Donald Trump’s decision to skip Thursday’s Republican presidential debate has historical precedent. Ronald Reagan in 1980 also ducked the final debate before the Iowa caucuses.

The Gipper ended up losing Iowa to George H.W. Bush.

Close

Reagan biographer Craig Shirley said Wednesday on “The Laura Ingraham Show” that the mistake resulted from bad advice from Reagan’s campaign manager. He said Reagan likely would have lost the New Hampshire primary had it been just a week away, as it is this year.

“But he had five weeks to recover,” said Shirley, whose latest book, “Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan,” examines the final years of Reagan’s life.

Reagan won a resounding victory in New Hampshire and went on to take the nomination easily. Shirley said a turning point came after Reagan agreed to pay for a debate in New Hampshire after the Federal Election Commission ruled that a forum sponsored by the Nashua Telegraph would violate election rules. Reagan’s campaign put up the cash and allowed the paper’s editor, John Breen, to moderate.

Breen tried to set up a one-on-one confrontation between front-runners Reagan and Bush. But Reagan invited the other contenders on stage, prompting Breen to try to cut off the former California governor’s microphone. That led to Reagan’s famous line. “I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green,” he said, flubbing Breen’s last name.

“He literally was paying for the microphone,” Shirley said.

[lz_related_box id=”85428″]

Up until his narrow loss in Iowa, Reagan was a front-runner who had not been challenged, Shirley said.

“For the first time, he’s challenged, and he rises to the occasion,” he said.

Who do you think would win the Presidency?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Shirley said he cannot say yet whether Trump’s decision to skip the final pre-Iowa caucus debate is a mistake, calling it “uncharted territory.” But he added that the circumstances between Reagan and Trump are different.

“Reagan really loved a good fight, whereas Trump maybe is just kind of stage-managing this thing,” he said.

Shirley has in the past noted similarities between Reagan and Trump. Both men challenged the status quo, he said. And Trump, like Reagan, talks about the future. He said there are many substantive differences, though.

“I don’t see a comparison with Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan,” said Shirley. “Ronald Reagan at the end of the day didn’t run away from the debate … He wasn’t afraid of Bob Dole or John Connally or George Bush or whoever else. Or the moderator.”