Donald Trump, the publicity seeking billionaire business tycoon and host of his own television show, “The Apprentice”, is about to host and moderate a televised debate on the cable network, Newsmax, with the Republican Presidential candidates who are seeking their parties nomination to be the next president of the United States.
The debate is set for Dec.27, 2011 and will take place in Iowa, just days before the state’s Jan.3, 2012, first-in-the-nation caucus, Newsmax announced.
As one can imagine, not everyone is happy about this debate hosted by Donald Trump, and two of the presidential hopefuls, Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman said they would not be participating in it. Their concerns are about the seriousness of the event.
Through his spokesman, Ron Paul said, “Mr. Trumps participation will only contribute to an unwanted circus-like atmosphere, and it will distract from the important campaign issues facing our country”. Jon Huntsman’s feelings are about the same saying in a released statement, “The Presidential Apprentice” debate with “The Donald” won’t be taken as a serious discussion of issues so voters can chose a leader they trust.”
Trump shot back with his comments calling Ron Paul a “non-electable candidate with zero chances of winning either the Republican nomination or the Presidency.” He claimed in a statement to CNN that when he, himself, decided to not run for president, his poll numbers were substantially higher than any of Ron Paul’s numbers.
Donald Trump’s spokesman, Mike Cohen confirmed the details of a New York Times report to NBC news, about the debate. He said, “it is not a Donald Trump Debate, Trump is just the moderator”.
“The Trumpster”, as Donald Trump has been referred to a number of times, had been flirting with the idea of running for President of the United States, but said he decided not to due to equal time provisions concerning his television show, “The Apprentice”. Lately, though, he has been making comments that lead some to believe that he may try to step back into the presidential arena again.
Trump has been meeting privately with a number of the 2012 GOP Candidates since this summer.
Donald Trump is also well remembered as the man who forced President Obama to produce an official copy of his United States birth certificate. That charade conducted by Trump went on for months, until a certified copy of the Presidents birth certificate was produced, proving that he was, as he always said, “born in the USA.”