“President Trump has already won this evening’s debate” pic.twitter.com/gUGvfQ6BAq

— Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) August 23, 2023

“You should also expect the Fox hosts to show an unnatural obsession with President Trump tonight, asking other Republican candidates over and over to react to President Trump’s policy positions,” he continued. “In fact, we will be tallying the number of times President Trump’s name is brought up, and his total ‘speaking time,’ even though he is not in attendance.”

“In fact, tonight’s Republican undercard event really shouldn’t even be called a debate, but rather an audition to be a part of President Trump’s team in his second term,” he concluded.

[Perhaps, but I somehow think that Fox moderators might be more interested in the candidates that didn’t stiff them. Trump may come up in questions, but I’d bet that the moderators will want to get the candidates talking about their own positions and qualifications. Some of them might bring up Trump, but for everyone other than Chris Christie, it would be a mistake. This is their chance to shift attention to their own campaigns, and I’d guess they are all smart enough to realize it. — Ed]