For the first time in my political consciousness, I agree with Michele Bachmann on a trending political issue.
Not only do I agree with her, but I may actually have some level of admiration for a position she has taken. What is this apocalyptic, once-in-a-life-time occurrence? Her recent snub of the GOP “debate” moderated by Donald Trump, set to take place on Dec. 27.
It is not only the Bachmann campaign that has turned down the summons to the Trump debate, but fellow Republican candidates Romney, Huntsman, Paul and Perry have also declined to appear on stage with Donald Trump moderating. However, both Santorum and Gingrich have accepted the invitation from Trump.
Why anyone postulates that Trump is even remotely qualified to host, moderate or even be involved with any sort of political conversation is beyond me.
Perhaps his most notable contribution to recent political discourse was his leadership of the revamped “birther movement,” which insisted President Obama was not a U.S. citizen according to his contested birth certificate.
Trump made numerous television appearances ranting about Obama’s citizenship status, insulting the American people for not properly vetting their leader.
Aside from his blunder on the “birther” issue, Donald Trump has proved himself unqualified, to say the least, to moderate a political forum.
What is most frustrating about Trump isn’t necessarily that he chooses ill-timed moments to incessantly bleat about non-issues, but it is his lack of political intellect. Perhaps his lack of higher level thought at all.
For example, during an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer this week, Trump repeatedly interrupted Blitzer, the king of interruptions himself. Trump insisted on interjecting a question of his own in a rather oafish tone; “Tell me, is Obama stupid?”
What Trump was attempting to articulate was his dissatisfaction with Obama’s foreign policy decisions in post-revolutionary Libya. He thought that certain preconditions needed to be set with the citizens of Libya before we entered the escalating crisis, apparently overlooking the inconvenient fact that it was a crisis on the ground.
In a world where Trump is in charge of foreign policy, apparently compensation for our tax payer dollars spent liberating a population will be negotiated up front with a non-existent government.
Trump’s inability to formulate coherent statements on foreign policy makes me question his ability to understand candidates’ answers, let alone undertake moderating a debate.
Aside from the fact that Trump still thinks he has the ability and bravado for a third party run for the Oval Office, it is clear for many additional factors Trump has no reason or qualifications to moderate a debate.
That being said, I commend Bachmann and her fellow candidates for not being coerced into participating in his primary debate. Despite hard-ball bullying, similar to his tactics in a board room, Trump has been unable to secure more participants.
As organizers scrambled this week to decide if the event was still viable after so many refusals, let us hope that Trump has a moment of humility and finally acknowledges he does not possess the clout nor qualifications to moderate a Republican party debate.