We have yet to get an official word that Donald Trump will run for President in 2024. Although, we all suspect this will happen and there are rumors running every where that he has told people close to him that he IS going to run. Trump has confided with people close to him that he is extremely confident in a comeback for 2024 because of the dumpster fire that Joe Biden lit with his handling of the situation in Afghanistan not to mention his declining mental state.

Now we flashback to the debates prior to the 2020 elections in particular the debate with Chris Wallace. You remember the one that was essentially a two on one assault of leftist love against Trump. Anybody remember “Stand Down” after Chris Wallace labored that loaded Proud Boys question at Trump. Of course, lumping the Proud Boys in with White Supremacy groups like the KKK even though their leader was Enrique Tarrio a half Black half Cuban American. One could say this question alone hurt Trump more than any other scene in any debate. It became a onslaught from the mainstream media for weeks afterwards. Trump understands this.

Enter Clay Travis and Dave Portnoy. Clay Travis spent years working for various media outlets prior to starting Outkick (the website) and building it into the independent conservative sports site of choice until its sale to Fox News. Dave Portnoy became a giant in sports with his Barstool Sports Company with a particular focus on gambling. Travis and Portnoy both understood the need for friendlier musings of gambling interests in sports. Portnoy built Barstool into a even bigger giant in sports than Outkick. While Dave Portnoy does not come right out and state “he’s a conservative” you can certainly take cues from his stances on different issues. Although I tend to feel Portnoy is more of moderate than outright conservative.

Trump has sit down with Clay Travis at times in the past. Trump also has had a prior relationship with Dave Portnoy. Trump understands the need to crossover with sports fans, grow his reach through other none traditional avenues due to the bias of mainstream media outlets. Trump’s interest in Travis and Portnoy is completely understandable. During a recent interview with Hugh Hewitt Trump said the following:

“Clay would be great. Portnoy would be great. You shouldn’t use a Chris Wallace,” Trump told Hewitt. “He’s terrible. He was terrible. He had no control of the debate.”

Clay Travis was of course quick to answer the bell if called on. “I would love to do that! I would love to moderate a debate, I don’t know that it’s likely to happen,” Travis acknowledged.  “I do think that a lot of the debate moderators didn’t do a great job during the course of the 2020 debate,” Travis continued. “I think I’d do a pretty good job trying to get everybody corralled…I think I would do a decent job of it and I appreciate President Trump, 45 himself, saying that both myself and Portnoy would potentially be great debate moderators, I’d be happy to do it. I bet Dave would as well.”

Portnoy is not unfamiliar with dealing with Trump. In July of 2020 he went to the White House to interview Trump. Of course the mainstream media accused Portnoy of throwing Trump softball questions. Dave even had to withstand getting attacked by his fellow Barstool mate Dan “Big Cat” Katz who was unhappy with Portnoy not “consulting” with him prior to agreeing to the Trump interview. As if Dave should get Big Cat’s approval for anything. It should be noted Big Cat co-host Pro Football Talk with the ultra liberal Trump hater Mike Florio on Fridays during football season.

Portnoy has even a bigger reach with the public now having grown his following further with his now “famous” pizza reviews from around the country. Trump understands the value of pure social media reach (as poisonous as it can be) in growing a larger voting base.

Personally, any moderators for a debate outside of the mainstream media at this point is a win for Trump in getting at least a “more” level playing field going into the 2024 election. Trump will need all the help he can get going into that election considering some of the underhanded shortcomings of the election process now.

Credit: https://www.mediaite.com/sports/clay-travis-ecstatic-to-hear-trump-suggest-him-and-dave-portnoy-as-2024-presidential-debate-moderators/ for quotes.