Trump may skip debates in 2020
Refusing to attend any general election debates would certainly break with recent presidential norms, but Trump has engaged in a lot of norm-breaking during his first two years in office. His assault on the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation have spawned numerous investigations and scrutiny. He would be the first president since Richard Nixon in 1972 to spurn general election debates, which would actually be appropriate as numerous parallels have been drawn between the two.
An incumbent president would likely see little upside to taking part in debates that he was likely to lose and would only further elevate the stature and profile of his opponent. The Republican National Committee already voted to abolish a standing committee on primary debates in May to ensure that Trump wouldn't have to debate someone like John Kasich or Jeff Flake if they decided to mount a primary challenge.
Let's also not forget that Trump has a track record of skipping debates or threatening to do so. He famously boycotted a Republican primary debate in Iowa because of a dispute with moderator Megyn Kelly.
It strains credulity to believe that Trump would agree to debate with a moderator selected by the Commission on Presidential Debates. He previously complained that two debates they scheduled purposely conflicted with major National Football League games.
For all of these reasons, betting that Trump will appear on the debate stage again in the fall of 2020 is a losing proposition.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/427099-dnc-should-be-cautious-about-overemphasizing-debates-as-trump-may-skip-them
underpants
(182,271 posts)He's close right now.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)now and he most likely will not be around by 2020.
localroger
(3,603 posts)I am wondering how many bottles of urine and bags of Big Mac boxes are hidden under the furniture in the Oval Office.
Sanity Claws
(21,822 posts)Yes, don't bet on Trump showing up for debates in 2020.
onetexan
(12,994 posts)RKP5637
(67,030 posts)RKP5637
(67,030 posts)away from tRump. Someone could attend the debates anyway and leave tRump out of the debates all together.
John Fante
(3,479 posts)An empty podium can't do any worse. At least it won't nauseate us with its coke sniffles.
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)Either Senator Harris or Joe Biden would tear him up in a debate
Dan
(3,524 posts)onetexan
(12,994 posts)inflicted upon the country and its citizens so far.
He shouldn't plan on showing up for debates anyway. Mueller's report will be out sometime this year, and if we have our way, the FBI will haul his butt to the fed pen.
safeinOhio
(32,527 posts)...can't negotiate.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)and it didn't hurt him since the media still flocked to whatever crazy ass speech he decided to deliver instead.