"I think I handled that well. I got a lot of credit for it," Trump boasted Wednesday to conservative radio host Laura Ingraham a day after his bodyguards escorted Univision's Jorge Ramos out of an Iowa news conference.
Trump Proud He Booted Univision’s Ramos
PENSACOLA, Florida (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Wednesday he’s proud of kicking one of the country’s best-known Spanish-language journalists out of an Iowa news conference – the latest in a series of clashes with the media.
“I think I handled that well. I got a lot of credit for it,” Trump boasted to conservative radio host Laura Ingraham a day after his bodyguards escorted Univision’s Jorge Ramos out of the event.
The latest spat for Trump comes as his rivals continue to grapple with how best to compete against the unpredictable billionaire businessman, who has skyrocketed to the top of summertime polls.
At a campaign event Wednesday in Pensacola, Florida, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush sighed when a member of the town hall audience uttered Trump’s name.
“Do we have to talk about this guy?” Bush asked.
Bush went on to criticize Trump’s immigration plan, specifically his proposal to build a massive border wall, calling it impractical and out of step with conservative principles because of its cost.
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Trump has said he’ll get the Mexican government to pay for the wall, without specifying how he would do so.
“It is not feasible to build a wall as the sole solution,” Bush said. “It’s a simple thing to say and I’m sure it’s great for our friends in the press, but it’s not practical and it’s not conservative.”
He also criticized Trump’s clash with Ramos, saying all journalists should be treated with “dignity and respect.” He added that Trump needs to be held accountable by reporters.
“Go through these questions,” Bush said, “and what you’ll find is this guy doesn’t have a plan.”
Ramos was ultimately allowed back into Trump’s news conference, and they quickly resumed their argument over his immigrations proposals, interrupting each other during an extended back-and-forth.
The dispute didn’t go unnoticed on the Democratic side of the campaign, as front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton seized on Trump’s immigration rhetoric to argue his positions aren’t all that different from those held by the long list of other Republican candidates.
Speaking at an event in Ankeny, Iowa, she said Trump and his rivals don’t support a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants living in the country illegally. She said calls from some, including Trump, to repeal the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees birthright citizenship, are “out of touch” and “out of date.”
“Don’t get distracted by the flamboyant front-runner,” she said. “Most of the other Republican candidates are just Trump without the pizazz or the hair.”
Trump’s confrontation with Ramos, an Emmy Award-winning anchor who hosts the evening news program on the biggest Spanish-language network in the U.S., came a day after he resumed his feud with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly.
Trump welcomed Kelly back from a vacation Monday night by tweeting that he liked her show better while she was away. Fox News chief Roger Ailes called on Trump to apologize.
Ramos and Kelly commiserated a bit on Kelly’s TV show Wednesday night.
“What is it like to be caught in the crosshairs of a billionaire presidential front-runner?” Kelly asked.
“Well, you know exactly how it feels,” Ramos replied.
During his conversation Wednesday with Ingraham, Trump toned down his attacks against Kelly, saying their spat was “not a death struggle, not a big deal.”
“Actually I watched her show last night. She was very nice and I appreciated it,” he said.
He said he and Ailes had just gotten off a phone call together, and praised the executive as “a good friend of mine” and a “special guy.”
Asked if he was going to continue his Twitter campaign against Kelly, Trump said, “No, I have much bigger things to think about, honestly.”
Colvin reported from Newark, New Jersey. Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report from Ankeny, Iowa.
Comments (5)
Ellen Samrock says:
August 27, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Given his reaction to Ramos, Trump may be the perfect match for Vlad Putin. As it is, Putin has been tramping his muddy boots all over Obama and his administration with impunity. I can’t see that happening with “The Donald.”
Caitlin Leahy says:
August 27, 2015 at 10:15 pm
“The Donald Duck” is a cartoon character who cares about my Country as much as Putin does. If he can turn a buck or pump up his Brand – then Donald Duck is all over it. Be careful what you wish for. We have serious problems in this country and need serious men and women to find solution – not a guy who is the biggest bully on the play ground.
Michelle Underwood says:
August 27, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Ramos is an activist for illegal aliens. He stopped being a journalist years ago. No #1 with illegals so the liberal media makes him out to be something he isn’t; relevant. His daughter also works on Hillary’s campaign, no doubt after training and encouragement by dad.
Caitlin Leahy says:
August 27, 2015 at 10:10 pm
Dear “Voice of Truth” amazing how cowards always hide behind “Anonymous” nicknames. My name is Nancy Montoya-Ijams. I am a journalist and a 5th generation Hispanic America. Make no mistake – Jorge Ramos IS a journalist of the highest pedigree. He is also the MOST relevant Hispanic journalist in America. He has put his life and his reputation on the line more times that you probably have even voted. He has the cojones (look up the word) to confront the biggest bully in our country today – Donald Trump, and ask him relevant questions and demand answers. Like it or not my friend – we brown people are AMERICAns. We are here to stay. We vote and we will not be ignored or put up with racism.
Wagner Pereira says:
August 28, 2015 at 4:22 am
Dear Nancy. The Shooter in Virginia was fired in part for not being neutral in his reporting. Given the diatribe on his personal views that Mr. Ramos gave at the Trump Press Conference, instead of asking question(s), which was the point of the Press Conference, Mr. Ramos certainly might be a high caliber Journalist some of the time, but this week and for most of the Country, he was just as bad of an example of what NOT to do as a Newsperson as a fired Virginia Journalist.