Trump: 'I have far better judgment than Cruz'

[sinkspur]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/13/politics/donald-trump-ted-cruz-judgment/

Trump: 'I have far better judgment' than Cruz

By Eugene Scott, CNN

Updated 9:18 AM ET, Sun December 13, 2015


Donald Trump says he has "far better judgment" than Republican presidential rival Ted Cruz after recordings revealed the Texas senator questioning the Republican front-runner on that subject.

"I was against going into Iraq," Trump told CNN's Jake Tapper in an interview that aired Sunday on "State of the Union." "That's good judgment. I was for bombing (ISIS's) oil long before anyone else was talking about it. That's good judgment. I have great judgment. I would say I have far better judgment than Ted."

The unusually cordial relationship between the two top contenders for the GOP nomination fractured late last week and appears to be entering a new phase.

Their sparring is likely to intensify given the results of the latest Des Moines Register/Bloomberg News poll Saturday showing Cruz surging ahead of Trump in Iowa, 31% to 21%. The two will face off Tuesday in Las Vegas at the next Republican presidential debate, sponsored by CNN.

"He's been so nice to me. I mean, I can say anything, and he said, 'I agree, I agree,'" Trump said. "But I think the time will come to an end pretty soon, it sounds like."

Last week, The New York Times released audio of Cruz speaking at a private fundraiser, where he questioned Trump and Ben Carson's judgment to lead America.

"You look at Paris, you look at San Bernardino, it's given a seriousness to this race," Cruz said. "People are looking for who is prepared to be a commander in chief. Who understands the threats we face. 'Who am I comfortable having their finger on the button?' Now that's a question of strength, but it's also a question of judgment. And I think that is a question that is a challenging question for both of them."

Trump said his professional success proves that he has "great" judgment.


"My judgment is great. I built a multi-, multi-, multi-billion-dollar company. Some of the greatest assets in the world," he said. "Tremendously big, number one bestsellers, including "The Art of the Deal," which may be the best in terms of business books. Tremendous television show called the Apprentice that lasted 14 seasons, and by NBC came -- they would beg me to do it again, as you can imagine and I said no, and they are going to sign, they signed Arnold Schwarzenegger."

Trump also praised his "strong temperament."

"One of the things I have is really good judgment, and I think I have really great temperament," he said. "It's a strong temperament, but you know when they chop heads off of Christians in the Middle East, and other people also. When they chop off heads, and when they treat people the way -- we're like Medieval times. Having a strong temperament is good."

Trump told Tapper that voters should pick him over Cruz because he's "more capable" to lead the country and that he gets along with people "much better" than Cruz.

"I'm more capable. Because I have a much better temperament. Because I actually get along with people much better than he does," he said. "You know people don't know that about me -- I actually have a great relationship with people. In fact, I was criticized in the beginning because I get along with Democrats and liberals and Republicans, and conservatives -- I get along with everybody."

Cruz, on the other hand, does not get along with everybody, Trump said.

"No, I don't think he does, and I like him," he said.

[sinkspur]

If you're having to TELL people you have great judgment and a fantastic temperament, you don't.

[LottieDah]

If you're having to TELL people you have great judgment and a fantastic temperament, you don't.

I totally agree. This site needs a "like" button.

[aligncare]

In every job interview I've ever had, the interviewer asked me to explain why I was the best candidate for the job.

I suppose I could've said, "just watch me perform," but, I think they wanted to hear my self assessment.

[sinkspur]

In every job interview I've ever had, the interviewer asked me to explain why I was the best candidate for the job.

I suppose I could've said, "just watch me perform," but, I think they wanted to hear my self assessment.

And they wanted that self-assessment backed up with evidence.

Trump never backs up his self-aggrandizement with anything that proves his statements.

Great judgement?  Is it great judgement to mock a handicapped person in public?  To call for banning all Muslims until he's called on it?

Great temperament?  Follow him on Twitter.  He heaps condemnation, pejoratives, slurs and ad hominems on anybody who disagrees with him.

Donald Trump is a mile wide and an inch deep.   That's why he's constantly having to tell people that they don't really see the man that their own eyes tell them they see.

[Right_in_Virginia]

 

You may have answered this on another thread, and if so, I apologize in advance for the redundancy.  But, do you receive your talking points by text or fax?

Thanks.

[sinkspur]

You may have answered this on another thread, and if so, I apologize in advance for the redundancy.  But, do you receive your talking points by text or fax?

Thanks.

Thanks for the compliment.  All comments on this forum are my own.

And they're not "talking points."  If you disagree with facts (i.e., mocking handicapped people), then post a counter-fact.

[massadvj]

I watched the Trump interview this morning.  I was very impressed with his ability to take complex issues and simplify them down to the base, emotional level.  He does this better than anyone I have ever seen, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan.  I was especially impressed with the way he pitched his sparse campaign headquarters against his competitors by asking who you'd rather have leading the country -- someone who is leading in the polls and spends practically nothing, or someone who wastes millions and millions of dollars?  Hard to argue with.

I must say I am finding it easier and easier imagining this man as president, although I still don't think I am going to like most of what he would do.

Here is how I think he would govern.  He will step out onto the podium and announce something like "I think we should do away with social security and if congress doesn't pass a law in the next month to do it, I will do it myself by executive order."  Then there will be a huge firestorm.  Then once the firestorm is over, he will announce "OK, OK, we will only do it for rich people." And then there will be a sigh of relief and viola, Social Security is now means tested.  It will happen like that on issue after issue.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Thanks for the compliment.  All comments on this forum are my own. 

Thanks, I appreciate you answering.  Just a thought, maybe you should consider writing the talking points for the GOPe.  You're very, very good (and I mean that sincerely).    Who knows, it might be a way to earn some extra money for Christmas gifts.   

[Right_in_Virginia]

I watched the Trump interview this morning.  I was very impressed with his ability to take complex issues and simplify them down to the base, emotional level.  He does this better than anyone I have ever seen, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan.  I was especially impressed with the way he pitched his sparse campaign headquarters against his competitors by asking who you'd rather have leading the country -- someone who is leading in the polls and spends practically nothing, or someone who wastes millions and millions of dollars?  Hard to argue with.

I must say I am finding it easier and easier imagining this man as president, although I still don't think I am going to like most of what he would do.

Here is how I think he would govern.  He will step out onto the podium and announce something like "I think we should do away with social security and if congress doesn't pass a law in the next month to do it, I will do it myself by executive order."  Then there will be a huge firestorm.  Then once the firestorm is over, he will announce "OK, OK, we will only do it for rich people." And then there will be a sigh of relief and viola, Social Security is now means tested.  It will happen like that on issue after issue.   

I appreciate you posting this.  Trump has a way of connecting with the people in a way I don't remember from anyone--even Reagan (but then I wasn't paying much attention to politics in 1980  ^-^ )

[sinkspur]

Thanks, I appreciate you answering.  Just a thought, maybe you should consider writing the talking points for the GOPe.  You're very, very good (and I mean that sincerely).    Who knows, it might be a way to earn some extra money for Christmas gifts.   

I do not in any way want to ever do any work for a political party. I have never given a dime to a candidate at any level in my life nor to the GOP and I never will. 

Thanks.

[libertybele]

I didn't get a chance to see the interview; but my question is far better judgement of what? He's talking about a guy who has gone before the Supreme Court several times and won when the odds have been stacked against him.  So far, Trump has brought up conservative issues; hopefully if he becomes our POTUS he will keep his conservative views.  With Cruz, I have no doubts.

[libertybele]

I watched the Trump interview this morning.  I was very impressed with his ability to take complex issues and simplify them down to the base, emotional level.  He does this better than anyone I have ever seen, with the possible exception of Ronald Reagan.  I was especially impressed with the way he pitched his sparse campaign headquarters against his competitors by asking who you'd rather have leading the country -- someone who is leading in the polls and spends practically nothing, or someone who wastes millions and millions of dollars?  Hard to argue with.

I must say I am finding it easier and easier imagining this man as president, although I still don't think I am going to like most of what he would do.

Here is how I think he would govern.  He will step out onto the podium and announce something like "I think we should do away with social security and if congress doesn't pass a law in the next month to do it, I will do it myself by executive order."  Then there will be a huge firestorm.  Then once the firestorm is over, he will announce "OK, OK, we will only do it for rich people." And then there will be a sigh of relief and viola, Social Security is now means tested.  It will happen like that on issue after issue.

Ok...so with that being said, do you feel he will 'rule' much like Hussein?

[aligncare]

And they wanted that self-assessment backed up with evidence.

Trump never backs up his self-aggrandizement with anything that proves his statements.

Great judgement?  Is it great judgement to mock a handicapped person in public?  To call for banning all Muslims until he's called on it?

Great temperament?  Follow him on Twitter.  He heaps condemnation, pejoratives, slurs and ad hominems on anybody who disagrees with him.

Donald Trump is a mile wide and an inch deep.   That's why he's constantly having to tell people that they don't really see the man that their own eyes tell them they see.

You're nitpicking because you despise the man. And, not surprisingly you resort easily to a political correctness attack, which carries no weight with me, as I compare that nit to the enormous problems facing the next president.

[sinkspur]

You're nitpicking because you despise the man. And, not surprisingly you resort easily to a political correctness attack, which carries no weight with me, as I compare that nit to the enormous problems facing the next president.

It's not "politically correct" to abhor a presidential candidate who mocks handicapped people in public.

It's precisely the  enormous problems that lead the majority of Republicans to back some candidate other than Trump.

[Machiavelli]

Donald Trump Goes Nuclear: Let's Face It, Ted Cruz 'Is a Bit of a Maniac'

Michael van der Galien
PJ Media
December 13, 2015

In what's more evidence that Donald Trump is becoming completely unhinged, he is now stooping so low as to label Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz "a bit of a maniac":

I don’t think he’s qualified to be president… I don’t think he has the right temperament. I don’t think he’s got the right judgment… You look at the way he’s dealt with the Senate, where he goes in there like a — you know, frankly like a little bit of a maniac. You’re never going to get things done that way.

More

[sinkspur]

Jake Tapper's interviewing Trump right now.

He NEVER talks policy.  He talks about himself: about what he thinks about himself, about what other people think about him, about "people are calling me all the time," about "have you seen the polls" (except he discounts and dismisses polls that have Cruz ahead of him), about how all the other candidates are mimicking him (they're not). 

Complete self-absorption doesn't begin to capture the narcissism of Donald Trump.

[Scottftlc]

It's not "politically correct" to abhor a presidential candidate who mocks handicapped people in public.

It's precisely the  enormous problems that lead the majority of Republicans to back some candidate other than Trump.

Well, since a majority of Republican voters are backing some candidate other than Trump, you should feel very comfortable that the outcome you desire will be achieved. That sort of makes one wonder about the rather negative obsession you have with him. He's not living rent-free in your head, you must be paying him a pretty-penny to be there.

[Sanguine]

Ok...so with that being said, do you feel he will 'rule' much like Hussein?

That's what I got out of it, too. 

[Sanguine]

Donald Trump Goes Nuclear: Let's Face It, Ted Cruz 'Is a Bit of a Maniac'

Michael van der Galien
PJ Media
December 13, 2015


More

That's funny.  Many of the comments I have heard against Cruz is that he's too dry, too legallistic, too scholarly.  "Maniac" is a new one.

[alicewonders]

I think maybe that anything Trump says about Cruz is nothing that he hasn't said to his face, but I feel like it would be said in a congenial way, like a wink.  The relationship between Trump and Cruz has been different than with the other candidates.  I think they have an understanding.

They both have great strengths that compliment each other.  One is a brilliant jurist who loves the Constitution, and the other is a brilliant reader of people with a lot of street smarts thrown in

.

[Machiavelli]

"My judgment is great..."

Not only does El Trumpo have great judgment, he also has a bigger heart, and is more competent than his rivals, and let's not forget that he's a great Christian.

[massadvj]

Ok...so with that being said, do you feel he will 'rule' much like Hussein?

I think he will see the USA as a collection of assets and he will manage them as he would his own.  I don't think he will pay much heed to anything he promised to get elected, since he will have been all over the map by then.  He will use his best judgment to leave a legacy.  I think he will not be guided by the constitution or by any political philosophy or party.  He'll do what he thinks will get him the "deal" he seeks in situation after situation.  I think he will be effective, but I also think he will initiate a lot of policies i don't particularly like.

[truth_seeker]

I think he will see the USA as a collection of assets and he will manage them as he would his own.  I don't think he will pay much heed to anything he promised to get elected, since he will have been all over the map by then.  He will use his best judgment to leave a legacy.  I think he will not be guided by the constitution or by any political philosophy or party.  He'll do what he thinks will get him the "deal" he seeks in situation after situation.  I think he will be effective, but I also think he will initiate a lot of policies i don't particularly like.

Instead of viewing the world through a lens of political opposites, he might view it through a lens of "Win-Win."

IOW what do I want, what does the other guy want, and can we find a way, to both get something we want?

It is an approach previously used with split government, but seemingly lost to the current generation of practitioners.

I'm positive Trump understands this, Reagan understood this (he talked and wrote about it), but I am doubtful the Freedom Caucus group grasps it very much at all.

[musiclady]

I think he will see the USA as a collection of assets and he will manage them as he would his own.  I don't think he will pay much heed to anything he promised to get elected, since he will have been all over the map by then.  He will use his best judgment to leave a legacy.  I think he will not be guided by the constitution or by any political philosophy or party.  He'll do what he thinks will get him the "deal" he seeks in situation after situation.  I think he will be effective, but I also think he will initiate a lot of policies i don't particularly like.

Good assessment.

The policies he will initiate will be the ones HE likes, since that seems to be what he is about.