NYT: Trump will skip debate, do interview with Tucker Carlson instead

[Wrong about 2024 Ghost]

Trump is a COWARD!

Nope. It’s just good political strategy.

Every other GOP primary contender is an unserious joke. Why should Trump give them any semblance of legitimacy by showing up to what’s essentially a sham on Faux News?

This will remain true until it isn't. And if/when it stops being true, everyone will be going "If Trump had just gone to that debate, he could have put Christie/Pence/Burgum in their place and nipped this challenge in the bud".

By skipping the debate, he furthers the narratives that:

he's a coward
he's afraid of being confronted with his record
he doesn't care about the public (whether they're Republicans or not)
he thinks he's entitled to the nomination
he's too deranged to debate

It's possible, maybe even likely, that none of those will land with Republican primary voters, and that Trump will be able to cruise to the nomination without challenge. By skipping the debate, he's sending a message that he's planning on coasting to the nomination on inertia, not winning it by being the strongest nominee. And it may work. But attaching himself like a suckerfish to an anchor who's been cut loose to plummet to the bottom will hopefully prove to be the perfect metaphor for Trump's campaign to stay out of prison.

[Doomer]

He’s a coward.

[Redban]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

[Ferguson97]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

[Redban]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

[emailking]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

Perry Johnson is less of a real candidate than RFK Jr.

[DaleCooper]

Trump, like Biden, has no reason to debate.

[Ferguson97]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

Perry Johnson is less of a real candidate than RFK Jr.

Take it up with the RNC who set the rules and the GOP voters making donations/answering polls who allowed him to get on stage.

[Meatball Slayer]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

Trump is the only real GOP candidate, and Biden is the only real DEM candidate.

[AltWorlder]

Well, now there is no more reason to pay attention to Chris Christie.

[Aurelius2]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

True, but Marianne Williamson is.

[Doomer]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

True, but Marianne Williamson is.

As stated previously, no DNC debates have been scheduled. Biden isn’t skipping any.

But if they do, and Biden didn’t attend, I wouldn’t like it.

Now back to Trump: he’s a coward.

[🥥🌴]

Ugh. The 2016 debates were the funniest because of him. Sad!

Yeah 2016 was fun because of the debates and his speeches.

[Doomer]

I never thought there was anything fun about the 2016 election cycle.

I saw what Trump was then and I was right. Just because he had some zingers and insulted people, that made it fun? Dude’s an authoritarian…that’s not fun.

[Epaminondas]

He's right to do this, though just looking at the previous clips shows how lenient the moderators are with Trump compared to the others. They just let him talk on and on, and he would probably have used this privilege to respond to every zinger thrown at him.

I saw what Trump was then and I was right. Just because he had some zingers and insulted people, that made it fun? Dude’s an authoritarian…that’s not fun.

What's fun was how he punctured the hubris of the most entitled and conniving political dynasty in modern US politics, and incidentally the murderers of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq.

Not as good as throwing them in jail for their crimes against humanity, but close.

[Redban]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

Yes, because Joe has no influence whatsoever?

He can ask the DNC to schedule debates to give them a little shove

[Doomer]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

Yes, because Joe has no influence whatsoever?

He can ask the DNC to schedule debates to give them a little shove

Every incumbent president has joke primary challengers. RFK and Marianne Williamson are not serious candidates; they are both fringe candidates and nothing more. What would be the point of debating them?

On the other hand, the Republican field has many "serious" candidates presenting multiple options for the electorate and they have no incumbent president. If it was just Perry Johnson then sure I would be fine with Trump skipping.

[Redban]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

Yes, because Joe has no influence whatsoever?

He can ask the DNC to schedule debates to give them a little shove

Every incumbent president has joke primary challengers. RFK and Marianne Williamson are not serious candidates; they are both fringe candidates and nothing more. What would be the point of debating them?

Except RFK JR is getting near 20% in the polls. That takes him out of the joke primary challengers ala John Wolfe Jr or Bill Weld

[bilaps]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

So I guess we now know who the real cowards are.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Bad move on Big Daddy's part. Tucker on Twitter can be watched anytime, which means that viewers will likely watch the debate and just wait to watch Tucker and Trump the next day. I don't understand why Trump's team didn't think of, you know, doing both.

[Ferguson97]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

True, but Marianne Williamson is.

Nope.

[Doomer]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

Yes, because Joe has no influence whatsoever?

He can ask the DNC to schedule debates to give them a little shove

Every incumbent president has joke primary challengers. RFK and Marianne Williamson are not serious candidates; they are both fringe candidates and nothing more. What would be the point of debating them?

Except RFK JR is getting near 20% in the polls. That takes him out of the joke primary challengers ala John Wolfe Jr or Bill Weld

Maybe Marianne can use her magical crystals to make a debate happen.

And since RFK doesn’t believe in Jewish vaccines, he’ll be immune to her sorcery.

(In other words, no they are not serious candidates.)

[Mr. Smith]

He’s a coward.

Biden refused to debate RFK Jr too. He’s a coward too.

RFK isn't a real candidate.

The difference between RFK Jr and Biden polling-wise is less than the difference between Trump and every non-DeSantis candidate

Is every GOP candidate besides Trump and DeSantis not real?

The Democratic Party isn't scheduling debates. That's what the difference is.

Yes, because Joe has no influence whatsoever?

He can ask the DNC to schedule debates to give them a little shove

Every incumbent president has joke primary challengers. RFK and Marianne Williamson are not serious candidates; they are both fringe candidates and nothing more. What would be the point of debating them?

On the other hand, the Republican field has many "serious" candidates presenting multiple options for the electorate and they have no incumbent president. If it was just Perry Johnson then sure I would be fine with Trump skipping.

If they were actually serious, you wouldn't need quotes on that.  As is, I only see DeSandwich and Vivek as remotely serious.

This is no different from 2016 if Bernie stayed out, leaving only Momma [D-MD], 'Nam Guy [D-VA], and Mr. Metric [WTFC-RI/WY]...in which case, Hillary would've been right to skip.

[The Economy is Getting Worse]

If they were actually serious, you wouldn't need quotes on that.  As is, I only see DeSandwich and Vivek as remotely serious.

This is no different from 2016 if Bernie stayed out, leaving only Momma [D-MD], 'Nam Guy [D-VA], and Mr. Metric [WTFC-RI/WY]...in which case, Hillary would've been right to skip.

RFK Jr is polling at least as high as all non-Trump GOP candidates. If DeSantis and Vivek are serious, so is RFK Jr.