Donald Trump confronted with past support for Iraq war

The Guardian ^ | February 18, 2016 | Sabrina Siddiqui in Columbia, South Carolina and Ben Jacobs in Charleston

[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."

[Byron_the_Aussie]

.. Donald should never have brought up the Iraq war or blamed Bush. That was a mistake ..

Agreed. Dunno why he does that, the audience doesn't like it and neither do the folks watching at home. BUT - given the endless barrage in this campaign the offense given won't last long. In just a few days the subject matter will be largely forgotten but the notion that Trump's a fighter will remain.

And we do need a fighter.

[catfish1957]

I've got work to do, Art. Can you keep this bunch occupied for an hour? Waving something shiny around works.

More anecdotal evidence of paid Trump operatives at FR.

[pilgrim]

He is posting right out of the book!!! LOL!!!

Name calling

Method Call them names

Laugh at what targeted others say. Criticize their lack of Values. Denounce their ideals. Turn around their words and actions, taking them out of context and amplifying them to drown out any denial (making denial seem like admission of guilt). Use other double-binds such that whatever they say or do only mires them more deeply.

Find a name that trivializes them and use it at every opportunity, with a smirk on your face and the laughter of your supporters. Show up opponents

Make your opponents appear stupid, immoral or otherwise undesirable. Besmirch their untarnished reputation, holding it down in the mud, rubbing it in with the knowledge that much of the mud will stick. Be careful about the person retaliating. As necessary, ensure they are isolated and disempowered first. Make an example of someone

Take a random person and denigrate them. Show that you can and will do this any opponents.

You can do it to an apparently strong person, to demonstrate that you are not afraid and will take on and defeat even the powerful. You can do it to a weak person, to show that nobody is safe from your ire. You can do it to an ordinary, guy-next-door person, to show that 'people like you' are not safe either.

[longhorn too]

“FR is a safe space from prejudice trolls. Your hate speech is triggering distress and on behalf of the forum I ask you to cease and desist.

Final warning.”

Well, I see we have another Donald Trump wanna be!

[patriot08]

A tough fighter is the only thing to save America.
Cruz aint it.

[longhorn too]

“Trumps positions on present day issues is what attracts me to him. Is there a candidate for president that did not support the Iraq war? Rand Paul is out so he does not count.”

So what he says today about present day issues is what attracts you! And you pay no attention on how is felt on issues say 5 years ago!

[toddausauras]

I guess you’re smarter than Trump. Running in 2020 Joe?

[pilgrim]

Failed to mention.

Can’t debate issues; must assassinate character

or try to divert from the information in the article.

[Fai Mao]

“Since they believe in the leader principle (the idea that the leader is always right)”

I do not believe a leader is always right. This is a straw man argument that does not describe me nor, I suspect most Trump supporters.

[longhorn too]

“Mock me if you wish, you big cwuel lib. But once I’ve learnt the code of conduct on these ‘forums’ you can expect a moderately stern rejoinder! “

Uh-oh, we can expect a moderately stern rejoinder! You have absolutely have to be either joking are had one to many Fosters”

[pilgrim]

When will he threaten to sue????

[longhorn too]

“Glad you went to all the trouble, but I’m still voting for Trump. :-D”

Your call, your privledge!

[Gator113]

Nice sign.

~~Go Trump Go~~ ~~Go Trump Go~~ ~~Go Trump Go~~

[Bidimus1]

Obama won, so he was better right..

That is the logical out come of your comment.

[longhorn too]

“I’ve got work to do, Art. Can you keep this bunch occupied for an hour? Waving something shiny around works.”

What run out of Fosters?

[Bidimus1]

His position on the war is of less import NOW than the fact that to use his word he LIED about it.

[elhombrelibre]

So when Trump contradicts himself, when he says he never said the opposite, and when the evidence that he did say the opposite is presented, do you still believe him?

[Bidimus1]

Just because you are willing to fight and pick a fight with every one does not make you a good fighter. Nor more importantly a fighter for good.

djt is or would be a good conservatve democrat, not meaning insult but given his positions till 2015 that is what he is.

Run as one and I would respect him, not vote for him but I would at least respect that he was running as what he was.

[Bidimus1]

Let me have 220 Million to start life with and yes I might just run for president in the future.

[Bidimus1]

Sorry that is Spurs ;)