Trump: 'I identify with some things as a Democrat'

Donald Trump, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, said Friday he sometimes identifies more as a Democrat when pressed to explain previous statements that the economy generally does better under Democrats than Republicans.

"I identify with some things as a Democrat," Trump said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" when pressed about the comments from 2004, adding that "generally speaking" he was "never a Bush fan."

"When the economy crashed so horribly under George Bush because of mistakes they made having to do with banking and lots of other things, I don't think the Democrats would have done that," Trump said.

"Now, I see it both ways, but I hated what I was watching in the last two years of George Bush, because it was a bubble that was waiting to explode," he added. "What they were doing was a death wish, and I saw that."

"I have seen things done by Republicans that are not good and are not smart, and I would not do that," he said.

The celebrity real estate developer skyrocketed to the top of many polls following the launch of his GOP White House bid in mid-June, amid weeks of criticism and media attention to his controversial comments on Mexican immigrants.

Trump made waves this week after he threatened during an interview with The Hill to run as a third-party candidate. He played down that possibility Thursday, saying, "I want to run as a Republican. I think I'll get the nomination."

"Over the years as a businessman, I've always helped everybody," Trump said Friday on MSNBC, further explaining his past support for both Democrats and Republicans.

"I'm a conservative, I want to run as a Republican, I'm leading every poll," he said. "I do not want to do independent at all. Now, if I'm treated poorly, that's one thing. If I'm treated well and with great respect and don't win, I would not do that."

Trump had suggested to The Hill on Wednesday that the Republican National Committee "has not been very supportive." He said Friday that the RNC has been "very, very nice over the last few days.”

Any of you shocked by this?

We FReepers who are enjoying what he is actually DOING RIGHT NOW, stabbing Political Correctness right in the heart, don’t have our team jerseys on, nor are we waving R flags. WE KNOW he’s socially liberal. WE DONT CARE. Hillary is our other option, or a goper. And our world is run by an oligarchy of socialists and their media winged monkeys.

Trump is doing the United States of America a service right now. No other candidate is doing anything but running for office.

Look at reality. We are in “Auschwitz,” not “Baskin Robbins!” Stop choosing which toppings you want on your ice cream while we are trying to save the republic from the cabal!

“That’s because Trump’s only consistent message seems to be Trump. “

Tell it to the veterans he’s helped thru the years without fan fare or accolades. Tell it to the vets in the news today talking about how they appreciate he is speaking up for them, after years of supporting them.

No matter what political side he’s claimed to be on, he has always supported our veterans. He is a very pro-America person and that’s a huge contrast from the DC Elites up there now.

Exactly. The hyper partisans aren’t doing anyone any favors, least of all their candidates of choice.

It’s almost become a badge of honor when one turns up their nose to sniff at a post they don’t approve of.

So glad Cruz doesn’t do that. As long as he’s cool with Trump. I am too.

The hard core perfects will just have to deal with it.

I’m curious to know why you think Dubya never requested any alteration in the Community Reinvestment Act while he was President. Why he supported the American Dream Downpayment Initiative that provided “free” downpayments to minority homebuyers, a program that added rocket fuel to the housing bubble.

The only reforms of Fannie and Freddie that he asked for was concerning their capital ratio and sheer size. The reforms that he advocated never addressed subprime lending, non-conforming lending, or the massive subprime lending going on in the shadow banking system.

The fight is no longer R vs D. It’s NWO vs anyone who doesn’t want to live under the boot of bankster run centralized global governance.

They’d love nothing more than for the people to NOT step back, see the true picture and keep fighting their clan wars between R & D—two parties with leadership under their control.

Well, you get it.

We have Statists, the bloc with two heads, R and D, and we just play the playoffs between these two bought and paid for teams every four years. It’s a kabuki dance with the media in charge.

We need SOMEONE who can’t be bought to try and see if we can get a constitutional free republic back. No one else is doing it but Trump. If he has three penises and loves comic books and lesbians in bed, I don’t care. If a true conservative bitchslapped DC and the media, they’d Nuts n Sluts him, finish him off. Trump has the b$lls to not whimper and hide when they attack him.

What has he accomplished: he’s given Ted Cruz a bit of necessary courage. He’s promising to shape the debate, where most Americans who bother to watch will meet the candidates for the first time. If he does well, he will then shape the SNL debate, which many more Americans will watch.

One version is that Karl Rove was behind all of this - he told Bush that the best way to win the hearts of more low-income "minority" voters was to build up his "compassionate conservative" reputation by continuing to prop up Fannie and Freddie's subprime lending program.

This wasn't the worst part of Bush's Presidency, however. The worst came when the subprime chickens came home to roost, and Bush worked with Barney Frank to launch TARP and bail out investment firms who lost money in the debacle with taxpayer dollars.

That’s a good question, and I’m not sure. I know that he, and shockingly, even McCain, called out Fannie and Freddie with some good points. They were never able to get anything done, but they did understand the problem.

Then, for whatever reason, Bush was not willing - and McCain was not able in the 08 campaign - to tie these liberals and their policies to the economic crash. It was so effen infuriating.

“Jorge ignored the mess involving Ginny Mae and Freddy Mac. “

You mean Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ginny Mae is something else.

Bush did advocate reforming Fannie and Freddie, but the reforms had nothing to do with subprime lending. The issue was their size and that they were operating with too low of a capital ratio. Fannie’s leadership was also cooking the books to enhance their personal bonuses.

He’s my second or third choice depending on how much Walker steps in it

Cruz is first

At fourth maybe Jindhal or Santorum long shots

Then Rubio maybe

After that it’s a tall cliff

How do you explain I made most money in the stock market during Bill Clinton’s 8 years.

Two words: "Republican Congress."

One main reason the dems lost both houses of Congress in '94 was the moribund economy under the Clinton administration. Bubba had to be dragged kicking and screaming into budget-trimming legislation, for which he laughably later took credit.

“I do not understand all the Trump threads and Trump love here on FR. So he said some strong things against illegal immigration. Good for him. But that does not make him an all-around conservative. Trump is doing, and will do, more damage than good to the conservative cause. Trump makes Ross Perot look like a serious candidate.”

I am in full agreement with you.

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