Just days ago, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said it would be a “dream” to debate Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
Apparently, it really was only a dream.
On Friday afternoon, Trump retracted the commitment he made Wednesday night on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to debate the senator from Vermont. In a statement issued by his campaign, Trump said it “seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher.” He also complained that television networks appeared unwilling to donate millions of dollars to charity in exchange for hosting such an event.
“Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders — and it would be an easy payday — I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be,” Trump said in the statement.
Sanders, who has failed to convince Clinton to debate him prior to next month’s California primary, expressed disappointment at the lost opportunity.
“Well, Mr. Trump, what are you afraid of?” Sanders told reporters at a press conference Friday afternoon in California. “If you’re so tough, let’s sit down and have that debate.”
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And now we know beyond any doubt that all the bluster coming from Son of Sarah (aka Trump) is just that … bluster. But we could never expect any better from a campaign that has been birthed by the half term Governor quitter from Alaska.
All I can say (and with great sarcasm) is “Thank you Republican Party for trying to foist a Vice President Sarah Palin on us, and thank you for bringing her political offspring Trump to the forefront of your presidential ambitions.”
Oh, come on–Bernie made the offer (via Kimmel) because he wanted/needed to grab a piece of the news cycle. The Donald picked up on that, threw out absurd, unrealistic conditions (if HE pays me/if THEY pay ten-fifteen million to charity) and early the next morning his staff was saying “JOKING!” and “KIDDING!” But the media? The media IGNORED his staff and kept asking him the question, and he kept feeding them sugary horse poop that they ate up like it was a steak dinner.
It was obvious–way back on KIMMEL–to anyone with four functioning brain cells that The Donald had no intention of debating anyone. He used that imbroglio to mock “Crazy Bernie” while affecting faux sympathy for him. And then he grabbed the News Cycle with both paws and OWNED it for two days straight. He’s a jerk, but he knows how to “chain jerk” too.
And Bernie? He should have engaged those brain cells–he got played, like an over eager kid who is promised the ball on the playground, and then the bully snatches it away.