Vox Populi, Trump Style

Trump will skip the Thursday debate, unless he doesn't:

The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that real estate tycoon Donald J. Trump will not attend Fox News' prime-time Republican debate on Thursday. This follows a dispute where Trump requested that Fox remove moderator Megyn Kelly from the event, which the network refused to do. AP announced on Twitter at 4:16 PM:

THE LATEST: Campaign manager says Donald Trump will skip Thursday's GOP debate. https://t.co/gDNCfp79Qa

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) January 27, 2016

But then we get this:

Trump ran a poll starting at 1 PM Thursday asking his followers if he should participate in the debate. As of 7:50 PM Thursday, there were more than 40,000 votes, and only 52 percent of respondents said "Yes."

Yeah, they wrote "only 52 percent" but I read "a majority". Trump is going to disappoint half his followers by backing down from the threat posed by Megyn Kelly? And this comes off as ballsy? Please - just shooting her on Fifth Avenue would be ballsy.

And since you ask - this is showmanship. Art of the Deal. He'll be there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

shoot her on Fifth Avenue.

Comments

[henry]

Cruz challenged him to an unmoderated 90 minute one on one debate cage match.

[henry]

Maybe they think it's one of those senate filibuster votes and he needs 60 for a majority.

[Threadkiller]

Ann Coulter says Michael Moore lives on 5th Avenue.

[Captain Hate]

"Only 52 percent" is more than 2% higher than the largest share of the popular vote that the "extremely popular" Slick received.

[Miss Marple]

Ahem:

T. Becket Adams ‏@BecketAdams 2m2 minutes ago

FYI, I said at the time that the RNC had no choice but to boot NRO. Just not sure why it's playing hands-off with Fox after that statement.
0 retweets 0 likes
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Good question. That snarky tweet was an obvious effort to take sides.

[Jeff Dobbs]

But then we get this:

Trump ran a poll starting at 1 PM Thursday asking his followers

He's a time traveler.

[Miss Marple]

Tony Perkins on Fox endorsing Ted Cruz.

[narciso]

Michael moore, formerly of the norridge I mean flint city council. What eructation is worth him showing up about anything.

[clarice]

well , all the fox fans will be outrages--I know how much the left loves them and the right has not disparaged what it has become, have they>

Shep,
Geraldo

[Miss Marple]

narciso,

Yeah, I wonder why Michael Moore suddenly got an appearance on Kelly.

[Neo]

Hillary Clinton Would Consider Appointing President Obama to Supreme Court

A second Clinton administration could mean a future Justice Barack Obama.

At a campaign event in Deocorah, Iowa on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton lit up when a voter asked her if she would consider appointing the president to the Supreme Court should she win the White House.

"Wow, what a great idea. No one has ever suggested that to me, I love that, wow," the Democratic presidential candidate responded. "He may have a few other things to do but I tell you that's a great idea."

LUN

[Miss Marple]

Rudy Giuliani up on Megyn's show next, to endorse Trump.

[Stephanie]

This post is showing up oddly. Lots of whitespace in the post.

Tom should really do an update with the info that Clarice uncovered and as reported by Tom Lipscomb. It's rather important.

[Stephanie]

If it was Anime, someone best check on Rick Wilson: Motorist Killed Masturbating to Porn On His Phone https://t.co/eh8tKMqCCE via @tsgnews

LOL. poor Rick Wilson.

[Stephanie]

Attribute that to Dan Riehl above...

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Concur Steph.
I was just about to ask someone to link it because I haven't even seen it yet.

[Beasts of England]

It's interesting that Trump is taking a poll, re: his debate appearance. Seems out of character.

[clarice]

He's been using twitter and other social media throughout the campaign--Talking directly to supporters without paying for ads and on the ground pushers or consultants. It's perfectly in character, I think.

[Rick Ballard]

Perhaps he really doesn't want to see week after week of “If you write this one, I’m suing you.” articles in the WaPo and NYT?

If so, it's an interesting blow off.

[Jane on Ipad]

Anything to get attention...

[Jane on Ipad]

He reminds me so much of Obama. Tomorrow: Greek columns.

[Rick Ballard]

WWE rules say he has to be there. Maybe Kelly can wear black tights, cape and mask while Gorgeous Donald sticks with the natural Golden Marmoset bouffant look.

[Threadkiller]

He reminds you of someone who won?

[Jeff Dobbs]

TM finished the post...

And since you ask - this is showmanship. Art of the Deal. He'll be there.

We've been here before, right? Last minute detente giving Trump just enough space to say that he got Ailes to beg (because he's so good at making deals)...

Or are both sides super serial this time?

[Rick Ballard]

He always reminds me of the WWE participants. The "winners" no more than the "losers".

It's just cheap entertainment while he's on stage. Much like a reality infomercial in every respect.

[Buckeye]

Jane

Yes they do have that "look at me" trait in common. It probably is necessary to get the Kardashian vote.

[Miss Marple]

Rick Ballard,

How many people believe wrestling is real?

The name of the game is votes. I think Clarice is right and Trump is operating from a different playbook.

Whether it works or not, we will see.

[clarice]

nytol.

Good grief this is some election year.

[Miss Marple]

clarice,

Good night, and boy are you right!

[Rick Ballard]

I wanna see Ailes bang Trump's head on a ring post a few times or at least break a prop chair over his head. Then Trump can use his secret grip and force Ailes into submission.

[Threadkiller]

Cruz could wear his Maple Leaf Matryoshka doll costume to the cage match.

[Threadkiller]

Sleep well, clarice.

[Threadkiller]

http://freedomoutpost.com/2016/01/constitutional-expert-dr-edwin-vieira-says-ted-cruz-is-not-eligible-for-us-presidency/

[Miss Marple]

I am on my way to bed, too.

Good night!

[Threadkiller]

MM, I wonder if this is the image missing from TM's in the "white space":

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

Is President Trump going to run a twitter poll before every major policy decision?

So Fox was "unprofessional" for slapping Trump with a snarky tweet. He started it and can hardly complain when somebody else decides to forego the "rules" of the game.

Its like in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid when the big goon challenges Butch to a knife fight. Butch says "Well, hold on, we gotta decide what the rules are." The big goon says "Rules? In a knife fight?" Butch says "OK, no rules" and kicks him in the balls. Fox just kicked Trump in the balls.

[Threadkiller]

Fox stooped to Trump's level so we should forgive Fox, not Trump?

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

Live with it, TK. It's the world you wanted.

[Lurker Susie]

Fox invited a Muslim activist who compared Trump to Hitler to ask a question at Thursday's debate. Also asked an illegal immingrant who was brought here "through no fault of her own". per breitbart. Fair and balanced or a set up for ......JEB?

[Stephanie]

Fox is supposed to be ethical. An uncommon concept in journalism nowadays, but the journalists I follow (as opposed to the pundits) are outraged... at Fox. The snark is not becoming for a NEWS organization. They have successfully made themselves the story and have violated rule #1. Plus, they have exposed the back story of Ailes v the Murdoch kids and why the front end of Fox seems so whacked out lately. The infighting is spilling over to the news.

Betting Ailes and his assistant are toast. Since Rush is close to Ailes, his take could be interesting tomorrow.

And as usual... the pundits on FB have totally missed the real story. Shallow Cals all.

[Threadkiller]

I'm not the one complaining about it.

As far as the world I wanted? I wanted a world full of people with enough backbone to not elect an ineligible candidate to fundamentally change this country.

Instead they only had enough spine to schreech "loon" or "nativist."

Here is something to get used to, the most prominent birther stands a good chance of becoming POTUS.

[Threadkiller]

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/01/26/urgent-reminder-why-donald-trump-battles-the-fox-news-machine/

[Dave (in MA)]

Campaign manager says Donald Trump will skip Thursday's GOP debate.

[boatbuilder, Esq., Lord of All He Surveys]

My mistake. It sure sounded like you were complaining. So you're good with Fox, then?

Good night.

[Threadkiller]

?

[Threadkiller]

Watching Hannity having a thoughtful conversation with Dr Carson. Carson just warms my heart everytime I hear him.

He had a 90% plus white crowd behind him, yet we are to believe the country is divided beyond repair.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3418491/Ammon-Bundy-arrested-three-fellow-militiamen-shots-fired-Oregon-stand-off.html

[Sue]

Well, Trump has lost my husband's support. And he was all in for Trump. This might backfire on the great negotiator.

[Threadkiller]

"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," 

[jimmyk]

So government offices in DC have been closed since noon on Friday and won't finally open until noon tomorrow. Has anyone noticed?

I do hope they were able to put barricades up around the memorials.

[hrtshpdbox]

"It's interesting that Trump is taking a poll, re: his debate appearance."

It's a win-win; those who vote "yes" are saying that they can't get enough of Trump outlining how he'll make America great again, those who vote "no" are saying "stick it to FOX and anyone else who doesn't give you enough respect".

[hrtshpdbox]

"Tomorrow: Greek columns."

He's already got the props ready to go, he just has to borrow them from the lobbies of his hotels.

[boris]

It wouldn't surprise me if Trump takes up the Cruz challenge. It would make great PR for an eventual Trump/Cruz run.

The odds of them running the table together look pretty good to me.

Also about conservatives ... who I don't claim to be or speak for ... seems like voting McCain and Romney were pretty good practice for pretzel twisting.

[daddy]

Former Ambassador John Bolton was on with Lou Dobbs tonight and they spent a fun few minutes discussing Trump bailing out of the FOX Debate. Here's the link of the full 3 minute 37 seconds. Fox's John Bolton Cheers Donald Trump's Decision To Not Attend Upcoming Republican Debate

The link from Mediate only transcribed the first minute or so, but I think the finish was valuable, as Bolton has some reasoning I haven't yet seen mentioned anywhere else.

Bolton: ...I think the larger stakes down the road is what he has his eye on.

Lou: You want to uhhh perhaps speculate, uhhh the specificity of what he's seeking?.

Bolton: Well I think in a general Election Campaign theres a lot more in terms of how the debates go, who the questioners are, and so on and so forth. If he has threatened before to boycott a Debate but never done it, i think his bargaining leverage in the general Election is much lower. If he's actually walked away from a Debate If he's actually walked away from a Debate, whatever Media may do those Election Debates has to take seriously the prospect he just may not show up for one of those.
---------------------------------

Worth listening to the whole thing to see how and why Bolton can wind up at that conclusion, but it is interesting to consider this as Trump trying to ensure that there's not going to be another Candy Crowley with her fat foot on the scales of Fairness in the General.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

A few months ago I would have dismissed the idea Trump might think that far ahead.
Not anymore.

[Thomas Collins]

I wouldn't dismiss it either, Ignatz. But I think, even if Fox stands firm on having Kelly as a questioner, Trumpster will decide to join the debate. I think he'll ultimately decide that there is a substantial risk that many of his supporters will think he's a wuss for taking his casino chips and sulking home because he can't stand up to Meanie Megyn!