Look, I get it. At the local level, it's certainly no different than a local GOP candidate blowing off the Columbian editorial board: can you imagine a true conservative wasting their time in front of Lefty Lou Brancaccio and his gang?
You go in there knowing that no matter what you say, they're going to try and twist it, exaggerate it and then find yourself in a situation like Sen. Don Benton back in 2000:
When they hate you, they hate you.
So, Trump believes the last time he did a FOX News debate, their purpose generally and Megyn Kelly's purpose particularly was to damage the Donald personally... individually... because he's not on their list of acceptable candidates.
It doesn't matter if it's true: the perception is the reality and that's the reality of Trump's perception.
After all, look who Kelly brought on to her show to help her beat the hell out of Trump:
Of course, the simple solution would be to dump Kelly from the reporters holding the interrogation.
Millions of viewers are going to blow this off (as I have blown every one of the debates off, given how worthless I believe them all to be) because Trump isn't going to be there; after all, save for whining about Trump and ganging up on him, what are you going to hear during this debate that hasn't been said before... repeatedly... ad infinitum?
Stubborn people are involved here. The question is, however, who needs who the most?
Does Trump need FOXNews? Or does FOXNews need Trump?
Opponents of Trump are all lathered up over his decision to bail on what he likely believes to be a replay of the first FOXNews debacle... where Kelly became the news instead of facilitating it in ways that mattered.
They use terms like Trump is "afraid," and they demand "one on one " debates.
Viewing it in strictly political and media terms, if Trump and Cruz, for example, were to have a tête-à-tête in front of a few million people... who would benefit from that the most?
Cruz, of course. The entire point of all of this is for Cruz, et al, to try and tear Trump down. Time's a wasting, and they ain't got much of it left.
Of course, much the same things Trump's opponents are saying about him were said about Reagan when he blew off the last debate before the Iowa Caucuses in 1980.
How'd that work out for them?
So, who wins in this scenario?
What are the talking heads babbling about this morning? Who is their main subject, every 5 minutes or so? On likely all networks and all TV News shows?
Trump. Trump, once again, has become the center of the news universe.
For months now, THE political story has been Trump... followed closely by the inevitable flame out of HillBilly.
The man is a master manipulator of those who typically like to manipulate the most. He has scored tens of millions of dollars worth of free publicity. He's giving a clinic on how to get the media to do your bidding... for free... the euphemistic "earned media" that candidates live to get at least a puddle sized amount... in this case, in comparison to Trump's ocean.
How many times have many of these same people blasting Trump for his decision on this debate pronounced his candidacy dead? How many times have they been right?
I could care less if any of these guys (and Carly Fiorina, of course) show up at or do any of these dog and pony shows. I've haven't watched any of them this cycle. I keep going back to Washington State being a political backwater and how, with our May vote, there is little likelihood that our primary will make any difference at all in determining the outcome for either major party.
The idea that Trump "fears" Kelly is as ludicrous as claiming Reagan feared anyone when he skipped the debate; or Benton, Madore or Mielke or any other conservative who views their efforts to get fairness from the Columbian "fears" Brancaccio when, instead, they simply won't go along with his program where he sets them up to beat them down when they, no matter what they so or do, already know that Brancaccio will do his best to destroy them regardless.
That is the local history of our "unbiased" daily democrat swindle sheet. And like it or not, that seems to be the perception of Trump concerning the FOXNews debate.
I reiterate: I am not supporting anyone at this point because it's a fool's errand to do so. I do, however, support many of the ideas and approaches of a Trump or a Cruz or a Carson.
The incessant yammering of those opposed to Trump being "afraid of Megyn Kelly" is a crock. And I believe it's going to cost FOX a hell of a lot more than it's going to cost Trump.
You go in there knowing that no matter what you say, they're going to try and twist it, exaggerate it and then find yourself in a situation like Sen. Don Benton back in 2000:
“...although sincere and well-intentioned, lacks even a rudimentary understanding of the important policy questions for Southwest Washington and the state. About the only attribute in his favor is the fact that he’s not Don Benton. And on that admittedly flimsy basis, we endorse Peterson.”Who would ever want to go back to that kind of jihadist court? What good does it do to discuss the issues with a set of closed minds who would, from all outward appearances, sell their own children to damage those who oppose their political agenda?
When they hate you, they hate you.
So, Trump believes the last time he did a FOX News debate, their purpose generally and Megyn Kelly's purpose particularly was to damage the Donald personally... individually... because he's not on their list of acceptable candidates.
It doesn't matter if it's true: the perception is the reality and that's the reality of Trump's perception.
After all, look who Kelly brought on to her show to help her beat the hell out of Trump:
Of course, the simple solution would be to dump Kelly from the reporters holding the interrogation.
Millions of viewers are going to blow this off (as I have blown every one of the debates off, given how worthless I believe them all to be) because Trump isn't going to be there; after all, save for whining about Trump and ganging up on him, what are you going to hear during this debate that hasn't been said before... repeatedly... ad infinitum?
Stubborn people are involved here. The question is, however, who needs who the most?
Does Trump need FOXNews? Or does FOXNews need Trump?
Opponents of Trump are all lathered up over his decision to bail on what he likely believes to be a replay of the first FOXNews debacle... where Kelly became the news instead of facilitating it in ways that mattered.
They use terms like Trump is "afraid," and they demand "one on one " debates.
Viewing it in strictly political and media terms, if Trump and Cruz, for example, were to have a tête-à-tête in front of a few million people... who would benefit from that the most?
Cruz, of course. The entire point of all of this is for Cruz, et al, to try and tear Trump down. Time's a wasting, and they ain't got much of it left.
Of course, much the same things Trump's opponents are saying about him were said about Reagan when he blew off the last debate before the Iowa Caucuses in 1980.
How'd that work out for them?
So, who wins in this scenario?
What are the talking heads babbling about this morning? Who is their main subject, every 5 minutes or so? On likely all networks and all TV News shows?
Trump. Trump, once again, has become the center of the news universe.
For months now, THE political story has been Trump... followed closely by the inevitable flame out of HillBilly.
The man is a master manipulator of those who typically like to manipulate the most. He has scored tens of millions of dollars worth of free publicity. He's giving a clinic on how to get the media to do your bidding... for free... the euphemistic "earned media" that candidates live to get at least a puddle sized amount... in this case, in comparison to Trump's ocean.
How many times have many of these same people blasting Trump for his decision on this debate pronounced his candidacy dead? How many times have they been right?
I could care less if any of these guys (and Carly Fiorina, of course) show up at or do any of these dog and pony shows. I've haven't watched any of them this cycle. I keep going back to Washington State being a political backwater and how, with our May vote, there is little likelihood that our primary will make any difference at all in determining the outcome for either major party.
The idea that Trump "fears" Kelly is as ludicrous as claiming Reagan feared anyone when he skipped the debate; or Benton, Madore or Mielke or any other conservative who views their efforts to get fairness from the Columbian "fears" Brancaccio when, instead, they simply won't go along with his program where he sets them up to beat them down when they, no matter what they so or do, already know that Brancaccio will do his best to destroy them regardless.
That is the local history of our "unbiased" daily democrat swindle sheet. And like it or not, that seems to be the perception of Trump concerning the FOXNews debate.
I reiterate: I am not supporting anyone at this point because it's a fool's errand to do so. I do, however, support many of the ideas and approaches of a Trump or a Cruz or a Carson.
The incessant yammering of those opposed to Trump being "afraid of Megyn Kelly" is a crock. And I believe it's going to cost FOX a hell of a lot more than it's going to cost Trump.
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