Charlie Sykes Interviews Donald Trump
[guest post by Dana]
I just listened to Wisconsin’s conservative radio host Charlie Sykes’ telephone interview with Donald Trump. It was a typical Trump interview in that the candidate meandered and the host reined him back in to focus on the issue at hand. Sykes actually challenged and pushed back on Trump, which was refreshing. It would be nice to see other media outlets stop treating him with kid gloves and press him for clear and concise answers. As I am unable to find a complete transcript of the interview, I have grabbed a couple of the more interesting portions from other sites.
Sykes brought up the attacks made on Mrs. Cruz by Trump, and Trump kept insisting that Ted Cruz started the whole brouhaha with the release of that now infamous political ad featuring a nude Mrs. Trump — an ad released by Liz Mair’s anti-Trump PAC Make America Awesome. (Preemptive strike: Both Liz Mair and Ted Cruz have denied Cruz’s involvement or knowledge of the ad.) But hey, why should that stop Trump from pushing an inaccurate story!
“Is this your standard?” Sykes asked. “That if a supporter of another candidate, not the candidate himself, does something despicable that it’s okay for your personally –a candidate for president of the United States– to behave in that same way? I mean, I expect that from a 12-year-old bully on a playground. Not someone who wants the office held by Abraham Lincoln.”
“I did a retweet,” Trump said. “And it was art by someone else.”
“Your wife is a beautiful, classy woman, why can you not say the same about Ted Cruz’s wife?” Sykes asked.
[*I don’t know Ted Cruz’s wife. I’m sure she’s excellent though. I don’t know her, but you know, all this was was a response to what he did.]
In response, Trump explained that his decision to tweet the photo of Cruz’s wife grimacing was a very “mild” response.
“I didn’t even know it was necessarily a very bad picture of her versus [my wife] Melania,” he said.
Oh puleeeeeze…
Then, affirming that he really is a 12-year old, Trump continued to blame Ted Cruz for everything:
Later in the interview, Sykes pressed Trump again about not apologizing for the mocking photo of Heidi Cruz. Trump continued to incorrectly claim that Cruz “started it.” Sykes again pointed out the offending ad about Melania Trump was from an independent group, not Cruz himself or the Cruz campaign (or even a Cruz-supporting group).
“No it wasn’t,” Trump said, incorrectly. “No, he knew about that. Is Ted Cruz going to apologize for starting it and sending out that photograph?”
None of this should be surprising.
Also interesting was Trump’s claim of being a conservative, but not too much of one, and reiterating his confusing view of free trade:
“Why shouldn’t conservatives here in Wisconsin think your claim to be a conservative is just a giant fraud?” Sykes asked.
“As a businessman, I never even thought about all the things you’ve talked about,” Trump said before lauding his past business successes.
“You’re not answering my question,” Sykes responded.
“I am a conservative,” Trump said. “I’m not so conservative when it comes to the pure aspects of trade… I believe in free trade, which is nice and conservative,” he said before repeating his usual talking points about being a tougher negotiator with other countries by threatening to implement costly tariffs on imported goods.
“It’ll never happen,” Trump said of a tariff. “But you have the threat out there.”
“Well you’re a much better negotiator than I am,” Sykes said. “But you just said it’ll never happen, so you’ve basically said your negotiating ploy is a bluff.”
Trump stammered and repeatedly insisted that other countries like China, India, and Mexico are “killing us.”
Interestingly, Trump was unaware that Sykes was a #NeverTrump guy. Upon finding it out, he took it in stride:
SYKES: “Mr. Trump, before you called into my show, did you know that I’m a #NeverTrump guy?”
TRUMP: “That I didn’t know.”
SYKES: “OK. Well, because I thought it was interesting and people were wondering, does Donald Trump know what Charlie Sykes has said about him in the past?”
TRUMP: “No. No, I —“ [crosstalk]
SYKES: “And I would give you credit either way on it, but I was wondering —“
TRUMP: “No, no, I understand. But no, I didn’t know that and — but I assume you’re also an intelligent guy. I know you’re an intelligent guy, and you understand what’s going on. Our country is getting ripped off left and right by every country we do business with, even in NATO.
Listen to the whole thing.
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (0ee61a) — 3/28/2016 @ 9:01 pmListen to the whole thing.
Aw, mom, do I have to?
nk (dbc370) — 3/28/2016 @ 9:05 pmI think a lot of the flavor is lost in just reading the quotes, nk. It’s fun to hear Sykes push Trump more than the usual Fox and Friends kid gloves (with tiny fingers!) sort of interview…
Dana (0ee61a) — 3/28/2016 @ 9:08 pmMadison Avenue, New York, New York. Persuasion by repetition. He’ll keep repeating the lie that Cruz put out the Melania nude. And his supporters will eat it up. Because Coke is the real thing.
nk (dbc370) — 3/28/2016 @ 9:09 pmNot someone who wants the office held by Abraham Lincoln.”
A rather quaint notion considering how defiled that office has become over the past few decades. If anything, trashy characters like Trump or Hillary, following in the footsteps of the current trashy occupant, are actually perfectly suited for the American presidency in the 21st century.
Mark (026e69) — 3/28/2016 @ 9:36 pmPersuasion by repetition. He’ll keep repeating the lie that Cruz put out the Melania nude. And his supporters will eat it up. Because Coke is the real thing.
What do you think would be a forceful and effective way for Cruz to counter Trump’s lie? Right now, Amanda Carpenter, who has been suggested as being one of the NE’s five women, is fighting back tooth and nail on Twitter as she is being smeared even by Trump’s director of social media Dan Scavino. Today, Cruz was point-blank asked whether he had been faithful to his wife and before he could answer, Carly Fiornia jumped in to defend him. Do you think an across the board effort will help slow down the rumors and lies?
Dana (0ee61a) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:03 pmted cruz in d.c. madams black book he likes trannys! her lawyer says.
d.c. madam speaks from grave (2805d0) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:14 pmand perry removes all doubt, again, well if you think this will be the magic bullet knock yourselves out, but trade isn’t a heretical precept,
narciso (732bc0) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:17 pmI doubt it, Dana, because there are no negative consequences to the liars. Yet, anyway.
I suppose if enough reporters were to say, “Enough, Mr. Trump. We don’t believe you.” (Ok, ok,if you haven’t stopped laughing in three minutes sit down because you will be hyperventilating.)
nk (dbc370) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:30 pmI can’t Trump this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6oD0tZVrRg
We are nation that puts on a suit and tie to give us the Pussycant Dolls.
Steve57 (08b8c6) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:53 pmSo what the f***, America? Why the h3ll not.
Steve57 (08b8c6) — 3/28/2016 @ 10:57 pmOf course Trump’s tweet in question was stupid and immature. I was furious when I saw it since it so undermines Trump’s chances in the general and nothing at all was gained by it. He needs to grow up if he wants to win this.
That said, let’s be honest–there is a good chance that Cruz had no problem with the ad and might have had some had in it (yes, I know it’s “illegal” to “coordinate” with the PAC but we both know there are ways around that, particularly given how clever Cruz is). All he has to do is talk shop with Carly about an idea he has, express reservations about doing it, and well, what do you know it finds its way to the right hands. The PAC is apparently pretty intertwined with Carly, as well. Look into it, if you care. More than anything, Cruz had many chances to disavow or criticize the ad. He only did so recently.
I actually thought Trump did well and kept his cool in this interview. But I thought Charlie did well too and I’m glad, as a Trump supporter, that Trump heard what he had to say and took a little heat on this. The stubborn SOB really should apologize.
Old Reader (08f24c) — 3/29/2016 @ 3:11 amA political operation that support’s Ted Cruz sent out a flier with a risque picture of Trump’s wife in an attempt to drive down Trump’s vote in Utah. Trump responded as he usually does by returning a tit for a tat.
Why is this still considered worthy of discussion?
mark johnson (8d3a69) — 3/29/2016 @ 5:18 amBecause it shows people what a piece of ordure floating in a sewer Trump is? And that’s important because we don’t want the White House to have a red light over the front door?
nk (dbc370) — 3/29/2016 @ 5:39 amOne thing does bother me over the Trump picture thing … He peddles his beautiful wife as evidence of success. He is proud of the fact she was a successful working model. Yet when a picture of her doing her thing is used by a third party, he seems to have issue with it. A picture may I add which is fine by my book. To me it makes no sense and not sure why folks even accepted the basic premise of his anger. Like WTF are you angry about?
Reminds me of a Movie where a porn director married to a porn start allows his wife to do a film with a rich guy under the auspices of it being “art” but then goes ballistic when he figures out the rich guy has no intention of releasing the film — it was just to get his rocks off.
Like seriously? You married her. You parade her around (thank you BTW). Now you are angry someone is using your prop against you? I mean if they took the picture and drew a beard on her I get it. Anyway.
Rodney King's Spirit (a089dc) — 3/29/2016 @ 6:20 amHe is Trump and he is pushing 70. His mentos are closer to compost than to compos.
nk (dbc370) — 3/29/2016 @ 6:24 amWhite House
There’s a white house over yonder,
Colonel Haiku (58355d) — 3/29/2016 @ 6:35 amThat’s where my baby wanna stay
Lord, there’s a white house over yonder
Lord, that’s where my baby wanna stay
I ain’t been home to see my baby
In ninety nine and one half days
Wait a minute, something’s wrong here
My key won’t unlock this door
Wait a minute, something’s wrong, lord, have mercy
My key won’t unlock this door,
Something’s goin’ on here
I have a bad bad feeling
That my people don’t love me no more
Well, I might as well go back over yonder,
Way back up on that hill
That’s what I’ll do
Lord, I might as well go back over yonder,
Way back yonder up on that hill
‘Cause if my people don’t love me no more
I know Paul Ryan will
Dana, thank you for this post. I listened to Hewitt talking about it as I made my breakfast for my oldest son.
So I posted a comment above, not realizing you had discussed this much better than I could have.
I think it speaks to character. Of Mr. Trump.
Simon Jester (2708f4) — 3/29/2016 @ 8:02 am