Negotiatiating TV debate terms directly

Trump’s campaign says he is negotiating his terms directly with television executives instead of as part of a joint effort with his rivals. The move, coming just hours after his and other campaigns gathered in a Washington suburb to craft a three-page letter of possible demands, thwarts an effort to find consensus after what most candidates agreed was a debacle hosted by CNBC last week. The maneuvering by Trump and the other Republican candidates is being met with annoyance by network executives, who say they have little interest in altering a process they believe was settled months ago. Trump’s campaign manager:

I am very confident in Mr. Trump’s ability to negotiate the best deals with the networks, which will ultimately help all of the candidates in the race.