Donald Trump did not participate in the second RNC primary debate Wednesday night. It was probably a smart move for him. Instead of debating, he chose to hold a campaign rally with Michigan auto workers. Or, did he?

Trump’s excuse for a trip to Michigan instead of to the Reagan Presidential Library was that he has to save the jobs of Michigan’s autoworkers. The guesstimate is that there was a crowd of 400 – 500 people in Trump’s audience. But were they real autoworkers and union members? Some are pointing out that that isn’t true.

Hahahaha oh my gosh – Trump’s triumphant speech to the union workers … wasn’t to the union workers at all.

This feels like Four Seasons Landscaping all over again. https://t.co/sw8KeaQCJk

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 28, 2023

Hmm.

The former president told the crowd that their jobs would be gone in two years because of Biden’s push for EVs. The irony about the UAW strike is that Biden showed up to declare himself the first president to do some photo ops with union workers on a picket line. His environmental policies and his obsession with destroying the American oil and gas industry will cause massive job loss among autoworkers. No one bothered to call him out on it, because, of course no one did. Biden is running for re-election and the old man has to be protected.

“I thought it was much more important, considering I have a 56-point lead, for me to be dealing with the UAW and the fact that the Biden Administration is going to destroy their jobs over the next two years by going all electric vehicle,” Trump told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview Wednesday night.

Chris Christie called Trump out for not participating in the debate. He gave him a new nickname – Donald Duck – for ducking the debates. It’s lame but it’s all Christie had as he looked into the camera and stated that he knew Trump was watching. Trump denied he was watching and noted the nickname. “Anybody that would come up with that nickname shouldn’t be running for president,” he told Fox News Digital.

The Trump campaign described the RNC debate as ‘boring and inconsequential’ but I would call it chaotic and irritating. Trump may not have been watching the debate live but his campaign team was watching. They are calling for no more debates. That’s not exactly a surprise, given that Trump never felt the need for debates since he is so far ahead in polls. No one expects Trump to participate in any debates at this point. He expects a smooth path to the Republican nomination without challengers.

“Tonight’s GOP debate was as boring and inconsequential as the first debate, and nothing that was said will change the dynamics of the primary contest being dominated by President Trump,” Chris LaCivita, senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said as the debate finished.

“President Trump has a 40- or 50-point lead in the primary election and a 10-point lead over Joe Biden in the general election, and it’s clear that President Trump alone can defeat Biden,” LaCivita said. “The RNC should immediately put an end to any further primary debates so we can train our fire on Crooked Joe Biden and quit wasting time and money that could be going to evicting Biden from the White House.”

Trump supporter don’t seem to be too insulted that Trump takes their support for granted and feels entitled to the GOP nomination without asking for it. Many of his supporters showed up for the debate and they accept Trump’s justification for skipping out.

Hours before the debate was set to begin, hundreds of Trump supporters lined the street leading to the library, waving flags and using megaphones to fill the air with chants of “Trump 2024” and “Impeach Biden,” at times laced with a few expletives. Trump merchandise was hawked in front of the Reagan Library sign.

Dirk Wiers, a Simi Valley native, stood on a street corner waving a Trump 2024 flag and waving at cars that honked their support as they passed by. Wiers said he was “ambivalent” about Trump’s absence from Wednesday’s debate.

“If he was here it would have been nice but I understand he’s leading so much [in the polls] that he doesn’t really need to be here,” Wiers said.

If his supporters aren’t going to demand to be treated with respect, and are ok with being taken for granted, then nothing changes. Trump will continue doing what he is doing – skipping debates and holding counter events. That is disrespectful not only to his supporters but to all potential Republican primary voters.