Trump: ‘Last Thing We Need Is Another Bush’

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump “the last thing we need is another Bush” and argued Jeb lacks “gravitas” in a wide-ranging interview broadcast on Wednesday’s “CNN Tonight.”

Trump began by talking about his polling numbers compared to Jeb Bush, stating, “Well, I’m not happy being behind Jeb Bush, to be honest with you. Because I don’t get, he’s in favor of Common Core, he’s very weak on immigration, extremely weak on immigration. He thinks people come over for love, and I’m not at all happy. I don’t understand how he’s at first place, but I’m certainly honored by the poll, and people are understanding my message, which is basically make America great again, and we’re doing very well.” And that he has “absolutely no idea” why he’s behind Bush, “maybe it’s the Bush name. But the last thing we need is another Bush. But I will tell you, I’m a little surprised that he would be in the position he’s in, and look, I’m right behind him, and I think we’ll do very well. But, I’m surprised, if anybody, I’m surprised it would be him.”

Trump then argued Bush shouldn’t be president because “I don’t think he’s got the gravitas. I don’t think he’s a negotiator at all. We need somebody that can change trade deals. We hae to make our country rich again to make our country great again, Don. He’s not a guy that will be able to negotiate with China, make deals with Iran. It’s just not his thing.”

He added that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s time has passed. Although, Trump also argued that anything can happen, and “if you would have told people three or four weeks ago that Trump would be in the position he is — and, by the way, speaking of that, I always said if I ever announced and people ever felt — because I walk down the street, everybody wants this business ability that I have, and other abilities. They want it to make the country great again. And, you know, if you would have — and I’ve always said that if I announced, and if people felt that I was actually going to run, I would be at the top of the polls, and that sort of happened.”

He continued, “The leaders of the party take me very seriously. And they call all the time, and they talk to me, and believe me, they take me seriously. … It’s hard for them not to when you’re number one and number two in the polls. … Frankly, I think they’re taking me very seriously. I mean, I’m getting notes from people, the top of the party. I’m getting notes from other participants. … You know what they like to do? they like to say, ‘Well, we don’t consider him a serious candidate.’ Why wouldn’t I be? I went to the Wharton School of Finance, I was a great student, it’s one of the hardest schools in the world to get into. I go out, I make a tremendous fortune, I write a book called ‘The Art of the Deal,’ the number one selling business book of all time, at least I think, but I’m pretty sure it is, and certainly a big monster, number one best-seller. I do ‘The Apprentice,’ tremendous success. … But, I do all of this, including the great — build this great company, and then they [NBC] say ‘Oh, some governor who’s nothing, some senator who’s not very good, I’m going to take his place on the stage. Isn’t that too bad because I’m at number two and they’re at number 12?’ And I’m saying to myself, “Why wouldn’t I be on the stage. I built this great — I’ve had a great record of success.’ By the way, I’ve employed tens of thousands of people over the years, tens of thousands, Don. … I’m building the old post office on Pennsylvania Avenue. I’m doing — I just finished Doral in Miami, hundreds of acres in the middle of Miami, and then I’m not supposed to be understaged by some politician that hasn’t done a good job?” Trump also accused NBC of being upset that his presidential run kept “The Apprentice” from being renewed.

The discussion then turned to Trump’s comments on illegal immigration, he said, that NBC cut ties with him “because they’re weak.” He added, “Well, if you look at the statistics of people coming — I didn’t say about Mexicans — I [said] the illegal immigrants. If you look at the statistics on rape, on crime, on everything, coming in illegally into this country, they’re mind-boggling. If you go to Fusion, you will see a story about 80% of the women coming in, I mean, you have to take a look at these stories. And you know who owns Fusion? Univision. It was in the Huffington Post. I said, let me get some of these articles, because I’ve heard some horrible things. I do a lot of talking with people on the border patrols. They’re incredible people. They love our country. They’re incredible” And “all you have to do is go to Fusion and pick up the stories on rape, and it’s unbelievable when you look at what is going on. So, all I am doing is telling the truth.”

Lemon responded, “I’ve read the Washington Post, I’ve read the Fusion, I read the Huffington Post. And that’s about women being raped, it’s not about criminals coming across the border, entering the country.”

Trump answered, “Somebody’s doing the raping, Don, I mean, you know — I mean, somebody’s doing it. You think it’s women being raped, well who is doing the raping? Who’s doing the raping? I mean how can you say such a thing?”

Trump also addressed Macy’s cutting ties with him, declaring, “They folded under pressure. You know, it’s not a big business for me. It’s very small, it’s ties and stuff. But it’s — they folded under pressure. Terry Lundgren folded under pressure. They called me — he called me, he said, ‘Gee whiz,’ you know, he’s under a lot of pressure, and you know, I guess, who knows. I mean, they fold under pressure. That’s the problem with our country, everybody folds under pressure. Instead of doing the right thing, they just, immediately, they have two people go outside with a sign and you see two pickets and they immediately say ‘Oh, gee, we have to do — this is pressure, pressure.’ People can’t handle pressure, and that’s what they did. They did a total fold. And that’s okay with me. That’s okay with me. It’s a very small business. Let them do what they want to do.” And “I was told that they said they’re under pressure and I said, ‘You know what, let’s folds it up.'” Along with stating Macy’s “can’t handle pressure” and “folded like dogs.”

He further said that he had concerns over Macy’s making its products in China, and “I never loved the business with Macy’s because the ties were made in China. And I’ve been — it’s a part of my speech. … I would make it part of my speech, that I go out and I have ties made in Mexico, — in China, I’m not in love with it. But the fact is that China so manipulates their currency that companies in the United States, Don, can’t compete with them.”

Later, Trump praised the way victims’ families handled the Charleston shooting and said President Obama’s eulogy was “excellent.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett