Late on Thursday, Michele Bachmann confirmed that she would not participate in Donald Trump’s proposed GOP debate. This followed fast on the footsteps of Rick Perry, who earlier in the day “respectfully” declined the offer.
That means Trump’s “debate” is down to two participants — Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum — with the noted businessman and celebrity birther activist Trump as moderator.
While Bachmann, Romney and Perry all had polite words to say as they ran from the TV star’s project, Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman went out of their way to reject Trump himself as a debate moderator who would demean the political process.
And Rick Santorum, one of the few candidates yet to have experienced a “boomlet,” leaped to Trump’s defense.
“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.”
Santorum also says: “Donald Trump knows business and knows global markets - and we all know he’ll be able to bring in a broad audience. And let’s be honest, at least Donald Trump will have more in common with the candidates than with the vast majority of past moderators.”
A turning point appeared to be when Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus criticized the event, thus giving some encouragement to the candidates who were still making up their minds.
The full statement from Santorum, written before the news broke that Bachmann would not be involved:
SANTORUM COMMENTS ON TRUMP/NEWSMAX DEBATE
Verona, PA - Early this week, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich both agreed to participate in the NewsMax debate this December to be moderated by Donald Trump. Many in the media, political pundits and even some Republican Presidential Candidates have mocked the very idea - while some of the candidates are still weighing options.
Santorum issued the following statement about the upcoming NewsMax Donald Trump debate:
“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. But when Donald wants to moderate a debate - they refuse to attend. That’s what’s so wrong with politics today - hypocrisy. 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. 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.
There’s no doubt that any of us are better than Barack Obama - however, we can’t afford to put up a person who can’t clearly articulate a vision or has a glass jaw or a unprincipled past. Donald Trump knows business and knows global markets - and we all know he’ll be able to bring in a broad audience. And let’s be honest, at least Donald Trump will have more in common with the candidates than with the vast majority of past moderators.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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