Page 14 - AUA Traveller Aug 10

Trump DEFENDS
RECORD on women
as presidential
rivals pile on
DONALD Trump doesn’t appear to be
going away anytime soon, so his rivals
are scrambling to figure out how best
to handle the blowback from every
new bout of bluster drowning out their
campaigns.
Lead the charge, if you’re the sole
woman in the Republicans’ White
House race and trying to crack the top
tier for the next debate, by questioning
Trump’s ability to withstand the
pressure of the presidency.
Belittle Trump’s claim to be a truth-
teller by arguing that self-promotion is
the billionaire’s guiding philosophy.
Warn that Trump’s provocative
comments about women endanger
the party’s standing with a group that
makes up the majority of voters.
Or simply plead for the incessant
Trump questioning to cease so that
other candidates can get on with
the business of why they’re
running.
These are some of the varied
approaches of the other
16 Republican candidates
fighting for attention
and breathing room in a
primary field eclipsed by
Trump.
On Sunday, he was
back, splashed across
the weekend news
shows, dismissing
the latest firestorm to
consume his campaign
and explaining how he
cherishes women and would
be their strongest advocate if
elected. “I’m leading by double
digits,
14 INTERNATIONAL
so maybe I shouldn’t change,” he
boasted.
The latest controversy started Thursday
night when Fox News debate moderator
Megyn Kelly recounted Trump’s history
of incendiary comments toward
women. Angry over what he considered
unfair treatment at the debate, Trump
told CNN on Friday night that Kelly had
“blood coming out of her eyes, blood
coming out of her wherever.”
The remark cost Trump a prime-time
speaking slot at the RedState Gathering,
the Atlanta conference where several
other presidential candidates spoke to
about 1,000 conservative activists.
But Trump refused to back down,
insisting Sunday that only “a deviant”
would for office, suggesting the businessman
interpret his comment
beyond a harmless barb.
“I apologize when I’m
wrong, but I haven’t been
wrong. I said nothing
wrong,” said Trump, who
spoke to four Sunday news
shows, skipping only Fox
News, the network with
which he is feuding.
The flap is just the
latest from Trump’s
unconventional,
insurgent campaign,
which has excited many
anti-establishment
conservatives while
confounding party leaders
already facing the prospects of a
bruising fight among 17 candidates.
Some have responded by sharpening
their critiques, questioning Trump’s
electability, his conservative
credentials, policy ideas and
personality.
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly
Fiorina, the only woman running for
the GOP nomination, appeared most
adept at seizing on the comments as
she strives to break into the top 10.
“I think women of all kinds are really
sort of horrified by this,” she said,
arguing that there was a difference
between being politically incorrect and
insulting.
She also questioned Trump’s suitability
may be unprepared for the pressure
that comes with being president.
“I think you cannot have a
president who is thin-skinned.
If you think a question is
tough, imagine the pressure
of actually being in the Oval ABC’s “This Week” and CNN’s “ State of
Office,” she said.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a
frequent Trump critic, went
after Trump’s temperament
and a muddled record
filled with contradictory
statements.
“I don’t think we should
reward vulgarity. And I don’t
think vulgarity equates with
insight,” he said.
Paul also continued a line of
attack he began in the debate.
“I have no idea whether he’s
conservative,” the senator said.
“He really could be a
liberal, for
all I’m concerned. I have no idea what
his real philosophy is, other than that
he is for promoting himself.”
Jeb Bush, the presidential favorite for
many top Republican donors, said at
RedState that Trump’s bombast would
hurt the GOP’s chances with women,
who already tilt toward Democrats in
presidential elections. “Do we want to
win? Do we want to insult 53 percent
of our voters?” the former Florida
governor asked.
Other candidates bemoaned the
challenge of preaching their message
when all their precious free TV time is
spent being asked about Trump.
“At this point, I mean, we’ve got to
focus on our message. Otherwise, my
whole campaign will be, ‘How do you
feel about what Donald Trump said
about something?’” Florida Sen. Marco
Rubio said. “He says something every
day.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, took a similar
tone, describing himself as a strong
proponent of women, but avoiding
criticizing Trump at length.
“I think it’s more important for me to
tell you who I am and what I think,
than spend my time on the negative
side of the street,” he said.
Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas
governor seemed exasperated at
RedState, at one point snapping at
reporters after being asked several
Trump-related questions. On Sunday,
he took a more measured approach.
“I think the rest of us are doing what
we’re supposed to do and that’s focus
on getting a message out, which is
sometimes hard to do because all the
air in the balloon is going to Donald
Trump right now,” he said.
Trump, who has refused to rule out a
third party run if he falls short of the
GOP nomination, was asked about
those Republicans wondering what it
will take to get him out of their party.
“I don’t think anything. I really want to
stay.”
Trump was interview on NBC’s “Meet
the Press,” CBS’ “Face the Nation,”
the Union.”
Executive Producer Jessica Loker said
in a statement that Fox News Sunday
doesn’t do phone interviews with
presidential candidates and that the
show is in conversation with Trump’s
campaign about a future on-camera
interview.
Fiorina was on CNN, CBS and “Fox
News Sunday. Kasich appeared
on CNN and ABC, while
Huckabee was on ABC,
Rubio on NBC and Paul on
Fox.
Monday, August 10 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER