Donald Trump who was to moderate a GOP presidential debate on December 27, 2011, has cancelled the debate because only two of the candidates, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum agreed to show up.
Donald Trump released the following 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,” he said in a statement. “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.”
Donald Trump, who has threatened to run as an Independent for president if he couldn’t find a candidate that he could support, faced backlash from the Republican National Committee and Karl Rove for moderating a debate while also saying that he might run as an independent if he could not find a candidate to support.
The GOP establishment was complaining that the debate resembled Trumps reality TV show Celebrity Apprentice and that it was not befitting for a republican candidate to attend his debate and look like a contestant rather than a candidate.
The Iowa caucuses are three weeks away on January 3, 2012, but there is still one debate scheduled for Thursday December 15, 2011 hosted by Fox “News”.
For a complete schedule of the GOP presidential primary debates, click here.