Sorry, Bernie! Trump Says No to Debate

According to ABC, Trump has issued the following release:

Donald Trump declines Bernie Sanders debate: "It seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher" pic.twitter.com/lCeGmay8pw

(Typed out for clarity): 

Based on the fact that the Democratic nominating process is totally rigged and Crooked Hillary Clinton and Deborah Wasserman Schultz will not allow Bernie Sanders to win, and now that I am the presumptive Republican nominee, it seems inappropriate that I would debate the second place finisher. Likewise, the networks want to make a killing on these events and are not proving to be too generous to charitable causes, in this case, women’s health issues.

Therefore, as much as I want to debate Bernie Sanders — and it would be an easy payday — I will wait to debate the first place finisher in the Democratic Party, probably Crooked Hillary Clinton, or whoever it may be.

The failure of Sanders’ desperate ploy is mostly bad news for Sanders. It makes it even more clear that he and his most devoted supporters are the only ones who have not yet accepted that he has lost. It also makes him look foolish for chasing after a debate with Trump.

But it’s also bad news for democrats because Trump has incorporated Sanders’ untrue attacks about the rigged system into his response. It’s Trump’s effort to lure recalcitrant Sanders’ supporters by reinforcing their sense of victimhood—or at the very least, an attempt not to alienate them.

Sanders also gave Trump a lot of free publicity and an opportunity to promote himself as a magnanimous charitable guy who just wanted to help women in need. 

Sanders is getting good at throwing these little assists to the Trump campaign.