Posted on 12/16/2015 11:47:03 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
But the billionaire businessman said the majority of the GOP hopefuls were "nice to him," saying he was prepared for all 14 Republican candidates to lob attacks at him. "Ted Cruz was very nice to me, and I was nice to him. Most of the people were nice to me last night."
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Wednesday continued to bash CNN's debate coverage and GOP rival former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush a day after the network's Tuesday night debate.
The real estate mogul appeared at his first campaign rally in Mesa, Ariz., since the last GOP debate of 2015, again suggesting he may not attend the next debate.
"I'll bet you they get big ratings," Trump said at Wednesday's rally about CNN. "I think next time I won't do it," adding "just to see it tank."
Earlier this month, Trump had proposed only appearing at the debate if CNN paid him $5 million, which, he said, he would donate to wounded veterans. After CNN's president said the network would not pay, Trump reluctantly agreed to participate.
At the rally, Trump contended that "last cycle, no network even wanted the debates" and that the debates used to be considered a "wasteland."
CNN reported 18 million viewers watched Tuesday's debate, the network's third-most viewed debate this cycle. But Trump said he doesn't benefit from the high ratings. "You know what get out of it?" Trump said Wednesday. "Nothing."
Trump panned Tuesday's CNN debate moderators, accusing the network of asking questions that centered around the real estate mogul "just to get ratings."
"I think it is very sad that CNN leads Jeb Bush, Governor Bush, down a road by starting off virtually all the questions by 'Mr. Trump this, Mr. Trump that,'" Trump said during Tuesday's debate.
Trump pivoted to his heated exchange with Bush during Tuesday's debate, calling the former governor's attacks "low-energy."
"He said it just the way his pollster told him to say it, hit back very, very hard, we need strong people, we need sharp people."
Trump sparred repeatedly with Bush during Tuesday's debate, mocking Bush's low poll numbers and jabbing him for not being tough enough.
"We need toughness, I think Jeb is a really nice person, but we need tough people, we need intelligence and we need toughness," Trump said at the debate.
But Bush fired back at Trump, denouncing his controversial proposal and calling the real estate mogul a "chaos candidate."
"Donald is great at the one-liners, but he is a chaos candidate, and he'd be a chaos president," Bush said during the debate. "He would not be the commander in chief we need to keep our country safe."
Trump on Wednesday also took aim at Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who, at the last minute qualified for the primetime debate and singled out the real estate mogul several times Tuesday night.
"He doesn't have a chance. What is Rand Paul doing?" Trump said, continuing that he doesn't have the same "spark" that his father, Ron Paul, had while running for president.
"I love Kentucky, but I don't get it," Trump said, then switching to criticize Paul's Senate reelection. "How does this guy win Kentucky? Is this guy going to be primaried?"
But the billionaire businessman said the majority of the GOP hopefuls were "nice to him," saying he was prepared for all 14 Republican candidates to lob attacks at him. "Ted Cruz was very nice to me, and I was nice to him. Most of the people were nice to me last night."
Trump maintains his lead among the GOP field in national polls with 33 percent, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average. But he's in a tighter race in Iowa with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), falling into a close second.
No, Trump can't be bought.
Breaking News? If you watch his campaign event he wasn’t being serious. You need to get a life.
Bankruptcies often mean creditors left unpaid. I have been left holding the bag when such "smart guys" take advantage that way. Smart -- but bad.
Trump has a 'Midas Touch' and some simply cannot stand the notion.
The ability to amass wealth doesn't mean that person doesn't have poor judgment. As for Trump's vaunted 'Midas Touch,' acknowledge in your heart please that you think of it as such because of a 10-year media marketing (TV, inspirational books) "personal brand" that "the Donald" has cultivated. That personal brand has cropped and removed the full context of some 38 dozen U.S. billionaires, where Trump is a third-rate Midas if a first-class self-promoter.
OK OK Instead of telling me day after day how bad Trump is, would you please tell me who on the Republican side we should be supporting now and why. I am serious. I would like for you to give me some positive feedback on who would be the best candidate (of those still left in the pack) that would best serve a conservative republican like me and someone that could beat Hillary.
I always thought it was “do is part” :) It’s “to us part”?
how embarrassing on my part lol
Let’s not throw Ted in with the crowd of losers. Agree about everyone else.
Although Huckabee, who i used to dislike, seems to have class and was the first to NOT take the bait to attack Trump 2 debates ago.
Dont want him for pres, but was a team player that night.
IF that were true, the 80 percent thing, then the 80 percent must be plenty because NO ONE would have done business with him after the first time it occurred.
Just saying.
Is that the kid from Andy Griffith? I was born in 68. not sure :)
I’m pretty sure it’s legal for your kid to vote for the other party :)
Reagan’s kid became an unabashed democrat.
His daughter, until recently, talked terribly about him.
I do grasp the notion that bankruptcy typically means that somewhere somebody does not get paid.
Of course that just means that the system is something which is one that mirrors life, inherently unfair and in the smaller sense unpredictable.
Bankruptcy options, at least in America, are available to others than Trump, and many have taken advantage of the laws associated.
Focusing on Trump's maneuvers in finance minutiae is a waste of time. If not him, then some other.
In the larger sense, unfettered Economics as is life, is rather predictable.
Some will rise to the top.
Folly = Business acumen.
Mileage varies.
Where's the rule book that tells us when he's joking and not really serious, when he's telling the truth and not just negotiating, when he's winging it 'cause he doesn't know?
Ha!
Thanks for the catch.
“Until death do us part.”
Oh no!
It’ll mean even MORE airtime for JEB!.
I say take the profit motive out of elections.
NO advertisements during the debates.
I have done business with Trump. He bought something from my company and negotiated directly with us. He was nothing other than above-board and gracious. He did push us a little on price, but I expect that no matter who I’m dealing with.
No, he was in Lost In Space. This was a Twilight Zone episode were he played a creepy kid with the power to banish people to the cornfield if you weren’t nice to him.
Did you agree on the price before hand?
President Trump threatens to leave GOP after reelection. You really are predictable, and, thank God, nearly out of time for your foolishness.
“Republican frontrunner Donald Trump attacked TheBlaze founder Glenn Beck Wednesday night, alleging the former Fox News host “got fired like a dog” from his former job at the cable-news network.
“The Blaze is failing and he wanted to have me on his show. I said no - because he is irrelevant,” Trump added in his tweet.
Beck responded soon after, sending the real estate mogul a GIF of a cute puppy:...
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