Trump dumps tomorrow's debate.

I'd like to see an empty podium on the dais to remind Iowans that he didn't feel he needed to speak to them.

Like Reagan did in 1980 when he also skipped the last GOP debate before the Iowa caucuses?

Reagan lost Iowa in 1980.



But there's a big difference btw the two. One is actually a conservative. The other is a charlatan boondoggling conservatives.

Anyone who says security trumps the Constitution has lost my vote. Sorry, but that's the same thing China says...security trumps liberty. Also can't vote for a guy who would ban all Muslims. I am keenly aware of the dangers of someone who thinks religious discrimination would be okay, as any student of Church history should be. Bernie Sanders wants to turn this country into a socialist state. He even has it on his web page that we should prosecute climate change deniers. Sorry, but that is just scary when someone wants to prosecute harmless first amendment rights to speech and thought. I don't even need to talk about Hillary.



When I look at the currently leading candidates I just shake my head. How absolutely stupid have we become as a society? If they are the candidates come general election time I am writing in my own name.

SpiffCoug wrote:
Reagan lost Iowa in 1980.



But there's a big difference btw the two. One is actually a conservative. The other is a charlatan boondoggling conservatives.

So it's okay for conservatives to skip debates, but not for charlatans? What's your point? Is it only acceptable for candidates you support to hold out of debates?



I hate Trump as a candidate, but I love Trump as a disruptive force to the political machine. It's instances like this where he does something that forces a predictable response from the various candidates clamoring for Reagan's mantle as the next "true" conservative--"it's cowardice to withdraw from the debate!", "it's disprespectful to the voting public and will cost him the state/primary/election!", "it's political suicide!", "this shows his contempt for the American people!"--just to come back 12 hours later and remind them that Reagan did the exact same thing. Trump's exposing the Reagan-wannabes for the opportunistic flim-flammers that they are. The difference with Trump is that he embraces his flim-flammery while the other GOP'ers try to fool the voting public.



I think this is a master-stroke by Trump. Fox has been undermined for 8 years by the dissident conservative voices like Limbaugh, Beck, Levin, and others who view Fox as the propaganda arm of the establishment GOP. By picking a feud with Fox, Trump is pandering to the conservatives who want someone to stick a finger in the establishment's eye. Fox cannot leave an empty lecturn on the stage without feeding into Trump's narrative that Fox has it out for him--they did not have an empty podium when Rand Paul held out of an early JV debate on Fox Business, so if they do it for Trump he can make hay out of the different treatment.



Furthermore, he's taking all the oxygen away from the other candidates in the most critical time ahead of the Iowa caucuses. All anyone can talk about is Trump right now, and the debate just took a massive ratings hit, so he has taken free exposure away from the rest of the pack. Meanwhile, his #1 rival is wasting time keeping his promise to visit all 99 Iowa counties this week and weekend. Instead of spending the crucial days before the caucuses in major population centers, Ted Cruz is on a bus trying to visit the least populous 24 counties in the state because he promised he would visit all 99 counties before caucus day without a plan to make it happen in an effective manner. He's spending his days in counties where ~300 republicans caucus instead of the cities where thousands caucus.



Love him or hate him, this was a brilliant move by Trump when he is 30 points ahead of the people complaining about him doing what Reagan did before his landslide election in 1980.

Reagan also regretted skipping the debate and fired his campaign manager after he lost Iowa and who had helped persuade him to skip the debate.



Trump is an awful candidate is simply the next step in the destruction of the republic. He does not believe in the American system. He may believe in America, but he believes in Trump's system. He will further usurp power from the other branches. He will cut deals with those who don't have America's best interests in mind.



He may be a "great" president, but he could be catastrophic to those who actually oppose Obama's agenda.



And Trump's fight shouldn't be with a moderator, it should be with the GOP establishment and leadership who set up these debates. The GOP should control the debates, the locations, the times, the format, the moderators. Not the media. The GOP should sell the broadcast rights to their debates to the various networks who will then cover the debate as observers and reporters.

Cougarfan87 wrote:
Anyone who says security trumps the Constitution has lost my vote. Sorry, but that's the same thing China says...security trumps liberty. Also can't vote for a guy who would ban all Muslims. I am keenly aware of the dangers of someone who thinks religious discrimination would be okay, as any student of Church history should be. Bernie Sanders wants to turn this country into a socialist state. He even has it on his web page that we should prosecute climate change deniers. Sorry, but that is just scary when someone wants to prosecute harmless first amendment rights to speech and thought. I don't even need to talk about Hillary.



When I look at the currently leading candidates I just shake my head. How absolutely stupid have we become as a society? If they are the candidates come general election time I am writing in my own name.

I promised my boys that if Trump is the nominee we are getting these bumper stickers for our cars...



http://ih0.redbubble.net/image.117291871.2428/flat,800x800,075,f.u2.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">



Although I'm thinking of getting one that says "twirling twirling twirling towards freedom....

Well - Donald Trump lost the Iowa Primary tonight to Ted Cruz. Maybe it wasn't such a "wise" move by "the Donald" to skip the Iowa debate - in hindsight.



And, on the Dem side - Bernie Sanders is giving Hillary a run for her money. Too close to call.

I'm thinking Rubio is going to the be the Republican Nomination.

Ddawg wrote:
And, on the Dem side - Bernie Sanders is giving Hillary a run for her money. Too close to call.

It's too close call because we're still waiting for the results from the FBI and Department of Justice precincts to report.

Plus the deceased votes are still coming in.

Bernie is a true socialist. He shared his victory equally with Hillary.

hawkwing wrote:
I'm thinking Rubio is going to the be the Republican Nomination.

I think you're right, and I could live with that. Not necessarily my first choice, but definitely better than Trump, Sanders, or Clinton.

Of all the candidates that have a chance, I like Cruz the best. Unfortunately, with as much attention as Iowa gets, they don't choose winners. Santorum 2012 anyone?