TRUMP: Well, just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke. OK? I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So, I don't know.
I don't know, did he endorse me or what's going on, because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so you’re asking me a question that I'm supposed to be talking about people that I know nothing about.
Okay, that's not media spin, that's from the transcript of the interview. Trump knew enough about David Duke on Friday to disavow his endorsement. He clearly knew he was being asked about David Duke.
I'm not saying Trump supports David Duke or the KKK.
Tapper was being sleazy trying to tar Trump with an endorsement he'd already disavowed.
All Trump had to do was say yes, he'd already disavowed the endorsement on Friday.
He answered strangely. He flubbed the answer.
TAPPER: I want to ask you about the Anti-Defamation League, which this week called on you to publicly condemn unequivocally the racism of former KKK grand wizard David Duke, who recently said that voting against you at this point would be treason to your heritage.
Will you unequivocally condemn David Duke and say that you don't want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election?
TRUMP: Well, just so you understand, I don't know anything about David Duke. OK? I don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So, I don't know.
I don't know, did he endorse me or what's going on, because, you know, I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so you’re asking me a question that I'm supposed to be talking about people that I know nothing about.
TAPPER: But I guess the question from the Anti-Defamation League is, even if you don't know about their endorsement, there are these groups and individuals endorsing you. Would you just say unequivocally you condemn them and you don't want their support?
TRUMP: Well, I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you're talking about.
You wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I would have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them. And, certainly, I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong.
TAPPER: The Ku Klux Klan?
TRUMP: But you may have groups in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. So, give me a list of the groups, and I will let you know.
TAPPER: OK. I mean, I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here, but...
TRUMP: I don't know any -- honestly, I don't know David Duke. I don't believe I have ever met him. I'm pretty sure I didn't meet him. And I just don't know anything about him.
Okay the way I read this is that Tapper asked him to NOT disavow, but actually tell various unnamed groups that Trump didn't want their vote. These unnamed groups are defined by TAPPER as white supremacists. To nearly all Democrats and many Republicans these are tea party groups, conservatives and most southern people.
If Trump would have answered the question as asked the headline would have been: Trump To White Southerners: Don't Vote for me.
And Trump did clarify further down my point. He said he never met David Duke and didn't know him. And that was seconds later from the start of the question.
So no, I think he gave the right answer. Didn't step into the media trap. He had already disavowed the endorsement of Duke which even Duke said wasn't an endorsement. And he got two days of non-stop publicity.