Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump was asked if his bid for the presidency of the Untied States did not end in his victory, would he have accomplished something.
Trump said anything short of not winning it all was a waste of time.
Partial transcript as follows:
TODD: If you got out of the race today, do you feel like you have won something?
TRUMP: I don’t. I think the ‘Time’ article was incredibly well written. That’s a good writer, I will tell you that, a professional. But I feel that if I don’t win all of it, and I mean the presidency, that I’ve wasted my time. I know I’ve been given accolades for the job I’ve done and everything else.
TODD: You’ve shifted the debate.
TRUMP: Especially being somewhat of a novice. People have said very nice things, like “Time” magazine but I feel like if I don’t win I can’t make the different.
TODD: You know there’s running conventional wisdom that says “OK, he’s here to stay but if he doesn’t leave Iowa, he’ll leave the race.”
TRUMP: I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving. You and I had us this discussion about two months ago and you said would you leave. I’ve been number one since I joined up. June 16, amazing. We had a lot of fun but you asked me that question I started talking about well, maybe here, maybe there, if this happens.
TODD: There’s no maybes anymore?
TRUMP: There is no maybes. I’m not leaving.
TODD: You’re going straight to the convention?
TRUMP: If I don’t win, I don’t win. Maybe that can happen but —
TODD: You don’t accept the idea that you might lose Iowa? You could lose it.
TRUMP: I hope I win Iowa. I’ve developed an amazing relationship with the people of Iowa. You see it outside. We have a sold out audience. But I have an amazing relationship with evangelicals, with the Tea Party, with the people of Iowa.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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