Report: Trump will skip Fox's GOP debate

[Grassy Knoll]

Source: the hill.com

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump will skip Fox News's Thursday GOP debate in Iowa, according to the New York Times in a tweeet Tuesday evening of a comment from Trump's campaign manager, Cory Lewandowski:


Just a couple of hours earlier, Trump said he was likely to skip the network’s debate because he’s incensed over how it's treating him.

<snip>
A network spokesman mocked Trump to several media outlets, saying:

“We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267114-trump-says-he-probably-wont-take-part-in-foxs-thursday

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LOL

[forest444]

1. That does it, then.

The ratings will be anything but yooge.

[63splitwindow]

3. I'll tune in just to watch Trump lampooned...

[link:|

[forest444]

11. Ha!

I keep waiting for one of his aides to throw alfalfa pellets at it.

[TeamPooka]

2. Instead he's going back to NYC to shoot somebody on 5th Avenue. Probably Roger Ailes. nt

[Jarqui]

4. "Congratulations in advance to Megyn Kelly for winning Thursday's Republican debate"

Josh Nelson
https://twitter.com/josh_nelson/status/692144355021295616

[NewJeffCT]

14. good one

I responded to his tweet with a shorter version of what I just said.

[Chemisse]

21. True! He just can't stomach being questioned by a strong woman.

It makes him livid that she isn't under his thumb.

[onecent]

38. i hate that phony megyn kelly....sex sells AND I HATE FOX NEWS EVEN WORSE???????? AM I

THE ONLY ONE who can't stand FOX news???? I KNOW I am not. Trump is gonna crush FOX News, THANK GOD
SOMEONE HAS COME ALONG TO DO THAT.

And, btw....this isn't gonna hurt Trump....and I'm lovin' it...at least he is doing A GREAT JOB OF WRECKING
THE Republican Party. We should be happy!!!! Clinton is worse than Trump...so that leaves Bernie, and I
LOVE THAT MAN.

Let's bring back the jobs and get this middle class back to work.

[AngryAmish]

5. Dean Smith is proud

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sF7v796NS62rLqwcVAm4ODqSWgg=/0x0:1280x720/1600x900/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45741074/4c.0.0.jpg

[pampango]

6. NYT: Donald Trump’s Campaign Says He’ll Skip Debate

Moments after Fox News announced the lineup for Thursday’s Republican debate, Donald J. Trump said Tuesday it is pretty “irrevocable” that he will skip the event, which takes place just days before the Iowa caucuses.

“Let’s see how much money Fox is going to make on the debate without me,” Mr. Trump said at a press conference here, where he continued to attack Megyn Kelly and the crew at Fox News, with whom he sparred at an earlier debate.

“It’s time that somebody plays grownup,” he said. Just after Mr. Trump started speaking, his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, confirmed that he will not be attending the debate, saying, “He will not be participating in the Fox News debate on Thursday” and that “it’s not under negotiation.”

Mr. Trump’s absence would leave the main debate stage without the candidate who leads in national polls and has been a big ratings draw for past debates. Mr. Trump has threatened in the past to skip debates, but his remarks Tuesday night were his strongest statement yet that he would not participate.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/01/26/donald-trump-will-skip-next-republican-debate-his-campaign-manager-says/

[LiberalElite]

9. "It's time that somebody plays grownup"

And Trump plays grownup by essentially going off in a huff with hurt feelings? Waaaaaah Mommy!

[JudyM]

12. It’s time that somebody plays grownup,” he said.

[Auggie]

7. I'd swear he's intentionally trying to blow his lead

[graegoyle]

15. Anyone who thinks Trump wants to be President:

Just like Carson, he has a book to sell them. And another when his campaign ends. (Maybe after his third party run.) He probably thinks his ego would be a great President, but he doesn't want to deal with those politics.

[63splitwindow]

30. Colbert had hilarious bit last night...

premised on how TRUMP really wants OUT but his supporters insist on sticking with him!!!

[tomm2thumbs]

8. I think he heard it was an ambush

Prolly a good idea to skip it

[DhhD]

10. That is an old Rick Perry trick.

[NewJeffCT]

13. so, if he can't face Megyn Kelly

how can he be expected to face Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Iran, ISIS, China, and others?

[Chemisse]

22. Or worse - a female leader! *shivers* n/t

[NewJeffCT]

24. I know

she can just hint that it's that time of the month, and The Donald will run away screaming in fear.

[mainstreetonce]

16. He is establishing a pattern

He doesn't do debates, he does events to earn money for vets.
He doesn't need debates,he always wins.

He will not be debating the Dem candidate.

[tomm2thumbs]

17. CNN report

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-campaign-confirms-he-will-definitely-not-attend-the-fox-debate/

[yallerdawg]

18. Leverage Megyn Kelley out. There's time.

He must feel so dirty hanging out with those "Republicans."

He could always crash the Democratic debates - you don't have to be a Democrat, right?

[cigsandcoffee]

19. This won't hurt him at all. It's actually pretty smart.

With the caucus on Tuesday, everyone else on the stage would be gunning for him with both barrels. He's already got momentum, so has more to lose than to gain.

The Megyn thing is the best possible phony excuse.

I still think the guy's a clown, but there are smarts somewhere in his campaign.

[Skittles]

36. the man is a coward

[Feeling the Bern]

20. This is actually good strategy. If you are the front runner, debates can only hurt you

If I were Donald (and thank the stars I am not), I would skip debates until someone gets within 10 points of my lead.

[Nye Bevan]

23. Yep. And he'll be the huge invisible elephant in the room.

The main debate will kind of have a JV feel without him.

[Chemisse]

25. He wasn't really all that active in the debates.

(Although I only watched 2 of them).

[63splitwindow]

26. ala clint eastwood, FOX should have empty podium at center stage...

[link:|

[Jack Rabbit]

27. Why? Because he's afraid of a girl?

OK, Megyn Kelly is a lady (in contrast to The Donald, who is no gentleman)

That bastard needs to grow up.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

28. Draft in a Trump tribute act

[63splitwindow]

33. or just cardboard cut-out with picture pasted on it...

[link:|

[Bigredhunk]

29. WTF??

I thought pretty much every one at Faux has been kissing his ass (Hannity, Orally, Ailes)..(?) He doesn't like Kelly, but isn't everyone else over there in love with him?

[Reter]

34. No, a lot there think he's a closet liberal, based on past statements

Many are supporting Cruz at Fox.

[BillZBubb]

31. This is fantastic.

Anyone screwing up a Faux propaganda fest is to be lauded, not attacked.

Megan Kelly is a right wing propaganda reader. All this praise of her here is disgusting. She's going to be catapulting the propaganda for years. Trump will disappear soon enough.

Trump is calling Faux on their manipulation of news. That is a good thing.

I hope he runs a debate on another network concurrently with the Faux debate. He could debate jeb?, chrispy, and the rest of the kiddy table brigade. His ratings would kill Faux's.

[LittleBlue]

32. Damn. That must mean his internal polling shows he's got Iowa

Or at least has a comfortable enough lead that he doesn't need to risk a debate. The nomination looks in the bag for him at this point, barring some unforeseen turn of events. If he manages to win Iowa that means he'll probably win easily in NH. Then the momentum should let him virtually run the table on the remaining states.

Shocking result when you consider how funny his candidacy was 1 year ago.

[kacekwl]

35. There is no way he will pass on

free air time. He will be there with bells on .

[mwooldri]

37. He's getting free air time already.

After all we're talking about him pulling out of the debate, aren't we? I expect more outrageous bull $#!+ from the Dumpster as we approach the debate so the media focus stays on him. He's the reality tv party candidate...

[Ana Hauhet]

39. Bimbo!?

Trump posted Megyn Kelly's GQ photos calling her a bimbo again! but if you image google Melania Trump nude photos see what you get!?

[Ana Hauhet]

40. saw on Yahoo news comment section

someone wrote about googling Melania Trump nude photos in Yahoo site, and they were right! just google using images.

[tinrobot]

41. It's actually kind of brilliant

In this debate, he would have been hammered by the other candidates and forced to defend himself. Playing defense never puts you a candidate in a position of strength

By doing this, he simultaneously avoids the barrage and skips playing defense while still making himself the center of attention, lifting his brand above the fray.