I’ve been saying that it is unfair for Trump campaign surrogates to parachute into the RNC debate in Milwaukee on Wednesday night and be given access to the spin room. It looks like Fox News Channel, the host of the debate, may agree.
It is being reported that several Trump campaign surrogates will be at the debate, though the candidate will not. He will do a separate event with Tucker Carlson to distract the viewing audience from the televised debate. Trump doesn’t think he should have to act like a regular candidate when he is so far ahead in the polls. The RNC, and many Republican primary voters, think otherwise. Trump should show up and debate the others. He should be on the stage and ask for votes.
Donald Trump, Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Kari Lake, Reps Marjorie Taylor Greene, Byron Donalds, and Matt Gaetz are all planning to be at the debate on behalf of the Trump campaign. The reporting said they would be available in the spin room – the media room – after the debate to talk to the press. It looks like the RNC finally snapped out of their panting after Trump to participate in the debate long enough to tell the surrogates they would not be allowed in the spin room. Only presidential campaigns participating in the debate will be allowed in the spin room.
Team Trump still plans to be on the ground at the debate.
Those Trump surrogates with tickets to the debate itself will still be able to attend, CNN reported because the tickets are distributed by the Republican National Committee.
But Fox controls access to the debate’s media center where hundreds of reporters covering the debate will be working.
Trump surrogates will be allowed in the spin room if they are the guests of media organizations covering the debate. Otherwise, they must stay away. Like most other Republicans who did not qualify for the debate.
Credentials for the post-debate gaggle will be given only to ‘participating candidate/campaigns,’ Fox News wrote in a memo obtained by Axios.
So, there’s a loophole – if the Trump surrogates get themselves invited by media organizations covering the debate, they will be allowed in the media room. What a lame way to half-ass it, RNC. Either insist the debate is only for those candidates who participate or open it up to everyone. If it is just a free-for-all, what is the incentive to abide by the rules? How convenient for the Trump campaign, because you know they won’t have any problems getting invitations from the super Trump-friendly news organizations like Newsmax, perhaps. The irony is that so many of the current Fox hosts are Trump supporters. Some of them are guests of Trump at Mar-a-Lago or his golf club in New Jersey.
It is reported that Trump already taped his interview with Tucker Carlson. This is why I think he will watch the debate and respond accordingly on Truth Social. He’ll be getting attention from his followers and it will go out to the rest of social media from them sharing his posts. He won’t be ignored.
The RNC and Fox lobbied Trump to participate in the debate.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Fox News executives heavily lobbied Trump to attend Wednesday’s event, including making personal pilgrimages to his Bedminster, N.J., golf club to make their pleas in person.
McDaniel even warned Trump that skipping the primary debate meant he would give President Joe Biden an excuse to get out of debating Trump should they meet again in 2024, the New York Times reported.
Critics say that the other candidates met the RNC’s requirement and it is not fair that a candidate who didn’t agree to sign the loyalty pledge and sat out participating in the debate be allowed to have his surrogates in the spin room. Trump also said he wouldn’t sign a loyalty pledge for the RNC in 2016 but then he did. He skipped a debate but did others. In 2020 there was no need since he was the incumbent and running unopposed for re-election. Trump thinks of himself as the incumbent but he is not. Joe Biden is the incumbent. Trump feels entitled to the Republican nomination without the pesky primary slowing him down.
One Trump adviser responded in a Trump-esque way to the critics.
“These Republican leaders are going to be banned from the spin room because some also-rans’ feelings are hurt that Trump is winning? Good luck,” said one Trump adviser who did not have authorization to speak on the record.
Big talk for an anonymous mouthpiece.
I’ll be watching how the situation in the spin room develops Wednesday night.
Ron DeSantis has the center spot in the line-up on the debate stage. He will be the center of attention from his supporters and his critics. He will receive the most arrows from the other candidates, too, who hope to knock him out and allow the others to rise. Besides DeSantis, I’m keeping an eye on Tim Scott. Right now, he’s on the rise and maybe a dark horse in this race.
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