Posted on 01/28/2016 10:58:41 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum will attend Donald Trump's pro-veterans event on Thursday at the same time as Fox News's prime-time presidential debate.
Spokesmen for both candidates confirmed to The Hill that the Republican presidential will still participate in Thursday's undercard GOP debate, but will head to the Trump event after.
The undercard debate begins at 7 p.m. Eastern, two hours before Trump's event is slated to start three miles away. That gives candidates who failed to reach the main stage the freedom to participate, while anyone slated for the main stage would have to skip the debate altogether to attend.
Huckabee said that he didn't speak with Trump directly about the plans, but that his staff had expressed interest in conversation with the Trump campaign. He added that he doesn't believe the decision to join Trump at the event sends a negative message to those candidates taking part in the main-stage debate.
"It's to honor the troops, it's not an endorsement of Donald Trump's candidacy. I'm still running for president, we've got the caucuses Monday night, but I'm delighted to join with Donald Trump in an effort to salute the veterans," Huckabee said Thursday on CNN's "Wolf."
"I'm not invited to the main stage, I would have loved to have been on that stage ... if they aren't sitting out in the audience watching me, I don't feel any compulsion that I have to be there for that debate.
Trump's campaign scheduled the event after he decided to pull out of Fox News's debate because the network issued a strongly worded statement in response to his calls to remove Megyn Kelly as a moderator.
His campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, has said the event will raise funds for veterans organizations, but the campaign has not elaborated which ones will benefit.
Trump tweeted
Thursday morning that two campaigns had reached out with interest in joining his event, but he did not identify the candidates.
His decision to skip the debate has prompted criticism from his GOP rivals.
Ted Cruz, his closest challenger in recent polls, challenged him to a one-on-one debate this Saturday, and two Cruz-aligned super-PACs promised to donate $1.5 million to veterans organizations if Trump agreed.
The decision by both candidates to stand by Trump despite criticism from other candidates could be seen by supporters as a signal to support Trump.
Both Huckabee, the 2008 Iowa caucus winner, and Santorum, the 2012 caucus winner, have long histories with the state's evangelical population.
But they have seen those voters flee him in droves, mostly to Trump and Cruz, and both lag behind the majority of the field in fundraising.
While other rivals framed Trump's decision as fear to defend his record, Huckabee lauded Trump for manipulating the media during an interview this week on Fox's "Hannity" and jokingly asked
to take his spot on the main debate stage.
During the CNN interview, Huckabee said Trump would be on his vice presidential shortlist.
Huckabee also didn't argue with the assertion that he'd be more comfortable with Trump as the nominee than Cruz, and took the opportunity to criticize Cruz for cozying up to hedge-fund billionaires and for moderating his stances depending on the audience.
Live on CNN from what I gather.
I’m sure as long as the moderators are fair, i.e. prevent someone like Rubio dumping a load of unassociated and discredited opposition research items on Cruz’s head as the buzzer sounds, then disallow the time it would take to refute each, he’ll do just fine.
Sour grapes make the best whine. :-)
You get your wish. It's the same time as the Fox debate.
"Watch primetime debate live tonight 9 PM ET on Fox News Channel. First debate starts 7 PM ET."
Spoken like a school teacher who never did anything constructive in her life.
I’m pleased they’re showing up. Huckabee just bashed Cruz. (Heard it on Rush a moment ago.) Seems no one really does like him!
Unlike you guys I don't consider this election some kind of football game. The consequences are too dire.
That was waaaaaaay back in 2011.
Anyway, Trump could shoot someone on 5th Ave. and his supporters would still vote for him.
My understanding is that non RNC approved debates are not allowed. The PACs know this. There is no way any of the candidates can do this and not get into hot water.
The race for THE ONE’s VP has begun.
I predict tonight is more of a windfall for Rubio and Rand Paul to trash team Cruz. :-)
In the very last rally Trump did just recently, there were reports that cars were waiting for parking more than a mile long.
Santorum has some credibility but the huckster is pure slime. But the day has passed for both and they know it. Huckster is playing for VP IMO but Trump wont fall for it.
As far ast the Cruz Trump battle I find it very unfortunate. Id vote for either. But this constant wave of insults wont do us any good in the general election.
What kind of person calls three people supporting vets , one of which is DOUBLE the leader in the presidential race “losers”.
Why a loser of course!
SUCK IT!
Don’t despair so far the best man is winning. :-)
This is Trump doing his art-of-the-deal. He'll come back, saying that Fox agreed to all his demands and declare victory.
Rush is talking about this now.
Since livius has never had to compete for anything, she does not understand wing or losing.
Huckabee burning bridges with Fox. Guess he most know his former bosses very well and agree they arent really fair and balanced.
The reason Trump dodged is simply that he is intemperate and therefore at risk at any given time of committing the gaffe that finally breaks through, alienates a block of supporters, and consolidates the "anybody but Trump" faction. Trumpsters may think he is immune to this, but they are probably wrong. Trump is smart enough to know this, despite his blustering about being able to shoot someone and not pay a penalty. A debate is a high risk environment for The Donald.
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