Trump isn’t debating Republicans because he’s ‘scared’, claims nemesis Chris Christie: Ex-governor calls Donald a ‘kid’ for going through 2020 election like this, says he needs to get on stage in 2024 if he REALLY wants to voters give
- The former New Jersey governor slammed Trump for indicating he would skip debates
- Trump hinted he won’t be going because of his “massive” leads
- Christie said Trump wants to contest 2020 again because his feelings are hurt.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has accused Donald Trump of dodging debates because he does not have “serious answers” to questions that could be asked.
Christie, who shared the debate stage with Trump in 2016 to get behind him after his own campaign failed following the New Hampshire primary, said Trump might stay away because he was “scared.”
His comments come after Trump, who is doing a Town Hall with CNN next week, said he may stay away because of his lead over Republican rivals. “I’m 40 points ahead. A lot of people say, “Why have a debate when you’ve got people two and three and fifteen and fourteen [percent]?” he told interviewer John Catsimatidis on WABC in New York last week. “People don’t debate when they have these huge leads,” he said.
Christie, who has said he will decide this month whether to run for president, told host Hugh Hewitt in an interview Wednesday that Republicans should have as many debates as possible.
Former President Donald Trump, in Scotland this week, is ‘scared’ about getting back on the debate stage, says former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
“They need to be as open as possible to allow for follow-ups, to prevent people from giving soundbyte-y answers that no one thinks will solve problems.” And anyone who seriously wants to be president of the United States should stand on the podium for every one of them.”
During debates ‘you see how people react on their feet. And that’s very important for any executive, because you know, the presidency is not a scripted exercise.’
And to the extent that President Trump will not participate in it, people should ask why. And I think it’s because he doesn’t have many serious answers to the problems the country is currently facing. All he wants to do is go back and sue the 2020 election again because his feelings are hurt. He’s a kid in that regard,” Christie said.
Said Christie, “If he really cares about the country — and I have deep questions about that — but if he really cares about the country, then he’ll go there and not be afraid. I’m sorry to see Donald Trump feel that if he takes the stage he risks losing his edge. If his ideas are so great, if his leadership is so outstanding, then his lead will only grow when he gets on the podium, not shrink.”
Christie helped end Senator Marco Rubio’s 2016 campaign on a debate stage in New Hampshire. They also appeared in South Carolina (pictured here)
Christie made the comments to interviewer Hugh Hewitt (above) as he ponders his own political future
Christie, a former prosecutor credited with torpedoing the presidential campaign of Florida Senator Marco Rubio and who, like Trump, has cultivated a tough guy image, repeatedly said Trump was “afraid” to show up.
But he is clearly scared. He is afraid to go on stage against people who are serious. And I’m sorry to see him so afraid of it, he said, bringing up leaders like China’s Xi Jinping. “This is a man who seems to be afraid. And if he’s scared, he has no business being president.’
His comments came on a day when Trump sat for a TV interview with former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, who has advised him in the past. During that interview, he said goodbye to Megan and Harry and expressed his long-running grudge against windmills.
A Trump adviser, when asked about his decision to appear on CNN’s town hall next week, said his rivals were “afraid” of going out of their comfort zone to appear on the network.