Less than 48 hours after this week’s GOP debate, Donald Trump canceled his planned appearance at Heritage Action’s Presidential Forum in Greenville, S.C, which is also the home of Heritage CEO Jim DeMint. The event, a major gathering of conservative activists will now hear from 10 other contenders. Trump will not, citing a “significant business transaction” that has been delayed and required his attention.
People attending the Heritage event in Greenville were skeptical. Trump’s staffers had insisted their man would be there and painstakingly negotiated terms for the appearance. They included a proviso that he not have to appear on stage with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley after she publicly criticized Trump.
A leading South Carolina legislator said that if Trump hasn’t been able to delegate his business affairs to people he can trust in an age of instant communication it shows he isn’t a serious presidential candidate: “It’s not like the U.S. Senate where you have to be present physically to vote.” He and many other attendees at the event believe Trump didn’t want to face questions about his failure to respond to statements by attendees at a New Hampshire town hall meeting that President Obama is a Muslim and “not even an American.”He will miss the event amid outcry from both parties that he did not correct comments made by two men at a Thursday night rally.
During that event, which was televised, an attendee said “We have a problem in this country — it’s called Muslims,” adding, “We know our current president is one. You know he’s not even an American,” the man added. “That’s my question, when can we get rid of them?”
Trump’s response was curious:“We’re going to be looking at a lot of different things. A lot of people are saying bad things are happening, [and] we’re going to be looking at that and plenty of other things.”
Shortly thereafter, another attendee stood up and endorsed the first man’s views: “I applaud the gentlemen who stood and said that Obama is a Muslim born abroad,” he said.
“Right,” was Trump’s response and he then moved on to the next question.
Trump’s sudden decision to drop out of the Heritage event brought derisive comments from some of his opponents. Gov. Bobby Jindal tweeted to fellow Gov. Haley: “Sorry to @realDonaldTrump cancel on event today w/ Sen. DeMint & Gov. Haley. “Filing for bankruptcy again? Perhaps 5th time is the charm…”
William F. Buckley famously once explained that the reason Robert F. Kennedy wouldn’t debate him was simple: “Why does baloney reject the grinder?” No one can be sure why Donald Trump didn’t take the stage in South Carolina today, but after his unsteady performance during the GOP debate this week it isn’t surprising that some people are speculating that even he isn’t interested in charging into the teeth of every controversy his campaign stirs up.
