Just when you thought the circus that is the Republican Presidential campaign couldn't get any more outrageous, the Head Clown--Donald Trump--is taking it to a new level by threatening to boycott Thursday's debate hosted by Fox News Channel. Trump is threatening to sit out because he thinks moderator Megyn Kelly was "mean to him" when he appeared on her show a couple of months ago. And he came about this decision in a way that shows great leadership and forethought--he conducted a Twitter poll.
Given his TV experience, I'm surprised The Donald isn't hedging on his appearance. "Will I show up? Won't I show up? I guess you'll just have to tune in to find out!" That would likely guarantee a huge audience for at least the first 30-seconds of the debate--as America checks out whether or not Trump does show up to "face his adversary"--and immediately tunes out if he fails to show.
It would not surprise me if Trump agrees to do an in-studio sit down interview with CNN or MSNBC on Thursday night at the same time at the Fox News debate. And if those ratings beat the viewership of the debate, it's just another feather in his cap as he continues to play the media like a finely-tuned violin. "Who would want to watch those losers anyway?" Trump says while going another week in the campaign without having to run TV ads or conduct any robo-calls to prospective voters.
As I have mentioned before, the Trump candidacy is America's first political "reality show"--and like every other reality show, it needs to get more and more outrageous and outlandish to keep the viewers' attention. Boycotting a nationally televised debate fits "the script" perfectly--just a few days before the Iowa caucuses. If Trump's poll numbers slip in New Hampshire, he may threaten to show up for the next debate nude--or drink beer during the telecast--or come riding in on the back of a grizzly bear while wearing a burning stuntman suit. Or he may make good on his boast that he could shoot someone and not lose a vote by gunning down Ted Cruz like he is Howard Beale in the movie Network--as America flips the channels to see what else is on.
Talk about life imitating art
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