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Subscribe to RSSDonald Trump withdrew Tuesday as the moderator of a debate planned for later this month in Iowa, citing his interest in possibly still running for president as an independent.
Trump pulled out of a debate he had planned to host along with the conservative magazine Newsmax, scheduled for Dec. 27, just days before the Iowa caucuses. All the GOP presidential candidates save for Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum said they would not participate.
"The Republican Party candidates are very concerned that sometime after the final episode of The Apprentice, on May 20th, when the equal time provisions are no longer applicable to me, I will announce my candidacy for President of the United States as an Independent and that, unless I conclusively agree not to run as an Independent, they will not agree to attend or be a part of the Newsmax debate scheduled for December 27, 2011," Trump said in a statement. "It is very important to me that the right Republican candidate be chosen to defeat the failed and very destructive Obama Administration, but if that Republican, in my opinion, is not the right candidate, I am not willing to give up my right to run as an Independent candidate. Therefore, so that there is no conflict of interest within the Republican Party, I have decided not to be the moderator of the Newsmax debate. The American people are embarrassed by the gridlock currently taking place in Washington. I must leave all of my options open because, above all else, we must make America great again!"
It's not clear whether any debate with Newsmax will go forward at all. Trump thanked Gingrich and Santorum for their willingness to participate nonetheless.
"I would like to thank Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum for having the courage, conviction, and confidence to immediately accept being a part of the Newsmax debate. I believe this would not only have been the most watched debate, but also the most substantive and interesting debate!" he said.
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One would be hard pressed to determine whether Trump, or Gingrich, is the more unstable bloviator. Fortunately, we have better things to do with our time than trying to figure it out.
I don't know how Trump can bow out and miss a pivatol debate in Iowa. After all, look at the talent and wisdom that will be on stage. We can listen once again to Herman Cain, Michelle Bachman, Ricky Perry and Newt. It is very similar to listening to Larry, Moe and Curly when I was a child.
Really, Donald, you got your $$ the old fashioned way...you inherited it. Plus, God Save the King of Capitalism....by filing bankruptcy, as he once did.
Please go away and for goodness sake, you would not be a distraction...but your hair certainly is!!
If he thinks America is tired of the Washington Gridlock....push that to the back burner...we are tired of your bully tactics and raging ego. Can you fix the government, sure by holding a crowning ceremony, with your 1/2 your age 3rd wife, we know you like em young, so you can mold them. Show up with the trophy on your arm, get them pregnant to evoke your fertility, as we all know men who need to be recognized for their sperm value are "All Man"and the envy of their other Old man friends. Biology 101.
Get over yourself. The rest of the U.S. does not care about you or your "I need to hear the sound of my own voice" ideology.
A legend in his own mind. To me he is just a circus clown
This would be great. Trump would siphon off enough of the radical right wing moron vote to insure the failure of whichever GOP candidate makes it to the nomination.
I LOVE IT!
Run Trump Run. Run with the support of the voices inside your head that say YOU are the greatest person ever lived. Run Trump Run.
The Donald, candidate for the Very Silly Party. At one point, merely a member of the Silly Party, the Donald felt that it's participants and positions just weren't silly enough - and most importantly, would have no chance at defeating the candidate from the Sensible Party. And, there you have it: The Very Silly Party & The Donald - a match only the most inane could love.
With the mess the Republican policies got us into, beginning with Reagan and "governments the problem" and the Nordquist move to starve the beast followed by Bush-Cheney's diastrous policies you would think they would offer something better than a panel of clowns for 2012. "Have you no shame?"
People - it's time for a change...in government. I've had enough with "business leaders" saying they can fix the government or left leaning democrats saying we need more or better government. We need use the authority that is granted to us by our fore fathers to institute a change in the government as a whole. Government isn't supposed to be a business - and in a sense it isn't, which is why the so-called business leaders fail at "fixing" government. Business is business where the goal is profit for the owner. It would be one thing if we all had a say in our "democratic" government, where we were all part of the ownership of the country - but that isn't how it works.
Democrats, republicans, tea party, green - anyone from any side that goes in to the government gets stuck working with the mess that both parties created and don't want to change - because that would mean their very own existence would be in jeopardy.
We need to make service to the country mandatory for all, and make service in government short term (2 years max) with no re-election ability. Serve your time, work towards the good of all, get out and continue living your own life. End the bureaucratic bs on both sides and turn this ship around, making government serve us - the people, not business interests, political interests, personal interests.
Has Trump's mental illness ever been diagnosed? Does anyone know what he suffers from?
Yes he's been diagnosed. It's called Jameyism smugitis, among other names, depending on where you grew up. Many appear on first read on a regular basis.
Delusions of grandeur, narcissistic personality, overweening bombastic blowhard bully (I can think of several TPGOP "politicians" who fit that description!), inferiority complex, wears weasels on his head.....etc. Take your pick.
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
hmm just last night he said he would go on with it
Now it is time for NBC to announce they will not air any future instalments of The Apprentice until after the Election. Trump should not be allowed to use his show as a personal ad for himself as long as there is a chance he may run.
Man-Sized Safe: Good point.
Good point.
I've never watched his show (I tried once, but couldn't do it) but I would think it would be easily replaced by home videos of cats doing cute things.
can we stand the wait until May 2012 of learning if America's future will be preserved because of the magnificent Donald giving up his lucrative business just to save us, you and me, from the imminent peril we all face because of the failed policies of McConnell, oops i mean Boehner, oops i did it again I meant Obama.
Thank You Donald
He's a smart guy after all. Rush Limbaugh is taking his place................
Maybe the can get Rush Limbaugh or Hermann Cain.....
I think Donald would be a faboulous President...of Botswana
I don't think that the Botswainians would appreciate that.
What a joke! He has no shame, of course we all knew that. Just an absolute dweeb.
Poor li'l Donny, nobody loves him. He want's so much to be king of the hill and loved by all but he is shunned time and again by people, especially really important people as well as nobodies. He'll finally get the message and go back to one of his expensive estates or high rise penthouse and sulk.
Hey Donald! Please run man... You have no idea how bad we want you to run and suck a few million votes away from the Republican candidate. By runnning, you are, singlehandedly, guaranteeing the re-election of President Obama... you'll be the Ross Perot of 2012, the new Don Petrump! Then after, you can stand in front of the cameras and claim credit for electing Obama to another four year term!!! You can't let opportunities to display your massive ego before America like this one pass you by, so by all means run for President, can't wait to see you make a complete equine rectum of yourself before the whole world.
It's idiots like Trump that make me mad at billionaires. How can they be so rich, yet so stupid? In thinking over this, I find myself wondering if perhaps this is just a case of looking stupid deliberately so that when he's in a business deal, people will underestimate him.
On the other hand, from knowing numerous egotistical successful people somewhat like him, they really are stupid in some ways, but cunningly, brilliantly smart in others. Sort of like they are actually business idiot savants.
Oh Darn it! and I was waiting for Trump to judge the Bikini pageant portion of the debate!
Trump is an idiot.
This is the dumbest thing he's done since the last time he said something, which was also dumb.
It's been good entertainment though.
a massive blow to the cause of meglomania. gingrich and the other guy (forget his name) have agreed to debate next week in a mud puddle outside iowa.
I want to know who would feel comfortable doing business with this head case.
His "debate" show went bankrupt.... He really knows how to bankrupt things...