Trump: 'I identify with some things as a Democrat'

Donald Trump, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, said Friday he sometimes identifies more as a Democrat when pressed to explain previous statements that the economy generally does better under Democrats than Republicans.

"I identify with some things as a Democrat," Trump said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" when pressed about the comments from 2004, adding that "generally speaking" he was "never a Bush fan."

"When the economy crashed so horribly under George Bush because of mistakes they made having to do with banking and lots of other things, I don't think the Democrats would have done that," Trump said.

"Now, I see it both ways, but I hated what I was watching in the last two years of George Bush, because it was a bubble that was waiting to explode," he added. "What they were doing was a death wish, and I saw that."

"I have seen things done by Republicans that are not good and are not smart, and I would not do that," he said.

The celebrity real estate developer skyrocketed to the top of many polls following the launch of his GOP White House bid in mid-June, amid weeks of criticism and media attention to his controversial comments on Mexican immigrants.

Trump made waves this week after he threatened during an interview with The Hill to run as a third-party candidate. He played down that possibility Thursday, saying, "I want to run as a Republican. I think I'll get the nomination."

"Over the years as a businessman, I've always helped everybody," Trump said Friday on MSNBC, further explaining his past support for both Democrats and Republicans.

"I'm a conservative, I want to run as a Republican, I'm leading every poll," he said. "I do not want to do independent at all. Now, if I'm treated poorly, that's one thing. If I'm treated well and with great respect and don't win, I would not do that."

Trump had suggested to The Hill on Wednesday that the Republican National Committee "has not been very supportive." He said Friday that the RNC has been "very, very nice over the last few days.”

"Trump's statement, here, is an obvious effort to play on his celebrity appeal to Democrats that are unhappy--many very unhappy with the efforts to force a bad tempered female on their Party. Trump is still an evolving act. I believe that his heart is in the right direction, and that he could prove a major asset to our cause. And the fact that he is smart enough to explore approaches to win over some unhappy Democrats, by not coming across as someone who thinks that the Republicans under George W. Bush could do no wrong, is encouraging."

You are absolutely correct. People here are missing the fact that this interview took place on MSNBC.

"Trump said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe"

Those of us, including myself, who are very ideological, need to recognize that most people are not. We need to understand when our friends are being pragmatic. Pragmatism, used properly, always includes outreach tactics.

Where we must reject "pragmatism," is when it is misapplied to advocate compromising basic principles. Trump's retrospective on the 2008 Crash, does not do that. It is an outreach that compromises nothing but the reputation of a very, very flawed--ideologically--Bush II second term.

What it did was to put Clinton in power which was particularly devastating because politically, conservatism was ascending in the 90's and with Clinton a Democrat President for 8 years he was able to stymie what could have been a far more conservative agenda.

The GOP nominees in 1992 and 1996 were George Bush and Bob Dole, neither of whom had the slightest interest in pushing a "conservative agenda." Both candidates were on the same page as Bill Clinton on most issues, especially fiscal and foreign policy. Even if the dubious claim that Perot helped elect Clinton were true (i.e. that's assuming that Perot voters would have mostly voted for Bush or Dole otherwise, which is doubtful), I can't get too outraged about it because I don't see much of a difference between a Bush/Dole Presidency vs. a Clinton Presidency.

Yes. My opinion of Donald Trump as an asset has been rising steadily. That is why I keep injecting my thoughts and personal experience into these forums on the subject.

Let me state again that I am leaning towards Ted Cruz. But I really have been thanking God every recent day for the Donald Trump phenomenon.

And as stated, in several threads, Trump has already rendered the Jeb Bush promotion irrelevant.

Naw. Just a little gullible and a little desperate.

I'm also somewhat taken aback to the blind devotion to Trump from some of his fans here - you can point to statements from the horse's mouth that show that Trump is an opportunist without any commitment to conservative issues, and it doesn't matter.

However, there is a bright side to Trump's following. He put the issue of amnesty and illegal immigration at the forefront, something which no other GOP candidate was willing to do (the rest are mostly either mealy-mouthed or on the wrong side of the issue). The groundswell of support for Trump's anti-amnesty, anti-illegal position proves that there's a real grassroots movement that wants something done about illegals, which will hopefully force the GOP to address the issue.

Even if Trump's anti-illegal position is insincere, the anti-illegal stance of his many supporters is sincere.

Let just hope no with more charisma from the left jumps in late. I don't see it happening.

RE: A Cruz Sanders debate would be one for the ages; both of these guys actually understand and believe what they are saying.

I was thinking about that earlier. It would be an quite an interesting contrast in ideologies. One I hope our side would easily win ...but the way this country is headed I'm not so sure anymore.

Right on, and well stated.Its your vote. Period.
By the way the insults have yet to get started.Wait until next October, and the Vote for Jeb or we get Hillary Merry Pranksters will come out of the woodwork like they do every two years. As we get closer to Halloween the metamorphosis begins around here. The Rove checks are sent out, and his minions will say" Vote for our Democrat, Sorry Our RINO, or you gonna give us Hillary. To quote Mrs. Clinton "What Difference does it Make". Have a Good Day! MCB

Ditter,

The blindness on this site when it comes to Trump is staggering...we are seeing it nationally too.

If people would take the time to HONESTLY listen to Trump...they’d discover that he rambles, never answers questions and hasn’t explained WHY is he is a Republican or has been only since 2012.

He might have good intentions, but many of us have warned that he could be a plant.

The Trump Effect is allowing Cruz to surge against the Milquetoasts, and more people learn that Cruz has all of the good things Trump does, without the baggage.

Cruz is the only other GOP candidate who has been fairly consistently opposed to amnesty, but he didn't talk much about it. Trump put the illegal immigration at center stage, and in response, Cruz has been talking about immigration more in the past weeks than he's said in past years.

So even if Trump's newfound opposition to illegal immigration is fake and opportunistic (which I think it is), it serves a useful purpose by putting one of the most important issues facing this country center-stage. Even though Trump is the wrong messenger, the message is right.

how? he has always said, wall first, illegals alien issue second. (like many here I might add)

We need to focus on first things first. Build the wall. That is what got Reagan. He gave them amnesty with a promise of a wall. no wall to date.

Lets reverse that. A REAL wall with a promise of reform. Let gridlock take care of reform.

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