# Trump to skip debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 27, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323 "2016-01-27T00:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/201 "2016-01-29T04:08:47Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > According to [this article](http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/28/politics/donald-trump-fox-news-apologized/index.html) from CNN, Trump is saying Fox apologized for the mocking tweet that caused all the trouble and couldn’t have been nicer. But he said it was too late, and compared his decision to skip the debate with the way he’d run the country: _“I wanted to fight for myself just like I’ll fight for the country. You have to stick up for yourself, you have to fight for yourself and you have to fight for your country.”_ > > Still, he’s not letting Megyn Kelly off the hook. [This](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZzddpVWEAABrcD.jpg), from his Twitter feed. > > Burn. Looks like she’s passing gas in the right hand shot. Still preferable to listening to Trump. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/202 "2016-01-29T04:43:35Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > According to [this article](http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/28/politics/donald-trump-fox-news-apologized/index.html) from CNN, Trump is saying Fox apologized for the mocking tweet that caused all the trouble and couldn’t have been nicer. But he said it was too late, and compared his decision to skip the debate with the way he’d run the country: _“I wanted to fight for myself just like I’ll fight for the country. You have to stick up for yourself, you have to fight for yourself and you have to fight for your country.”_ So he says. But his entire history shows that the one and only thing Trump has ever stood up for is Trump. Yeah, Trump is going to “fight for his country” like he fights for himself. Right. He’s going to fight for his country like he fought for it in Vietnam. He’s going to fight for his country like he fought for his own damn companies with his own brand and his own name on them when they were sinking. And when they failed, he took everything he could personally get out of them and left others holding the bag and the smoking wreckage. Whenever anything goes wrong with anything Trump is involved in, he finds ways of blaming others and, even better, blaming others while building up his own image and inflating his own ego even further. Yeah. Trump is going to fight for his country. > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Still, he’s not letting Megyn Kelly off the hook. [This](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZzddpVWEAABrcD.jpg), from his Twitter feed. The debacle with Megyn Kelly wasn’t about Trump saying anything about “objectifying women”. I don’t even remember that part and I doubt anyone else does. Trump isn’t that nuanced. That was never the issue. The issue was when Kelly asked him about his misogynistic comments and tweets, about calling women “fat,” “pigs” and that a contestant on his TV show _The Apprentice_ would look better on her knees. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/203 "2016-01-29T05:16:33Z")
[ > [@](#): > > Fox explained that its “satirical observation” was made in order to stop attacks on Kelly. The network said Trump offered to appear at the debate if Fox agreed to contribute $5 million to his charities. > > “We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason,” Fox said in the statement. “In the last 48 hours, we’ve kept two issues at the forefront - we would never compromise our journalistic standards and we would always stand by our journalist, Megyn Kelly.” ]([http://www.wnem.com/story/31086698/trump-says-fox-apologized-to-him-in-feud](http://www.wnem.com/story/31086698/trump-says-fox-apologized-to-him-in-feud)):rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/204 "2016-01-29T09:41:56Z")
They have journalistic standards? Who knew? They must keep them in a locked vault where nobody who works there can use 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/205 "2016-01-29T14:11:04Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Ha! Duke University just released a statement saying “We are now aware that the Trump organization has grossly overticketed our venue. Fire Code only allows a maximum of 750 people”. There is going to be a crapload of people to turn away, though I think they’ve set up some big screens outside. Drake, not Duke. But I guess that means it did “sell out,” in a sense. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/206 "2016-01-29T14:46:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > They have journalistic standards? Who knew? > > They must keep them in a locked vault where nobody who works there can use 'em. You don’t want them laying around where just anybody can get at them. FOX can always pull them out and polish them off for special occasions like . . . umm . . . Look, I’ll get back to you, OK? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/207 "2016-01-29T16:00:17Z")
FWIW the debate did better in [ratings](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tv-ratings-fox-news-debate-860284) without him it than I thought it would. > [@](#): > > Donald Trump may have been conspicuously absent, but Thursday night’s Republican debate on Fox News Channel nevertheless scored a 8.4 rating, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen. That’s higher than the preliminary rating for the last Republican debate, Jan. 14 on sister net Fox Business Network. Several times more viewers than tuned into the Trump event all channels that carried it combined. Again what matters is not the absolute number but the who. Did the unsures, the winnable or losable GOP voters, tune in to one or the other? And then if they did, was the opportunity taken advantage of or squandered? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/208 "2016-01-29T16:21:57Z")
Then the question becomes how many adoring fans were tuning in and how many lining up to see the freak show? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/209 "2016-01-29T16:24:12Z")
Why can’t I be both? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/210 "2016-01-29T16:28:56Z")
You could, but encouraging your own schizophrenia is not good mental hygiene. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/211 "2016-01-29T16:35:13Z")
Yes Trump lost the raw numbers ratings war, that would have been quite a coup. Looks like the two networks (CNN&MSNBC) that carried his rally got 1/4 of the ratings the debate did. Still, maybe not a total loss. That 25% watched 2 hours of Trump, while the Fox viewers were seeing 7 guys (who were often talking about Trump). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/212 "2016-01-29T16:55:07Z")
Did any of this change anyone’s mind, about anything? Trump took Old Gory as a tortilla and made himself into a patriotic burrito. But if he was so hot to help veterans, he could have staged his telethon at any time in the preceding _years!_…but didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/213 "2016-01-29T17:18:36Z")
You live in a country where patriotism means wearing a flag lapel pin. Nobody is going to notice that this was a blatant attempt to win some vicarious military kudos. Nobody voting in the GOP primaries, at least. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/214 "2016-01-29T17:19:05Z")
OMG, now that you mention it this could have just been a staged political move. For shame, Trump, for shame. For the record, they did some polling and some people thought “bravo for standing up to Fox” some thought “he’s ducking the interview”. So maybe it changed some minds but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/215 "2016-01-29T18:05:50Z")
Anybody know if the candidates might have known that the video-montage thing was coming? Because if they did, then _not being there at all_ turned out to be the ideal way to duck it. Cruz and Rubio both took some direct hits from those montages, and Trump surely would have as well if he’d been there. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/216 "2016-01-29T19:03:43Z")
I assume they are going to throw a fit and insist there be no such montages at future debates. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/217 "2016-01-29T19:20:15Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Anybody know if the candidates might have known that the video-montage thing was coming? Because if they did, then _not being there at all_ turned out to be the ideal way to duck it. Cruz and Rubio both took some direct hits from those montages, and Trump surely would have as well if he’d been there. > [@SlackerInc](#): > > I assume they are going to throw a fit and insist there be no such montages at future debates. No frigging shit. How dare they throw my own words up on the video screen!?! Don’t know if Trump got a tip off but the recent Super PAC ad campaign highlighting his old pro-choice, Clinton loving ways might have triggered his spidey-senses. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/218 "2016-01-29T20:05:48Z")
For sure Trump got tipped off that Kelly was going to use past video of each candidate against what they say now. He dodged his embarrassing “liberal” ways while Rubio and Cruz got to wallow in their own filth. It’s a two-fer for Trump. Cruz looks bad even when Trump isn’t in the room. And Rubio looks like the punk he’s always been. But it was a win for the voter, finally these guys actually had a debate instead of an insult fest. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/219 "2016-01-29T20:13:49Z")
I saw the one bit with Cruz saying he’d take on Trump one on one Lincoln -Douglas style. Is it just me or does that not make him look like a serious weenie. “I’ll beat you just like I beat those jerks in my high school debate club!”. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323/220 "2016-01-30T01:33:16Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Yes Trump lost the raw numbers ratings war, that would have been quite a coup. Looks like the two networks (CNN&MSNBC) that carried his rally got 1/4 of the ratings the debate did. Still, maybe not a total loss. That 25% watched 2 hours of Trump, while the Fox viewers were seeing 7 guys (who were often talking about Trump). C-SPAN also covered the Trump rally, which skews the total viewership numbers and market share percentages . I don’t believe C-SPAN collects those statistics??? \*9:16pm Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Rally in Des Moines, Iowa 1 hour, 1 minute Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Mr. Trump declined to participate in a Republican presidential primary debate taking place that same evening and arranged this rally to raise money for veterans. Fellow candidates, former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR) and former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), also spoke at the event, along with campaign supporters and wounded veteran advocates. Governor Huckabee and Senator Santorum, who participated in an earlier debate that evening, did not participate in the later debate that took place at the same time as Mr. Trump’s event.\* [http://www.c-span.org/schedule/?date=2016-01-28](http://www.c-span.org/schedule/?date=2016-01-28) The big plus with C-SPAN is the lack of commercials and there are no talking heads talking over the main stage speakers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-to-skip-debate/744323.md?page=12)