Posted on 02/19/2016 12:16:11 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Donald Trump, who has made his opposition to the Iraq invasion one of the bedrocks of his campaign, was left scrambling during a CNN town hall when confronted with a newly uncovered interview in which he supported the conflict.
The interview, reported by Buzzfeed, was from 2002 when the real estate mogul sat down with radio shock jock Howard Stern and was directly asked whether he advocated invading Saddam Hussein's country.
Trump replied: "Yeah I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly."
Asked by CNN moderator Anderson Cooper about the statement, the Republican frontrunner simply responded:"I could have said that."
Trump then insisted that his past support for the war did not matter because "by the time the war started I was against it".
His comments came during the second of a two-part town hall in Columbia featuring the remaining candidates in the Republican field. Ohio governor John Kasich and former Florida governor Jeb Bush preceded Trump in Thursday night's instalment, whereas Ben Carson and Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz participated the prior evening.
Trump stumbled when asked if he thought George W Bush had deliberately lied to the country about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction. Both a voter and Cooper repeatedly asked him if he stood by his comments in the last Republican presidential debate when he insisted that was the case.
"They said there were weapons of mass destruction, there were none. And they knew there were none," Trump said in the debate, held in Charleston on Saturday.
During Thursday's town hall, just five days later, he backtracked, saying:"There are a lot of people that think that. Bottom line is there were no weapons of mass destruction."
Pressed further, Trump said of Bush, "I don't know what he did". Trump added that he would have to "look at some documents."
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
You have to be kidding me. Not one candidate - not one - elevated the discussion on the border and immigration they way Trump has. It was an issue typical candidates avoid because it is risky - or like Rubio and Bush you support unchecked immigration but sure as heck will not bring it up.
And he NEVER said he is in full support of Planned Parenthood. You are purposely trying to deceive people with that one. There was a time when discussion on FR could always be counted on to be honest. Congratulations on dumbing down the discussion.
The charlatan is not Trump. That would be you Smoking Joe.
It is very telling to look at the announcement speeches of Trump, Cruz and Rubio. This was the time to present what THEY thought was important to them and and the American people. Trump outlined so many issues while Rubio and Cruz just talked about Cuba and themselves.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3396178/posts?page=2#2
Well we’ve seen this type of machination in his campaign over and over.
Make the big noise with an outrageous statement and “play to peoples fantasies”.
I was a for sure Trump voter a few months ago. But when he said just the other day, “I am capable of changing to be whatever I want to be,” it sent cold chills down my spine.
I’d like a little character and stable, principled conservatism in my candidate, please.
This race for the Republican nomination is getting so stupid that its impossible to make an intelligent choice.
In the first ten minutes of the MSNBC townhall he runs down a very specific list. It was good. I dont think they went easy on him in that one. Do wish they would have asked some other questions and would forget the polls questiond.
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