NEWS FLASH: Toss out the conventional wisdom. There is an epedmic (on this subject at least) of good sense spreading in the GOP among the 2012 Presidential wannabes: now Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann have nixed participating in a debate that’ll be televised on ION TV hosted by reality show and famous birther Donald Trump:
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Representative Michele Bachmann have joined other candidates, including Mitt Romney, in passing on Donald Trump‘s Dec. 27 debate in Iowa….
…..Mr. Trump’s involvement has been criticized by some Republican leaders because he has held out the possibility that he might still run for president.
So far, only Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have said they will appear at the debate, which is being hosted by Newsmax, the conservative magazine and Web site, and broadcast on Ion Television on Dec. 27.
Some thoughts:
(Maybe Gingrich will invite Trump to be his running mate…)
Graphic via Shutterstock.com
UPDATE: In what seems like a transparent attempt to gain brownie points, Santorum is blasting those who didn’t kiss Trump’s ring on the debate and who, unlike him, aren’t kissing something on him a further bit down:
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum lashed out at his rivals on Thursday for turning down an invitation to the Donald Trump-moderated debate on December 27.
It now appears the debate will only be between Santorum and the latest frontrunner, Newt Gingrich.
“Many of my opponents jockeyed to be the first to fly up to New York and use Donald Trump for a photo op and no doubt try and secure an endorsement,” Santorum said in a statement. “But when Donald wants to moderate a debate – they refuse to attend. That’s what’s so wrong with politics today – hypocrisy.”
Oh really? Lots of candidates like to get endorsements from celebrities.
Does that mean that if Lady Gaga sees candidates to give her endorsement she gets to moderate a debate?
Frank Sinatra endorsed JFK (yes, I’ve been watching Chris Matthews too much). Should he have been able to moderate a debate?
Hey, if we at TMV drop our rule and endorse someone we really like does that mean can we moderate a debate and they are all obligated to attend? (But that might not work since the cook at Pepe’s Pizzaria in New Haven isn’t running).
Rick, your logic doesn’t make sense.( But, then, that’s not news). MORE:
“At this critical time in our nation’s history, just weeks before Iowan’s cast this important vote – many of the other candidates want to hide behind TV ads and mail pieces,” Santorum continued. “We plan to be there front and center in person to debate Newt directly, and if it’s just the two of us, we’re fine with it.”
That’s fine with the rest of the candidates, too, plus with the bulk of Americans who may find other things more productive to do with their time than watching a Donald Trump hosted debate.
Things such as flossing, taking out the garbage, changing kitty litter, clipping their toenails or searching Google to see where the story is about all that stunning evidence about Barack Obama’s birth certificate that Trump suggested he would uncover.
Oh: and combing their hair. (Hey, Donald, you’ve had some impact.)
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.