On Wednesday evening, the GOP presidential candidates held their first debate of the 2024 election season — and the entire country yawned and then likely changed the channel.
Politics :
The 2024 GOP presidential candidates who participated in the debate included North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former Texas congressman Will Hurd, conservative California talk radio host Larry Elder, and little-known Texas pastor Ryan Binkley are also seeking the GOP nomination. However, they weren’t invited to participate in the debate because they didn’t qualify.
Interestingly, one prominent candidate was a debate no-show by choice: Donald Trump.
Trump is currently facing 4 separate criminal indictments and is preparing to turn himself in to Fulton County, Georgia officials on Thursday. He also spent Wednesday evening giving a soft-ball, attention-stealing interview to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. So, needless to say, Trump was profoundly preoccupied.
Still, that’s not the reason Trump didn’t join the other GOP presidential candidates in the first debate of the primary season.
The real reason is that he simply didn’t have to, nor will he ever.
Donald Trump has wildly succeeded in putting the fear of God into the Republican Party. So, although the 12 aforementioned names will go through the motions and compete, spend campaign funds, and rev up their supporters, the truth is that none of them will seize the 2024 Republican nomination for president.
That title and prize will be handed to Donald Trump during a Republican “coronation” that will be loosely disguised as a political convention.
Interestingly, Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel begged and pleaded with ‘The Donald’ to participate in the debate (if for no other reason than ratings and TV viewership). She even attempted to reason with Trump and said that his absence could provide President Biden an excuse to pull the same stunt and avoid future debates during the 2024 general election.
However, Trump was undeterred. He figured, why travel to Milwaukee and submit to attacks on national television when the nomination will eventually be handed to him on a gold platter? The other candidates are beneath him and are only running for 2028 or for a place in his potential 2nd administration. Why waste time?
So, congratulations to all of the GOP presidential candidates who took the time to at least pretend the debates matter. Donald Trump wasn’t there and may soon wind up in jail. Still, come hell or high water, Donald Trump has “mob-bossed” his way to the front of the line and will be (without little to no effort of his own) the 2024 Republican nominee for president.
If you missed the debate then you didn’t miss a thing. Especially since the entire world already knows how this movie will end.
OK WASSUP! discusses Politics:
The 2024 GOP presidential candidates debate.
Lol..I agree DJ, it was mostly a yawner but it had its moments.
And I think if they really nominate Trump (the guy could be a convicted felon by then¹) things could actually get a little interesting for the Republican party!
But we’ll see. 🙂