“What is the former president afraid of?” The Wall Street Journal asked Wednesday in an editorial slamming Donald Trump’s “ducking” of the Republican debates while roasting his policy comments.
The outlet, which is known to lean conservative in its opinion section, ripped the four-times-indicted GOP front-runner for skipping another debate next week. “Why is Mr. Trump afraid to confront other Republicans without the aid of a teleprompter? Is he worried he’d look his age at 77 next to younger candidates?” the Journal wrote.
The newspaper taunted Trump’s unwillingness to clarify at what point he thinks a woman should be prevented from having an abortion. “We’ll come up with a number,” he said in an interview with NBC.
“How? By spinning a giant wheel, like on a TV game show, except marked with ’10 weeks,′ ‘15 weeks,’ and so forth?” the Journal cracked. “The public takes the abortion question seriously, and Mr. Trump owes a serious answer.”
The newspaper made sport of the 77-year-old Trump’s age and competence, which has been overshadowed by concerns over the 80-year-old Biden.
“Mr. Trump would be 82 at the end of his second term in 2029, and he isn’t exactly in shape to set records at the YMCA senior triathlon,” the WSJ wrote. “Do the concerns about age not apply to him?”
The publication beseeched Trump to answer questions about Jan. 6, his COVID-19 policies, and his boast that he could end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. That’s what debates are for.
Trump has said he sees no point in debating when he has such a huge lead. The Journal disagreed.
“Mr. Trump’s advisers may be telling him he shouldn’t appear lest he say something that hurts his legal defense,” the Journal wrote. “But that’s a sign of weakness, not strength, and he’ll have to answer those questions eventually. What is the former President afraid of?”