Only Gingrich and Santorum had said they would attend.
Emmanuel Dunand, AFP / Getty Images
Does this mean Stephen Colbert‘s debate is off too? Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is bowing out as moderator of the Dec. 27 Republican presidential debate in Iowa. The debate had been in jeopardy since only Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum had agreed to attend, and Jon Huntsman and Ron Paul had said they believe the whole thing would be a spectacle. In a statement, Trump said he still believed “this would have been not only the most watched debate, but also the most substantive and interesting debate.” Trump said he would make a decision about running as a third-party candidate after the season finale of The Apprentice, when his show would not be shut out due to rules requiring that all candidates be given equal time on a network.
