Screen shot, ‘Good Morning America.’
Donald Trump’s ability to command press whenever he desires persists, with Wednesday’s “Good Morning America” serving as his latest free-media platform.
Co-host George Stephanopoulos tried valiantly to pin down the so-far improbably successful GOP presidential candidate but ran right into Trump’s well-practiced, if at times conflicting and hyperbolic, talking points.
As opposed to the team at MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” who call him “Donald” in chummy fashion, Stephanopoulos kept some inquisitional distance via “Mr. Trump” as he opened by referencing a new line of attack against Trump leveled by Jeb Bush.
“He had no choice. He’s doing very poorly in the polls and he’s a low-energy guy,” said Trump, opting for his usual communications modus operandi, namely the telephone rather than an in-studio appearance.
Clinton was “the worst ever” Secretary of State, he said, though he didn’t directly reference a new ABC-Washington Post poll that shows a trifecta of displeasure: a majority of Americans thinking unfavorably of him, Clinton and Bush, though more like her than the two men.
A set-up piece by ABC’s Jonathan Karl was a brief overview of the current state of political play, at least for those grasping somewhat for alleged news and a rhetorical food fight. One chyron across the bottom of the screen flashed,”BUSH SLAMS TRUMP’S RECORD, TRUMP FIGHTS BACK WITH ATTACK.”
Stephanopoulos tried to pin down Trump on why exactly he’s a Republican, repeating critical comments Trump has made about the party in prior years. The reply from the disembodied voice on the TV was simply that he was unhappy with the party then, not now.
The most substantive exchange—and most typically inconsistent by Trump—involved his positions on trade; in particular whether American firms should build plants in and export jobs to China and Mexico.
He seemed to have it both ways, claiming he doesn’t want to bar the building of plants in those nations but, “We need jobs in the U.S., we don’t need jobs in Mexico, we don’t need jobs in China. We don’t need them [plants] built in Mexico, built in China.”
As for whether he’d disassociate himself from companies of his that do business there, he characteristically fudged.
“I’m a free trader,” he said, thus implying he would not disentangle himself from any such enterprises.
After he repeated once again his view that the proposed nuclear arms deal with Iran is “insane,” Stephanopoulos quickly and politely ended things after about six minutes.
“Always opinionated, Donald Trump, thank you for joining us this morning.”
Don’t worry, it won’t be long before his speed dial brings him once again into American living rooms and taverns.
