Former President Donald Trump, in lieu of attending the first Republican primary debate, released an interview with Tucker Carlson that was watched 90 million times in three hours. These numbers were according to the view counter displayed on X (formerly Twitter) and the platforms reporting.
Five minutes before the GOP primary debate began in Milwaukee at 9:00 p.m. EDT, Carlson released the interview. Within twenty minutes on air, the video view counter showed 33 million views. Reportedly it surpassed 70 million views after 30 minutes. According to the social platform, by 12:00 a.m. EDT, the video had received more than 90 million views.
Susie Wiles, Trump campaign senior adviser said the interview provided a –
“a clear contrast between President Trump engaging in a thoughtful policy discussion about what his second term will look like versus 90-second canned sound bites and platitudes from the debate stage.” adding…
“President Trump won this evening’s Republican debate in dominating fashion. More people watched President Trump’s interview with Tucker Carlson than the rest of the field on the debate stage combined,” Wiles said.
“What is clear after the dust settles: none of the other candidates looked ready to take on Crooked Joe Biden. Only one leader can Make America Great Again, and that’s President Donald J. Trump,”
- Susie Wiles, Trump Campaign Senior Adviser
During the interview, at one point, Trump referred to President Joe Biden a “Manchurian candidate” who is compromised by China. He stated of Biden-
“And he also has the distinction of being the most incompetent. And I believe both, I mean, he’s both incompetent and corrupt. So I actually believe he’s compromised because China knows so much about him. They know where the money comes from, they know where it is, who paid it, and they probably paid it,” continuing...
“He, in many ways, is a Manchurian candidate. We have a Manchurian candidate, and he’s afraid to tell Russia to get out of Cuba. He’s afraid to tell China to get out of Cuba. He’s afraid. China now is building — think of this — China’s building military installations in Cuba. The Cuban population of Miami is not too happy, because they’re never going to be able to go back. And you don’t even hear about it,”
-Former President Donald Trump
Trump identified the media as the worst culprit. He also said that the American people are smart and know the various indictments against him are all –
“bullshit.”…“I got indicted four times. All trivia, nonsense, bullshit. It’s all bullshit. It’s horrible when you look and you look at what they’re doing. The boxes hoax, I’m covered by the Presidential Records Act. I’m allowed to do exactly that,”
-Former President Donald Trump
That Carlson and Trump staged the event opposed to the primary was brilliant. America could plainly see the difference between a prepared, seasoned thoughtful discussion on the state of the nation under Biden’s leadership, the direction America needs to go, and the focus of the frontrunner for the GOP.
On the other hand, the primary was, in this writers opinion, a caterwauling event, often times out of control by it’s Fox moderators. It was hard to listen to the infighting and mudslinging, which was a huge distraction from the actual questions put forth. Perhaps when the media soundbites come out, there will be a clearer picture of what was actually said by the candidates.
The answers – if or when forthcoming, never made it past the verbal jousting that went on repeatedly. The stage likely would have been white with feathers, had they handed down-filled pillows to each candidate. I’m sure the Democrats were amused.
According to a Fox News report-
“…By not participating in the forum, he [TRUMP] stayed above the fray, and what a fray it was. The night was full of acrimony and sloppiness; verbal punches were thrown but few landed. Humor and humility took the night off. The eight candidates who gathered in Milwaukee have in common that they are massively trailing the former president; nothing that took place on the debate stage will turn that around…
-Fox News
According to American University, Washington D.C.-
“One of the most important educational, political, and social issues of today is how best to have a civil conversation in a democratic society. Our past, present, and future depend on this essential process: citizens gather, listen to each other, debate, make up their minds, and determine a course of action.”
- Civil Discourse is -Truthful, Productive, Audience-based, About listening and talking, Each Speaker's own responsibility
- Civil Discourse is not - Mere politeness, An exercise in martyrdom, About telling other people who they are, Purely performative
“Polarization of opinions, coupled with the speed and access of the digital age have made it more difficult to keep our conversations civil in America today. From shouting matches, to opinionated blog posts, to rhetoric-filled political debates, we are confronted every day with uncivil conversation.”
-American University, Washington D.C