Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, announced that he will not participate in the Republican debate that Donald Trump intends to moderate, describing the debate as “beneath the office of the Presidency.”
“Ron Paul, the champion of the Constitution, has advised he will not attend [a debate moderated by Trump]”,” said Paul’s campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, in a statement that included multiple criticisms of Trump. “The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity.”
He added that Trump’s role as moderator “will contribute to an unwanted circus-like atmosphere.”
Ron Paul’s campaign, which hopes to win the Iowa caucuses, also took up a grievance of the Iowa Republican Party. “[W]e recall that last spring he was invited to keynote the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner, yet at the last minute he left RPI holding the bag by canceling,” Benton said. “In turn, RPI canceled its biggest fundraising gala of the year and suffered embarrassment and in addition RPI was required to engage in refunding measures. Our candidate will not even consider participating in the late-December debate until Mr. Trump publicly apologizes to Iowa party leaders and rectifies in full the situation.”
Presidential candidate Jon Hunstman has also refused to participate in the debate.
