And now the test we’ve all been waiting for (but dreaded it would come): Can these nationally televised (and streamed) Republican debates still draw astronomically
high ratings without Donald Trump?
He’s the real draw here. And the effect of his absence on the stellar ratings the news channels have become accustomed to
scoring with these debates is the real issue causing consternation for Fox News Channel execs. They’re looking at a debate Thursday night without the star of the show, who decided this week
would be a great time to throw a hissy fit over Megyn Kelly. Will the ratings take a nosedive?
Plenty of pundits have already weighed in on what a childish
maneuver this is, so there’s little that can be added by saying the same thing here. Fox News Channel and all the other cable news channels, broadcast networks, late-night comedy shows and
morning talk shows that depend on appearances by Trump to boost their ratings don’t really care about Trump’s childish behavior anyway, just as long as he does it on TV during one of their
debates or shows.
This time, however, Trump won’t be throwing this particular tantrum during Thursday night’s debate (unless he changes his mind
later today and tries to get back in) -- which means Fox News won’t benefit from the prospect of Trump going at it with Kelly on live television. So what’s a pugnacious news channel to do?
Do they plan a line of questioning that keeps the spotlight on Trump even if he’s not there? Or do they ignore him in favor of other issues?
The guess
here is that they will try to do both. Questioning the other candidates about Trump -- perhaps asking them to react directly to his decision to withdraw because mean ol’ Megyn Kelly might ask
him tough questions -- would be an obvious and journalistic line of inquiry, since Trump’s decision has made so many headlines this week and he is, of course, the frontrunner.
It would also be irresistible because it would shine the spotlight back on Fox News Channel, positioning it as the news organization that would not cave in to Trump’s demand that
Kelly be removed as moderator. And it will elevate Kelly too as the prime-time newswoman who’s so tough she makes candidates for president quake and then avoid a debate where she’s asking
the questions.
Questions about Trump will also give his rivals an opportunity to lambast him without having him standing a few feet away rolling his eyes and then
blasting them back (although maybe he’ll favor us with some live-tweets during the show). Look for Ted Cruz in particular to address Trump’s absence whether Megyn Kelly (or fellow
moderators Bret Baier and Chris Wallace) asks him about Trump or not.
Cruz can even be expected to return to the issue of Trump’s absence again and
again, even after the moderators have moved on to other subjects because Cruz is the one candidate who has been most intent on attacking Trump directly (as Trump has attacked him).
Whether Trump dominates the discussion or not, the other candidates are likely glad he’s not going to be around sucking up all the air and the attention even if the
viewership takes a hit.
On that subject, whether the ratings will suffer significantly remains an open question. It’s entirely possible that many will
tune in to see what the debate will be like without Trump, and what Kelly and the candidates might say about him. However, if Trump decides to stay clear of future debates, that’s when the
ratings will really take a dip, and stay there too.
The Fox News/Google prime-time Republican debate – live from Des Moines – starts Thursday
night (Jan. 28) at 9 Eastern on Fox News Channel and FoxNews.com. The “preliminary” debate of lower-polling candidates starts at 7 p.m. Eastern.