The liberal co-hosts of ABC’s The View blasted former president Donald Trump for indicating that he would not participate in the 2024 primary debates.
“I see that everybody is talking about the Republican Debates, but nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them,” the 45th president wrote on his Truth Social page.
“When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA hating anchors asking the “questions,” why subject yourself to being libeled and abused,” he questioned on April 25.
Trump also pointed out that the second debate was scheduled to take place at the Reagan Library, where ultra liberal Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan is the chairman of the board of trustees.
TRUMP LIKELY TO SKIP PRIMARY DEBATE: Though he's leading in the polls, #TheView co-hosts weigh in on former Pres. Trump saying he's likely not to participate in one or both of the first two 2024 Republican primary debates. https://t.co/cVclFZQU98 pic.twitter.com/5Fwf4k2VFb
— The View (@TheView) May 5, 2023
On Thursday’s episode of The View, Joy Behar said that Trump had to debate, because he’s a “proven loser.”
“I love how Trump was, like, it’s a hostile network and anchor,” remarked former Trump official Alyssa Farah Griffin.
“He’s talking about Fox News and Bret Baier, the friendliest network to him, and he’s still afraid to get on stage. It’s such a shame.”
Republican National Committee Ronna McDaniel announced that the first debate will be hosted by Fox News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August.
A week later she released details about the second debate, which will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
“When he frames it the way he says is, basically, ‘well, I have the lead, so I shouldn’t have to, and they’re hostile to me, so why would I do it?’ Because it’s for the country,” Griffin criticized.
She noted that presidential candidates run to serve the country and debate to earn the votes of Americans.
“He’s not willing to do that. He thinks he should just be coronated, which is funny, because he came after Hillary Clinton and the Democrats in 2016, like, ‘It’s a coronation.’”
“He needs to debate, he needs to be challenged on his ideas,” she concluded.
Co-host Sara Haines suggested that Trump wants to deal with “fans,” rather than “opponents.”
“He loves a rally. He likes people who are like-minded, cheering him on,” she asserted. “The problem comes when he’s questioned on things.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin claimed that Trump “stalked Hillary Clinton across the debate stage” in 2016, and said she doesn’t want to witness a similar situation during the Republican primaries.
“I think he has to debate, he is a proven loser,” Behar spat.
“But then, why debate if you’re a proven loser?” Hostin asked.
“Because you have something to prove now. You have to get over the hump. Biden doesn’t have to prove anything. His record stands for him,” Behar claimed.
“[Trump] lost in the midterms. He lost in the last election, I say this, he is a loser.”
Meanwhile, the Washington Post said that Trump was approached by recently ousted Fox News star Tucker Carlson about participating in a candidate forum “outside” of the GOP primary debate system.
Carlson is reportedly enthusiastic about moderating and Trump is said to be interested.
“He could go straight to the candidates, stream it live, invite the networks but maintain control over the process,” a source said about Carlson’s initiative to remove the RNC from the debate process.
Trump is also planning to participate in CNN’s Town Hall next Wednesday, which mortally offended “The View” panel.
“What is the point of this new town hall that he’s doing? And did we learn nothing from Les Moonves saying, ‘Bad for the country, but great for the network?’” Moderator Whoopi Goldberg questioned.
Hostin said that she was “disgusted” with the network. “When someone shows you who they are, you believe them.”
TRUMP'S UPCOMING CNN TOWN HALL: After the network planned a town hall in New Hampshire with former Pres. Trump, #TheView co-hosts question if he should be given a platform. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/I78pRGTIUN
— The View (@TheView) May 3, 2023
She called Trump a racist, bigot, and an insurrectionist amongst other insults.
“I don’t think that you give that type of person a platform. You don’t do that. And I’m actually dismayed that CNN on May 10th at eight o’clock is going to be giving — I just did a commercial for them — I can’t believe that they are giving him this platform,” Hostin seethed.
Behar pushed back, suggesting that the Town Hall would be a way to expose Trump’s true colors.
“I can’t stand him as you know. But he is the front-runner for the Republican party — I would let them do it, it is a free country. This is America,” Behar said.
“Let him go out there and let him show again to the American people that he is a sociopath.”