Trump signals flexibility on key issues after party attacks

[rooster59]

Trump signals flexibility on key issues after party attacks

The Associated Press


WARREN, Michigan (AP) — Donald Trump is embracing what he calls flexibility on issues like torture and illegal immigration, abandoning at least for now the tough rhetoric that has fueled his rise to Republican front-runner status. His critics, as well as fellow Republican candidates, remained skeptical Friday.

In the days after his dominant Super Tuesday primary performance, Trump is using more moderate tones and downplaying his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.

The billionaire reality TV star has shot to the top of the primary contest with denigrating remarks about Hispanics immigrants and Muslims. But in Thursday's chaotic debate, he signaled his willingness to compromise on immigration, among other key issues.

He said he was retreating from the anti-visa position advocated in a position paper posted on his website, one of the few specific policies his team has released during the campaign.

"I'm changing. I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can't do it, we'll get them in," he said in the debate.

More broadly, Trump insisted that compromise would be part of any immigration reform.

That didn't sit well with challenger Ted Cruz, the Texas senator.

"'Flexible' is Washington code word that he's going to stick it to the people," said Cruz, who holds second place in the number of Republican delegates collected so far on the way to the party's nominating convention this summer.

Trump faces s growing list of high-profile Republicans who denounce him as dangerous, not a true Republican and lacking the experience to lead the world's most powerful nation.

Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee four years ago, declared Friday that he would not vote for Trump if he were the nominee. He told NBC that he would "do everything within the normal political bounds to make sure we don't nominate Donald Trump."

Still, some members of Romney's vast donor network said they were ready should he reconsider. Chicago Republican donor Bill Kunkler said he had recently spoken to Romney's 2012 finance chairman, Spencer Zwick, and told him he would support Romney again.

"Mitt is the guy who will put the party before himself," Kunkler said.

On Thursday, dozens of conservative national security experts wrote an open letter pledging to oppose Trump's candidacy in part because of his "embrace of the expansive use of torture."

Trump responded to such concerns in a statement Friday, saying that he understands that the U.S. is "bound by laws and treaties" and he will not order U.S. military officials to violate or disobey those laws if elected president. It appeared to be a retreat from declarations that he would bring back the use of waterboarding and that he would target the wives and children of suspected extremists.

If Trump's immigration shift did not bother conservatives, his decision to cancel a scheduled weekend appearance at the nation's largest annual gathering of conservative activists did.

"Very disappointed @realDonaldTrump has decided at the last minute to drop out of #CPAC -- his choice sends a clear message to conservatives," the American Conservative Union, which hosts the Conservative Political Action Conference, said in a Twitter post.

Trump's campaign said the cancelled because of newly scheduled rallies in Kansas and Florida.

Trump shrugged off Friday's wave of criticism by unleashing a verbal assault on his Republican rivals at a Detroit-area rally. He repeatedly called Florida Sen. Marco Rubio "Little Marco" and Cruz "Lying Ted."

Despite the verbal abuse, Cruz, Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich all declared during Thursday's debate that they would support Trump if he won the primary election battle. Trump, in turn, said he would support whoever wins, though he seemed to find it inconceivable that it might not be him.

So far, Trump has 10 state victories and leads the field with 329 delegates. Cruz has 231, Rubio 110 and Kasich 25. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination for president.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-05

[Gulfsailor]

"till, some members of Romney's vast donor network said they were ready should he reconsider. Chicago Republican donor Bill Kunkler said he had recently spoken to Romney's 2012 finance chairman, Spencer Zwick, and told him he would support Romney again.

"Mitt is the guy who will put the party before himself," Kunkler said."

This is exactly the reason Trump has such ardent supporters. They are looking for a representative that does not hold the party or certain interests before the country, like they feel is the case with most career politicians. Trump certainly doesn't hold the party before himself.

Problem with that is that Trump also doesn't hold the country before himself. Or at least that is what his most vocal opponents strongly believe. Many Trump supporters would embrace Bernie Sanders, should they make the effort to learn about his political points of view.

[Gary A]

Is the backlash against Trump to protect the country? That's not likely. That backlash is to protect the establishment and their failed ways of doing business. The bleeding heart liberals forget a very important fact. A president CANNOT make any sweeping drastic changes without the support of congress. Trump thinks he can deal with congress. To do that he will need to get along with those opposing what he wants to do. Unfortunately congress is filled with self serving morons who care nothing for the good of the country. No president can legally make drastic changes. Obama has proven that he cannot deal with the challenges.

[wabothai]

And the circus continues.

Sounds like the good old times of cowboys and Indians. They never outgrew it.

[ggt]

The thing that scares the hell out of the Republican "good ole boys" establishment club...is they will no longer be able to have undue influence to craft government decisions to pad their bank accounts...if Trump is elected as President...

Donald Trump has worts...as do all the candidates...but he has endeared himself to Americans that do not want business as usual...which means more debt...more spending...less quality jobs and a government that has grown to the size of a sperm-whale and has been feeding off of the middle-class in American until it has been mostly decimated...leaving a country of entitled people who have never worked for a living...lower income people who live from pay check to pay check...and then the rich and famous that see no problem with this being the way forward...

Say what you will about Trump...he has exposed the Republican establishment for what they really are...rich, uncaring, and unwavering...

[stillbornagain]

The thing that scares the hell out of the Republican "good ole boys" establishment club...is they will no longer be able to have undue influence to craft government decisions to pad their bank accounts...if Trump is elected as President...

Donald Trump has worts...as do all the candidates...but he has endeared himself to Americans that do not want business as usual...which means more debt...more spending...less quality jobs and a government that has grown to the size of a sperm-whale and has been feeding off of the middle-class in American until it has been mostly decimated...leaving a country of entitled people who have never worked for a living...lower income people who live from pay check to pay check...and then the rich and famous that see no problem with this being the way forward...

Say what you will about Trump...he has exposed the Republican establishment for what they really are...rich, uncaring, and unwavering...

Do you realize that Trump has proposed the biggest tax cuts by far that will hugely benefit billionaires? Somehow this translates in your mind to opposition on Trump's part to increasing debt?

[sirineou]

When asked for specifics on how he will accomplish the things he says he will, He declines says that he does not want to give away his plan and says he will do it because he is smart, very smart

Now he is changing his position, I guess they were not as smart as he thought they were but now his new position is smart, very smart

One thing for sure, people who believe him are stupid very stupid.

[Chicog]

The thing that scares the hell out of the Republican "good ole boys" establishment club...is they will no longer be able to have undue influence to craft government decisions to pad their bank accounts...if Trump is elected as President...

Donald Trump has worts...as do all the candidates...but he has endeared himself to Americans that do not want business as usual...which means more debt...more spending...less quality jobs and a government that has grown to the size of a sperm-whale and has been feeding off of the middle-class in American until it has been mostly decimated...leaving a country of entitled people who have never worked for a living...lower income people who live from pay check to pay check...and then the rich and famous that see no problem with this being the way forward...

Say what you will about Trump...he has exposed the Republican establishment for what they really are...rich, uncaring, and unwavering...

Do you realize that Trump has proposed the biggest tax cuts by far that will hugely benefit billionaires? Somehow this translates in your mind to opposition on Trump's part to increasing debt?

Not to mention he's saying that he's going to cut $9.5 TRILLION of taxes over ten years without actually saying how he's going to pay for it.

Romney all over again.

[helpisgood]

When asked for specifics on how he will accomplish the things he says he will, He declines says that he does not want to give away his plan and says he will do it because he is smart, very smart

Now he is changing his position, I guess they were not as smart as he thought they were but now his new position is smart, very smart

One thing for sure, people who believe him are stupid very stupid.

I like your post.

If someone needs to tell you that they are "very smart,"....

[NovaBlue05]

Is the backlash against Trump to protect the country? That's not likely. That backlash is to protect the establishment and their failed ways of doing business. The bleeding heart liberals forget a very important fact. A president CANNOT make any sweeping drastic changes without the support of congress. Trump thinks he can deal with congress. To do that he will need to get along with those opposing what he wants to do. Unfortunately congress is filled with self serving morons who care nothing for the good of the country. No president can legally make drastic changes. Obama has proven that he cannot deal with the challenges.

Hopefully, Trump will continue to expose the establishment motivations & demonstrate that future candidates can effectively compete as Independents. If Sanders were more competitive, the DNC would be flaming him as well, and for the same reasons, but they don't have to at this time. Probably 70% of the bovine electorate is fully invested with the partisan left/right theatrics so many will likely continue to be directed by.the words of great party leaders like McConnell & Reid

[Linzz]

Regardless of whether you like Fox or Judge Jeanine this is interesting stuff on Mitt Romney