Many of Donald Trump’s supporters are fed up by what they consider to be a biased media with an agenda to damage Trump’s campaign while simultaneously boosting his rival, Hillary Clinton.  They are crying foul after the first debate, and while some are accusing the team of just whining about unfairness, the belief that the debate questioning was one-sided is not totally without substance. Moderator Lester Holt did not ask any questions of Secretary Clinton about the appearance of scandals that dominate even the mainstream news outlets lately, and his approach could be viewed as somewhat slanted.

At least some of Trump’s supporters don’t believe he will be treated fairly in the next two debates and that he has nothing to gain by appearing with Clinton.  They feel there is only a down side, and Trump may do well to avoid the debates, focusing on the campaign trail instead.

But, even if the media is truly biased, not showing up for the debates will also have a down side, and Trump should tread carefully when plotting his course.

The campaign has already said he plans to attend the debates, mostly making the point moot, but still the conversation continues and he has been known to change his direction rather swiftly.  An appearance at the second debate does not guarantee he will attend a third, if he feels he has been similarly slighted.

But the one thing that most don’t like about Trump in the first place is that he doesn’t look and act the part of a president, and dodging hostile media and opponents will only enhance that perception among those who already believe it, as well as convince many who are currently undecided.

You can be certain to hear the pundits on the left rail that if he is unable to face the American press, how could he possibly stand up to pressure from international figures who are likely to be even more hostile, and they would be making a valid point.