Fox News conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer did not sugar coat what he saw as Trump’s fatal mistake during the third and final presidential debate last night: his refusal to accept in advance the election outcome.
Trump’s remark has probably already gone down as one of the most, if not the most, memorable debate-losing moments ever. Here’s the relevant exchange which occurred after Trump had already avoided promising to accept a loss as moderator Chris Wallace was trying to pin him down. Transcript via Vox:
WALLACE: Sir, there is a tradition in this country, in fact one of the primes of this country is the peaceful transition of power. And that no matter how hard fought a campaign is, that at the end of the campaign, that the loser concedes to the winner. Not saying that you’re necessarily going to be the loser or the winner. But that the loser concedes to the winner, and that the country comes together in part for the good of the country. Are you saying you’re not prepared now to commit to that principle?
TRUMP: What I’m saying is I’ll tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense, okay?
You could almost hear gasps across America. But not on the set of Fox Business. As I previously reported, host Lou Dobbs all but gushed over Trump’s remark.
On the Fox News Channel, however, contributor Charles Krauthammer sang quite a different tune:
KRAUTHAMMER: This was not a gaffe. Where you say something off the cuff and it’s what you think, but its wrong. You know that he’d been coached on this. You know that his vice president said, ‘Of course, we will accept the result’ and his campaign manager, and his daughter and you know that he’s convinced that this is something he wants to take a stand on.
And the calculation: this is political suicide.
We still have a few more weeks before the election. But my money’s with Krauthammer.
Watch it below, from Fox News’ post-debate coverage on October 20, 2016, via DNC Press on Twitter.
@krauthammer calls Trump's refusal to accept the result of the election "political suicide." #debatenight pic.twitter.com/B9xxhEwxhp
— DNC Press (@dncpress) October 20, 2016
The current wave of hotheaded dumbfuckery reminds me so much of the French and Russian revolutions. No sooner do the crazies grab power (with or without justification), but they are slaughtering each other for ‘lack of ideological purity’.
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/charles-krauthammer-voting-article-1.2838947
The Donald is a one trick pony unable to pivot in the general election to expand his voter pool to include more rational adults. At least those who aren’t only voting for Trump because they’re dyed in the wool Republicans.
Speaking of which, despite Krauthammer’s criticisms here, isn’t he a member of the latter group who will hold his nose and vote Trump? So is he or is he not on a leash? Hmmmmm… 🤔