This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/03/donald-trump-loves-kanye-hates-bush-loves-being-trump
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump loves Kanye, hates Jeb, but most of all adores being Trump | Donald Trump loves Kanye, hates Jeb, but most of all adores being Trump |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At a “special announcement” press conference in New York during which he revealed that he had signed a pledge not to run as a third-party candidate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tackled a wide range of other issues, slamming GOP challenger Jeb Bush, complimenting rapper Kanye West and reaffirming his “great relationship” with Mexico. | At a “special announcement” press conference in New York during which he revealed that he had signed a pledge not to run as a third-party candidate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tackled a wide range of other issues, slamming GOP challenger Jeb Bush, complimenting rapper Kanye West and reaffirming his “great relationship” with Mexico. |
| Related: Donald Trump signs pledge not to run as independent | Related: Donald Trump signs pledge not to run as independent |
| Throngs of curious onlookers, some carrying Trump posters and stickers that the campaign handed out, joined a crush of media swarming the lobby at Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in New York on Thursday afternoon. When the elevator doors opened, and a suited man with a shock of blond hair appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers. | |
| After making brief remarks on the pledge, Trump took questions on issues that ran the gamut of beltway gossip to Hollywood buzz. | |
| What about Kanye’s presidential aspirations, announced to great fanfare at the MTV video music awards? “I love him,” the Republican frontrunner responded. “He loves Trump.” | What about Kanye’s presidential aspirations, announced to great fanfare at the MTV video music awards? “I love him,” the Republican frontrunner responded. “He loves Trump.” |
| And the freshly acquitted Tom Brady? “He’s an honorable guy”, Trump insisted. | |
| The topless women in Times Square? “Inappropriate,” he scolded the journalist who asked the question. | The topless women in Times Square? “Inappropriate,” he scolded the journalist who asked the question. |
| When pressed about his controversial views on immigration, Trump reaffirmed his plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border but insisted he didn’t want to suppress legal immigration. “I want to have a big, fat, beautiful open door” in the wall for industrious and talented immigrants to enter the country legally, he said. | |
| Trump was also asked whether he believes America is great, a nod to his campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”. Republican challenger Marco Rubio had seized on Trump’s slogan, saying in a recent interview that he believes America is great right now. | |
| “Our country will be great again,” Trump replied, “but right now our country has major problems.” | |
| The Republican frontrunner also fielded questions about several of his Republican rivals. He repeatedly bashed Bush, calling him “low energy” and saying that he was beholden to lobbyists. | |
| “I watched him this morning on television, and it’s a little bit sad,” Trump said of Bush. Trump also criticized Bush for speaking Spanish at a campaign event in Miami, saying the former Florida governor should speak English while in the United States. | |
| Bush fired back on Thursday afternoon, by replying to a photo Trump posted of the pledge with a photo of his own signature below the declaration: “Voted Republican since 1972.” | Bush fired back on Thursday afternoon, by replying to a photo Trump posted of the pledge with a photo of his own signature below the declaration: “Voted Republican since 1972.” |
| .@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/RbagyBXspr | .@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/RbagyBXspr |
| Trump said he was enthusiastic that Carly Fiorina is now likely to take part in the coming debate at the Reagan Library, and took the opportunity to hit Kentucky senator Rand Paul, expressing hope that CNN will trim the number of candidates allowed on stage. He suggested the network get “rid of Rand Paul or somebody”. He also took a shot at New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s low poll numbers. | |
| The very last question Trump saved for himself. He turned around and wrapped his arm around a man wearing a dark suit. | The very last question Trump saved for himself. He turned around and wrapped his arm around a man wearing a dark suit. |
| “He is as you know speaker of the house in Indonesia,” Trump told the crowd. He looked at the man, whose presence was otherwise unexplained, and asked: “Do they love me in Indonesia?” the man grinned broadly. | “He is as you know speaker of the house in Indonesia,” Trump told the crowd. He looked at the man, whose presence was otherwise unexplained, and asked: “Do they love me in Indonesia?” the man grinned broadly. |
| In the crowd for the conference was Diane Romsey, who had come to Trump Tower to have lunch with a friend without knowing the candidate was going to be there. | In the crowd for the conference was Diane Romsey, who had come to Trump Tower to have lunch with a friend without knowing the candidate was going to be there. |
| “I’m so excited I don’t even want to eat any more,” Romsey told the Guardian after the press conference ended. Romsey said she finds Trump’s bluntness refreshing, and believes that he will do “exactly what he says he is going to do”. | “I’m so excited I don’t even want to eat any more,” Romsey told the Guardian after the press conference ended. Romsey said she finds Trump’s bluntness refreshing, and believes that he will do “exactly what he says he is going to do”. |
| She lamented that the public and the media misunderstood Trump, especially his remarks about immigration. | |
| “I know exactly where [Trump] is coming from on immigration because I love all these people too,” she said. “I love Indians, I love the Chinese. I love the Mexicans … but they’re taking our jobs away.” | “I know exactly where [Trump] is coming from on immigration because I love all these people too,” she said. “I love Indians, I love the Chinese. I love the Mexicans … but they’re taking our jobs away.” |
| Perhaps, though, it’s what she sees of herself in Trump that she loves the best about the candidate. | Perhaps, though, it’s what she sees of herself in Trump that she loves the best about the candidate. |
| Romsey removed her glasses from her head, and pushed her hair upwards. “See, I even have the Trump hairdo,” she exclaimed excitedly. | Romsey removed her glasses from her head, and pushed her hair upwards. “See, I even have the Trump hairdo,” she exclaimed excitedly. |
| “He’s a New Yorker and so I am,” she said proudly. “We speak the same language. We’re simpatico.” | “He’s a New Yorker and so I am,” she said proudly. “We speak the same language. We’re simpatico.” |