Donald Trump gets into debate with Rand Paul
Rand Paul slammed Donald Trump on his refusal to say he will not run as a third party candidate as he accuses him of buying and selling politicians. It started out suspenseful enough.
“Is there anyone on stage who is unwilling tonight to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party,” asked Bret Baier. “And pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person? Again we are looking for you to raise your hand now if you won’t make that pledge tonight.”
The only candidate raising his hand was Donald Trump. Trump was booed.
“Mr. Trump, to be clear,” Bret Baier continued. “You are standing on a Republican Primary debate stage. The place where the RNC will give the nominee the nod.”
“I fully understand,” said Donald Trump.
“And that expert say an independent run would almost certainly hand the race over to Democrats and likely another Clinton,” Bret Baier said. “You can’t say tonight that you can make that pledge?”
“I cannot say I have to respect the person that if it is not me the person that wins,” Donald Trump said. “If I do win and I am leading by quite a bit that’s what I want to do. I can totally make that pledge if I am the nominee I will not run as an Independent. But, I am discussing it with everybody. But I am talking about a lot of leverage. We want to win. And we will win. But I want to win as the Republican. And I want to run as the Republican nominee.”
“This is what’s wrong,” Rand Paul chimed in. “He buys and sells politicians of all stripes. He’s already hedging his bets on the Clintons OK. So if he doesn’t run as a Republican, maybe he supports Clinton or maybe he runs as an independent. But I would say he is already hedging his bets because he is use to buying politicians.
“Well I have given him plenty of money,” Trump responded about Rand Paul.
“Just to be clear,” Bret Baier asked. “You are not going to make the pledge tonigh?.”
“I will not make the pledge tonight,” Donald Trump responded.
Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are probably smiling profusely. Donald Trump has effectively split the Republican Party. Now he is implying he could potentially split the vote.