Donald trumps Fox over debate

Donald Trump decided to skip the Fox debate in Des Moines and hold a separate event in Des Moines to 'raise money for wounded warriors.”

What do I think of this move, many media reporters asked me.

It was pure genius. Especially because the military is THE most trusted institution in America and Trump is raising money for wounded soldiers. The media is at the Bottom. (see table)

WOW what a chess game! NO OTHER caucus expert (and most are just random people not real experts) has argued this point! You're getting it fresh from Dr. Politics.

Agence France-Presse asked me 'What is the reaction among voters in Iowa to him skipping the debate? Are they bummed they won't see Trump on stage? Angry that he's turning they're Des Moines debate it into a joke? Thrilled that he's standing up to the party establishment?”

My answer was that most Iowan's are busy with other stuff so not paying too much attention to this circus. I also asked, 'Who likes Fox news? And who likes CNN, MCNBC, and others?”

I think many hard core conservatives are furious at Fox even though it's conservative because they are actually pretty 'conservative establishment.”

I almost think the Iowan's who care about this tempest in a teapot have Schadenfreude (you Google the term) that Fox is getting skunked and trashed by their 'ratings star” The Donald, having bailed on them.

And it was such great political theatre. Such drama. Like a soap opera. Or 'will the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl” or those interested in politics.

The Fox debate had NOTHING to do with Iowa. It was pure FOX, Murdoch and Roger Ailes. According to Trump and some polls I saw NO ONE likes them.

One of my reliable focus group participants said, 'Steffen, it will be such a contrast between Trump, wounded warriors, war heroes, families, and a charity event and 7 nasty politicians acting like howler monkeys throwing poop. I Dr. Politics, have had these primates hurl that at me in Belize so the analogy is quite harsh.

The scene of Ted Cruz 'debating Trump” without 'The Donald” physically present just raised the question 'where is Trump right now? What would he say to Cruz? How many wounded warriors are at his event right now? Is that gig getting as much or more media coverage from everybody else besides Fox?”

In other words, Trump AGAIN sucked the oxygen out of yet another media cycle! The harried and oft clueless media were still trying to push trump saying his supporters would stick with him because they are so loyal to him even if he shot someone on the street. No THAT was the last 24 hr news cycle.

Is the media really that slow and naive? This is 2016. The comportment of candidates, the public discourse, the passion, the anger, the search for a leader who can shake things up whether Trump, Sanders, or Cruz has made all assumptions dubious in 2016.

When voters cast their caucus ballots on February 1 we will finally know is a mainstream, establishment contender can compete with this electrified environment or not. Clinton supporters and the GOP establishment is dearly hoping it will all 'calm down” as a close friend of mine and Romney supporter expressed it.

That's what we always hope when a big storm hits too. And, this all is a political storm.

' Steffen Schmidt is a professor of political science at Iowa State University. Comments: Steffenschmidt2005@gmail.com