Posted on 07/23/2015 3:57:44 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
NEW YORK — Donald Trump says the chances that he will launch a third-party White House run will “absolutely” increase if the Republican National Committee is unfair to him during the 2016 primary season.
“The RNC has not been supportive. They were always supportive when I was a contributor. I was their fair-haired boy,” the business mogul told The Hill in a 40-minute interview from his Manhattan office at Trump Tower on Wednesday. “The RNC has been, I think, very foolish.”
Pressed on whether he would run as a third-party candidate if he fails to clinch the GOP nomination, Trump said that “so many people want me to, if I don’t win.”
“I’ll have to see how I’m being treated by the Republicans,” Trump said. “Absolutely, if they’re not fair, that would be a factor.”
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus called Trump earlier this month asking him to tone down his controversial rhetoric. More recently, the RNC rebuked him for saying that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is not a war hero. Trump didn’t apologize but has since said that the 2008 Republican presidential nominee is a war hero.
Trump told The Hill that the GOP establishment in Washington dislikes him because he’s not part of the political class.
“I’m not in the gang. I’m not in the group where the group does whatever it’s supposed to do,” he said. “I want to do what’s right for the country — not what’s good for special interest groups that contribute, not what’s good for the lobbyists and the donors.”
The real estate magnate has upended the Republican presidential primary, with recent national polls showing that he is leading the 16-candidate field. Many in the party’s establishment, pointing to his inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants and McCain, say that Trump is badly hurting the GOP brand.
Yet he is connecting with a significant chunk of GOP voters. And despite criticism from party leaders and other presidential candidates, Trump appears fueled by controversy.
His office, which has a stunning view of Central Park, is filled with family photos, golf trophies and sports paraphernalia.
At various times during the interview, Trump pointed out that he isn’t a politician. But the reality TV personality has politician-like skills, answering questions he wants to answer and driving the conversation to where he wants to take it. Trump doesn’t shy away from eye contact, and while prone to complaining about reporters, he is comfortable in his own skin.
The 69-year-old, of course, is no stranger to the media, and on Wednesday he complimented his questioners while also urging them — on more than one occasion — “to be fair.”
He insisted that his remarks about McCain and immigration have not and will not hurt him, and pointed to several recent polls to make his point.
Not surprisingly, Trump is a big fan of polls now.
At one point, he whipped out a survey that he had inside his suit pocket, and later he called on an aide to print out the latest poll numbers showing him leading former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R).
“I’m surprised that I’m this high,” he said.
Unlike former Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) four years ago, Trump is not predicting victory. He won’t utter the former Speaker’s famous “I’m going to be the nominee” statement, saying that would be “presumptuous.”
He attributes his rise to being frank with voters.
“I’m not surrounded by all sorts of pollsters and PR people,” Trump said. “I speak the truth. Our country is in big trouble, and I know how to turn it around.”
“Competence” and “leadership” are what voters are looking for, he says.
While some of his Republican rivals, such as Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, must do well in Iowa, and others are looking to New Hampshire, including Bush, Trump doesn’t see his path to victory as state-specific. And he was tight-lipped on how he’s preparing for the Aug. 6 Fox News debate, which will only allow for the top 10 candidates by poll standing to appear on the stage.
“I’ve got a lot of knowledge having to do with government. For the debates, I’ll work on that,” he said. “As far as the debate is concerned, these politicians debate every night. That’s all they do is talk. I don’t do that. I do other things. I’m a job creator.”
He said he’d appoint judges to the Supreme Court with a “conservative bent,” praising Justice Samuel Alito and criticizing Chief Justice John Roberts.
“Jeb Bush was the one that pushed Roberts through his brother, and Roberts gave us ObamaCare,” Trump said. “Roberts was a terrible choice. We wouldn’t be talking about ObamaCare right now if we didn’t have Roberts.”
He spoke favorably of setting term limits in Congress without offering specifics and didn’t rule out endorsing congressional candidates in 2016. Trump did not show his hand on whether he might endorse a primary challenger to McCain, who has one such competitor in his Arizona race.
Trump said he agreed with Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in opposing President Obama’s trade policy.
“You know the funniest thing about Bernie Sanders? The one thing we agree on is trade,” the billionaire said with a smile. “He knows the country is ripped off. And I know the country is being ripped off. The difference is that I can do something about it and he can’t. He’ll never be able to negotiate with China.”
Trump said that despite his tough talk about China, he’d be able to have a working relationship with its leaders. To accentuate his point, Trump brought The Hill six floors down to note that the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China rents space in his building.
“They just renewed their lease and you know why? They love Trump,” he said.
He said that Sanders is a sort of “duplicate” of liberal favorite Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who he said has pushed Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner for 2016, to the left.
“She’s had a huge impact on Clinton,” Trump said. “Hillary is going way left, and I sort of laugh because I know Hillary very well. ... The interesting part about Hillary is that her donors are all the hedge fund guys and the business guys and the real estate guys. And they’re all saying, ‘Do you think she means it?’ And I say, ‘Of course she doesn’t mean it — you know her.’ ”
Trump has long said he loves his job of striking deals and making money. But now that job is on hold as he attempts to become the 45th president.
Trump says he’s enjoying running for commander in chief, though he knows it’s early in the game.
“It’s very hard for a very successful person to run for political office — especially for president,” he said, after asking for business cards. “I get that now more than anything.”
Are you surprised?
We're talking about the same guy who said he is a Democrat, donates to Democrat campaigns, gives to the Clinton Foundation, wants universal healthcare, likes eminent domain, is not sure whether he is pro or anti-Second Amendment, can't get his story straight about whether a medical deferment or high draft number kept him out of the service, and decries foreign labor while having his clothing line made overseas.
If you don't like his position(s) today, just wait for tomorrow.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3315580/posts"
I just responded to one of those on another thread. He said Trump is no more liberal than Cruz, and only a "right-wing fanatic" would believe otherwise, LOL.
I thought this was debunked.
I don’t think so, he would absolutely obliterate them in the debates. He wouldn’t be like a Ross Perot with the high pitched voice, and the charts, he would go through the candidates like a locomotive through sht, none of them would stand a chance especially Hitlery, he’s too smart, he would play her like a top.
I don't think a cult of personality can be foisted upon someone. It's a voluntary thing, and whenever an individual is the object of starry-eyed hero worship, it presents a problem.
I don’t even argue with them anymore. I can appreciate the fact that Trump has pushed the border issue into the fore while understanding that he’s completely untrustworthy on pretty much everything else.
Oh.. when did his go up? Did you have a look at the polls yesterday? They’re in the tank.
Most Americans don’t trust Trump’s intentions. Do you not find his close friendship with the Clintons to be in issue?
It’s how he delivers his message.
Trump is plainly saying what so many people want to hear.
Since Reagan, when has a candidate spoken plainly to the American people?
Obama got elected by having a simple message: “We are the change we’ve been waiting for.”
A simple catch phrase “hope and change” that the mindless masses could cling to, while talking for hours but saying nothing of consequence except “vote for me and I will change things.”
Obama’s campaign “style” was perfect for energising a group who never had an original thought of their own.
Stylistically, Trump is latching on to the desire of conservatives to clean up our government.
He’s doing it in a simple way that everyday Americans can understand.
Trump speaks in a way, directly and without apology, that people respond to.
What Republican, save Ted Cruz, has been talking about these issues?
No one.
That’s why people are supporting him.
Do I think he is a conservative?
No.
Would he make a good president?
IMHO, I don’t know.
Could he possibly be worse than Barack Insane Obama?
I very seriously doubt it.
With that said, I support Ted Cruz.
But it is fun watching Trump make our internal enemies (dems, egop, illegal invaders, etc) blow their collective minds.
Yeah. All he did was make illegal immigration an issue and the RINOs start throwing punches. He has every right to defend himself.
He DID bring out the RINOs though. All those attacking him don't want to deal with illegal immigration. That's a huge heads up for the voters. Pay attention to who is trying to shut him up!
“Trump says he enjoys running for Commander in Chief . . . “
Donald Trump, CIC . . . . . Why, certainly, sir, you can count on the vote, the fervent vote, of every past American POW and their families, and the great multitude of all American veterans and even those currently serving and their families, who just, well, know your despicable/obscene remarks about them and their service are mere chaff in the wind.
We are now in a world where words have ceased to have consequences, right Mr. Trump!
“Saying what people want to hear” is fine, but it doesn’t make him another Reagan or Churchill. See...it’s this kind of thing that blows my mind into orbit. Those men were legends...their influences changed the world.
Let him keep speaking, but don’t let your emotions carry you away. Take his words for what they’re worth. They don’t change the fact of his liberal record nor make him fit to lead the country.
I see a lot of Trump supporters say he’s no worse than Obama, etc., but dear God, that’s a low bar. We can do so much better.
Like you, I support Cruz, a solid Constitutional conservative.
You're doing the smart thing. I must have some kind of masochistic streak, or something.
“Trump running as a third party would all but guarantee a DemonRAT victory.”
Not if he teams up with Cruz it won’t.
The Man From Hope. The Clinton film made by the producers of Designing Women.
Fortunate Son. The CBS 60 Minutes Kerry video coordinated with the Kerry campaign and the Bush ANG fraudulent documents.
Hope and Change. Fight the Smears.
Republicans didn't have slick media campaigns. We had an old Bob Dole on a treadmill. McCain extolling the virtues of Obama. Romney calling Obama a good father. But we also had the likes of Ann Coulter gushing over Romney.
It was all media people manipulating what the people saw. Trump is disrupting their packaging, because he's knocking the other candidates off of their scripts by bringing up third rail issues the others would rather avoid, and the MSM doesn't want to package.
-PJ
First of all.......my only intention (you should not believe everything you read, or hear) is to work to destroy the RNC & Republican establishment RINOs prior to the 2016 POTUS election!!! Trump is not going to run as a third party candidate.....I believe he and Ted Cruz are on the same page, and they are planning ahead with a number of strategies to win the POTUS on the Republican ticket. Also count in Carly Forina, Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, and a few other Pubbie candidates.
Trump knows how to put together a winning team, he knows how to work the media, as you have all witnessed!!! He is a leader of leaders, that is smart enough to know to surround himself with intelligent, street smart, pro-active, common sense leaders, like the USA used to have. Take a good look at the folks on the Trump team, and you will understand what I mean!!! You may not know their names....but they can blow away anyone or anybody that gets in their bosse’s way!!! Stay tuned!!! Trump never does or says anything he does not mean, when the chips are down.....and his people love him for it!!! He knows the media inside & out,...and is leading them around by their noses....idiots & egomaniacs, that they are!!!
Had Perot not been paranoid--remember he was surging in the polls before he pulled out--and then reentered, but with no where near the support before the paranoid event, ending up with only 19% of the vote;--he could have really rattled the dentures of the major parties.
The other problem that Perot had--which Trump would not have had--is that he could not speak extemporaneously on television, but looked totally spaced out, reading off a teleprompter behind the camera. I have personally used TV for half hour speeches in a campaign and can attest the effectiveness, if one can extemporize.
The reason to keep the Third Party option viable, is the changing demographics, that the Left is counting on to make Conservatives a permanent minority. A strong and articulate candidate, who lets the mindless acceptors of Leftist premises split their vote between the Democrats and the sort of "Republicans," who prattle their own version of the same acceptance of Socialist values, just might pull it off.
No! I am not suggesting that that is the ideal approach at this point. But a strategy on that order, might prove our last resort, if we cannot recapture the Republican Party next year. (And keep in mind that even if we do, a Cruz nomination might well provoke a Corporate CEO 2016 version of Republicans for Johnson, such as the Rockefeller branch of the Party hit Barry Goldwater with in 1964.)
The problem is complex. So we have to keep all options open.
Plus, another historical note. Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Third Party, which actually outpolled the Republican Party in 1912, lost to Wilson==but the mere threat of a revival by Hiram Johnson or William Borah was the whip that kept Henry Cabot Lodge from cutting off the debate that the irreconcilables finally won to defeat Wilson's League of Nations; leading to the overwhelming landslide of 1920.
“Trump running as a third party would all but guarantee a DemonRAT victory.”
Before last November I would have thought the same thing. Now, since the Republican landslide last November that netted a democrat victory, I don”t bother worrying about that anymore.
Yup, that’s how business deals are cut, if someone is attempting a hostile takeover and the other shareholders dare to not react kindly to this, threaten to shoot them. Hillary of course, is the gun.
Oh wait, I think that’s called armed robbery.
“Other than the Mexican Government, who did Trump attack, rather than respond to?”
The entire United States government. You evidently haven’t been paying attention.
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