Ron Paul Boycotting Trump Debate

Presidential hopeful Ron Paul will not be attending a debate later this month that will be moderated by real estate mogul Donald Trump.

In a statement released this weekend, the Paul campaign said that the decision to include Trump was “beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity.”

The campaign specifically pointed to Trump’s ongoing stint as the host of the NBC program The Apprentice its offshoot the Celebrity Apprentice.

“Mr. Trump’s participation will contribute to an unwanted circus-like atmosphere,” Jesse Benton, the Paul campaign’s national chairman, said.

In addition, the Paul campaign cited Trump’s public flirtation with a possible 2012 run.

“[Trump toyed] with the serious decision of whether to compete for our nation’s highest office, a decision he appeared to make frivolously,” Benton said.

Paul’s decision to sit out of the debate is not the first time the Texas Congressman and Trump have been at odds. During an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year, Trump remarked that Paul had no chance of being elected President. In response, Paul gave an interview in which he blasted Trump for never winning elected office himself.