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.
Whenever I see Trump in the headline I check the poster.
This one slipped through the filter somehow.
Almost as frustrating as the 24/7 Walker coverage was.
By the time he announced, I was already tired of hearing about him.
A very keen observation on your part............
What, not a fan of CW ? Tsk, tsk.
This guy is so vain he thinks the world revolve around him. Who in their right mind would elect a person like him for president, a democrat or what?
Good riddance to bad rubbish. I’m glad CNN called the blowhard’s bluff this week.
They are hash slinging and face making contests at their bests. Watching grown people act like 3 year olds on live TV, well most of them. It is sickening to the core
Millions of Americans, actually. Including most FReepers.
Sorry, kiddo. Without Trump in the debates, CNN might as well air reruns of “Mama’s Family.”
Trump might be really smart to skip the debate and tweet his comments throughout
He would win the internets
Trumps use of bankruptcy restructured the debt and kept the businesses alive and retained most of the jobs too. It is a legal framework to give each party the fairest outcome that can be legally accepted by both, when economies and business plans fail
Do some research on them
This is taught in business school as a way to keep going on a different path, not to dump everything and walk away
That’s the point
if trump,ripped people off his empire would not have grown ( and still be continuing to grow despite politically driven hits and boycotts)
"Trump came of age for the draft during the Vietnam War. In an interview in 2011 on New York station WNYW, he stated, "I actually got lucky because I had a very high draft number." Selective Service records retrieved by The Smoking Gun website from the National Archives show that, although Trump did eventually receive a high selective service lottery number in 1969, he was not drafted earlier because of four student deferments (2-S) while attending college, and after receiving a medical deferment (1-Y, later converted to 4-F) obtained in 1968 after his college graduation, prior to the lottery being initiated.
Trump was deemed fit for service after a military medical examination in 1966 and was briefly classified as 1-A by a local draft board shortly before his 1968 medical disqualification. Trump attributed his medical deferment to "heel spurs" in both feet, according to a 2015 biographer, but told an Iowa campaign audience he suffered from a spur in one foot, though he could not remember which one. Source
Your “Breaking News” thread has been moved to chat. ROFL. Think somebody is trying to send you a hint?
Nope I’m happy to have someone I feel great about voting for. You on the other hand steadfastly refuse to even say who you are for. It’s 100% negative, all the time. You seem very bitter.
I wasn’t including Cruz. I was talking about those in single digits without a prayer of even being competitive. They shouldn’t even be on the stage.
Actually I thought the last one did one thing, it clarified the split between those like Jeb, Christie, Carly and Kasich who agree with Hillary and Obama on regime change in Syria, and Trump, Cruz, Carson and Paul who see it as aiding the jihadists. I full agree with the latter.
“Didn’t he threaten to sit this one out if for some reason or another he did not get something?”
I agree with his logic. He’s the clear front runner. He’s being targeted by the left, the media, and the GOPe. He has nothing to gain from the debates.
Screw ‘em.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf (Blitzer).
I he lets them, the RNC, GOPe, CNN, et al will add MORE debates and keep anyone with over 3 points on the roster.
They have to keep up with the debate quips of 1000 cuts to bring him down. It’s easier to do with all the little wannabe Yip Dogs that way.
they should create another forum called “Useless Vindictive Bile”
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