Trump: "Most likely I won't be doing the debate." UPDATE: He's out

[RI]

I probably won't watch if he skips.

[RI]

He's apparently doing a simultaneous fundraiser for veterans in Iowa.

Perfect.

[RI]

Listen, I get that he may get some points for sticking up to the "big bad mainstream media", which amazingly now includes Fox News and Megyn Kelly. But what person, who is going to show up to the caucus and is deciding between Cruz and Trump, is not going to see Trump for the pussy that he is and will not be swayed by Cruz et al laying punches on the absent baby?

How is avoiding a biased establishment circlejerk to do some actual good being a pussy?

[RI]

Listen, I get that he may get some points for sticking up to the "big bad mainstream media", which amazingly now includes Fox News and Megyn Kelly. But what person, who is going to show up to the caucus and is deciding between Cruz and Trump, is not going to see Trump for the pussy that he is and will not be swayed by Cruz et al laying punches on the absent baby?

How is avoiding a biased establishment circlejerk to do some actual good being a pussy?

Because he is afraid of Megyn Kelly?

Hardly. Fox News essentially released a press release mocking him and saying it was open season on Trump. Standing there for two hours while everyone including the moderators beat on you is completely pointless and unfair bullsh*t that no candidate should have to endure. It would be like MSNBC hosting a GOP debate. Absolutely terrible.

Trump is a man among boys for this.

[RI]

Listen, I get that he may get some points for sticking up to the "big bad mainstream media", which amazingly now includes Fox News and Megyn Kelly. But what person, who is going to show up to the caucus and is deciding between Cruz and Trump, is not going to see Trump for the pussy that he is and will not be swayed by Cruz et al laying punches on the absent baby?

How is avoiding a biased establishment circlejerk to do some actual good being a pussy?

Because he is afraid of Megyn Kelly?

Hardly. Fox News essentially released a press release mocking him and saying it was open season on Trump. Standing there for two hours while everyone including the moderators beat on you is completely pointless and unfair bullsh*t that no candidate should have to endure. It would be like MSNBC hosting a GOP debate. Absolutely terrible.

Trump is a man among boys for this.

Fox News Response:
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.

That was from before Trump pulled out. Incredibly unprofessional move on Fox's part.

[RI]

Imagine the headlines: "While GOP attacks him, Trump raises millions for veterans". Pure gold.

[RI]

Basically all Trump had to do is take a knee to win Iowa and he's throwing a pass into double coverage. Bad decision.

Not really. More like he's leading by three with five minutes left in the fourth quarter and instead of playing prevent defense he goes with the Hail Mary.

[RI]

so I'm going to stay home and pout."

lol. If you call fundraising for wounded veterans pouting (i.e. actually making a difference instead of bickering about things that will never get done)...

[RI]

so I'm going to stay home and pout."

lol. If you call fundraising for wounded veterans pouting (i.e. actually making a difference instead of bickering about things that will never get done)...

lol because clearly sincere concern for wounded veterans is what's driving his decision...

So? Sincerity isn't required to help people. Further, I actually think helping veterans is something Trump does care about, even if it isn't as much as he lets on.

[RI]

so I'm going to stay home and pout."

lol. If you call fundraising for wounded veterans pouting (i.e. actually making a difference instead of bickering about things that will never get done)...

lol because clearly sincere concern for wounded veterans is what's driving his decision...

So? Sincerity isn't required to help people. Further, I actually think helping veterans is something Trump does care about, even if it isn't as much as he lets on.

Sure he might legitimately care about helping veterans but that's still obviously not why he's doing this. He's helping veterans as an excuse to skip the debate not skipping the debate so he can help veterans. Thus the crybaby view is accurate. Do you really disagree with any of this?

I don't view it as a "crybaby" move at all.

When you're being led into a trap on hostile ground, standing there and taking it is hardly the best strategy. I view it as a tactical masterstroke: don't let them beat you by playing along with the typical political game, redefine the game on your terms and break your opponents in ways they could never even hope to achieve. The incredible thing is that Trump actually has the gall to go through with it; it's the type of move you only see in television or movies, something Frank Underwood might pull off, not your everyday politico. Trump's campaign has transcended politics into the realm of performance art, and it's incredible to behold.

Does Trump really care? Do any of them really care? I don't know. I don't think it really matters in the end. Everything these politicians do are calculated moves in some way. Cruz, Rubio, Bush, Fox News, Clinton-- they're all playing games, too, they just don't have the imagination to do it on the scale Trump does. Every once in a while it's nice when playing the game actually helps real people along the way.