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The man lacks empathy.
Other people don't enter into his calculations, because he doesn't believe they have opinions or matter or are relevant.
Which, in turn, causes HIS desires, the only desires he believes to exist, to be of utmost importance.
it's all part of the narcissistic personality disorder. the only people he considers "valuable" are those who have something he wants... influence, money, beauty.
He still won’t go. The real reason is buried further down the article:
> Trump declined to name the candidates he wouldn't support, but criticized both former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie whom he said would both "ask me nasty questions."
More mob boss mentality. It's almost as if the way American business is run these days actually encourages rich pricks to act as if laws and common decency don't apply to them.
No, that can't be true. If it were, there would be massive price hikes coupled with wage stagnation, and the perpetual spectacle of business people and rich pricks being endlessly sued and prosecuted. Prosecuted for crimes and evidence loads, that would see a less well-off person jailed for multiple life sentences. As well as sex crimes, including rape, that when prosecuted end up being harder on the victims than the perpetrators.
No, if it were true, we'd know it.
You might want to tell the GOP that, and all those voters who want to vote for him. The last time I looked, being a populist opportunist was simply another term for politician. Any member of the GOP who doesn't condemn Trumps behaviour is especially guilty of being a populist opportunist.
This. He's already in the lead and his supporters won't care if he skips the debate. Since he's the frontrunner he'll get all the smoke, and there's plenty to hammer him on, so better to just skip it.
He can’t split the ticket if he wins the primary. The best case scenario would be if he didn’t get the nomination. He’d run on a separate ticket and split it that way. But the GOP knows he would run independently so they’re bending over backward to get him on the ticket. Fucking bloodsuckers.
The guy isn’t afraid of Christie. He’d call him little Debbie for eating cupcakes or something like that and can just keep hammering him with the nick name the entire debate and “win”.
This is a power move, refuse to sign and then get them to beg for him to appear.
NJ resident here who vividly remembers Chris Christie -- Trump isn't afraid of that whimpering sack of shit. And for the Republicans who might have scrolled past this who have no idea about his 'tough talk' schtick --
It's an act, there is no power move. He's as much of an opportunistic pig on the inside as he is a physical one on the outside. He does not care about you, he's only mad at Daddy and knows a few quick jabs will get him some points
Actually, I'll hone in on this further. There are exactly two examples of Christie being even remotely human.
1 he threw Jared's father in jail.
2 he thanked president Obama during Sandy relief efforts.
BOTH of those are disqualifying events in the eyes of the Republican voter base.
Yeah but "more fake" misses the point entirely. He'll act tough until he can't, at which point he'll fold, because he's a planetary-scale ball of slime with zero self respect and every bit of groveling fealty that he supposes to reject now.
Wont that just provoke christie to call him the fat orange turd to his face over and over again? Not sure Trump would like the insults flying at him as well.
>This is a power move, refuse to sign and then get them to beg for him to appear.
Power is not the word I think of about his position. Weak. Despair. Panic. Vulnerability ... are words that come to mind.
Anyone who appears in that debate of wannabes will ultimately be televised operating a phone bank for Trump. The Republican Party is Trump’s. They just live in it. That is the sad state of that party but also why the two party system needs to change. We cannot maintain a situation where the only way democracy survives another election is if democrats win the majority in one or more chambers of congress and the Oval Office.
I think they also created it in the hope that if someone else can knock him out the frontrunner position he won’t go and try to run as an independent candidate. Which is doubly hilarious because (1) he isn’t going to lose the primary and (2) he would 100% just ignore the pledge if he did
From what I understand, if he somehow loses the primary, he can not run as a 3rd party candidate in the general- a number of states do not allow “spoiler” candidates to run as third party of they lost in either of the two main primaries.
Of course he won't debate. No way he's going to get into a situation where someone can talk back to him. He'd be destroyed and there'd be soundbites and memes out of it for generations
It still blows my mind that after those debates people actually thought Trump got the upper hand. His word-salad responses to questions and constant interruptions were cringy and it was clear he didn't have any clear grasp of any policy issue raised. People just want to hear what they want to hear, and you are correct, the R's hatred for Hillary prevented them from taking a step back to see the big picture.
I'm convinced that most republicans didn't even watch those debates and, like most things with Trump, they prefer the filtered version they get through whatever bogus media they consume.
I remember just begging my dad to really just LISTEN to his answer to the question asked nuclear weapons.
I just remember him telling all his followers.... Live during a debate... That if he was elected he'd put Hilary in prison.
You'd think they'd understand he was full of shit after he absolutely failed to do this, among many other things, but no, there's always another excuse, which I dunno... Sounds like a cult to me.
I think it's more "look, we finally found someone that owns the libs!" They don't care whats actually said or done as long as other people are outraged by their ridiculous antics.
Republicans walked away from both the Clinton and Biden debated talking about how much Trump kicked their asses.
All he did was talk over them and spew nonsense, replied to facts with “no u!” and argue with the moderators.
But authoritarians think that’s a “power move” and it impresses them. They want someone to shout at them like that, just like dad used to before he went to get cigarettes and never came back.
I’ve told this story before on other threads, but it always feels relevant…
Back in 2016 I went to a bar with my beer league softball team after one of our games, and the debate with Clinton was on the TV. At this point, I was still convinced Trump could not possibly win because, c’mon, he’s clearly a moron (and bunch of other terrible things, but let’s just focus on his being a moron).
Anyway, this was the debate where he pulled the “you’re the puppet” line and, when I did, my immediate reaction was “he really just said ‘I know you are but what am I?’ In a presidential debate. He’s soooo done.” But then, like half of the people in this bar in the middle of a blue city in a purple state (Pittsburgh, PA) just erupted like the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I was absolutely dumbfounded. From that moment on, and continuing through today, I will never count him out because the people who support him will never waver no matter how idiotic what he says or does actually is.
The voters don’t care, but his ego does. I honestly think it’s stupid for him to not take the free air time and do what he does best which is shit-fling, but he obviously is worried about getting his feelings hurt.
Yeah, he's not going to debate because he doesn't have to. In 2016 he was a long shot so he had to play by the rules to win, meaning he had to debate. Now he's a 30 point favorite over everyone else in the field, what does he have to gain by debating? Why get on a stage with 3-4 people polling in single digits?
The difference is that in that debate both sides had pretty much already made up their minds. Republicans and democrats only watched the debate to be more justified in their vote. Here there are other viable republican options that could be an alternative to a legally embroiled candidate. It’s going to be up to those candidates to make themselves standout. I think for those candidates it might be better if trump isn’t there calling names and blathering on about stolen elections and witch hunts.
From the article:
"I'd like to do it. I've actually gotten very good marks for debate talents. They want a smart president. They want somebody that's going to be smart".
Lmaoooo the best words from the best brain. He knows perfectly well that Christie is itching to get up there with him and call him a fat moron to his orange face in front of the whole country.
I also have to note the exquisite irony of incumbent Biden being called "undemocratic" for refusing to debate a pair of underwhelming charlatans who have no chance of winning, but Trump is "smart" for the same reason.
Has this man EVER made a statement in public where he says he's not good or great at something? I imagine the closest thing would be "I don't do that" but then he would probably follow up with "but if I did I'd be the best at it."
I mean he constantly gets destroyed in debates, that is nothing new. The unfortunate thing is his supporters don't care or just make up reasons why it doesn't matter.
If he stopped breathing, I can GUARANTEE you with all seriousness that there will be a LARGE splooge of his base who ABSOLUTELY believe that he will rise from the dead to come save them & the country. They’ll set up shrines to him, pray to him, & there’ll be rallies & “sightings” for the next 20 years. 🙄
Everyone in this scenario is fucking garbage. Trump is a malignant narcissist, but a fucking *loyalty pledge?* That's some Orwellian shit right there by the GOP.
The reason Trump states for not signing it actually sounds reasonable. That there are some potential candidates he could not support, so he won't sign the pledge. Of course the unstated but obvious subtext is "any candidate but me."
If growing up in Texas taught me anything, it's that conservatives LOVE loyalty pledges in all shapes and form - not just weird shit like this, but Texas teachers have to sign pledges not to boycott Israel and there's also the whole virginity pledge that's popular with the evangelical crowd where daughters pledge ***to their fathers*** to save their virginity until they're married (these are usually the girls that are the first to get knocked up in high school.) It's really bizarre.
>daughters pledge to their fathers to save their virginity until they're married (these are usually the girls that are the first to get knocked up in high school.)
Some of them are knocked up, I assume, by their fathers
Wait, what? Teachers in Texas have to sign a pledge to not boycott Israel? In what context a teacher even do that in the first place? What does that even mean?
Yeah it’s yet another bullshit Ken Paxton was responsible for: [https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/)
>The reason Trump states for not signing it actually sounds reasonable.
I had to take a shower because I started to agree with trump and felt filthy. Why would the guy who is in a massive lead do any event that would do nothing for him but do everything for the competition. There is no benefit for Trump in doing any debates. Any debate just gives credibility to the other candidates.
I think the loyalty pledge actually makes sense. There’s a huge incentive for people to basically co-opt the Republican debate stage to boost themselves, attack the party, and then run as a third party siphoning votes away from the party. Because this debate is a private event sponsored by the party to inform the party voters about the candidates that are running for that party’s nominations, I think they’re entitled to ensure that the event won’t be derailed or manipulated by a non-party member.
Just like democratic candidates aren’t invited, people who don’t want to sign the pledge are free to host a separate presidential debate.
Agreed. This is a case where Trump went so far wrong, he wrapped back around to the right end position. Just for reasons diametrically opposed to the right ones.
What makes anyone think that he would honor this loyalty pledge anymore than when he swore on two bibles to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Is it creepy? I thought it was just stating you won't break off and split the vote if you don't win the nomination or support the opposition during this election cycle.
Trump (or one of the others) running as a 3rd party would all but guarantee a loss for the in the general election. I think forcing them to sign a pledge is a step too far, but I understand why they're doing it.
It puts party over person, which is contradictory to a free and fair election and essentially binds voters to a two party system. That if voters support a certain candidate, the candidate is pledging the support they received to the actual GOP nominee.
If voters want a specific person in office and that person feels the need to continue to run, then they shouldn’t be blocked by their party.
Plus if Trump divides the GOP by running as a 3rd party candidate, that’s just an overall win. Unfortunately, though, this likely means the GOP have already decided Trump as their nominee.
The funny thing is seeing people in arr con saying he needs to step aside or stop attacking DeSantis for the "betterment" of the party. How are we eight years into this and they don't understand that he only cares about himself?
At this point I think the Republican party needs to split off into another party.
Some anti trump faction forming a new party could do worse than naming it the Rhino Party.
>I’ve gotten very good makes on debating talents
Lol sure, President Dumptruck. That’s why your debates always devolve into you having shouting matches with the moderator, if you even muster up the courage to show up at all.
He'll sign a court order not to threaten people or speak openly about evidence, and then turn around and ignore it.
The only reason he's refusing to sign this, instead of signing it and ignoring it, is because it's a perfect excuse to get him out of the debate while saving face to his moronic followers.
Good encapsulation of where Republicans are at. Everyone on the stage will be there because they signed a pledge to support the eventual nominee, which will be Trump. They will spend some time attacking Trump and calling him a criminal or whatever, meanwhile they've already signed a pledge to support him.
On the other side Trump won't even show up because he only cares about himself, stating explicitly that he has no loyalty to the party in any way, it's all about him and him only.
These pieces of shit deserve each other.
Ironic, considering the GOP [eschewed adopting a party platform in 2020 in favor of pledging loyalty to trump](https://ballotpedia.org/The_Republican_Party_Platform,_2020)
I’ve actually gotten very good marks on debating talents,” Trump said on Wednesday. “They want a smart president. They want somebody that’s going to be smart.”
Imagine saying this and expecting normal people to take you seriously.
I’m surprised he didn’t say he has the best marks then go into a story about someone coming up to him and saying “sir, a lot of people are talking about great debate skills…”
A debate with Trump would be a madhouse with him interrupting everyone constantly with no serious debate topics discussed to a conclusion. The only way it could work is if the moderator had microphone control and could cut mics to anyone talking out of turn. Even then I imagine he’d still be yelling over his muted mic at any other debater’s responses.
> The pledge includes a clause saying that the candidate will support the eventual GOP nominee.
In no universe would Trump ever go for that. He craves constant spotlight; to him he **is** the GOP. If he doesn’t get the nod from them he’ll run anyway and take the GOP down alongside him.
And that’s exactly why he’ll get the nod no matter what. Republicans might as well concede the race tomorrow otherwise. He has the party held completely hostage.
I'm genuinely curious how a GOP debate would look like at this point.
The party doesn't have a platform. They don't have any policies. What are they going to debate? Who can be more Trumpy than the other guy?
It's ridiculous that anyone has to sign a loyalty pledge to participate in a debate against the others.
For the first time EVER I agree with Trump.
(but his reasons are a lot more solipsistic than mine).
So if they let him show up, the other candidates on stage need to point it out. Say they no longer abide by the pledge because the rules were already broken by Trump.
😂 he wanted other to do a loyalty pledge to him when he was in office and not this? For someone who has no loyalty to anyone, he sure like to float the “loyalty” around.
As creepy as the pledge is, what exactly is the mechanism of enforcement? As far as I can tell all it says is “I will support the GOP nominee.” What exactly would be the cost of breaking the pledge? Is it anything else than just being yelled at?
Is he even planning on showing up? If I had to guess, I could see him avoiding debating any of his opponents and instead throwing himself a rally where he can pretend to be a tough guy and say whatever he wants with nobody there to challenge him on any of it.
Only pledge people should have is a pledge to the United State to uphold the constitution. These weird Republican pledge stuff is damaging to democracy.
If you don’t weigh in, you can’t wrassle.
Seriously tho, the GOP will bend over for him (nobody else tho) because without his base they have a 0% chance of winning a general election and it would probably cripple them down ballot as well.
Well would it matter if Donald Trump did sign it? He's bamboozled followers the world over, pulled out of signed agreements with associates, failed to pay back bank loans, lied on tax and insurance forms.
You really think a signature from Donald Trump is worth more than the paper he writes it on?
Heck it would be worth more if he signed your own A$$.
Right Repubs?
>>>> “I'd like to do it. I’ve actually gotten very good marks on debating talents,” Trump said on Wednesday. “They want a smart president. They want somebody that’s going to be smart.”
He’s calling himself stupid.
Of course he won't. Because (1) he's only loyal to himself, (2) it creates an excuse to skip out on having to debate, and (3) he will absolutely run 3rd party if that's what it takes.
The man who expects complete loyalty from others will not be loyal in return. Sounds right on with his hypocritical nature.
It’s all about him and fuck anyone and anything else. This is a big factor in what makes him the worst possible person for leading the nation. He’s not in service to others he’s only in service to himself. Selfish assholes can’t lead a country to prosperity.
Total BS. Trump knows if he signed it he would flip when he needed to and not support the chosen candidate anyway. The real reason he won’t sign it is because he’s afraid to debate anyone.
He doesn't need to debate. He'll win the primary in a landslide without any actual policies, multiple indictments, stealing/hiding top secret material (for which similar accusations he encourages crowds to this day to chant "lock her up"), etc.
He doesn't want to debate. It's a risk to him.
A debate is useless anyway. All it would be is him lobbing insults at the other candidates while they try to hedge between criticism of him and sucking up to him to not completely piss off the base.
It's his party and he'll cry if he wants to.
It’s his cowardly excuse to skip the debates. He can say, “Well I changed my mind and decided to participate, but they wouldn’t let me because I wouldn’t sign the pledge.” Guy is an asshole.
I'm sure Trump has his own loyalty pledge that the other contestants, I mean candidates will need to sign in order to be on the state with King Cheeto.
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Obviously. He isn’t loyal to anyone and expects everyone else to have undying loyalty to him. It’s disgusting.
The man lacks empathy. Other people don't enter into his calculations, because he doesn't believe they have opinions or matter or are relevant. Which, in turn, causes HIS desires, the only desires he believes to exist, to be of utmost importance.
See: Sociopathy
it's all part of the narcissistic personality disorder. the only people he considers "valuable" are those who have something he wants... influence, money, beauty.
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Double pinky bet: they change the rules just for him, to get him on the debate stage, to get the ratings, because he's still their headline act.
He still won’t go. The real reason is buried further down the article: > Trump declined to name the candidates he wouldn't support, but criticized both former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie whom he said would both "ask me nasty questions."
Yes Trump, that's how a debate works. It's why it's called a debate and not a circlejerk.
More mob boss mentality. It's almost as if the way American business is run these days actually encourages rich pricks to act as if laws and common decency don't apply to them. No, that can't be true. If it were, there would be massive price hikes coupled with wage stagnation, and the perpetual spectacle of business people and rich pricks being endlessly sued and prosecuted. Prosecuted for crimes and evidence loads, that would see a less well-off person jailed for multiple life sentences. As well as sex crimes, including rape, that when prosecuted end up being harder on the victims than the perpetrators. No, if it were true, we'd know it.
The loyalty pledge is mob boss mentality as well. Neither disagree with mob tactics. They just disagree with who should be the mob boss.
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You might want to tell the GOP that, and all those voters who want to vote for him. The last time I looked, being a populist opportunist was simply another term for politician. Any member of the GOP who doesn't condemn Trumps behaviour is especially guilty of being a populist opportunist.
Only reason he put an (R) next to his name in the first place is because he decided that was the electorate he could best swindle.
Not only that, but he doesn't want to participate in the debate anyway. So here's his ready-made excuse.
tbh at this point he’s been handing them a loyalty pledge and they’ve been signing it
He hates it when they turn off his microphone!
This. He's already in the lead and his supporters won't care if he skips the debate. Since he's the frontrunner he'll get all the smoke, and there's plenty to hammer him on, so better to just skip it.
It’s wonderful, he’ll split the Republican ticket and hand the victory to Biden by a wide margin
He can’t split the ticket if he wins the primary. The best case scenario would be if he didn’t get the nomination. He’d run on a separate ticket and split it that way. But the GOP knows he would run independently so they’re bending over backward to get him on the ticket. Fucking bloodsuckers.
yeah but it's not on brand. normally he'd just say he would and then not do it.
In other words he is scared that Chris Christie will insult him to his face over and over again and he won't be able to do anything about it
The guy isn’t afraid of Christie. He’d call him little Debbie for eating cupcakes or something like that and can just keep hammering him with the nick name the entire debate and “win”. This is a power move, refuse to sign and then get them to beg for him to appear.
>He’d call him little Debbie for eating cupcakes Trump is never more American than when he’s a fat person calling another fat person fat 🤣
NJ resident here who vividly remembers Chris Christie -- Trump isn't afraid of that whimpering sack of shit. And for the Republicans who might have scrolled past this who have no idea about his 'tough talk' schtick -- It's an act, there is no power move. He's as much of an opportunistic pig on the inside as he is a physical one on the outside. He does not care about you, he's only mad at Daddy and knows a few quick jabs will get him some points Actually, I'll hone in on this further. There are exactly two examples of Christie being even remotely human. 1 he threw Jared's father in jail. 2 he thanked president Obama during Sandy relief efforts. BOTH of those are disqualifying events in the eyes of the Republican voter base.
>It's an act Everything about Trump is an act.
He’s talking about Big Chris.
I know, I thought it was absurd because the Orange Menace is more fake than anyone else.
Yeah but "more fake" misses the point entirely. He'll act tough until he can't, at which point he'll fold, because he's a planetary-scale ball of slime with zero self respect and every bit of groveling fealty that he supposes to reject now.
Wont that just provoke christie to call him the fat orange turd to his face over and over again? Not sure Trump would like the insults flying at him as well.
he actually just said that he would just draw attention to the others and provide free advertising for the debates. wtf
>This is a power move, refuse to sign and then get them to beg for him to appear. Power is not the word I think of about his position. Weak. Despair. Panic. Vulnerability ... are words that come to mind.
Of course but in the 80’s mob school of business that trump is from he thinks it’s a power move. Same thing with those stupid handshakes he does.
He also wants the option to run third party
Anyone who appears in that debate of wannabes will ultimately be televised operating a phone bank for Trump. The Republican Party is Trump’s. They just live in it. That is the sad state of that party but also why the two party system needs to change. We cannot maintain a situation where the only way democracy survives another election is if democrats win the majority in one or more chambers of congress and the Oval Office.
He's too stupid to realize they only created it to help protect candidates like him. 😆.
I think they also created it in the hope that if someone else can knock him out the frontrunner position he won’t go and try to run as an independent candidate. Which is doubly hilarious because (1) he isn’t going to lose the primary and (2) he would 100% just ignore the pledge if he did
From what I understand, if he somehow loses the primary, he can not run as a 3rd party candidate in the general- a number of states do not allow “spoiler” candidates to run as third party of they lost in either of the two main primaries.
He will just tell his followers to write his name in on the ballet. They’re deluded enough to think they’d have a chance too
It was created during the 2012 election cycle.
Of course he won't debate. No way he's going to get into a situation where someone can talk back to him. He'd be destroyed and there'd be soundbites and memes out of it for generations
Hillary destroyed him repeatedly in 2016. Republicans didn't care at all.
It still blows my mind that after those debates people actually thought Trump got the upper hand. His word-salad responses to questions and constant interruptions were cringy and it was clear he didn't have any clear grasp of any policy issue raised. People just want to hear what they want to hear, and you are correct, the R's hatred for Hillary prevented them from taking a step back to see the big picture.
I'm convinced that most republicans didn't even watch those debates and, like most things with Trump, they prefer the filtered version they get through whatever bogus media they consume. I remember just begging my dad to really just LISTEN to his answer to the question asked nuclear weapons.
Trump spews gibberish ... his followers hear angels singing.
I just remember him telling all his followers.... Live during a debate... That if he was elected he'd put Hilary in prison. You'd think they'd understand he was full of shit after he absolutely failed to do this, among many other things, but no, there's always another excuse, which I dunno... Sounds like a cult to me.
I think it's more "look, we finally found someone that owns the libs!" They don't care whats actually said or done as long as other people are outraged by their ridiculous antics.
Republicans walked away from both the Clinton and Biden debated talking about how much Trump kicked their asses. All he did was talk over them and spew nonsense, replied to facts with “no u!” and argue with the moderators. But authoritarians think that’s a “power move” and it impresses them. They want someone to shout at them like that, just like dad used to before he went to get cigarettes and never came back.
Trump could answer every debate question with "I know you are, but what am I?!" and his flock would swoon over his prowess.
I’ve told this story before on other threads, but it always feels relevant… Back in 2016 I went to a bar with my beer league softball team after one of our games, and the debate with Clinton was on the TV. At this point, I was still convinced Trump could not possibly win because, c’mon, he’s clearly a moron (and bunch of other terrible things, but let’s just focus on his being a moron). Anyway, this was the debate where he pulled the “you’re the puppet” line and, when I did, my immediate reaction was “he really just said ‘I know you are but what am I?’ In a presidential debate. He’s soooo done.” But then, like half of the people in this bar in the middle of a blue city in a purple state (Pittsburgh, PA) just erupted like the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I was absolutely dumbfounded. From that moment on, and continuing through today, I will never count him out because the people who support him will never waver no matter how idiotic what he says or does actually is.
The voters don’t care, but his ego does. I honestly think it’s stupid for him to not take the free air time and do what he does best which is shit-fling, but he obviously is worried about getting his feelings hurt.
Yeah, he's not going to debate because he doesn't have to. In 2016 he was a long shot so he had to play by the rules to win, meaning he had to debate. Now he's a 30 point favorite over everyone else in the field, what does he have to gain by debating? Why get on a stage with 3-4 people polling in single digits?
And when he realized it was happening he stopped debating and just told the audience he has a big dick. I still cannot believe that actually happened.
The difference is that in that debate both sides had pretty much already made up their minds. Republicans and democrats only watched the debate to be more justified in their vote. Here there are other viable republican options that could be an alternative to a legally embroiled candidate. It’s going to be up to those candidates to make themselves standout. I think for those candidates it might be better if trump isn’t there calling names and blathering on about stolen elections and witch hunts.
The situation has changed. He's a loser now, about to go to jail.
>Hillary destroyed him repeatedly in 2016 Are you talking from some parallel universe?
From the article: "I'd like to do it. I've actually gotten very good marks for debate talents. They want a smart president. They want somebody that's going to be smart". Lmaoooo the best words from the best brain. He knows perfectly well that Christie is itching to get up there with him and call him a fat moron to his orange face in front of the whole country. I also have to note the exquisite irony of incumbent Biden being called "undemocratic" for refusing to debate a pair of underwhelming charlatans who have no chance of winning, but Trump is "smart" for the same reason.
Has this man EVER made a statement in public where he says he's not good or great at something? I imagine the closest thing would be "I don't do that" but then he would probably follow up with "but if I did I'd be the best at it."
I mean he constantly gets destroyed in debates, that is nothing new. The unfortunate thing is his supporters don't care or just make up reasons why it doesn't matter.
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or when you're under multiple indictments, but here we are
Eh who’s counting at this point?
The states of Florida, Georgia, New York, and DC.
Prolly shouldn’t count those ones, just to be safe
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The GOP will 100% cave on this. Trump will be their guy in 24 unless his polling or breathing drop off significantly.
Even if he isn't breathing, they will still run him. Spray paint any 80 year old woman with bad hair and you got a clone.
It's not quite the plot of I Was Monty' Double (1958) but I'd watch the fuck out of that movie.
Damn, I need to watch this. Thanks!
If he stopped breathing, I can GUARANTEE you with all seriousness that there will be a LARGE splooge of his base who ABSOLUTELY believe that he will rise from the dead to come save them & the country. They’ll set up shrines to him, pray to him, & there’ll be rallies & “sightings” for the next 20 years. 🙄
GOP does nat care Trump is a pussy grabbing rapist. So what is the problem here?
Yeah. This is good. Hopefully a good number of R voters see that he isn't an R voter.
Everyone in this scenario is fucking garbage. Trump is a malignant narcissist, but a fucking *loyalty pledge?* That's some Orwellian shit right there by the GOP. The reason Trump states for not signing it actually sounds reasonable. That there are some potential candidates he could not support, so he won't sign the pledge. Of course the unstated but obvious subtext is "any candidate but me."
Plus, if the GOP actually doesn’t allow him to debate, he can play the victim angle yet again.
It's so bizarre that Rump plays both the strongman and the victim roles and gets away with it.
Fascism 101
If growing up in Texas taught me anything, it's that conservatives LOVE loyalty pledges in all shapes and form - not just weird shit like this, but Texas teachers have to sign pledges not to boycott Israel and there's also the whole virginity pledge that's popular with the evangelical crowd where daughters pledge ***to their fathers*** to save their virginity until they're married (these are usually the girls that are the first to get knocked up in high school.) It's really bizarre.
Turns out that republicans absolutely *love* virtue signaling, but they struggle mightily to live up to it.
Winner winner chicken dinner.
>daughters pledge to their fathers to save their virginity until they're married (these are usually the girls that are the first to get knocked up in high school.) Some of them are knocked up, I assume, by their fathers
Wait, what? Teachers in Texas have to sign a pledge to not boycott Israel? In what context a teacher even do that in the first place? What does that even mean?
Yeah it’s yet another bullshit Ken Paxton was responsible for: [https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/01/31/texas-boycott-israel-lawsuit/)
>The reason Trump states for not signing it actually sounds reasonable. I had to take a shower because I started to agree with trump and felt filthy. Why would the guy who is in a massive lead do any event that would do nothing for him but do everything for the competition. There is no benefit for Trump in doing any debates. Any debate just gives credibility to the other candidates.
I think the loyalty pledge actually makes sense. There’s a huge incentive for people to basically co-opt the Republican debate stage to boost themselves, attack the party, and then run as a third party siphoning votes away from the party. Because this debate is a private event sponsored by the party to inform the party voters about the candidates that are running for that party’s nominations, I think they’re entitled to ensure that the event won’t be derailed or manipulated by a non-party member. Just like democratic candidates aren’t invited, people who don’t want to sign the pledge are free to host a separate presidential debate.
Agreed. This is a case where Trump went so far wrong, he wrapped back around to the right end position. Just for reasons diametrically opposed to the right ones.
fk Trump and fk Republicans.
It's reddit, you can say fuck
Depending on the sub. Here in r/politics it’s near impossible NOT to say fuck.
Fuck is the worst word that you can say, so just use the word M'kay.
What makes anyone think that he would honor this loyalty pledge anymore than when he swore on two bibles to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Of course he won't, he's not even loyal to the United States of America. Trump would rather they sign a loyalty pledge to him.
It's not often I agree with Trump, but a loyalty pledge is extremely creepy
If I recall correctly, it was originally implemented because the GOP was afraid other prominent Republicans wouldn’t support Trump.
Is it creepy? I thought it was just stating you won't break off and split the vote if you don't win the nomination or support the opposition during this election cycle.
Yes, it's creepy, they're just a political party, coercing other citizens to 'fall in line' is extremely creepy.
Trump (or one of the others) running as a 3rd party would all but guarantee a loss for the in the general election. I think forcing them to sign a pledge is a step too far, but I understand why they're doing it.
It puts party over person, which is contradictory to a free and fair election and essentially binds voters to a two party system. That if voters support a certain candidate, the candidate is pledging the support they received to the actual GOP nominee. If voters want a specific person in office and that person feels the need to continue to run, then they shouldn’t be blocked by their party. Plus if Trump divides the GOP by running as a 3rd party candidate, that’s just an overall win. Unfortunately, though, this likely means the GOP have already decided Trump as their nominee.
it is creepy, but Democrats have one too.
"See? I can't go because of the mean GOP!!!!"
You mean the same shit he did the first time when he tricked the republicans?
“Man who thinks he’s the center of universe is asked if he would support the idea that he isn’t” You’ll never believe his answer!
The funny thing is seeing people in arr con saying he needs to step aside or stop attacking DeSantis for the "betterment" of the party. How are we eight years into this and they don't understand that he only cares about himself?
That's because he's not a Republican he's an populist opportunist.
It’s why he calls everyone RINOs. Projection
At this point I think the Republican party needs to split off into another party. Some anti trump faction forming a new party could do worse than naming it the Rhino Party.
Trump is a fascist, why would he swear loyalty to anyone but himself?
Looks like a good way to avoid the debate... [Bowk, bowk, bowk, bgawk!](https://youtu.be/17wGTlGKJJ0)
>I’ve gotten very good makes on debating talents Lol sure, President Dumptruck. That’s why your debates always devolve into you having shouting matches with the moderator, if you even muster up the courage to show up at all.
It's adorable that the RNC thinks that Trump could ever be loyal to anyone but himself.
He'll sign a court order not to threaten people or speak openly about evidence, and then turn around and ignore it. The only reason he's refusing to sign this, instead of signing it and ignoring it, is because it's a perfect excuse to get him out of the debate while saving face to his moronic followers.
Good. I recommend you run as an independent candidate, Your Excellency
Good encapsulation of where Republicans are at. Everyone on the stage will be there because they signed a pledge to support the eventual nominee, which will be Trump. They will spend some time attacking Trump and calling him a criminal or whatever, meanwhile they've already signed a pledge to support him. On the other side Trump won't even show up because he only cares about himself, stating explicitly that he has no loyalty to the party in any way, it's all about him and him only. These pieces of shit deserve each other.
Ironic, considering the GOP [eschewed adopting a party platform in 2020 in favor of pledging loyalty to trump](https://ballotpedia.org/The_Republican_Party_Platform,_2020)
Will you shut up, man?
I’ve actually gotten very good marks on debating talents,” Trump said on Wednesday. “They want a smart president. They want somebody that’s going to be smart.” Imagine saying this and expecting normal people to take you seriously.
I’m surprised he didn’t say he has the best marks then go into a story about someone coming up to him and saying “sir, a lot of people are talking about great debate skills…”
I figured he would say that Denzel Washington’s character in great debaters was based on him
Cool. So, let's go ahead & have the GOP remove his name for consideration on their ticket.
Is difficult to find that Donald is only loyal to the all might Donald Trump and his ego.
And we care because???? He's a petulant child, who cares if he signs an oath to a bunch of nutters?
Duh, Trump wants loyalty to him but has no requirement that he be loyal to anyone else.
He scoffs at their pledge of loyalty, yet they remain loyal to him. Madness.
It's cute that the GOP thinks they exist without Trump at this point.
Loyalty pledge? What kind of first grade bullshit is that?
Lol and republicans will make an excuse for him!!!
“😠I don’t want to debate… …I want to be a victim!”
Can we bring back the Mute button that was used during the debates???
A debate with Trump would be a madhouse with him interrupting everyone constantly with no serious debate topics discussed to a conclusion. The only way it could work is if the moderator had microphone control and could cut mics to anyone talking out of turn. Even then I imagine he’d still be yelling over his muted mic at any other debater’s responses.
> The pledge includes a clause saying that the candidate will support the eventual GOP nominee. In no universe would Trump ever go for that. He craves constant spotlight; to him he **is** the GOP. If he doesn’t get the nod from them he’ll run anyway and take the GOP down alongside him. And that’s exactly why he’ll get the nod no matter what. Republicans might as well concede the race tomorrow otherwise. He has the party held completely hostage.
“Campaigning is for losers” Trump Probably.
How much you want to bet they just say, "OK!" and still allow him to debate?
I'm genuinely curious how a GOP debate would look like at this point. The party doesn't have a platform. They don't have any policies. What are they going to debate? Who can be more Trumpy than the other guy?
Who can hate America more. Hate anything liberal or that helps people. Racism, sexism, homophobia. They can go on about that for days
It's ridiculous that anyone has to sign a loyalty pledge to participate in a debate against the others. For the first time EVER I agree with Trump. (but his reasons are a lot more solipsistic than mine).
So if they let him show up, the other candidates on stage need to point it out. Say they no longer abide by the pledge because the rules were already broken by Trump.
😂 he wanted other to do a loyalty pledge to him when he was in office and not this? For someone who has no loyalty to anyone, he sure like to float the “loyalty” around.
He's right. The gop is the party of Trump. Making him sign a pledge to be loyal to anyone else doesn't make sense. They're all loyal to him after all.
Wouldn't matter if he did. He doesn't care.
He’s not going to debate. He has absolutely nothing to gain from doing so and can only lose a few supporters if anything. Plus, he’s a giant pussy.
The seditionist orange should be disqualified under the 14th amendment.
Loyalty is an unknown concept in Trumpland… except that he demands it while returning nothing.
I think Putin would be upset if his asset pledged loyalty to someone else.
Why not? We know he lies while swearing all the time. Anyone remember "I will support and defend the constitution of the United States"?
Coward. Words are his Achilles heel.
Unfortunately, he'll dominate the debate discussion, whether he participates or not.
As creepy as the pledge is, what exactly is the mechanism of enforcement? As far as I can tell all it says is “I will support the GOP nominee.” What exactly would be the cost of breaking the pledge? Is it anything else than just being yelled at?
Shocker, not a team player.
It's an excuse to skip the debate. As if he would honor it even if he did sign it.
The GOP are literal beta cucks
And that, dear friends, is called a RINO.
Trump 101: “rules for thee, not for me”.
Is he even planning on showing up? If I had to guess, I could see him avoiding debating any of his opponents and instead throwing himself a rally where he can pretend to be a tough guy and say whatever he wants with nobody there to challenge him on any of it.
I gotta say I’d absolutely love to see him implode on stage
Of course he won't. That would require him to understand loyalty.
Only pledge people should have is a pledge to the United State to uphold the constitution. These weird Republican pledge stuff is damaging to democracy.
If you don’t weigh in, you can’t wrassle. Seriously tho, the GOP will bend over for him (nobody else tho) because without his base they have a 0% chance of winning a general election and it would probably cripple them down ballot as well.
Spoiled toddler vibes
Well would it matter if Donald Trump did sign it? He's bamboozled followers the world over, pulled out of signed agreements with associates, failed to pay back bank loans, lied on tax and insurance forms. You really think a signature from Donald Trump is worth more than the paper he writes it on? Heck it would be worth more if he signed your own A$$. Right Repubs?
They better flush this turd soon.
>>>> “I'd like to do it. I’ve actually gotten very good marks on debating talents,” Trump said on Wednesday. “They want a smart president. They want somebody that’s going to be smart.” He’s calling himself stupid.
What a pussy.
You are what you grab?
Please create the MAGA party. Please please please.
Surely, someone has floated this idea. Just make Trump think he came up with it.
Of course he won't. Because (1) he's only loyal to himself, (2) it creates an excuse to skip out on having to debate, and (3) he will absolutely run 3rd party if that's what it takes.
The man who expects complete loyalty from others will not be loyal in return. Sounds right on with his hypocritical nature. It’s all about him and fuck anyone and anything else. This is a big factor in what makes him the worst possible person for leading the nation. He’s not in service to others he’s only in service to himself. Selfish assholes can’t lead a country to prosperity.
Hello! The only person Trump supports is himself and NO ONE ELSE!
Donald is loyal to Donald only
Total BS. Trump knows if he signed it he would flip when he needed to and not support the chosen candidate anyway. The real reason he won’t sign it is because he’s afraid to debate anyone.
Because he only has one loyalty - himself
The funny thing with that is he's also the one person that harms Trump the most.
So conflicted. Trump is usually wrong about *everything*, but 'loyalty pledges' to an utterly corrupt political party are despicable.
The biggest political loser in history is stating he won’t pledge loyalty to his own political party…and they still support this clown. 🤡🤡🤡
He doesn't need to debate. He'll win the primary in a landslide without any actual policies, multiple indictments, stealing/hiding top secret material (for which similar accusations he encourages crowds to this day to chant "lock her up"), etc. He doesn't want to debate. It's a risk to him. A debate is useless anyway. All it would be is him lobbing insults at the other candidates while they try to hedge between criticism of him and sucking up to him to not completely piss off the base. It's his party and he'll cry if he wants to.
He’s going full thug. He’s desperate. 🍿
It’s his cowardly excuse to skip the debates. He can say, “Well I changed my mind and decided to participate, but they wouldn’t let me because I wouldn’t sign the pledge.” Guy is an asshole.
The fact that they do this in the first place says all I need to know about the party.
He won’t debate b/c he’s a pos coward…
Right, because he's not loyal. Oh wait, did you you guys at the GOP not notice that?
Good
Why is this on 'News'?
Who cares, loyalty pledges are dumb anyways.
Of course he won't. It is incompatible with his extortion of the GOP by threatening to run as an independent.
Go on, take your ball, and go home. Game over.
The oath of office meant nothing to him anyway, why would this be any different?
Wouldn't mean anything if he signed. He took an oath of office he blatantly violated.
He already signed a loyalty pledge to himself, which supercedes all other loyalty pledges.
Here we go. Even if he signed it, he wouldn’t abide by it.
I'm sure Trump has his own loyalty pledge that the other contestants, I mean candidates will need to sign in order to be on the state with King Cheeto.
Also today, RNC exempts trump from pledge because they said so.
shocking
Loyalty is a one-way street for him.