the impression he was considering a last-minute surprise appearance on Wednesday.
Still, people close to him had said for months that he was unlikely to take part in the first two Republican debates, both of which are sponsored by the Republican National Committee. And Mr. Trump’s apparent decision to skip the first debate of the presidential nominating contest is a major affront to both the R.N.C. and Fox News, which is hosting the event. The exact timing and platform of the interview with Mr. Carlson remain unclear, but if it goes ahead as currently planned, the debate-night counterprogramming would serve as an act of open hostility.
The chairwoman of the R.N.C., Ronna McDaniel, has privately urged Mr. Trump to attend the debate, even traveling to his private club in Bedminster, N.J., last month to make her pitch in person.
Hilariously, this is controversial because of Tucker Carlson as well – Carlson was fired from Fox News, and Fox served a cease-and-desist on Tucker when Tucker started making Twitter videos after he was fired. I mean… I’m not going to watch Trump’s interview or the Republican debate, but it feels like the GOP is just descending into utter madness . What’s the right way to approach this? Sit back and watch the chaos unfold and hope that they destroy each other?
A few more things: Trump is still leading in the polls for the Republican nomination. Maggie Haberman at the Times also reports (because of course) that Trump and his people are looking ahead to debating Joe Biden again. The 2020 debate between the two men was notable because Trump had Covid and he didn’t tell anyone until a few days later. He was flushed and feverish and full of rage. Anyway, I hope he’s in prison by next year’s presidential debates.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- Republican presidential candidate President Donald Trump speaks during the final presidential debate with Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, on the campus of Belmont University, in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, October 22, 2020.,Image: 565118755, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no
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- Republican presidential candidate President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump leave the stage after the final presidential debate with Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, on the campus of Belmont University, in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, October 22, 2020.,Image: 565121320, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no
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- United States President Donald J. Trump and First lady Melania Trump hold hands as they arrive at the White House, in Washington, DC as they return from Nashville, Tennessee where he participated in a debate with the Democratic presidential candidate, former US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday, October 23, 2020.,Image: 565142101, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no
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- Cleveland, OH – President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden face off in the first of three scheduled 90 minute presidential debates, in Cleveland, Ohio. Pictured: President Donald Trump BACKGRID USA 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Cleveland, OH – President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden face off in the first of three scheduled 90 minute presidential debates, in Cleveland, Ohio. Pictured: President Donald Trump BACKGRID USA 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
He promised a news conference with a report that would “fully exonerate” him from the Georgia state RICO charges. Never happened. I think he’s afraid to debate anyone because he’s got no defense.
Tucker the F**ker can get f**ked.
His lawyers made him cancel that press conference. They don’t know what the Georgia judge will agree to concerning release on bail pending trial, and he is already in danger of having bail revoked on the DC case.
He doesn’t have evidence, hence no conference. Can you imagine sitting on evidence for a couple years? Nope. My guess is that he was always going to say that his lawyers prevented it. As if this man actually listens to advice from another person.
So, is Trump declaring war on the republican party then? He’s essentially the MAGA party. The damage he’s done to the republican party… I mean they voted for him and created it so too bad so sad, but wow it’s something to watch. The idea of seeing him onstage again though gives me nightmares.
It was inevitable.
And I hate to give him any credit, but he’s right–he doesn’t need to debate or do anything else to get the nomination since enough of (what’s left of) the GOP base is his captive audience. That Ronna McDaniel is begging him to attend to lend a veneer of legitimacy to this whole thing is telling. The Republican party has no principles other than naked power grabs. If that means nominating a twice impeached, soon-to-be felon who tells them to go f*ck themselves at every turn, they’ll do it.
Ronna changed her name because he made it a requirement to keep her job. George & Eleanor Romney are spinning in their graves at what their granddaughter has done to herself. She got COVID from him (or Amy COvid Barrett) twice. She defended the misuse of the White House & Fort McHenry for a political campaign. She defended the insurrection. She has disgraced herself for him and is getting what she deserves
He can only bully from the sidelines or from his truth social nonsense. When he is in person he folds like a deck of cards and fumbles and mumbles. He can’t debate because he is a very stupid POS.
@Susan Collins No lies told.
Anything he says can be used against him in a criminal trial. So he can’t debate if he can’t control the narrative. With Tucker, it will be a controlled environment and every question legally vetted by his team. It will be a puff piece. They can go F off in the dark corner of the internet no one pays attention to.
regarding his acolytes: How do people who were once in cults actually extricate themselves? What will happen with all these people’s rage when they lose their shepherd? Since their rage is not directed at a real, existing cause, where will that energy go?
Honestly, the ones who are still in at this point are unlikely to escape. They’re deep in the brainwashing aspect but are not subject to the coercive control that can motivate people to get out of typical cults. Most likely, their rage will manifest in destructive behaviors towards themselves, their families & communities. This all dovetails perfectly with existing drug & gun violence epidemics in the US.
I don’t agree that Trump has destroyed the Republican Party. He’s revealed it.
It’s a small minority of the former Republican Party that doesn’t want some part of what Trump/DeSantis/Abbot/Thomas wants for the country.
Case in point – Liz Cheney. If it was a minority of the Republican Party voters that didn’t back Trump, she’d still have her job. She had the money, name recognition and incumbency and lost to the election denier.
@TwinFalls Agreed. I’m an election worker in a very red area of Texas. His base is huge. The “respectable” Republicans won’t admit they are voting for him but they are absolutely going to vote for him. 2024 is going to see a red wave and Trump WILL be re-elected if Democratic. voters don’t show up.
I’m so tired of the media portraying Trump’s base as “dwindling” or “small percentage”. His base is massive. It is mind numbing how big it is.
I wish I was wrong about this.
I do enjoy watching Ronna “of course I’ll change my name from Romney for you, Mr. Trump!” McDaniel grovel
The questions with Tucker will be screened by his defense lawyers, to no avail.
several observations
1. Trump has to agree that if he joins the debates, he will support the eventual nominee. pledge fealty. We know that would never happen
2. I hate Christy with all my being, but he speaks the truth in that Trump doesn’t want to have to defend himself in the public venue. we all know he can’t speak without putting himself in some legal jeopardy.
3. honestly, I am not huge fan of Biden or Harris. they both have issues, and I really do think that the Democratic Party has a large issue in finding a nominee that the party can can rally on. this is what they need.
4. I am more than happy to see the GOP split in to so many factions that they can’t support any nominee. the GOP of my youth (pre 90s) doesn’t exist. I was brought up centrally leaning Republican. that doesn’t exist in the current party. they are mostly a Bunch of racist misogynists who are out of touch with 80% of America. that last 20 % are the uber conservatives who are trying to shove their Pro Birth agenda down women’s throats, and the rest are the MAGAts.
5. the worst part of it is we all have them in our families. we all patted their backs for decades saying there there, we know you ar out of touch and in the end, and after you are gone, your beliefs will too. the Archie Bunkers of our families, the fact that they have become a leading demographic scares the living $hit out of me. The orange Cheetlino made them bold. they no longer lurked in the dark. it allows their ideology legitimacy.
I have been to the hololcaust museum in DC several times. what happened in Europe was fueled by propaganda and government control of the media. I sorrows me that we are in a place 80 years later that we are seeing a similar narrative play out.
@lisa I agree w your comments completely. I do feel Biden has done some good. My pharmacy bills have gone down alot. Most of my drugs are $0 now. The social security raise we got this year was much appreciated.
The current REP party and RNC is absurd. The Trump issue is absurd. I’m so disgusted with the whole bunch.
Like you, I’m concerned with these idiots ignorant behinds.
Vote DEM 💙
Fingers crossed that the Orange one will incriminate himself in one way or the other with Tucker Carlson.
Even if questions are vetted beforehand by Cheetolini’s lawyers, he’ll find a bigly, yuge excuse to not stick to any kind of script.
I want the whole clan to end up in jail, including Jarvanka and Dumb and Dumberer. And Noun, Verb, 9/11 too.
Tucker “that’s not how white men fight” Carlson could use a swift slap of a folding chair as far as I’m concerned
The globe has an ageing population..no surprises to see older politicians in a president or priminster race
I don’t understand how trump can be supported financially everytime he is indicted and he uses these experiences to raise funds..
That he can choose to refuse a debate and nominate an interviewer to be interviewed by
And how negative legal/illegal sh1te doesn’t seem to stick… I need some of that for my boots when entering a hen coop!