Because I want to save other people from forcibly removing their eyes from their face with a spoon, I like to read transcripts of Donald Drumpf’s interviews and pick out the best (worst?) parts. This one was with Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of the Washington Post. This one started off with the journalists asking Trump when he decided to run for President. It seems like a pretty simple question, and I would think that making that decision would be pretty important and somebody would remember making a decision like that. Trump continued his tradition of refusing to answer questions, though, and had to be asked 14 different times because his answers were about everything besides the actual question.
Note: All quotes are from Trump unless stated otherwise.
I said, “I sort of have to do it, I think. I really have to do it.” Because it’s something I’d be — I could do such a great job. I really wanted to give something back. I don’t want to act overly generous, but I really wanted to give something back. (emphasis mine)
Yes, I’m sure Trump would hate to be overly generous. He would never make that mistake.
[The Iran deal] was a terrible negotiation. It was negotiated by people that are poor negotiators against great negotiators. Persians being great negotiators, okay? It’s one of those things.
Nice. I’m sure with an attitude like that the future President Trump would have a very successful foreign policy in the Middle East.
Bob Woodward: Other words, what’s the definition of the job [of President]?
Trump: But number one —and I say number one, two, three — is the security of the country. The military, being strong, not letting bad things happen to our country from the outside.
I think that not letting bad things happen to our country from the inside is also pretty important. Bad things like a Trump presidency, for starters.
One of your questions, I noticed, is what would be your first 90 days in terms — and we’ll talk about that next.
Was Trump given the questions before the interview? If so, his rambling answers make even less sense.
And Nixon failed, I think to a certain extent, because of his personality. You know? It was just that personality. Very severe, very exclusive. In other words, people couldn’t come in. And people didn’t like him. I mean, people didn’t like him.
I’m confused, is he describing Nixon or Trump?
[Still talking about Nixon] But such an interesting figure. And such a man of great talent. I mean, Nixon had great potential, great talent. Unfortunately it was a very sad legacy in the end. It turned out to be a very sad legacy. Such an interesting figure to study.
His admiration for Nixon reminds me of his admiration for Hitler.
But I’m in for about $35 million. But I don’t want any money. Bob, I have turned down — I would have made — Bush had $148 million. I would’ve had five times that much if I wanted to take it.
It’s important to note that his “self-funded” line is disingenuous at best, or as Politifact said it’s “half-true.” They partly based it on the fact that he is getting donations, and in fact has a big “Donate” button on his website, but also because his contributions are actually loans. Since he’s such a “great” businessman, I’m sure he knows that loans are generally expected to be paid back.
And then Rubio went, you know, Rubio went Don Rickles on me, and all of a sudden he became cute and he started getting extremely nasty. And I had to get even nastier to him.
That is the logic of a five-year-old. You do not have to be “nasty” to someone just because they were nasty to you, much less be more nasty. That’s what leads to feuds escalating and never ending.
I’d been very political. I’d given a lot of money.
Sadly, that’s what it means to be “political” today. It doesn’t mean you have given thought to policy questions and have a reasoned opinion, but that you’ve given money.
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