Rove: Trump debate will have worst ratings in history

[Dianne]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1...n_1131319.html

GOP strategist Karl Rove appeared on Fox News Monday night and continued to rail against an upcoming Republican presidential debate being moderated by real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump.

"We've got a guy who is not only saying 'I'm going to make a decision about who I'm gonna endorse shortly after this debate and I'm already leaning someway -- and I may run myself,' and we expect him to be the impartial moderator of the debate?" Rove said on "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren. "Could you imagine what would happen if MSNBC was hosting a debate and the moderator said, 'well, I'm going to endorse one of the Republican candidates after this debate'? Everybody would say 'we're not showing up!'"

As Trump's debate stands now, not every candidate is promising to attend. Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul have both rejected their invites, while some other candidates have not yet committed to the Dec. 27 event. On Monday morning, Trump took a shot at Huntsman and Paul, calling them "joke candidates."

On Monday evening, Rove, who had earlier raised concerns about the nature of the debate, directed more pointed criticism at Trump and his history of controversial views.

"Is Mr. Trump going to ask the candidates whether they agree with him that Barack Obama was not born in the United States?" Rove asked. "Do they agree with him that George W. Bush is 'evil' and that Nancy Pelosi was 'great'? These are the kind of questions we might have from Mr. Trump -- these are all views of his."

Rove continued, questioning Trump's journalistic integrity and warning GOP candidates about the potential harm they could do themselves by partaking in the event.

"This is not a newsman, this is not somebody who's gonna sit down and meticulously prepare for this like a Bret Baier would do or some of these other anchors would do," Rove said. "This is a guy who is an active actor in this. He's already indicated he's leaning toward endorsing somebody, you know he could do a lot of damage to somebody and I suspect it's not gonna be to the candidate that he's leaning towards. This is a man who says himself that he's going to a potentially run for president of the United States starting next May. Why do we have that person moderating a debate?"Then Rove hit Trump in a spot that's likely to have some resonance: the ratings.

"I would suspect this will have the smallest viewership of any one of the debates this year," Rove said, pointing out that the television network it's airing on, ION, is smaller than some of the others that have hosted debates.

Trump is slated to be a guest on Tuesday night's "On the Record," where Rove's latest comments will most likely be raised. Trump was quick to respond to Rove's earlier complaints from Monday, bashing him on that day's edition of MSNBC's "Morning Rundown."

"Karl Rove gave us George Bush and George Bush crashed and burned and because of that we have Obama," Trump said. "The Republicans need to get rid of Karl Rove and they need fresh blood because Karl Rove is going to lead them into doom."

[SpiritOf1776_J4]

Of course it will, because Ron Paul won't be there

[69360]

Trump would be wise not to pick a fight with Karl Rove.

Although the results will be hilarious. Rove will smear Trump fairly well.

[PauliticsPolitics]

"Karl Rove gave us George Bush and George Bush crashed and burned and because of that we have Obama," Trump said. "The Republicans need to get rid of Karl Rove and they need fresh blood because Karl Rove is going to lead them into doom."

Wow, this is probably the first time I will be happy to see Rove in action.
Even though Rove is stomping for Romney, I'd like to see him demoralize Trump a bit... just a fun indulgence I guess.

[phill4paul]

Trumpaoompaloompa is gonna get a serious smack down. All the talk show 'Conservative' pundits would do best to steer clear of Trump. There is a change coming that is going to change the very language of the GOP.

[Karsten]

Unfortunately, he's probably wrong. All the controversy will make people want to watch it more. Wish that wasn't that case, but I know how people are.

[Dianne]

Paul can benefit from this as Rove inadvertently proves Paul made the correct decision. Rove is trying to get the other candidates to bow out, and hopefully that effort will be a success. That would be funny, if all you had there was Trump and Gingrich, especially since Trump is going to endorse the crook.

Whatever happens, spread the word far and wide........... boycott that debate, don't watch one single minute of it !!!!

[CaptUSA]

It is clear what Rove is doing. Crystal.

Rove is trying to give cover for Romney and Perry to skip out of this debate. Those campaigns can't skip this debate if they think it will hurt them. They don't want to go, but they'll be forced to if they can't turn public opinion against the debate. This is why they haven't given an answer yet. They're waiting to see which way the wind blows. Rove is trying to get it to blow in our favor - not because of principle, but because Trump is not controllable. He's afraid of the damage Trump may do to the establishment pick.

Of course, Ron Paul doesn't care about the wind, he's skipping out of principle.

[Tax the Fed]

Iowans will already know what is going on before the trumped debate . . .

many have already decided to put a Doctor in the (white) House

[Maximus]

It is clear what Rove is doing. Crystal.

Rove is trying to give cover for Romney and Perry to skip out of this debate. Those campaigns can't skip this debate if they think it will hurt them. They don't want to go, but they'll be forced to if they can't turn public opinion against the debate. This is why they haven't given an answer yet. They're waiting to see which way the wind blows. Rove is trying to get it to blow in our favor - not because of principle, but because Trump is not controllable. He's afraid of the damage Trump may do to the establishment pick.

Of course, Ron Paul doesn't care about the wind, he's skipping out of principle.

If they backed out of the debate everyone would ignore it. Just like Gingrich and Cain's "Lincoln Douglass" debate.

If this was on NBC or a big network, I'd be worried, but not ION tv.

[Jingles]

I'm not a fan of Karl Rove in any sense, but you don't directly pick a fight with him like this. Rove won't just attack Trump, he'll get all his lackeys to do so as well and there are quite of few of those.Trump is about to shove his hand in a hornet's nest and it is going to be hilarious to watch.

[jkr]

i havent watched the last 2.

got tired of listing to the SAME $#@! on a different night.

I catch the Dr. hilites on flix...




their psyc job has cost them a viewer!

[Shane Harris]

I'm not a fan of Karl Rove in any sense, but you don't directly pick a fight with him like this. Rove won't just attack Trump, he'll get all his lackeys to do so as well and there are quite of few of those.Trump is about to shove his hand in a hornet's nest and it is going to be hilarious to watch.

I hope so. I cannot stand trump. and the fact that he is trying to leach into the republican party is perverse. he can influence those dumb down-the-line-republicans