Charles Krauthammer says Trump's refusal to accept vote is 'political suicide,' but 'I almost admire him for it'
Charles Krauthammer thought the big winner of Wednesday night's final presidential debate was the moderator, Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, he said on Fox News. But Donald Trump almost pulled off a win, too, he said. Almost. "Trump had a really good night, but here the consensus is right: He blew it up by a totally wrong answer on accepting the results," Krauthammer said. "And in some sense, I almost admire him for it. This was not a gaffe, where you say something off-the-cuff and it's what you think but it's wrong. You know that he'd been coached on this. You know that his vice president had said, 'of course we will accept the result,' and his campaign manager and his daughter. And you know he's convinced this is something he wants to take a stand on, and the calculation — this is political suicide. Because what was his task tonight? His task tonight was to stop the slide" of "people grudgingly going over to Clinton."
Wavering voters won't change their minds about Hillary Clinton, he argued, but they might have been persuaded to come back to Trump if he had made himself "less toxic and acceptable as president, and less radical — yes, they want a change agent, they think the country's on the wrong track, but they don't want a radical who will challenge the foundations of the republic." Earlier on Fox News, Bill Bennett had said that Trump is right to keep people guessing, and Trump obviously agrees, Krauthammer said. "I'm sure his calculation is that it's not going to cost him, and it's going to help him. I don't understand that calculation. But I do think he said it out of conviction. He's a man who says, 'I'm not a loser,' so if he does lose it's gotta be something else." Watch below. Peter Weber
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The biggest astronomy stories of 2025In the spotlight From moons, to comets, to pop stars in orbit
-
The 8 best comedy movies of 2025the week recommends Filmmakers find laughs in both familiar set-ups and hopeless places
-
‘Care fractures after birth’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
