Donald Trump kept an appointment to be interviewed on the O’Reilly Factor show Wednesday night, January 27.  Bill O’Reilly, despite promises to the contrary to Trump, spent much of the interview "advising" him to go to the debate and, beyond that, called him a buffoon and pontificated aggressively as though he were Trump's father or older brother.  Bill insisted that Trump’s attitude toward the Fox News Republican debate was totally wrong.

In the give and take between them, O’Reilly told Trump that he, Trump, was self-absorbed or, basically, that he had too narrow a focus to be president.  In making this point, he was a good example of the pot calling the kettle black.  If Trump appears unpresidential by not debating, O’Reilly appeared lacking in journalistic ability by presenting his boring, repetitive interview just trying to hammer away at a point that was too narrow when interviewing a man vying for the pesidency.

Here's the entire segment:

Moreover, O’Reilly missed the logic and appeal of Trump’s decision.  By D.T.’s not appearing at the debate, we can see Trump's independent spirit, which people like.  He is not kowtowing to the media, nor trying to squeeze out every second of "exposure."  He doesn't need the exposure, and he knows it.  As he says, these stations need him more than he needs them.  So that is itself a pretty impressive place to be, and his dropping out highlights that reality.  As a kind of peacock who preens and struts his "wonderful persona" (sic) day and night, and is attracting crowds consistently numbering in the many thousands, Trump sees himself as above the pettiness of some of the channels on TV.  He is saying to Fox News, "Kiss my rear end."  To me, this adds to his charm, and this writer is sure that most of those who support him, and some of those who do not, are impressed with this gesture of independence.

Some of Trump’s petulance is counterproductive, and clearly he is more arrogant than he has a right to be, but in this particular case, he has a right to take umbrage at Fox and to stick with it.  It's not a matter of turning the other cheek, as Bill said he should do.  He didn't try to get even with Fox News or Megyn Kelly.  Not appearing is not an act of revenge or retaliation.  His not appearing is a purely defensive action to protect himself from being insulted and belittled by Megyn and Fox.  Actually, he is defending the dignity of the presidency from the know-it-all TV journalist stars.  The interview was petty and nonsensical.