Trump will skip Republican debate on Thursday due to beef with Megyn Kelly

[nanook12]

This is the big bad republican alpha male that I hear so much about? Ha! What a weenie.

[Chingylol]

It's definitely tactical. He's already in such a lead among the other Repub candidates that it's not worth the chance of him going out there and messing up. The Megyn Kelly thing is just a well timed excuse.

This "could" backfire on him though abit if Cruz has a really strong showing on Thursday, but I'm sure his team has weighed the risks.

[Ausr]

It's definitely tactical. He's already in such a lead among the other Repub candidates that it's not worth the chance of him going out there and messing up. The Megyn Kelly thing is just a well timed excuse.

This "could" backfire on him though abit if Cruz has a really strong showing on Thursday, but I'm sure his team has weighed the risks.

You bet your ass they're going to bounce all over him and there's nothing he can do unless he changes his mind last second.

[soulzek]

Amusing. A blonde bimbo talking head scares him from participating in a debate. Can't imagine what he would do with some of the tough world leaders. Head to the bunker?

The other network offered him more money to appear. It's really not that hard to see the obvious.

[Rocko9]

It's definitely tactical. He's already in such a lead among the other Repub candidates that it's not worth the chance of him going out there and messing up. The Megyn Kelly thing is just a well timed excuse.

This "could" backfire on him though abit if Cruz has a really strong showing on Thursday, but I'm sure his team has weighed the risks.

+1 I wouldn't show up to something where someone is going to intentionally be a bitch to me and try to make me look bad or worse than I am for hours.

[Kontinuum]

[Drakain]

They probably edited out the part where he called Kelly a fat cow bimbo.

[announced]

So... if Trump becomes POTUS, is he going to skip out on a summit with someone like Putin, because he doesn't like them?

Real maturity there, lol.

just so you know, Putin supports Trump. As for whether or not Trump would skip a summit, its unclear at this time since hes not the POTUS but if I were to guess I'd say he would appear out of necessity. Hes chosing the battlegrounds right now, and not playing into Fox's hands. The fact that he wont be there for the Fox debate means pretty much no one will watch it.

[ringpriest]

100% sure he is not actually pulling out because of 'haters' but as a calculated move.

It is no secret the GOP establishment is out to get him, badly.
He has very little gain to by participating in the debate and a lot to lose.
So instead he pulls out and does another event at the same time to does something his fans will love like raising money for veterans.

Nice, easy and safe.

his fight with Fox and Kelly just provides a convenient excuse to use.

Actually, the GOP old guard has been going quite easy on Trump lately - they all hate Cruz with the burning fury of a thousand suns, and have been grudgingly saying "Better Trump than Cruz" one after another. Prima Donald is pretty clearly skipping the debate out of ego and pique; FOX News won't let him bully them, so he's taking his toys and going home.

[Heladys]

He's a chump, but his idiot fanbase will eat it up. Fox meanwhile will try to pretend that they have some actual news credibility as a result, and their own fanbase will eat it up.

It's a win-win for both of them.

[ringpriest]

<giant image snipped>

His campaign put out a statement Tuesday night confirming the candidate “will not be participating in the FOX News debate and will instead host an event in Iowa to raise money for the Veterans and Wounded Warriors.

How much money has multi-billionare Trump previously donated to Veterans and Wounded Warriors? Or is that something he only does when trying to hide from the criticism of those he thoughtlessly insulted previously?

Opportunistically hiding behind veterans to mask his own failed bullying and raging egotism is the sort of cheap theater that we all should expect to see from a narcissistic, draft-dodging chickenhawk like Trump.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know a single injured vet who served post-9/11 who ever recieved anything from Wounder Warriors, either. For a big name charity, they sure don't seem to put out much >.>

Then again, with the "revelation" that the Susan B Komen Foundation and most other major charities often keep in excess of 60% of their revenues, I can't say I'm terribly surprised.

Sadly, 60% is rather low for the "charity industry" - many of them keep 90% or more of the money they raise (I once worked briefly for one that took great pride in "only" taking 50% for overhead.)

[warzerotwo]

Good, more air time for Rand Paul.

The 'libertarian' that wanted to restrict gay marriage and immigration?

[Sir Andy]

See, Rand Paul could afford to skip the debate because he got put at the little kids' table debate that no one would watch.

I don't see Trump having the same fortune. Everyone else on that stage will get a chance to talk without his ego dominating the time.

Which is good because Donald Trump is a petulant cunt.

Bullshit statement by Trump campaign

That's the sign of a man with Donald's phallus down his throat.

[Nathreim]

It wasn't just Kelly. Murdoch was dogging him for a while.

This is actually a good political move on his part. Hes winning already he could only lose in the debate so instead he pulls out and does a benefit for Vets which will be covered by CNN and every other news organization. Not only will he pull attention away from the debate and his rivals but look how much publicity hes getting right now.

On top of that the key to winning Iowa has always been personal appearances not debates on news networks.

[Nadiru]

Actually, the GOP old guard has been going quite easy on Trump lately - they all hate Cruz with the burning fury of a thousand suns, and have been grudgingly saying "Better Trump than Cruz" one after another. Prima Donald is pretty clearly skipping the debate out of ego and pique; FOX News won't let him bully them, so he's taking his toys and going home.

No they aren't, and no they haven't. Trump's skipping the debate because he wants to cow Fox into submission. It'll work because the media's time horizon is my next tinkle and they really can't afford to not have a bombastic personality like Trump show up.

[KrazyK923]

While I think his political beliefs are disgusting and he's generally an awful human being, he's really savvy in getting attention in exactly the way he wants.

Even when he's in the wrong, he's going to end up coming out looking better and making Fox look petty. And it's because he's raising money for Wounded Warriors.

[Flutterguy]

More air time for the other candidates. Fine with this. Won't be a game of grab ass with Trump for 3 hours.

[corebit]

Smart move by Trump.

He knows 1.) he doesn't do too well in debates, 2.) he already has a widening lead over the rest of the GOP candidates, 3.) he calculates that everyone will try to "gotcha" and put him down in this last debate as a last ditch effort right before Iowa caucus, 4.) with him absent, everyone will be aiming their guns in the direction of Ted Cruz, his main opponent.

It's a win/win for Trump. The whole Megyn Kelly feud was just an excuse.

[truckboattruck]

While I think his political beliefs are disgusting and he's generally an awful human being, he's really savvy in getting attention in exactly the way he wants.

Even when he's in the wrong, he's going to end up coming out looking better and making Fox look petty. And it's because he's raising money for Wounded Warriors.

what is so disgusting about empirical evidence?
which back up his claims, btw.

[muto]

Good. I hope she moderates all the other debates too.