Exclusivity is a word familiar to former President Donald Trump’s administration in the handling of presidential election events this election cycle.
He decided to miss the first two republican debates. Instead, he chose to air a pre-recorded interview with Tucker Carlson during the first, and he held a rally in Michigan with auto workers during the second.
Next, it seems he will miss the third debate in Miami, according to his campaign Senior Advisor Chris La Civita in an interview with NBC News.
Being a previous president with a strong fan-base gives Trump some latitude to miss these debates. If he hadn’t been elected before, getting behind in debates this early might’ve made his push for political office an uphill battle. Despite his absences, his polling numbers still give him a substantial lead over all the other Republican candidates, a fact highlighted in his keynote speech at the California GOP Fall Convention on Friday, as he questioned the integrity of mail-in ballots in California.
“We are leading by a lot… Don’t forget, we’re going over polls, I only talk about polls when I am doing well, remember that please,” Trump said. “But when we win, we are going to come in here and you’re going to straighten out your election because we need fair and free elections in this country and California doesn’t have them.”
According to a fact check by Reuters, based on information from experts, governors and state officials, elections have been reviewed to be both free and fair with no instances of widespread voter fraud.
According to the California Elections Rumor Control information on cybersecurity and election reliability misconceptions, mail-in ballots give more security with voter verification happening at multiple steps in the process, both before the ballots are sent out and once ballots are received.
Also, the California voting systems are secure, “Vendors and county officials follow strict physical security and chain of custody requirements for all voting technology software, firmware and hardware which meet or exceed federal guidance including that of the Justice Department, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Election Assistance Commission,” the California Elections Rumor Control said.
Photos from Trump’s Keynote Speech:
Leading up to the convention, the Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Library gave Christie an opportunity to call out the former president, referring to Trump’s lack of attendance and inability to answer for law and order in Washington, D.C.
“You are not here tonight because you are afraid of being on this stage and defending your record,” Christie said. “You are ducking these things, and let me tell you what’s going to happen. You keep doing that, no one up here is going to call you Donald Trump anymore, we are going to call you ‘Donald Duck!’”
Apparently on Governor Ron DeSantis’ mind at the CAGOP convention was Disney — being in Anaheim so close to Disneyland. He started off his speech by making a joke in reference to his lawsuit with Walt Disney World.
“God bless y’all, great to be in Southern California, thanks so much… It’s great to be here,” DeSantis said. “I didn’t know if I was even allowed, I’m a little close to Disneyland. I didn’t know if they’d let me come to the — it’s okay, it’s okay.”
All the events throughout the day, starting with Trump’s keynote up through DeSantis’ speech, began with prayer — and, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina’s luncheon and speech was no different.
Scott brought his own faith into the room, physically hopping into the crowd as a preacher would mill about their congregation. “I’m about to get off this stage, I’m going to preach to y’all, right here in the middle of the audience, let’s have the conversation about the goodness of America!” Scott said.
Scott wants Californians to know that “the truths of [his] life destroys the lies of the radical left,” raising ideas that obstacles in upbringing are a force to overcome, rather than seeing things as unattainable in an opportunity-rich America, he said. This is a message he was told he wouldn’t have access to coming from a single-parent, poverty stricken household in the Deep South.
“My mother believed that prayer was the key and faith unlocks the door, can I get an Amen!” Scott said. “My mentor taught me that personal responsibility was necessary. You can’t blame your dad because he’s not around, don’t blame your mom because she’s working 16 hour days, look in the mirror and blame yourself! What I want Californians to know is that all things are possible in this nation.”
For information about more of the individual moments throughout Friday’s CAGOP event, check out Annenberg Media’s live update story: linked here
And, for information about the moments of the Republican debate on Wednesday at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley and photos of the seven republican candidates at the debate in front of their podiums view Annenberg Media’s live update story: linked here