It’s officially a reality television Republican primary now.
Donald Trump is pairing up with Newsmax, the conservative magazine and news Web site, to moderate a presidential debate in Des Moines on Dec. 27.
“Our readers and the grass roots really love Trump,” said Christopher Ruddy, chief executive of Newsmax Media. “They may not agree with
him on everything, but they don’t see him as owned by the Washington establishment, the media establishment.”
Mr. Trump’s role in the debate, which will be broadcast on the cable network Ion Television, is sure to be one of the more memorable moments in a primary season that has already delivered its fair share of circus-like spectacle.
Mr. Trump’s own flirtation with running for president this year seems almost quaint (whose birth certificate was he all worked up about?) compared with more recent distractions – like allegations of adultery and sexual harassment, gaffes that seemed scripted from a late-night comedy show, and a six-figure line of credit at Tiffany & Co.
But despite being derided by liberals – President Obama likened Mr. Trump to a “carnival barker” for his repeated assertions that the president was actually foreign-born – the real estate mogul is seriously influential in manyRepublican Party circles. And that sway seems especially deep with the party’s conservative base, which will be a decisive factor in the early primaries that are likely to determine the nominee. The debate, which unlike many recent ones will not be limited to a specific topic like national security or the economy, is set to happen just a week before the Iowa caucuses.
Newsmax sent candidates the invitation on Friday afternoon. It began, “We are pleased to cordially invite you to “The Newsmax Ion Television 2012 Presidential Debate,” moderated by a truly great American, Mr. Donald J. Trump.” Spokesmen for several candidates did not immediately respond to questions from The New York Times about whether they would accept.
Though presidential candidates may initially balk at the idea of appearing in a debate where Mr. Trump – with his bombast and The Hair – is the one posing the questions, they may ultimately see it as an invitation they can’t refuse. In fact many of the candidates have already met with him, some more publicly than others. Representative Michele Bachmann has sat down with Mr. Trump several times this year. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas had dinner with him at Jean Georges, the posh Manhattan restaurant. And Mitt Romney paid a visit but carefully avoided being photographed.
And Newsmax is a powerful player itself. It has a broad reach into the conservative base, with monthly Web traffic second only to Fox News among sites with conservative-leaning audiences.
Mr. Trump has been a popular attraction at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the annual gathering in Washington. He was such a successful presence in the eyes of Fox News executives that they added a special weekly segment to their morning show “Fox and Friends” for him called “Mondays With Trump.”
Whether his professed presidential ambitions are genuine or merely a publicity stunt seems not to matter in terms of the news media attention Mr. Trump can command. His highly publicized flirtation with running this year coincided with a Trump-branded product that stood to benefit from all the attention – a new season of his highly rated NBC show “Celebrity Apprentice.”
The arc of his noncampaign was similar in 1987 and 1999 – when Mr. Trump also said that he was considering running for president, episodes that are often forgotten.
His book ”Trump: The Art of the Deal” was published in November 1987 and reached The New York Times best-seller list by December. But by the time theRepublican National Convention rolled around in August 1988, he had opted out.
”Everybody wants me to do it,” he declared then. ”But I have no interest in doing it.”
And in late 1999, just before his book ”The America We Deserve” went on sale, he began courting support as a candidate on the Reform Party ticket. He even toured the country with his girlfriend, Melania Knauss, now his wife. The outcome? You guessed it.
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He should make sure to tell all the candidates to bring their long form birth certificate to the debate so he can have team of investigators check them over.
This should make it apparent to everyone the Republican primary is a joke, as if that wasn’t obvious before now.
I have been hearing on certain channels that terrorists want republicans to win.
The terrorist believe any of those republican dolts would bring down America faster then they could do it.
For example the debt ceiling debate. It was the terrorist wet dream to hold Americas credit ratings by the balls and the republicans did it with such hostage taking technique that the terrorists learned a few lessons from them.
Christian fundamentals and Muslim fundamentals finally found a reason to unite.
Obama was officially endorsed by Hamas in the last election.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=61631
But that’s only because they wanted him to lose, right? Cause Obama is so pro Israel, right?
He’s so pro Israel that he payed 400 Million to Hamas in 2010 so they can kill more women and children.
http://emptysuit.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/obama-support-hamas-with-400m-dollars/
Gettin’ rough in the hood lately.
Let me ask a question? Who gives a shit about Isreal. Here in America we have our own problems. Let the Isrealis and Palestinians deal with there own problems without us getting in between.
This middle east clusterfuck would have been over years ago if Isreal didnt have us by the leash wagging our tails waiting for them to give orders to our politicans on the next move.
Isreal would have negotiated a peace deal and there would be peace.
Also. I dont give a crap about Isreal. Or Palestine. Not because I am liberal, because I dont like religion. Religion is responsible for killing more humans then any other issue in history. Religion scrambles peoples fucking brains.
If Jesus was alive, he would be ashamed to see what his religion has become.
Selective facts.
Since you happen to know where our goverment money goes overseas. Which is such bs. Our money should stay here. To build our nation. Not build Afganistan, or Iraq, or support the hundreds of bases we have overseas.(Ron Paul Supporter)
How much money was given to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Isreal (which doesnt need the money)Pakistan, a bunch of other nations where the money goes to support dictators that will do what we tell them to do, but not help the people in those poor nations.
Pete, you feel the need to write an awful lot about things you claim not to care about 😉
I dissected your own contrary logic in providing the Obama/Hamas/Israel example. You do not seem to get the connection.
not surprising.
leftists never think things through, they just jump from one hilariously emotional assertion to the next without breaking sweat and without realizing they just contradicted themselves, just like you did several times 😉
it would be funny if it wasn’t such a glaring reminder about how little rational thought is taught in today’s grade schools…
“there would be peace.” just lol. have you read the Hamas charta?
http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=20&x_article=1075
Do you think: “fight the Jews and kill them, so that the Jews hide behind trees and stones, and each tree and stone will say: ‘Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him” means they’d agree to any peace that doesn’t include total surrender?
you sure dislike Jews and Christians, but you feel obligated to defend Islam in other posts? curious
LOL oh yesman, like the typical conservative you think you know everything. You are never wrong are you? I have so much to learn. I live in a world that is fantasy and I have so much growing up to do.
Do you like to talk to like minded people? Shun those away that have different points of view? Do you think anyone that doesnt agree with you is lesser minded?
Just as you assume I do not know anything about what I am talking about and you have dissected my mind, I also, know how you think. I have argued with alot of people with your mindset.
So lets see… I am the liberal guy who doesnt love america. I am the enemy. I am being programmed by the left wing media yada yada yada.
I also know, there is no point arguing with people that think they are always correct. And about your facts, you will never be wrong will you? Because I could counter your argument point by point, but you will dig deeper and deeper into history for some irrelevant point, to prove that your right. Even if it has no relevancy to todays lifestyle. So there isnt any point in arguing.
Yesman, I also understand you, the difference is, I dont attack those who have different mindset. Your mentally does.
Sincerely
Dirty Trolly Hippy Gangsta Poor Misguided Fool.
I dont defend Islam, That religion is fucked up just like the Jewish, Christian, Jehovahs witness, any religion that gets people into a cult like mindset.
Also dont try to fuck me and say I do not like Jews. Being anti Isreal is different from Hating Jews. Dont accuse me with hating anyone because of their race. You assume I am anti white, and now anti jewish, what else? Your throwing around alot of accusations. Bundling them up into little packages. So if I am against this I must be for that!
Go ahead and put out a list of people and races I may hate on your assumptions.
Anyway. Good day to you sir. We can argue as much as we want, but in the end election 2012 is the only argument that matters with actual results.
I look forward to fly’s political rants in the coming year.
so Jews have a cult-like mindset and blow up skyscrapers and bomb schools?
good to know you’re not defending Islam by telling us its victims are just as bad and therefore deserve to get the suicide vest treatment 😉
so you’re anti Israel? who would have guessed. you don’t hate the Jews, you just want them to go away. how nice of you!
the rest of your posts is just crying and playing the victim. do you realize you wrote two full size posts in response while not once defending your position with an actual rational argument?
yeah, you “could” disprove me point by point, sure… that’s what leftists always say, before they run screaming and yammering to themselves.
1) playing the victim while actually being the attacker (90% of your posts)
2) no arguments, just pure emotional assertions (there would be peace!!!!)
3) preaching moral equivalence between victim and perpetrator (Jews/Islam)
4) ignorance about the most basic facts and inability to make even one coherent argument without contradicting yourself (you don’t know shit about Hamas, Islam, the middle east or Hillary and the birther movement, first you say you do not care about Israel, then you admit you’re anti Israel, you attack that CNBC chick for being “white and blond” then you claim not to be a racist… you’re just priceless)
Liberals want Conservatives to shut up.
Conservatives want Liberals to keep talking.
Keep talking, Pete, keep talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ByJb7QQ9U&feature=related
a brief history of the last 90 years of Palestine
Palestinians were offered a state several times by Israel. they always rejected any such proposal, even one where Jews would retreat to 20% and offer Palestinians 80% of the combined Israel/Palestine territory.
Palestinians always rejected because they demand 100%.
There can never be peace with such demands.
so much hatred,so little time. you see this everyone,now we all know why the world is fucked up. imagine.
Drummer, you do realise Liberals see it this way, and republicans see it your way. thats 50-50% of the country. So your way of seeing the world is just as popular as my way of seeing the world.
Scary isnt it?
Actually, in polling that has been consistent across many years, conservatives outnumber liberals 2:1 in America. So actually, your way of seeing the world is only half as popular as the conservative way.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/148745/Political-Ideology-Stable-Conservatives-Leading.aspx
Lol yesman, of couuurrrseee your right.