Veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove said Monday that the head of the Republican National Committee (RNC) should step in to "discourage" presidential candidates from attending the upcoming debate moderated by Donald Trump.
"Here's a guy who is saying, 'I'm going to endorse one of you,' " Rove said, criticizing the choice on "Fox & Friends."
"More importantly, what the heck are the Republican candidates doing showing up at a debate [whose moderator] says, 'I may run for president next year as an Independent'? I think the Republican National [Committee] chairman [Reince Priebus] should step in and say, 'We strongly discourage every candidate from appearing in a debate moderated by somebody who's gonna run for president,' " he said.
Trump, promoting his new book, released this week, confirmed earlier on the show that he is planning to endorse and that if the candidate he prefers does not win the GOP nomination, he might consider an Independent bid following the conclusion of his reality TV show, "The Apprentice."
The debate, sponsored by Newsmax, will take place in Iowa on Dec. 27 and air on ION television. Rove added that few people are likely to watch the debate, which will be a "giant ego trip."
Republican presidential candidates Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman have already declined to participate.
"The Republican Party deserves a serious discussion of the issues so voters can choose a leader they trust to defeat President Obama and turn our economy around," Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller said, announcing Huntsman would not attend.
Paul's campaign also slammed the moderator choice as unserious.
“The selection of a reality-television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity,” Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said, predicting a "circus-like atmosphere" at the debate.
