With the first Republican presidential debate less than
an hour away, it’s worth considering that Donald Trump has thrown a big-time
head fake to the nine GOP contenders who will share the stage with the
bombastic real estate mogul.
If Trump switches gears from the hyperbole of the campaign
trail and engages in serious discussions of the issues, that could destroy the
debate-prep strategies of the other candidates, who are expecting the carnival-barker version of Trump in Cleveland.
On Twitter, in addition to his typical egomaniacal
tweets, Trump has suggested over the past 48 hours that he is ready to play the
role of a thoughtful, reserved candidate.
tweets, Trump has suggested over the past 48 hours that he is ready to play the
role of a thoughtful, reserved candidate.
That sudden misdirection could work, according to Newt
Gingrich, who was briefly the GOP presidential frontrunner four years ago.
“No one has more to gain or lose than Trump,”
said the former House speaker in a CNN interview. “Trump can go in there
and feel presidential and the average American can say: ‘You know, behind the
strong language and the vivid words, there’s a guy that can be in the Oval
Office.’ He comes out of there enormously strengthened.”
said the former House speaker in a CNN interview. “Trump can go in there
and feel presidential and the average American can say: ‘You know, behind the
strong language and the vivid words, there’s a guy that can be in the Oval
Office.’ He comes out of there enormously strengthened.”
