Posted on 12/08/2011 10:42:14 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Texas topper declines invitation to real-estate-mogul-hosted Dec. 27 NewsMax debate.
(Excerpt) Read more at thepage.time.com ...
I frankly don’t understand it. It’s not a vote for Trump anymore than going on Leno is an endorsement of Leno... or going to Harvard to give a speech there means you approve of Harvard. This squeamishness in the otherwise blood sport of politics (and man does it tend to get nasty!)... makes no sense. The name of the game is changing hearts and minds. What on earth would Donald Trump do to spoil a debate? Would a couple of flip lines from him in which he “steals” the limelight a couple of seconds REALLY change anything substantial? I really doubt it. Perry needs to sip a mojito and chill. Debates are good and healthy, they come in all shapes and sizes, in front of adoring and hostile audiences.
And they’re a helluva lot better than crappy attack commercials fixed up by media professionals. You get to see the mind blanks, the character flaws, you get the SURPRISE questions, the killer comebacks.
I simply don’t understand this nonsense! “Oh no, not Donald Trump - heavens to betsy he’s so... sooo...”
So what? You’ve got a great big country with all sorts of people, and that means you’ll have all sorts of venues.
Debates, live debates, direct confrontations are the best, they’re democracy at its finest. Like I said, way-way better for understanding the candidates than commercials!
You just called me a liar.
I will repeat my position.
The Donald debate is a joke.
It was smart (and I’m glad he did it) of Perry to stay with his schedule and not drop everything to answer the mogul’s dog whistle.
Look a little further. To the general public, Trump is not only a reality star but a Birther. You can look at this through that filter, and see which ones want to avoid being associated with Birtherism.
The debate is sponsored by Newsmax, which last time I checked was a very conservative and well published periodical. Trump is only the moderator. His presence assures an audience. I think having Palin as one of the questioners would have been smart too, perhaps they offered and she refused, but I think this works for Newt. Americans hate a loser. They will root for the underdog. Newt shows that he is tenacious and will not quit. Americans like that. Americans also hate it when party members ridicule each other. Many of us here have lost respect for Bachman and Ann Coulter. In fact, I now read Ann’s column askance from before. It’s clear to me that she has her own agenda. I welcome any debate that discusses the issues. Romney refuesed a Lincoln-Douglas style debate with Newt? Is this also true?
CAVEAT: my choice is now and always NEWT GINGRICH.
This is to be a debate moderated by a potential competitor?!
What moron would accept that invitation?
Unless Trump was totally out - no possibility of running against them - any candidate that accepts this invitation is an idiot.
So, although I like hearing everything he has to say, Perry done good again.
True, but Newt could have afforded to skip it. Perry has a lot of ground to make up in 3 weeks.
So what's this...repeat something enough and people will believe it?
I disagree....no matter how it goes it certainly isn't going to be worse than what the media's done on the whole. Which was certainly a show.
Throw a rock over a fence, and the dog that yelps is the one that got hit.
The debate is sponsored by Newsmax, which last time I checked was a very conservative and well published periodical. Trump is only the moderator. His presence assures an audience. I think having Palin as one of the questioners would have been smart too, perhaps they offered and she refused, but I think this works for Newt. Americans hate a loser. They will root for the underdog. Newt shows that he is tenacious and will not quit. Americans like that. Americans also hate it when party members ridicule each other. Many of us here have lost respect for Bachman and Ann Coulter. In fact, I now read Ann’s column askance from before. It’s clear to me that she has her own agenda. I welcome any debate that discusses the issues. Romney refuesed a Lincoln-Douglas style debate with Newt? Is this also true?
good decision by Perry.. intellectually there is no way he could survive on that stage with Newt and just a couple others for two hours... at least he’s smart enough to know his limitations..
Good for Perry. Too bad they all don’t just tell Trump to piss off.
I read somewhere on another site that the candidates are “concerned” that Trump may ask them about Zero’s eligibility (since it’s his ballgame) and they “don’t want to go there”.
...."For the same reasons that a serious candidate would sit down at multiple “debates” with “moderators” who are their absolute political enemies!!".....
Excellant response Batman!
Perry said some time ago he didn't want to do debates and recognizes he's not quick on his feet in such an atmosphere. It's probably a good move for him...imagine having to deal with Newt and Trump! He'd likely flub it pretty bad since it is a weakness in him. He's not about ready to be rolled I don't think.
disagree. He only fell a bit short in the first two debates. He’s done fine ever since.
I admire him for saying no to Trump.
It smacks of desperation of the other few candidates who are doing it, and Perry is not desperate. Not yet, anyway.
I agree. Trump's continual self-glorification is sickening. The GOPers would serve their interests -- and those of the country -- by saying no to Trump.
You're way out of line.
That's *your* opinion, but not mine.
No "we" about it. Trump loves his country, too.
I would suggest that Rick Perry loves the country, as much or more than Donald Trump loves “The Donald.”
Sorry, I stand by what I said. No one who loves his country is going to do anything to reassure the reelection of Obama. It is unconscionable.
Why would Newt decline? Not only have they been free TV time but he obviously does extremely when compared side by side with the other candidates also this debate could go to a group that would not normally see the Republican debates.
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