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Posted on 04/12/2011 12:59:33 PM PDT by TaraP
NEW YORK CITY - If nothing else, people know two things about Donald Trump: He's got a lot of money and the bravado to go with it.
The outspoken billionaire is attracting attention, as he rises in GOP polls and decides by June whether he will run for president.
In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Trump talked about his faith, his views on the Koran, gay marriage, and everything in between.
"I think people want the truth. I think they're tired of politicians. They're tired of politically correct stuff." Trump told CBN News.
A Frontrunner?
That could be one of the reasons behind his recent bold questioning of President Obama's birth certificate. Recent polls show Trump gaining against other potential presidential contenders.
"I would much prefer that Barack Obama was a great president He's one of our worst presidents ever and something has to be done, because it's only going to get worse." Trump said.
In our wide-ranging interview, "The Donald," as he is known, was in rare form, whether standing up for American business interests or discussing who gets the oil in Iraq once the U.S. leaves.
"I look at what's happening with so many other nations ripping off the United States, we're like a laughing stock." Trump said. "We won the war. We take over the oil fields."
"There's no way on my watch that we leave those oil fields and let Iran take them over," he said. "That ain't going to happen."
A Softer, Gentler Trump
That kind of talk is his public persona. But what about the softer side of Donald Trump?
CBN News spent time talking about the part of his life you might not know about, like his brother Fred who died at the age of 42.
"He had everything going, but when he went to college, for some reason he started drinking," Trump explained. "That was before the drug age, and before other things, but drinking essentially, it's all one big problem but he drank."
"And he smoked also but he drank. And he drank a lot," he continued. "And he started drinking more and more. And he ultimately died of alcoholism."
"Life is fragile but I have wonderful children and from the time they were old enough to listen to me and speak, from a very young age, I used to say no drinking, at all. No drugs. No smoking," he said.
"I even used to say no coffee. Okay? And now I add no tattoos." Trump said.
Trump on God
The iconic billionaire spoke a little bit about how he views God.
"I believe in God. I am Christian. I think the Bible is certainly, it is the book, it is the thing," he said. "First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, that's where I went to church. I'm a Protestant. I'm a Presbyterian."
"Do you actively go to church?" CBN News asked.
"Well I go as much as I can. Always on Christmas. Always on Easter. Always when there's a major occasion," he explained. "And during the Sundays. I'm a Sunday church person. I'll go when I can."
And there are no shortages of Bible's in Trump's possession.
"Well, I get sent Bibles by a lot of people," he said, adding that he keeps them all in a special place.
"There's no way I would ever throw anything to do anything negative to a Bible, so what we do is we keep all of the Bibles," he explained. "I would have a fear of doing something other than very positive."
Evangelical Attention
That's the kind of talk that will get the attention of evangelical voters. However, he will also need to build trust on some key issues like abortion.
"One thing about me, I'm a very honorable guy. I'm pro-life, but I changed my view a number of years ago," Trump told CBN News. "One of the reasons I changed, one of the primary reasons, a friend of mine, his wife was pregnant, in this case married. She was pregnant and he didn't really want the baby."
"He ends up having the baby and the baby is the apple of his eye. It's the greatest thing that's ever happened to him," he explained. "And you know here's a baby that wasn't going to be let into life. And I heard this, and some other stories, and I am pro-life."
"So those stories did change you? They came around and changed you?" CBN News asked.
"They changed me. Yeah, they changed my view as to that, absolutely." Trump said.
When it comes to the landmark Roe v. Wade, decision, Trump said he stood firmly in the pro-life camp, though was less certain on his thoughts about the law's constitutionality.
"I really don't. It's standing right now we'll see what happens, but I am pro-life and I'll defend that." Trump said.
"It's really something that will evolve. It has evolved," he said about the law. "It will keep being evolved, but I'm on the side of pro-life and I'll stick that way."
Social Issues
Trump says he is for traditional marriage but has not made up his mind about civil unions.
"Well civil unions, look. First of all, I live in New York. I know many, many gay people. Tremendous people. And to be honest with you, as far as civil unions are concerned, I haven't totally formed my opinion," he said. "But there can be no discrimination against gays. I'm against gay marriage, I took a lot of heat for that."
Regarding radical Islam, Trump explained further what he meant when he said America has a Muslim problem.
"Bill O'Reilly asked me, is there a Muslim problem? And I said absolutely, yes," he said. "In fact I went a step further. I said I didn't see Swedish people knocking down the World Trade Center."
"I'm certainly not an expert to put it mildly, but there's something there that teaches some very negative vibe" Trump said about the Koran.
"There's a lot of hatred there that's some place," he continued. "Now I don't know if that's from the Koran, I don't know if that's from some place else. But there's tremendous hatred out there that I've never seen anything like it."
Evangelicals for Trump?
Even if Trump might sound solid on many social issues, he carries the potential baggage of two failed marriages.
"I'm a very hard worker, and I've always said it's very difficult for a woman to be married to me because I work all the time," Trump said.
"Is there a lesson you learned in those two failed marriages?" David asked.
"Well, I think the lesson is, and they were both wonderful women, I think the message is you do have to devote the requisite time to your marriage," Trump said.
So is there an opening for Trump among Evangelicals?
Top strategist Ralph Reed said,"There is a nascent and growing curiosity in the faith community about Trump."
"They know how important this election is that's coming up. I think that they want to get somebody in who is going to win," Trump said. "And perhaps they look at me as somebody who can win."
In a GOP field void of a frontrunner, anything's possible.
He just might be able to win....
A debate between Obama and Trump would be a debate to watch!
Obammy crying!
Too bad he’s not a conservative. His behavior hasn’t exactly been Christian either.
I already know...
We are all a work in progress, if he shows a genuine change in conservatism, I say go for it!
That ought to be good enough for the talibangelicals. Who cares if he donates millions to rats , 3 or 4 wives and only recently found this pro-life position? Just so long as he is not a Mormon, they think Jesus and Santa are brothers.
What worries me about Trump is, well, everything right now... particularly, what are his distinct and enumerated policies, and how will his they pan out in a wicked world? What are his core values? Is he a poser?
What I like is his chutzpah, unlike any politician now parading around. He seems to truly be concerned for the USA. He is causing the MSM to notice and has become the bug in their collective ear... he annoys the crap out of them and he is still popular despite their demonizing... and, he’s not having to spend any money on advertising to get the noticed.
What will Trump do if elected to develop 15,000,000 hires? [other than start a draft]
Now...we need to get straight on issues such as illegal immigrants/illegal aliens, border control, trade tarriffs, embargoes, alternative energy, Medicare/Medicaide, SS, State's Rights, US Debt, Health Care, Education, Unions and the like.
Don't need a "deep dive" right now...just the simple main points.
One thing's for sure....politicians from both sides of the aisle do not know how to handle Mr. Trump.
He picked a great way to show his change.
He came out and lied about Qadaffi and the deal they made. Any man who takes pride in screwing someone they made a deal with has little integrity. The fact that he made a deal with someone like that in the first place is further evidence of it. He only broke the deal when people found out became outraged.
Jesus came for people like Trump too...
He wasn’t interested in the people who said:
I need nothing..I’m A-Okay with the Alimighty...
That's the point!!! He's NOT a politician. He's asking the American public to consider hiring a non-politician to be President.
Remember all those failed "throw the bums out" and "get rid of the lawyers" movements that fizzled?? They all were - at heart - about getting rid of career politicians and putting productive, normal Americans in their place.
Well...here it is. Staring us in the face.
Tho it seems a bit nutty to call Mr. Trump a "normal" American, he most assuredly is not a politician.
Can you just imagine his cabinet!!?? And I seriously doubt there would be any kind of "czar" anywhere. And I would be watching out for some mid to high level bureaucrat dismissals for not doing their job.
One can only imagine what our Federal Government would be like if it were run like a profitable business instead of a graft ridden playground for career politicians.
For the Love of God
Trump? really? guy who left the party to run as an Indie, backed and raised money for Arlen Specter, said Hillary was wonderful and praised Pelosi - this is who people want for the GOP nomination. His company went bankrupt he is on his third wife and his loyalties are dubious at best why is he even in the conversation.
born June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York, NY (Meets the Jus Soli Requirement)
Parents were
Frederick Christ Trump, born October 11, 1905 in Queens, NY, died June 1999 in Queens, NY
Mary Ann MacLeod, born May 10, 1912 in SCOTLAND, died August 7, 2000 in Queens, NY. Arrived in US October 5, 1935. Naturalized as a US Citizen March 10, 1942.
Both parents were US Citizens at the time of his birth (Meets the Jus Sanguinis Requirement)
Donald Trump is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN unlike Comrade Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama.
What would Jesus do?
Let’s not be fooled by Trump. He has been a Clinton supporter, gave money to Rohm Emanuel and has ties to Soros.
The independents were swayed by Obama because of what he was saying on the campaign trail and none of them wanted to take a serious look at his past. Now they’re regretting it.
I think we need to be careful with Trump. He’s already said he is willing to become an independent candidate if he doesn’t secure the republican nomination. We don’t need another Ross Perot and give Obama a second term!!
Frankly with the America Hating Marxist in the not so White House, Trump is a refreshing alternative. No one can be 100% but he loves America, know business and how to negotiate, and does not back down when faced with adversity. So what if he is not a total conservative, I would vote for him.
I agree, no one is going to be perfect, but if he is willing to preserve Traditional Marriage, is pro-life and puts people back to work by keeping jobs in the USA and not apologize to any foreign land for who we are, he just might get my vote!
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