Trump says he is 'comfortable' as president despite political battles

[webfact]

Trump says he is 'comfortable' as president despite political battles

By David Morgan

 

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a Make America Great Again rally in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S., October 13, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he was "comfortable" in the White House after almost two years in office, despite political storms over immigration, tariffs and his nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

 

"It was a little surreal to say I'm the president of the United States, but I think that's true with everybody," Trump told the CBS television news program "60 Minutes."

 

"Even my friends, they don't call me Donald, they call me Mr. President. And I say: 'Will you please loosen up?' I've learned on the job. I have."

 

"Now I very much feel like POTUS," Trump added, using the acronym for president of the United States.

 

The interview, in which Trump proved as eager as ever for verbal jousting on a range of issues, showed no sign he had any intention of abandoning his freewheeling, in-your-face persona as president.

 

Trump would not say whether he intended to return to the contentious policy of separating immigrant children from their families at the border, but gave no ground on what he saw as the need for tough policy.

 

"When you allow the parents to stay together, OK, when you allow that, then what happens is people are going to pour into our country," Trump said. "There have to be consequences ... for coming into our country illegally."

 

The family separations and the detention of thousands of children, mostly from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, prompted widespread condemnation of Trump’s policy. About 2,500 children and parents were separated before Trump abandoned the policy in June. Days later, a federal judge ordered the families reunited, a process that is still incomplete.

 

After a political brawl in the Senate over sexual misconduct allegations against his Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh, Trump said his remarks at a Mississippi rally in which critics said he mocked accuser Christine Blasey Ford were necessary to win the confirmation fight.

 

"Had I not made that speech, we would not have won. I was just saying she didn't seem to know anything," Trump said. "And you're trying to destroy a life of a man who has been extraordinary."

 

He denied making fun of her, saying instead that he had treated her with respect.

 

"I'm not going to get into it because we won. It doesn't matter. We won," Trump said. Kavanaugh was confirmed by a 50-48 vote in the U.S. Senate earlier this month.

 

A New York businessman whose upset 2016 victory against Democrat Hillary Clinton sent shock waves across the political world, Trump said he had discovered that the Washington political scene was even tougher than the business world.

 

"Washington, D.C. is a vicious, vicious place: the attacks, the bad-mouthing, the speaking behind your back. But you know, and in my way, I feel very comfortable here," the president told CBS.

 

"I always used to say the toughest people are Manhattan real estate guys and blah, blah. Now I say they're babies."

 

(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-15

[Tug]

Maybe he is comfortable but not the majority of the American people or the rest of the world (to put it mildly)

[attrayant]

He's comfortable because he has total lack of comprehension about his job, like a fish examining a nuclear submarine.  And his 60 Minutes interview was just a non-stop string of blathering idiocy: Trump’s 60 Minutes interview once again reveals gross ignorance and wild dishonesty.

 

"Donald Trump trusts Kim Jong Un but not American climate scientists. He knows more about NATO than Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. He thinks the European Union was created to take advantage of America on trade. And he isn’t sure whether or not Vladimir Putin is involved in assassinations.

 

In short, his sit-down interview with 60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl revealed the president of the United States to be grossly dishonest, woefully ill-informed, and congenitally incapable of admitting error or demonstrating any kind of moral or intellectual growth."

 

And what is worse, his base sees no problem with this at all.

[beechguy]

1 hour ago, attrayant said:

He's comfortable because he has total lack of comprehension about his job, like a fish examining a nuclear submarine.  And his 60 Minutes interview was just a non-stop string of blathering idiocy: Trump’s 60 Minutes interview once again reveals gross ignorance and wild dishonesty.

 

"Donald Trump trusts Kim Jong Un but not American climate scientists. He knows more about NATO than Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. He thinks the European Union was created to take advantage of America on trade. And he isn’t sure whether or not Vladimir Putin is involved in assassinations.

 

In short, his sit-down interview with 60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl revealed the president of the United States to be grossly dishonest, woefully ill-informed, and congenitally incapable of admitting error or demonstrating any kind of moral or intellectual growth."

 

And what is worse, his base sees no problem with this at all.

His base didn't have a choice, it was him or Hillary. I've been around the Clinton's since the 80's, I gave them a chance once, never again. 

 

Oh yea, I sleep perfectly fine. There is no way Hillary would have done as well on the economy, or foreign policy. 

[bristolboy]

32 minutes ago, beechguy said:

His base didn't have a choice, it was him or Hillary. I've been around the Clinton's since the 80's, I gave them a chance once, never again. 

 

Oh yea, I sleep perfectly fine. There is no way Hillary would have done as well on the economy, or foreign policy. 

Before Trump's tax bill passed, the economy was just continuing its upward trajectory reinforced by a long delayed recovery in Europe and Japan. And it's true, the economy did get further stimulus. But very little from the tax bill. Most of the additional stimuus was due to the huge increase in deficit spending. You know, the kind that Republicans used to accuse Democrates of doing. Although back then it was the "tax and spend" democrats. NOw it's the "spend and slash taxes" Republicans. Setting the stage for an assault on Social Security and Medicare.

[beechguy]

9 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Before Trump's tax bill passed, the economy was just continuing its upward trajectory reinforced by a long delayed recovery in Europe and Japan. And it's true, the economy did get further stimulus. But very little from the tax bill. Most of the additional stimuus was due to the huge increase in deficit spending. You know, the kind that Republicans used to accuse Democrates of doing. Although back then it was the "tax and spend" democrats. NOw it's the "spend and slash taxes" Republicans. Setting the stage for an assault on Social Security and Medicare.

BS, then why was Obama making comments that we were just going to have to learn to live, with a less than 2% growth rate. We may make a step back on spending, but that was because Obama could never put together an acceptable spending bill, and screwed up the health care even worse. Good riddance. 

 

Thankfully Trump won, and idiots like Hillary or Bernie didn't make it. Why don't you guys make sure some race baiters, like Kamala Harris or Corey Booker get nominated, and we can do it again in 2020.

[bristolboy]

28 minutes ago, beechguy said:

BS, then why was Obama making comments that we were just going to have to learn to live, with a less than 2% growth rate. We may make a step back on spending, but that was because Obama could never put together an acceptable spending bill, and screwed up the health care even worse. Good riddance. 

 

Thankfully Trump won, and idiots like Hillary or Bernie didn't make it. Why don't you guys make sure some race baiters, like Kamala Harris or Corey Booker get nominated, and we can do it again in 2020.

The 2 percent comment was a long term average growth rate projection. You can goose those rates with big deficit spending but eventual;ly that will fail.

And please, not only did Republicans not want to increase spending during the Greeat REcession, they actually wanted to slash it. There were no proposals coming from the Republicans on how to increase spending during the Great Recession. Just calls for tax cuts on the wealthy. Which makes absolutely no sense in a period of decreased emand.  And now that the economy is in recovery, they want to boost spending. Such hypocrites.

ANd as for the recovery, it hasn't been much of a recover for most AMerican. Particualry for non-supervisory workers. You know, blue collar types. But the wealthy are making out fabulously from it.

[beechguy]

2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

The 2 percent comment was a long term average growth rate projection. You can goose those rates with big deficit spending but eventual;ly that will fail.

And please, not only did Republicans not want to increase spending during the Greeat REcession, they actually wanted to slash it. There were no proposals coming from the Republicans on how to increase spending during the Great Recession. Just calls for tax cuts on the wealthy. Which makes absolutely no sense in a period of decreased emand.  And now that the economy is in recovery, they want to boost spending. Such hypocrites.

ANd as for the recovery, it hasn't been much of a recover for most AMerican. Particualry for non-supervisory workers. You know, blue collar types. But the wealthy are making out fabulously from it.

Nonsense, where are you at? There are help wanted signs all over the place, and I get at least 2 or 3 emails a week, from companies begging for help all over the U.S. Yes, wages are going up by demand, not some BS Ponzi scheme, like minimum wage legislation. The tax cut wasn't a whole lot, but made an average of $250.00 bucks in my pocket. I suppose I could have voted for Hilary or Bernie, and have it go the other way.

[bristolboy]

Just now, beechguy said:

Nonsense, where are you at? There are help wanted signs all over the place, and I get at least 2 or 3 emails a week, from companies begging for help all over the U.S. Yes, wages are going up by demand, not some BS Ponzi scheme, like minimum wage legislation. The tax cut wasn't a whole lot, but made an average of $250.00 bucks in my pocket. I suppose I could have voted for Hilary or Bernie, and have it go the other way.

Real Wage Growth Is Actually Falling

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickwwatson/2018/09/25/real-wage-growth-is-actually-falling/#219557eb7284

[riclag]

20 minutes ago, beechguy said:

BS, then why was Obama making comments that we were just going to have to learn to live, with a less than 2% growth rate. We may make a step back on spending, but that was because Obama could never put together an acceptable spending bill, and screwed up the health care even worse. Good riddance. 

 

Thankfully Trump won, and idiots like Hillary or Bernie didn't make it. Why don't you guys make sure some race baiters, like Kamala Harris or Corey Booker get nominated, and we can do it again in 2020.

It was a good strategy,calling out the, I don't know,I can't remember far left phony from Palo Alto U that couldn't find anybody to corroborate her original supposed witnesses and allegations and how about  her activist pretending to be lawyers, representatives in the  resistance  . How many people just watched the video bite's  of her saying 100% sure it was JK along with her senate fan club video bites of I believe her and its up to JK to prove he's innocent.

 The Independent voter can see right through the MSM attempts to trap PT in the infamous I Gotcha game of bias questioning ! What's next,accusing him of tampering with voter turnout!

 

"That “60 Minutes” went looking for something greater is more proof than viewers needed that their approach to the President left them outmatched".

https://variety.com/2018/tv/columns/donald-trump-60-minutes-1202980027/

 

[beechguy]

11 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Real Wage Growth Is Actually Falling

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickwwatson/2018/09/25/real-wage-growth-is-actually-falling/#219557eb7284

I assume you read the part where the wages went up more than since 2009, it was inflation that also went up? I'm in aviation, and just recently the company gave 13-15% wage increases to some maintenance personnel, and a healthy increase for the pilots, just to compete for qualified people. Just driving around, I heard a roofing company offering $20 and hour, just for labor!

Check out these unemployment rates, when there is demand, there will be more increases.!https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

[SinCityGr8One]

The US Presidential election was a case of "Dance with the Devil you know (Clinton) or dance with the Devil you don't know (Trump)? There wasn't any real choice to make.

[riclag]

5 minutes ago, SinCityGr8One said:

The US Presidential election was a case of "Dance with the Devil you know (Clinton) or dance with the Devil you don't know (Trump)? There wasn't any real choice to make.

The anti christ has always been the quintessential Politician! DT got many votes for not being one  

[beechguy]

14 minutes ago, riclag said:

It was a good strategy,calling out the, I don't know,I can't remember far left phony from Palo Alto U that couldn't find anybody to corroborate her original supposed witnesses and allegations and how about  her activist pretending to be lawyers, representatives in the  resistance  . How many people just watched the video bite's  of her saying 100% sure it was JK along with her senate fan club video bites of I believe her and its up to JK to prove he's innocent.

 The Independent voter can see right through the MSM attempts to trap PT in the infamous I Gotcha game of bias questioning ! What's next,accusing him of tampering with voter turnout!

 

"That “60 Minutes” went looking for something greater is more proof than viewers needed that their approach to the President left them outmatched".

https://variety.com/2018/tv/columns/donald-trump-60-minutes-1202980027/

 

The problems for the Liberals, is they are like Hillary. They thought they were smarter than us, their not, and they thought they know what's best for us, they don't! That's why Hillary lost, and Trump is in the WH, and they still don't get it.

[riclag]

1 minute ago, beechguy said:

The problems for the Liberals, is they are like Hillary. They thought they were smarter than us, their not, and they thought they know what's best for us, they don't! That's why Hillary lost, and Trump is in the WH, and they still don't get it.

I have been a Independent voter all my life,I always voted Dem,until the messenger of CHANGE, came down the escalator! 

[underlordcthulhu]

42 minutes ago, beechguy said:

The problems for the Liberals, is they are like Hillary. They thought they were smarter than us, their not, and they thought they know what's best for us, they don't! That's why Hillary lost, and Trump is in the WH, and they still don't get it.

They never will, they just keep doubling down which funnilly enough is actually helping us as sane people #WalkAway from the dems. 

It's like a Chinese finger trap, the more they struggle and 'resist' the harder it's going to get for them as they lose votes to other parties.

I say they should continue on their trajectory and keep doing the hard work for us 

[candide]

2 hours ago, beechguy said:

Nonsense, where are you at? There are help wanted signs all over the place, and I get at least 2 or 3 emails a week, from companies begging for help all over the U.S. Yes, wages are going up by demand, not some BS Ponzi scheme, like minimum wage legislation. The tax cut wasn't a whole lot, but made an average of $250.00 bucks in my pocket. I suppose I could have voted for Hilary or Bernie, and have it go the other way.

Not nonsense. Sound economic policy. Economic policies should be counter-cyclical. Increase deficit when there is a crisis and reduce deficit when growth returns to a normal situation. Trump's pro-cyclical policy of increasing deficit during a growth phase will just leave empty coffers when the next crisis comes. And the next crisis always comes......

 

[beechguy]

35 minutes ago, candide said:

Not nonsense. Sound economic policy. Economic policies should be counter-cyclical. Increase deficit when there is a crisis and reduce deficit when growth returns to a normal situation. Trump's pro-cyclical policy of increasing deficit during a growth phase will just leave empty coffers when the next crisis comes. And the next crisis always comes......

 

Yes, nonsense. What you are saying may make sense in a normal economic cycle, but Trump walked into a debt of almost 20 Trillion. He may have to use some unusual policies to get things back in control, if he ever does. I assure you, he has a much better chance than Hillary or Bernie would have.

[candide]

18 minutes ago, beechguy said:

Yes, nonsense. What you are saying may make sense in a normal economic cycle, but Trump walked into a debt of almost 20 Trillion. He may have to use some unusual policies to get things back in control, if he ever does. I assure you, he has a much better chance than Hillary or Bernie would have.

The cycle is quite normal. Well, not quite. What may be abnormal is that no crisis occured since 2008/2009. Get things back in control by increasing debts even more than before? Quite unusual, indeed......

[beechguy]

55 minutes ago, candide said:

The cycle is quite normal. Well, not quite. What may be abnormal is that no crisis occured since 2008/2009. Get things back in control by increasing debts even more than before? Quite unusual, indeed......

Let's look at it this way, you need to go into the next room, but you're standing there with your nose against a wall. Do you keep pushing against that wall, hoping that it will give way, or do you back up one or two steps and use the door. Trump has a large debt to resolve, it won't be fixed in one term, but he is having to overcome several years of sequestration, because they wouldn't work out a reasonable budget. 

 

Still our chances are better with him, than Hillary or Bernie.

[beechguy]

Something else to consider for 2018, if the Democrats when back the House, you'll have Adam Schiff head up the Intelligence Committee, and heaven forbid, Maxine Waters the Financial Committee. Does anybody really think that would be a good thing! 

 

Go Donald, MAGA.

[Tug]

Beach guy I don’t know what to say but I do know your guy looks sounds acts like a criminal of the highest order the whole world is laughing at us he has raised your taxes and gave himself a big tax break he has pissed off the entire world he has been spoon fed wealth and privilege all his life and turned out to be an absolute a hole the best he can do is suck up to the most vile of dictators you go ahead and admire that guy I will do my best to get him out before more damage is done

[spidermike007]

If Warren can prove she is even a fraction American Indian, I will donate one million dollars to the charity of her choice. Now, that she has proven it, what was his reaction? I never said that. Well, sucker we have you on tape! You said it, and now you are trying to weasel out of another promise. He is a man that has more than likely never donated more than $500 to charity in any given year. One of the most uncharitable men, to ever occupy that office. What, help people? Why would I do that?

 

He has grown very comfortable, with his stock in trade, as president. Lie, cheat, deceive, break promises, make America less great, and coddle dictators, while spurning allies. 

[underlordcthulhu]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

 He is a man that has more than likely never donated more than $500 to charity in any given year. One of the most uncharitable men, to ever occupy that office. What, help people? Why would I do that?

Come again? Hmmm?

http://www.accessonline.com/articles/donald-trump-puts-jennifer-hudson-family-up-for-free-in-chicago-hotel-66176/

[spidermike007]

6 minutes ago, underlordcthulhu said:

Come again? Hmmm?

http://www.accessonline.com/articles/donald-trump-puts-jennifer-hudson-family-up-for-free-in-chicago-hotel-66176/

One would have to make some effort to define that are charity. Also, it does appear to be a publicity stunt, thought up by a good PR firm. The world knows Trump needs some good PR, at this stage of the game. His name is mud, worldwide, he is losing one franchising and merchandising deal after another, and his hotels are taking a real hit. At the moment, units in his buildings are barely salable or rentable, as few want to be associated with the name.

[underlordcthulhu]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

One would have to make some effort to define that are charity. Also, it does appear to be a publicity stunt, thought up by a good PR firm. The world knows Trump needs some good PR, at this stage of the game. His name is mud, worldwide, he is losing one franchising and merchandising deal after another, and his hotels are taking a real hit. At the moment, units in his buildings are barely salable or rentable, as few want to be associated with the name.

A very typical NPC response. Color me surprised!

[Tug]

Hey Spider-Man mike I think you are being wayyyyy to generous any donation he has made has been offset by plundering any charity in his name he is a piece of work he is

[Stargeezr]

Trump is happy that he has not yet bankrupted this latest job, errr

business deal like he has in the past. Just wait, he is not finished yet..

Geezer

[johnnybangkok]

12 hours ago, beechguy said:

Nonsense, where are you at? There are help wanted signs all over the place, and I get at least 2 or 3 emails a week, from companies begging for help all over the U.S. Yes, wages are going up by demand, not some BS Ponzi scheme, like minimum wage legislation. The tax cut wasn't a whole lot, but made an average of $250.00 bucks in my pocket. I suppose I could have voted for Hilary or Bernie, and have it go the other way.

I love how you Trumpers always come up with the 'but the economy' when the numbers just simply don't bear out your argument. I try not to argue facts with Trump supporters for the same reason I don't bother trying to teach my dog how to drive a car but here goes:

 

Dems Vs Repubs by the numbers. *last 50 yrs  

Years held Presidency: -       Repub- 28yrs,          Dem-22 yrs

Total jobs created:-              Repub-24 Million,     Dem-42 Million

Stock market return:-           Repub-109%,           Dem-992% 

GDP:-                                  Repub-2.7%,            Dem-4.1% 

Income growth:-                  Rep-0.6%                 Dem-2.2%

 (source politico, bloomberg, USDL)

 

Forbes magazine - 'It is simply a fact that since World War II, Democratic presidents have seen 24.4 million more jobs created on their watch—an average of 78.6% more jobs created per year of Democratic administrations—than have Republican presidents. Ditto real GDP growth, 44% higher under Democratic presidents. On the flip side, unemployment has been 18% higher under GOP presidents. 

Oh and whilst we are on the subject of facts:- 9 of the last 10 recessions have been under Republicans.

 

You have got to stop measuring the economy by how well the wealthy are doing (you saved $250 but can you imagine how much millionaires/billionaires made?). You cannot also say that the economy is better off under Trump when despite Bush's tax cuts, less federal income (Great Recession etc), The 'War on Terror', Obama eventually got the budget deficit down to $485 Billion in 2014 and $666 Billion in 2017. The budget deficit under Trump is CONSERVATIVELY estimated at $779 Billion in 2018, rising to over a $Trillion in 2019. Over the next 10 years, he is gestimated to add another $16 Trillion to the deficit.   https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/07/trump-budget-deficits-growing-big-spending-fiscal-irresponsibility/

 

But yeah, the Democrats would have been worse.

 

[beechguy]

17 hours ago, Tug said:

Beach guy I don’t know what to say but I do know your guy looks sounds acts like a criminal of the highest order the whole world is laughing at us he has raised your taxes and gave himself a big tax break he has pissed off the entire world he has been spoon fed wealth and privilege all his life and turned out to be an absolute a hole the best he can do is suck up to the most vile of dictators you go ahead and admire that guy I will do my best to get him out before more damage is done

Knock yourself out. I doubt Trump cares what a bunch of Euro Socialist think about him, I certainly don't, it's not a popularity contest. The problem with calling Trump a criminal, is that would also drag his opponents character into question. Only the delusional would think Hillary, or most other politicians, is any cleaner or better ethically.