Seemingly small events during a presidential debate can snowball and be the difference between winning and losing. President George H.W. Bush’s decision to check his wristwatch on camera during a debate with Bill Clinton and Ross Perot in 1992 didn’t do him any favors, while President Gerald R. Ford’s infamous gaffe about the Soviet Union not being in control of Eastern Europe in 1976 may not have convinced voters that Jimmy Carter was the better choice to lead the country, but it certainly didn’t help Ford in the least.
Former President Donald Trump’s decision not to take part in Wednesday’s presidential debate in Milwaukee could be one of those moments that determine his chances in the primaries and beyond.
Donald Trump Will Not Debate – Will Do Interview Instead
On Friday, Trump announced that he will not attend the debates and instead will engage in a one-on-one interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson who will live stream it via X.
Carlson moved to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter in early June, and continues to outpace cable news in terms of viewership.
That would suggest this is a wise decision by Trump, who can state whatever he likes with a friendly host – although there have been stories that Carlson said he “passionately hates” the former president.
Moreover, Trump will not face direct criticism from his GOP rivals.
A Major Gamble?
Trump is clearly looking to also draw away attention from the debate, but there is still the risk that the strategy could backfire spectacularly for the former president.
As Steven Shepard of Politico.com suggested on Saturday morning, Trump wants to deprive his competitors of any oxygen, but it probably won’t work – at least not as planned.
“As presidential primaries have become more national in scope, debates have arguably been all that’s really mattered in the run-up to the early states. Candidates like Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Ben Carson and Pete Buttigieg surged in the polls after strong showings,” Shepard wrote. “And Fred Thompson, Rick Perry, and Beto O’Rourke stand as cautionary tales of hyped-up candidates who bombed on stage and saw their campaigns crumble months before voting even began.”
Donald Trump may not bomb on stage but he likely won’t get the chance to deliver a kill blow to his rivals either. Moreover, the other GOP hopefuls can take aim at Trump without his chance to hit back.
“The debates will still command larger audiences than anything else the candidates will do over the next six months,” Shepard added. That in turn can catapult a candidate from relative obscurity.
Trump, the Coward?
Blows are already being landed on Trump as well, as former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called Trump a “coward” for refusing to take part. That might not hurt Donald Trump with his base, who seems willing to stand by the former president through thick and thin, but such name-calling has a way to stick in the Trump era.
Coward could be a worse pejorative than even “loser” for Trump.
“Surprise, surprise… the guy who is out on bail from four jurisdictions and can’t defend his reprehensible conduct, is running scared and hiding from the debate stage,” Christie wrote on X. “Trump—certified loser, verified coward.”
Trump will undoubtedly have a lot to say about those taking part in the primary, and his base may stand with him. But the undecided voters will have a chance to consider other options in the first GOP debate.
Author Experience and Expertise: A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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