Donald Trump, Part 2

Donald Trump is back…if he ever left.

What can we make of the events of the past few days in GOP presidential politics?

First, Herman Cain gave in to the inevitable and put his bid in “suspension”, presumably so he can continue to raise money and channel it to his new internet political base or give it to other GOP candidates.

Then, Newt Gingrich overtook Mitt Romney in the Iowa polls by about 30% to 22% and is now being viewed as an elder uncle or grandfather by Iowa Republicans. Not bad for a man whose entire campaign team walked out on him last Spring. But, then, Newt Gingrich is unique, and he just may be the Republican candidate for 2012 if things continue on their present course.

While all this was going on, Donald Trump accepted an invitation from the conservative website Newsmax and ION Television to host a late December debate in Iowa just before the Iowa GOP primary caucuses take place. The Newsmax executive director said, “We approached Donald Trump….He is a well-known and vocal conservative, and we thought it was a great partnership.”

ION Television reaches 99 million households so the debate will be sure to attract a large audience in this presidential season in which GOP debates have become more interesting than either Washington politics or the NBA.

A top-flight team of producers in network and cable television news, including the former head of CNN's news division, has been put together to produce the debate.

"ION, Newsmax and Mr. Trump are committed to host a serious presidential forum which will include some of the most reputable journalists and media people in the nation," according to Brandon Burgess, CEO and Chairman of ION Television.
During a Fox News interview, Trump said, "This is a serious debate. Some said, this will be 'The Apprentice.' The fact is this is a serious debate, and a lot of people will be watching." He also said he would not be making any candidate endorsements prior to the debate. So far, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have accepted invitations to participate. Jon Huntsman, for some unfathomable reason relating to a minor Twitter scuffle between him and Trump, has declined the invitation. You can bet most of the others in the GOP Gang of Eight will be there in Des Moines, smiling, saluting the flag and trying to stay one step ahead of The Donald.

As if these events weren’t for one weekend, Trump today released his new book, “Time to get Tough: Making America No. 1 Again.” A former presidential hopeful himself, Trump uses the book, which is receiving good reviews, to hammer home the damage President Obama has inflicted on America, and offering Trump solutions to everything from energy independence to Chinese trade policies and excessive outsourcing of jobs overseas by American-based companies.

Trump also offers his own tax plan in the book: “the 1-5-10-15 income tax plan.” Those earning up to $30,000 would pay 1 percent in taxes, those earning from $30,000 to $100,000 would pay 5 percent, those making $100,000 to $1 million would pay 10 percent, and anyone making over $1 million would pay 15 percent.

And, Trump publishes in his book the personal financial statement that was prepared when he was thinking about entering the GOP race early this year.

Where does all this leave us, dear readers? Perhaps not where we might think.

On the surface, Newt Gingrich ought to win the debate hands down. Romney will be as stiff and non-committal about most issues as he always is, and the rest will flail around trying to grab a toehold in the debate ice before they hurl themselves into a triple loop just for the fun of it.

But, the real winner may be Donald Trump. Because he will out-debate all the candidates put together. Because he is still the godfather of this 2012 GOP presidential campaign season. Because he adores politics and won’t be able to hold back.

But, most importantly, because the GOP voters in key primary states are not happy campers. They do not like Romney’s waffling on issues dear to conservative tea party hearts and they don’t trust his moderate brand of GOPism. The GOP tea partiers also wonder out loud whether Newt Gingrich’s three-marriage past, beltway “consulting” activities and renowned ability to put his foot in his mouth at just the wrong minute may not make him an opponent that Obama could taunt, rattle and roll over.

Voila! With talk percolating of trying to organize GOP bigwigs to find someone to draft who is outside the Gang of Eight, The Donald will be front and center on the 27^th of December. He’s a smart old cookie, we know that. And maybe he still has the presidential  itch.