Subject: FW: TrackerBASE Report: Donald Trump Interview with George Stephanopoulos 8/18/2011
From: "Sorbie, Sean" <[email-masked]>
To: Research_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 May 2016 12:14:04 -0700

________________________________
From: American Bridge Tracking
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 3:14:00 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: TrackerBase Tracking Reports
Cc: Daniel Schiller
Subject: TrackerBASE Report: Donald Trump Interview with George Stephanopoulos 8/18/2011

TO:  Powerhouse

FROM: Daniel Schiller

Location: ABC News

Date:   08/18/11

RE: Donald Trump Interview with George Stephanopoulos 8/18/11

Event Details: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/george-stephanopoulos-donald-trump-14334702

Attendees/Audience:  ABC news viewers.

Summary of Event: Mostly a discussion of 2012 presidential race and Trump’s uncertain involvement. Trump indicates he is very impressed with Rick Perry, but knows very little about Mitt Romney. While discussing taxes, Trump agrees with Stephanopoulos that American businessmen not paying higher taxes is unpatriotic. Trump also praises Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann and talks about the “stupidity” of Paul Ryan’s deficit reduction plan and its timing. When asked about the Obama birth certificate, Trump states “I don’t know what he produced...there’s a lot of skepticism...they should look into it” in the middle of claiming to have moved on.

Key Points:

0:06 GS: Thanks for being here, any regrets not running for nomination?  DT: I was having a lot of fun doing it. Our country has retrogressed; doing worse than ever before. I was leading in the polls but I had to make a decision- do that or do something very lucrative that I love doing. I’ve said if the Republicans don’t pick the right candidate I would reconsider.

GS: Right candidate; let’s go through the R; is Perry the right guy?  DT: He’s a very impressive guy with a very good record; interesting to see how he handles spotlight; I think he’s going to do very well.

GS: He shoots from the hip; called Bernanke treasonous if there is more quantitative easing, do you agree?   DT: Well he’s using an expression. Everyone made such a big deal, it’s an expression; he feels very strongly about it.

1:42 GS: You don’t believe this shows he’s not ready?  DT: I think he’s very ready; been gov of TX for a long time; TX has done very well. Tough guy, smart guy.

GS: More than a third of new jobs created were in TX; great headline but some say bc of population growth/low wage jobs/not good model for America.  DT: “I think at this point, America would accept anything in terms of jobs.” We need jobs; losing them to China, India, other countries; products made in other countries.

GS: You won’t run as Ind if Perry gets nom?  DT: So far I’m very impressed.  GS: Romney?  DT:  I don’t know him. A lot of people called- Palin, I have a lot of respect for her; Bachmann. The only one I really don’t know is Romney; no one seems to know him.

GS: But he talks a bit like you; businessman what America needs.  DT: But his record as governor wasn’t totally stellar; job numbers not great; he’ll have to overcome negatives.

GS: What do make of Bachmann, is she electable?  DT: She’s a great, wonderful woman; energetic and very smart. Badly treated by the press like Palin; Newsweek cover a disgrace; Tina Brown should be ashamed; David Gregory harsh on her; people wouldn’t believe it if he questioned Obama that way?

GS: Sexism?  DT: It’s just a conservative woman; certain group in the media doesn’t like conserves.

5:10 GS: Jobs, you say situation is horrendous; what do you do about it?  DT: First thing get the world to stop taking advantage of us. Colombia made $3B last year that’s not even a big country. No one has ever ripped us like China; they make our products so they take our jobs; manipulate currency.

GS: They also finance our debt..  DT: They take our money and loan it back to us and we pay them interest; the whole thing is amazing. They steal our technology. China is not our friend; once people realize that maybe their president won’t be having state dinners at the White House. People ask me are they our enemy, I say yeah actually China is our enemy. Our govt has to start taxing their products. This country will take in money and people will stop making their products in China and make them in US.

GS: People say that will create a trade war, shutdown global economy.  DT: Excuse me. I’m all for free trade but also fair trade. China will make $300B profit on the US, I just read it’s actually greater; that’s called an imbalance; not fair trade; their leaders and negotiators smarter than ours. Almost every country that makes deals with US makes a bundle, we make nothing.

8:51 GS: Let’s talk about taxes; Buffet op-ep; he says it’s wrong you pay lower tax rate than secretary..  DT: There are a lot of views on that. Many people will start doing business other places if you start taxing them.

GS: 16% isn’t much for a billionaire..  DT: I deal with Wall Street, I know all of them. You’re gonna have mass exodus of business when you start taxing too high. If you go back to oil companies; insane for us to subsidize oil companies who facilitate OPEC. OPEC worse problem than China. 11 guys sit around a table and they raise the price of oil.  Everytime I watch the business shows, economy gets good and oil goes up. They destroy any momentum you get.

GS: It sounds like this is where you part ways with tea party and many in the House; close oil loopholes?  DT: Absolutely. I’m a big tea party fan, they love me. I can’t imagine anyone will stick up to these oil companies making a fortune and paying little in taxes.

12:01 GS: Pretty startling moment at R debate; everyone said they would reject deficit reduct plan that was 10 to 1 spending cuts to tax increases; would you join them or could you sign onto that?   DT: Hold out as long as possible on taxes; raising taxes is a bad thing. Lower spending, you can do it. In Tampa they want to spend $1B on a new runway and tear down brand new expensive buildings; it’s unnecessary.

GS: Would you pay 25% in taxes instead of 17%?  DT: I would be willing sure, but a lot wouldn’t. I’m country first. These guys are business machines.

GS: That’s unpatriotic isn’t it?   DT: “It’s very unpatriotic; they’re not patriotic; in many cases they’re not patriotic.” They’re business machines and they’re gonna say thank you very much we’re moving to Switzerland. Then you get nothing.

14:22 GS: Half country says they’d consider third party; Bloomberg says it doesn’t matter and system is rigged; do you agree?  DT: Friend of mine; great mayor. It’d be difficult, everybody hates R and D; independent candidate could win. If they right person ran, like Trump, they could win.

GS: Every time I express skepticism on you running I get a call..  DT: I’ve been treated unfairly on this. I thought about it once many years ago for a few days and got some publicity. Then recently I seriously thought about it for 3 months; said I’d decide before June. NBC and everybody coming at me saying please sign. I have a major show on TV; with the laws you can’t have the show and this (running for president). Another thing that was very discouraging to me, when the Republicans brought Obama back in a lame duck session I was so disappointed. “When Paul Ryan came out with this ridiculous plan, not even gonna knock the plan but the timing of the plan. His new seat of power wasn’t even warm but he’s attacking Medicare, Medicaid, and essentially Social Security. What the hell did he do that for? How stupid. He’s not a chess player.”

GS: He says only way to reduce deficit.  DT: Excuse me; let the president come out with a plan; why would he come out with a plan? Pelosi was the happiest person in the whole country. I don’t think Paul Ryan would have a chance running for president because of what he did with this plan.  He had his friends vote on this plan; they had lynch mobs when they went back to their districts; you’re gonna have a lot of Republicans losing in the House; watch what happens.

18:09 GS: Is R field set?   DT: I think it’s set. I like Palin a lot but it’s getting late. Christie great friend of mine, I don’t think he’s running. I don’t think Ryan would have a chance with the stupidity of his plan.

GS: What’s the role you play in this race?  DT: Role I play is you and everyone calls me and says let’s do an interview. The reason I do interviews is I love the country; and I have a lot to say. I say things because I’m a natural business man. I make a lot of money, I don’t work very hard at it; others things are harder for me than business. Send China a bill for billions since they have our stealth technology now.

20:01 GS: Obama birth certificate.  DT: I’m very proud of that, very proud of it. I made him do something nobody else had. John McCain, HRC couldn’t get it; I made him produce a birth certificate. I don’t know where he got it; there’s a lot of skepticism about it; but I’m off the subject. Go onto the internet and take a look.

GS: Do you have that skepticism?  DT:  No I’m on to other things like jobs, like China ripping us off, like OPEC. But it’s sorta weird after all these years he wouldn’t produce it but does after I put all this heat on him.

GS: But he did produce it..  DT: He produced something; I don’t know what he produced.  GS: I can’t believe you’re raising a question about this.   DT: No George, you’re trying to do a little number and I think that’s fine, but I will tell you I’m very proud of the job I did and I got a lot of credit, not from you. But I’m not sure what he produced and they should look into it.

21:44 GS: Grandfather again.. DT: Very good, Ivanka had a beautiful baby.

GS: Next time we talk will you be a candidate?  DT: We’ll see. If economy continues to be bad and the Republicans pick the wrong candidate, which they may, we’ll see.

GS: Thanks for your time.

Digitized Video File Label:  110818_DHS_222

Clip Labels:  110818_DHS_222_A