Trump now bills himself as uniter as Cruz and others attack

[webfact]

Trump now bills himself as uniter as Cruz and others attack
By STEVE PEOPLES and JULIE BYKOWICZ

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Donald Trump is breaking from his reputation as a flame-throwing outsider with just days to go before Iowa's leadoff caucuses, highlighting his willingness to work with Democrats in Congress as part of a closing argument with a distinctly bipartisan tone.

The billionaire businessman's promise to get things done in Washington is a direct contrast to leading GOP rival Ted Cruz, the Texas senator whose brief Washington career has been defined in part by his inability to get along with his own party. Trump's can-do message comes as adversaries begin pouring money into tough ads questioning his commitment to conservative values — attacks that some in the GOP's establishment wing have long awaited.

It's unclear whether it's too little and too late to stop Trump as he tries to become the first Republican in modern political history to win opening primary contests in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

Trump is doing plenty of his own attacking.

"I don't think he'll get anything through Congress because everybody hates him," Trump said of Cruz Tuesday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Trump claimed to have good relationships with such top congressional Democrats as Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, predicting he could get things done in a way Cruz could not.

"Ted Cruz lies. He is a liar. That's why nobody likes him," Trump said. "That's why he stands on the middle of the Senate floor and can't make a deal with anybody. ... And you know, there's something to say about having a little bit of ability to get other people to do things."

In some ways, Trump's message plays into the hands of his Republican critics, who have long questioned his willingness to stick to conservative principles. Such questions are the focus of a burst of concentrated ads coming from an unusual coalition of Cruz boosters and mainstream GOP figures.

Cruz allies have circulated no fewer than six anti-Trump ads in recent days, the bulk of the advertising coming from super political action committees in a billionaire-funded network called Keep the Promise.

"Donald Trump is not a conservative," one of the ads charges before looping footage of him in 1999 declaring, "I am pro-choice in every respect." Trump says he has since changed his position and opposes abortion rights. That commercial is part of a $2.5 million TV ad buy in Iowa and South Carolina.

Another Keep the Promise ad released on Tuesday proclaims, "Donald Trump will make very bad deals with Democrats." It shows him saying, "Let's get to be a little establishment. We've got to get things done, folks, OK?"

Cruz's own campaign has a new Iowa ad out that hits Trump for having "New York values." That commercial also has a clip of the businessman saying, "How stupid are the people of Iowa?" — an insult he hurled after his poll numbers dipped in an earlier survey.

Some mainstream Republicans have joined the Trump pile-on.

Katie Packer, a senior aide to Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign, launched a super PAC in recent days that's spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for an Iowa-focused anti-Trump campaign that includes television and radio ads in addition to mailers.

"I'm not a big Ted Cruz fan, but I believe that Donald Trump represents a long-term threat to our party beyond just losing the general election," Packer said. "If we nominate a guy without any anchor on our core issues, we've essentially nominated a Democrat."

Backers of other Republican candidates are spending big on negative ads, too, as they fight for support as the establishment alternative to the two front-runners.

Outside groups aiding former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have spent more than $36 million on ads that largely focus on tearing each other down, data from ad tracker Kantar Media's CMAG show. Those groups are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars more on direct mail and digital ads along the same lines, according to filings with federal election regulators.

Those four candidates are vying to be a surprise winner in New Hampshire, the second-to-vote state. Trump is polling at the top of the field there, too.

And all the while, some high-profile conservatives are rallying behind Trump, who has thrilled many in the Republican base with aggressive plans to crack down on illegal immigration and ban Muslims from entering the country, at least temporarily, to safeguard against terrorist threats.

After winning former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's endorsement last week, Trump on Tuesday announced the backing of Christian conservative leader Jerry Falwell, Jr., the son of the late televangelist. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose fame has spread beyond Arizona thanks to his hard-line stance against immigrants in the country illegally, joined Trump at a rally Tuesday in Iowa.

Cruz, too, has unveiled big-name conservative support in recent days, commentator Glenn Beck and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry among them. Yet Falwell's support for Trump may particularly sting.

Falwell is the president of Liberty University, where Cruz formally launched his presidential campaign. Backing from such well-known conservatives could give Trump political cover to promote his relationships with Democrats.

"I've always had a good relationship with Nancy Pelosi. I've never had a problem," Trump said of the House's top Democrat. He said he's "always had a decent relationship" with top Senate Democrat Harry Reid and was "close to" third-ranking Chuck Schumer.

"It's important that you get along," Trump said.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-27

[technologybytes]

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

[realenglish1]

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

[does]

Agreed. You need a wrecking ball in DC. Trumps is pragmatic but will shake things up. That's why the establishment is scare. They don't like shakeups. Trump can be offensive, but I dare say the equality gap will go down after four years of Trump.

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

[spidermike007]

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

No doubt this man is smart and clever. And no doubt a Trump presidency would be a disaster of mythical proportions. It might be the end of America as we know it. It might be the end of the civilized world! He is a hater, and a potential warmonger. His ability to negotiate with adversaries would be next to nil, as he is accustomed to negotiating when everything is in his favor. That is his style. Negotiating under pressure, or under unfavorable circumstances would be completely over his head. This might lead to war, and untold confrontation. This small man would be similar to a Netanyahu style leader. A confrontational man of war, not a man of peace. He would command little respect from our allies, and even less from our enemies, as he is consider a rich punk, who knows nothing about affairs of state. He is corrupt, and virtually everything he says is a lie. For him to even accuse Cruz of being a liar is sort of funny. He is the biggest liar of them all. He is a phony, a racist, a hater, a xenophobe, a nationalist, an ignorant man, a man who has devoted a career to walking away from his responsibilities (his four bankruptcies, and the $4.7 billion in debt he walked away from, leaving crippled investors in his wake) and an empty suit, in my opinion. I despise the man and everything he stands for.

On the other hand, who else is there to vote for? If Bloomberg gets into the race, I would vote for him in a nanosecond, and he could beat Trump by a huge margin.

Edited January 27, 2016 by spidermike007

[Publicus]

Business and government are radically different beasts.

The Trump style is to create chaos among other business and corporate executives and to pressure governments such as in Scotland and in the USA with a clear plan to swindle and defraud them before they can realise it.

Trump has no clue of public policy or public policy making, or of diplomacy, war and peace, respected processes and procedures or of the people integral to these vital matters of governance or state, to include international relations. He'd need a 7th grade reader to learn the Constitution and still would fail the civics test....miserably.

His real advantage is that he is mentally agile enough to almost always be two or three moves ahead of the next guy. (Sounds familiar.) The unfortunate feature of that is that it is purely street smarts rather than the intelligence and the thoughtfulness required of a potus.

There are two things about being president. Number One is to be presidential. That's all we need to know about Donald Trump because in that count he doesn't get to first base. Which is why he's a very safe bet to lose in November. Nothing is guaranteed but some things are certain.

[vaultdweller0013]

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

Right, he has been really successful, in fact so successful that we are all wearing Trump branded clothing made in China while flying on Trump Airlines and sipping Trump Vodka on the way to the Trump Taj Mahal Casino because we have saved so much money by refinancing our house with Trump Mortgage.

[55Jay]

Steep learning curve. He's accustomed to being the top dawg with a compliant, on-side staff. The old hawks in congress and the senate will size him up and neuter him before breakfast. Not sure how the Donald would deal with that first, inevitable lesson in humility, after which the reality sinks in that his new job isn't quite what he had in mind, and that his penchant for being treated fairly, especially by the media, won't be observed.

I do like that he doesn't drone on about religion but was disappointed when he painted himself into the god corner, then was caught at dishonest religious pandering (recite your favorite bible passage event). He's not afraid to say outlandish things so IMO, he missed an opportunity to revitalize the blurred separation between religion and public office in an honest way. If he survives and gets elected, it would of relieved him of the religious fakery burden going forward, and done a real service to the process and America in general.

[Ulic]

Just because Democratic Republic of North Korea and Democratic Republic of Congo

bills themselves as democracies dose not mean they are. That said between Trump

and Cruz it is Trump who is more of a uniter than Cruz.

I am still pulling for a Trump/Cruz GOP ticket and have been since they announced

there candidacies. (Of course for late night comedy material purposes only)

[dunroaming]

There was a programme on Channel 4 (UK) last night called "The Mad World of Donald Trump". It was an attempt to understand how he has managed to garner so much support. I will be watching it later after I stock up with popcorn!

[SouthernMan3]

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

One question. Are you American ?

[SouthernMan3]

Agreed. You need a wrecking ball in DC. Trumps is pragmatic but will shake things up. That's why the establishment is scare. They don't like shakeups. Trump can be offensive, but I dare say the equality gap will go down after four years of Trump.

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he knows how to play to the masses and he is much more clever than many people are giving him credit for.

A future with him as US president is a horrifying prospect, if its left to the average American man in the street to decide the it could be a very realistic proposition.

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

Complete B.S. !

[GinBoy2]

The awful truth is that the establishment are now think that Trump is the better option than Cruz.

They hate the idea of either, but Trump is considered 'manageable', whereas a Cruz who is universally hated by almost everybody in his own party would be a disaster

[chuckd]

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

One question. Are you American ?

I would raise the same question for you. Are you an American?

I am, if you're interested.

[Chicog]

In two different interviews today Trump has subtly compared himself to Ronald Reagan.

[SouthernMan3]

You are not thinking very well Trump has been hugely successful in business Right now No one in the democratic party or Republican party is willing to ruffle some feathers in Washinton

It strikes me that you would think that Obama has done a good job. So why are many businesses leaving the US For better shores Why is Obama care imploding. Why is the supreme court

going to listen to his immigration policy Because he has been a poor president at best

There are enough checks and balances in Washington to slow Trump down but you need someone to change the status quo in the Capital and there is no other candidate that will do it.

You are afraid of change That is clear The average American is a lot smarter than it would seem then you are

One question. Are you American ?

I would raise the same question for you. Are you an American?

I am, if you're interested.

Yes, I am.

But, I have lived in Thailand for over 30 years so I might have a bit of a different perspective.

I go to the States every year twice at least so I am in tune as to what's going on there.

Can you feel the Bern ?

Trump would have us go to war right away.

Is that what you want ?

MOre young Americans dying for the rich to get richer ?