Fox News Channel host Greg Gutfeld argued that GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump “not a conservative. He’s not a liberal. He’s not anything. What he does like is he likes to be liked” and that Republican candidate Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s criticisms of Trump ring “false” and is a reminder that “Cruz has been an opportunist” on Tuesday’s broadcast of “The Five.”
Gutfeld said, while discussing Trump’s appearance on “Hannity” the night before, [relevant remarks begin around 5:20] “[T]he point about Ronald Reagan. He was governor in 1967, 13 years before he became president. So he was a strong conservative for quite a while. We knew what that package was. He was Republican twice, and he had run for president before he ran for president in 1980. So, this is a bit different. The other thing too, is when you’re talking about who is conservative and who isn’t, it may not be important, because ideology isn’t important at this point, people looking for strength over principles. However, one does have to point out, that a conservative is not for bailouts, bank bailouts or car — or auto bailouts, it’s not for eminent domain for parking lots, it’s not for tariffs, it’s not for trade wars or protectionism. It doesn’t create strawmen about mandates, if you’re not for a mandate, you want people to die in the streets. A conservative might touch entitlements. Trump won’t touch that. A conservative also, is a champion of temperament. You are a conservative. You favor the known over the unknown. The good news about this whole thing is that Trump is not an ideologue. He’s not a conservative. He’s not a liberal. He’s not anything. What he does like is he likes to be liked. And if he does become president, and he looks at the polls, and he changes his mind on certain things, that is going to make him more likable. He’s not — he may not build that wall. The things that everybody’s scared of may not happen, because the secret to Trump is he likes being liked.”
He added, after seeing a clip of Cruz criticizing Trump and fellow candidate Florida Senator Marco Rubio by saying they accuse anyone who points to their record of lying, “It’s hard to take Cruz seriously because he has bear-hugged Trump for months. He did not go after Trump at all. He was Trump’s close friend. So, now when he’s coming out, and he’s talking, and he’s trying to defend himself, it rings false. And it reminds one that Cruz has been an opportunist. In many cases, in the Senate, he always looks for the most attention-seeking maneuver.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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