(Image Source: Times Union)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

What’s a party when 3/4s of the guest list ain’t coming?
 

KDFW: “Michele Bachmann has declined an invitation to participate in a December 27th debate moderated by Donald Trump.”

KPRC: “A spokesperson for Governor Rick Perry has respectfully declined the invitation...”

MSNBC: “Ron Paul's campaign said the debate is, ‘beneath the office of the presidency.’ Jon Huntsman also rejected the debate.”

That leaves just Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to face off in what would be the umpteenth Republican presidential debate. This one’s been extra controversial, with analysts ridiculing the idea of a debate moderated by a reality TV host who himself has said he’s still considering running for president.

MSNBC: “This is his way of keeping one foot in the game and also covering his own tracks...”

KARL ROVE ON FOX NEWS: “What are the heck are the candidates doing showing up at a debate moderated by a man saying I may run as an independent?”

HLN: “He has no business in there moderating a debate. He's not a moderator.”

But with six candidates out and only two in -- is it even gonna happen? Trump himself blames the lack of enthusiasm on his own flirtation with a White House bid.

Still, CNN’s Joe Johns says from the looks of it -- Trump’s acting like the show must go on.

“The question is becoming when is a debate not a debate? What type of forum is it going to take? Is it going to happen at all? … Trump is making it clear he's not backing down. He put out a statement today saying it is very important to me that the right Republican candidate be chosen to defeat the Obama administration.”

But in a visit to Fox Business Friday morning, Trump said what some analysts took as a signal he’s considering dropping the debate.

IMUS: “So are you going to do a debate with just Gingrich and Santorum?”
TRUMP: “I don’t know. I'll have to see. They want me to drop my status as a potential person to run as an independent. And honestly, i don't think I'm going to do that. I'm not going to drop it.”

He made a similar hedge on Fox News later Friday afternoon, leading Talking Points Memo to conclude the debate might not happen.


But while others speculated, The New York Times reached out to NewsMax, one of the debate’s hosts. The conservative news site’s editorial director told the Times...

“We just had a production meeting this morning, and we’re pushing full steam ahead... As we sit here right now, it’s going ahead.”

The Times’ Jeremy Peters goes on to suggest...

“Whatever the outcome, the incident is a body blow to Mr. Trump’s credibility as a player in conservative politics.”

The debate is scheduled for December 27th.