The first Republican presidential debate, which is being held in Milwaukee and hosted by Fox News, is right around the corner. Donald Trump has not officially declared whether he will attend. However, recent public statements attacking the right-wing propaganda network for showing “the worst pictures of me” feel like a hint in the no-way-Jose direction.
CNN released a hilarious report on some of the “ideas” being bandied about by Trump for alternative programming. Top on Trump’s list of things to do would be calling in to other news networks for short interviews. Another idea would be to do a sit-down interview with fired former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. I wonder if the two would talk about Carlson’s leaked texts where he says he hates Trump “passionately”?
According to Trumpland, Fox News needs Trump more than he needs them. Whether or not he decides to attend, Trump does still desire to have a heavy presence at the debate. Conservative luminaries like Arizona election denier Kari Lake, Florida’s answer to the concept of integrity Rep. Bryon Donalds, and fellow dirtbag Rep. Matt Gaetz have all been pushed as possible on-site surrogates in Wisconsin.
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CNN political reporter Alayna Treene gives the caveat that Trump could decide to appear at the debate, but she adds it is both unlikely at this point and may also be logistically impossible.
Meanwhile, Trump has yet to turn himself in to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to be fingerprinted and arranged on the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charges he and 18 alleged co-conspirators are facing in Georgia. Trump’s legal team is in “ongoing negotiations” about when and how that will all take place.
There is a good chance Trump’s arraignment in Georgia will coincide (give or take a couple of days) with the Republican debate in Wisconsin. While unlikely, it is possible that Trump could choose to turn himself in at the same time the debates take place, which would be a special concoction of vindictiveness and narcissism. It would be an enormous blow to Fox News, for sure, but it would also be a perfect encapsulation of the Republican movement at this moment in time.
Sign the petition: Bar Trump from running for public office.
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'I hate him passionately': Newly revealed Tucker Carlson texts are lots of fun!
Did anything happen while we were all taking a well-deserved break? Something about Donald Trump being indicted not once, but two times! Also in the news: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign collapse. So much is happening!