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Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman REJECT Trump-Moderated GOP Debate
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 3, 2011
Modified Dec 3, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 3, 2011
Modified Dec 3, 2011
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Not everyone was as overjoyed as we were when news came out yesterday that Donald "The Least Racist" Trump will moderate the GOP presidential debate in Des Moines on Dec. 27th. At least two candidates have proven they still have a shred of self-dignity, bowing out of The Apprentice: Ridiculous Posturing Edition: Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul. And Trump of course accepted the rejections graciously, calling Paul “a clown-like candidate” who like Huntsman has “inconsequential poll numbers or a chance of winning.”
Then again, Paul's national campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, really did lay into our favorite national used car salesman in Paul's official statement about not participating in the televised event. Where was Paul's fiery enthusiasm last spring when Trump was running for President Of Obama's Birth Certificate Authentication Industries?
The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office's history and dignity.
Mr. Trump's participation as moderator will distract from questions and answers concerning important issues such as the national economy, crushing federal government debt, the role of the federal government, foreign policy, and the like. To be sure, Mr. Trump's participation will contribute to an unwanted circus-like atmosphere.
Mr. Trump's selection is also wildly inappropriate because of his record of toying with the serious decision of whether to compete for our nation's highest office, a decision he appeared to make frivolously.
Trump responded in turn, "Few people take Ron Paul seriously and many of his views and presentation make him a clown-like candidate. I am glad he and Jon Huntsman, who has inconsequential poll numbers or a chance of winning, will not be attending the debate and wasting the time of the viewers who are trying very hard to make a very important decision."
While the "champion of the Constitution" felt it appropriate to register his intense disgust at what a clown show the Republican primaries have become (what, no room to mention subliminal smoking ads or sexual harassment claims?), Huntsman's press secretary Tim Miller issued a much simpler statement about Huntsman declining to participate. But Miller got in the last laugh, tweeting, “We look forward to watching Mitt & Newt suck up to The Donald with a big bowl of popcorn.”
Tagged
2012 election
debate
donald trump
election 2012
gop
jon huntsman
primary
rejection
republicans
ron paul
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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