As we noted earlier, the GOP is in full-blown crisis mode over Donald Trump, who has quickly become the center of attention in the 2016 Republican primary, largely thanks to his remarks about Mexican immigrants being "killers" and "rapists." Trump denies that Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told him to "tone it down," but Priebus is not the only Republican trying to keep the Donald in check. Others reportedly hope to deprive him of a big platform from which he could potentially embarrass the party: the first GOP presidential debate, which is scheduled for early August.
With Trump doing well in the polls, he looks like a lock to be invited to the debate. So some Republicans are urging Fox News to establish stricter standards for eligibility, according to The New York Times:
Some Republicans, according to three people briefed on the debate planning, have nudged Fox to clarify its broad requirement that candidates file "all necessary paperwork." They are said to be seeking a specific reference to the personal financial disclosure that presidential candidates must submit to the Federal Election Commission within 30 days of beginning their candidacies, the theory being that Mr. Trump would be unwilling to disclose his full worth. [The New York Times]
The problem? Other, more palatable candidates, like Jeb Bush, have yet to file their financial disclosures, which means such a rule could potentially shut them out as well.
All of which means Trump is likely to participate in the debate, which is bound to make it a lively one — or to put it in Trumpian terms, it's gonna be yuge.