Donald Trump’s counter-rally on Thursday night had all the trademarks of the billionaire’s presidential campaign — laments of America’s fallen status, claims of Trump’s unparalleled greatness, insults of political rivals — condensed into one evening.
The 7 Trumpiest things Donald Trump said during his “counter-debate”
We compiled seven of the Trumpiest quotes from the rally.
1) On how Trump didn’t want to miss the Fox News debate:
“I didn’t want to be here — I wanted to be five minutes away. All the online polls said I’ve done very well … but when you’re treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights.”
2) On whether skipping the debate would hurt his candidacy:
“Once I started, it’s for our vets — there was nothing I could do. And you know what, I don’t know. For me personally, is it a good thing? A bad thing? Will I get more votes? Will I get less votes? Nobody knows. Who the hell knows?”
3) On being “greedy for the United States”:
“All my life I’ve made money. I’ve made money. I’ve always been good at making money. I think I have great imagination — but I made money. And all my life I did well. And my father always said, ‘Everything he touches turns to gold.’”
"My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy. But now I want to be greedy for the United States. I want to grab all that money. I’m going to be greedy for the United States."
4) When introducing Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum after the two other presidential candidates participated in the “undercard” debate:
“I heard they did really well these two; I didn’t get to see very much of it. I said, how did you do? I think if you did poorly, you probably wouldn’t be here right now. You’d go back; you’d be depressed.”
5) Mocking Jeb Bush:
“So I feel a little bit foolish not taking the money, but you look at a guy like Jeb Bush; he’s taken $100 [million] — low energy. He’s taken $120 [million] — extremely low. Well, I probably shouldn’t say that, he’s debating right now. He’s probably looking for me. He’s probably going around saying, ‘Where’s Trump? Has anyone seen Trump?’ He’s probably looking for me.”
6) On how Trump refuses to be called “a politician”
“Donald Trump, another great builder in New York — now a politician. I can’t stand that. … A politician? I don’t want to be called a politician. All talk. No action. I refuse to be called a politician.”
7) On making America great again:
”I just say this: We are a country that doesn’t win anymore. We don’t win anymore. When was the last time we won? We don’t win on trade. We don’t win on the military. We don’t beat ISIS. We don’t do anything. We’re not good. We’re just not the same place. We are going to win, so much.
“We’re going to win at the military; we’re going to win on trade; we’re going to get rid of Obamacare and come up with great, great powerful, wonderful health care. I’ll tell you what. We’re going to win again. We’re going to win at every single level, and we’re not going to be laughed at by the rest of the world.”
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By Javier Zarracina and Sarah Frostenson
