Donald Trump Schools George Stephanopoulos's Liberal Talking Points

January 31st, 2012 5:42 PM

Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday threw every Obama talking point he could at Donald Trump. Highlighting Mitt Romney, the GMA host parroted, "As you know, the Obama campaign is poised to really attack Mitt Romney on the issue of Bain Capital, on Swiss bank accounts, Cayman Island investments."

He continued, "How big on of a problem is this for Romney and how would you advise him to fight back against that?" Speaking of Romney and Newt Gingrich, Matthews noted the "unfavorable views of both their private sector backgrounds...That is something that President Obama, you know, will really target in a general election."

On the issue of taxes, Stephanopoulos was similarly predictable: "But, the President also clearly signaling in the State of the Union address, he's going to...make an issue out of taxes. He had this Buffett rule. Everyone pays 30 percent. What do you think of that?"

GMA and Stephanopoulos should be given credit for having such an aggressively anti-Obama critic on. At one point, Trump attacked, "If you look at Obama, he did nothing before he became a senator. Nobody knew him, nobody heard of him. I mean, he came from nowhere."

However, Stephanopoulos has repeatedly geared up for the 2012 campaign by touting Obama's campaign talking points. On January 24th, he derided, "So, just how rich is Mitt Romney and is he paying his fair share of taxes?

A partial trasncript of the January 31st segment follows:


GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Not bad. You know, one thing we have seen- we have a new ABC News poll out this morning showing that both candidates, that this might be taking a toll, the campaign, on each or them. It's about their- how voters view their work experience. Romney in the private sector, Gingrich as a  Washington consultant. Unfavorable views of both their private sector backgrounds, given this campaign. That is something that President Obama, you know, will really target in a general election.

TRUMP: Well, I think he's got plenty of things to be targeted about, also. I think he's going to be very vulnerable if you look at unemployment, if you look at what is going on with the economy, which is terrible. If you look at what's happening with a number of other nations, just ripping us off and laughing at us like we're a bunch of dummies. So, he's got plenty to worry about. But, the fact is, that they're hurting themselves, bringing up the negative rating. That's bad. But, they're also  talking about the Republicans. And the more they talk and the longer they talk, if you remember when McCain won last time, there was dead silence for four months. Because he won early. There's not a lot of silence right now.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Not at all. Do you think Newt Gingrich should stay in even if he loses big in Florida?

TRUMP: I think that's really going to be up to him. I mean, he must know something. But this could be a big win for Mitt Romney today. We'll see what happens. But, I don't think he's going to be dropping out so fast, Gingrich.

STEPHANOPOULOS: As you know, the Obama campaign is poised to really attack Mitt Romney on the issue of Bain Capital, on Swiss bank accounts, Cayman Island investments. How big on of a problem is this for Romney and how would you advise him to fight back against that?

TRUMP: Well, I think he's started to. I think he shown that in the last two debates. He started to be proud of what he did. He was a little bit defensive at one point and now he's out there saying, "Look, I created thousands of jobs. I've done a great job. I'm the one that can do it." If you look at Obama, he did nothing before he became a senator. Nobody knew him, nobody heard of him. I mean, he came from nowhere.

STEPHANOPOULOS: State senator, that's right. But, the President also clearly signaling in the State of the Union address, he's going to make the issue of taxes- make an issue out of taxes. He had this Buffett rule. Everyone pays 30 percent. What do you think of that?

TRUMP: Well, the biggest problem is what are they doing with our money? Where is it going? Why can't they cut expenses? They have trillions of dollars of waste. It's been proven and they can't even get together on a committee and cut expenses. So, they really have to- For people who want to  pay tax, they want to know where the money is going and how is it being squandered or spent wisely. And right now, it's being squandered.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you pay 30 percent?

TRUMP: I pay a lot of tax. I can tell you that. I paid a lot of tax. I wrote a very big check.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How about your rate?

TRUMP: I don't know what my rate is. It was substantial, but I paid a lot of tax.