Donald Trump Won't Host GOP Debate

Real estate mogul stepping back in order to preserve the option of running for president

December 13, 2011 RSS Feed Print

NEW YORK — Donald Trump says he is pulling out of a Republican presidential debate he had agreed to moderate in Iowa.

The real estate mogul announced Tuesday that he was stepping back in order to preserve the option of running for president in case he's not satisfied that the eventual Republican nominee can defeat President Barack Obama. The conservative website Newsmax was to host the debate Dec. 27.

[See pictures of the 2012 GOP candidates.]

But the debate has been in jeopardy ever since Mitt Romney signaled he would not participate. Other candidates bowed out. Only Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum agreed to take part.

Many Republican strategists warned that a presidential debate moderated by Trump, star of "Celebrity Apprentice," would create a circus-like atmosphere that might diminish the candidates vying to challenge Obama.

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Associated Press,
Donald Trump,
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Oh gee wiz, gosh darn, ahhh shucks! I would have never guessed that Donald Trump would finally decide to cancel his reality show debate after Ron Paul exposed it for what it really was.

Now "the Donald" should just lay low for a while and hope that people forget what an idiot he is. Stay out of politics Donald! It's not a place for clowns with a tabloid mentality!

Bob Vondruska of CA 7:25PM December 14, 2011

Trump is just trying to save face. Was looking forward to him moderating. He's not smart enough to answer pertinent questions, was wondering if he was smart enough to ask any. Now that we have this vacuous media darling out of the way, maybe we can get Paris Hilton instead.

Bobbarooni of ID 3:55PM December 13, 2011

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