(PJ Media) We political junkies are counting down the days until the first Republican primary debate — and be still my heart, it’s almost here! In case you haven’t marked your calendar yet, the debate will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 9 p.m. ET. It’s being sponsored by Fox News, Young America’s Foundation, and Rumble, and the moderators will be Fox’s Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. The event will be held in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc. — an important battleground state.
Former President Donald Trump has so far rejected the idea of participating in any primary debates, and really, why should he? “Ronald Reagan didn’t do it and a lot of other people didn’t do it. When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,” Trump observed a couple of weeks ago on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
His logic is hard to argue with. “We have a lead of 50 and 60 points in some cases. … You’re leading people by 50 and 60 points, you say why would you be doing a debate? It’s actually not fair. Why would you let somebody that’s at zero or one or two or three be popping you with questions?” What would Trump have to gain from participating?
But then again, we’re dealing with Donald Trump here. Well into his seventies, the man remains indefatigable. Not only that, he is an apex extrovert who draws energy from public acclaim like The Highlander vanquishing a rival.
So while Trump has more to lose than to gain from participating alongside the polling midgets in the primary debate, the thought of millions of people watching them on that stage and not him is probably anathema to him. And that FOMO may ultimately induce him to join the debate.
Kellyanne Conway, who managed Trump’s successful 2016 campaign, told Fox News’s Martha MacCallum last week that she had discussed the possibility with Trump.
“I think that’s probably just the way he wants it,” replied MacCallum. “I hope he goes, too. I think it’s gonna be a great night. Very exciting.” It certainly will be for her, one of the moderators.
Kellyanne says Trump may surprise and enter August debate.pic.twitter.com/nhfBWidae8
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 29, 2023
On Saturday, reports the New York Post, Trump polled the crowd at his campaign rally, to see if he should attend the debate:
