My, how things change. It’s funny. When Marco Rubio wasn’t confirmed as a speaker at CPAC (he didn’t cancel – he hadn’t yet confirmed at the time), people went berserk. “How could he not attend the most prestigious gathering of conservatives and in an election year?”

But when Donald Trump decided to actually cancel out on CPAC, the reaction was much different, particularly from Trump supporters.

• “Oh so what?”
• “CPAC is nothing but a gathering for establishment politicians!”
• “So Donald Trump hurt the feelings of a bunch of RINO’s! Too bad!”

Trump’s excuse for attending is he had to attend rallies in Kansas and Florida. What kind of nonsense is that? Ted Cruz and John Kasich spoke there yesterday. Marco Rubio will be speaking there today.

Why didn’t Trump attend?

There is one particular reason and he’ll never admit it nor will his groupies. Something each person who speaks at CPAC has to do is answer questions after they speak.

Donald wasn’t going to have the benefit of knowing what questions were coming nor would he be able to demand, as he did with Mika Brzezinski to not make the questions “too hard.”

Trump had an absolutely horrendous debate Thursday night. He is now on every side of every position he has been asked about. He cannot articulate policy positions to save his life. He knows nothing. He’s an ignoramus.

Ask him about China and Mexico and he charges “they’re devaluing their currency!” Ok, so what? When asked to expand on such things, he has nothing to say because he has no idea why.

When asked how he’d get Mexico to pay for the wall, he says, “Believe me. They’ll pay.” Donald Trump couldn’t get an old lady to give up her home to him so he had Atlantic City government officials condemn her home. Yet he’s going to make Mexico pay for a $10 billion construction project? Stop.

His comments on forcing US troops to commit war crimes were a disgrace. He said, “I’m a leader. Believe me, they’ll do it. Because I’m a leader. I know how to lead.”

Donald Trump has zero understanding of what it means to be a leader. True leadership is the ability to uplift and inspire people to perform at their best. Trump believes ordering people around is leadership.

Leadership is also about reinforcing a sense of optimism. Yes, Donald Trump talks about “Making America Great Again” but doesn’t do it by uplifting people through an optimistic vision. He stirs anger and resentment among people against others. Trump is essentially like Obama, pitting groups of people against each other instead of inspiring people as a nation.

Leadership is also about inviting participation. True leaders are not afraid to have their views, opinions and policies questioned. If Donald Trump truly were the leader he claims to be, he’d have been at CPAC. He’d have expressed his thoughts and then taken on the questions posed to him.

Instead, he chose to skip the event and attend rallies where he can be adored by fans. Answering questions from conservatives not obsessed with Mexico and China was simply too much for him to handle. He wanted to be in his own safe space.

That is because he is not only a phony, but also a coward. He is unfit to be President of the United States of America.