politics and politicians
See other politics and politicians Articles
Title: Rand Paul Reluctantly Defends Trump from Hewitt’s ‘Gotcha’ Questions
Source:
Mediaite
URL Source: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rand-pau ... from-hewitts-gotcha-questions/
Published: Sep 4, 2015
Author: Matt Wilstein
Post Date: 2015-09-04 20:40:47 by Hondo68
Ping List: *The Two Parties ARE the Same* Subscribe to *The Two Parties ARE the Same*
Keywords: None
Views: 2436
Comments: 33
“I’m not big on defending Donald Trump by any means and I’ve been one of his fiercest critics,” Rand Paul told host Michael Smerconish on his SiriusXM radio show Friday morning. But all that being said, the candidate still proceeded to take Trump’s side on the question of whether Hugh Hewitt was guilty of asking “gotcha” questions about the Quds Force during his interview with the GOP frontrunner last night. Paul said he too sometimes has trouble hearing the difference between “Quds” and “Kurds” and gave Trump the benefit of the doubt on that confusion. “And I also thinking that running through a list every different Arab name and asking people to respond to them is a little bit of a game of ‘gotcha,'” Paul added. But at the same time, he said that knowing the difference between Hamas and Hezbollah is an important attribute for the next president of the United States. When Hewitt asked Trump if he thought a question along those lines also qualified as a “gotcha,” Trump replied, “Yes, I do. I totally do. I think it’s ridiculous.” RELATED: Carly Fiorina Tackles Quds Force ‘Gotcha’ Question that Stumped Trump “Like I say, I’m not into defending Donald Trump and you find it often,” Paul said. “But I think some interviewers do like to play this game.” During a phone appearance on Morning Joe Friday, Trump dismissed Hewitt, who will be one of the moderators at this month’s GOP debate on CNN, as nothing more than a “third-rate radio announcer.” Listen to audio below, via The Michael Smerconish Program: Poster Comment: In response to Rand Paul's criticism in the Fox debate, Donald Trump has sworn an oath of allegiance to Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party, Sheldon Adelson, the Koch Brothers, and Jeb!. He stands with Rand, just another damn Republican/Democrat. 
Subscribe to *The Two Parties ARE the Same*
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 21.
#3. To: hondo68, Bob Celeste, Fred Mertz, redleghunter (#0)
(Edited)
He was asked some simple questions about prominent people and organizations in a region that is still vital to our national interests ...and he stumbled and ' attacked the questioner for asking him 'gotcha questions' . Any other candidate would take a hit for that ,but I guess Trump is the exception. What is most amazing to me is that he willingly admitted that he was unschooled on basic knowledge of the region BUT if we elect him ,he'd make it a point to learn the details AFTER he's elected .Chuck Todd asked him who his foreign policy advisor was . Trump said he watches "all the shows " . Palin got destroyed over similar answers . His foreign policy experience is negotiating building high rises and being the sponsor of the Miss Universe contest . Trump basically said he did not need to know the details because he would find a General MacArthur to handle the details. That would be the same General who was instrumental in creating the modern state of Japan . Trump recently criticized the detail of the arrangement that MacArthur hashed out in a treaty saying :"You know, we have an agreement with Japan where if somebody attacks Japan we have to come to their rescue. But if we get attacked Japan doesn't have to help us. Do you think that's a good deal?" When Hewitt pressed him for details ,asking Trump what he would do if China sunk a Japanese ship ,Trump was non-committal . We currently have a POTUS that our allies cannot trust to live up to our commitments . We may be selecting another one who is even less willing to live up to our treaty obligations . He'd better get used to this type of questioning . He was once a somewhat interesting side show . But now that he is a serious candidate ,we have a right to know the details of his plans ,who's his advisors ,and most importantly ,his basic understanding of all the issues important to the country .
Good for him, they were gotcha questions. Tell me the names of 5 peopple who haven't poste3d here in a month. You read the site daily so you should know. But you don't know. Does that make you stupid? No it doesn't. He doesn't have to get used to gotcha questions. Knowing some names doesn't mean shit. Doesn't mean shit. Doesn't mean shit.
Grasping at straws trying to defend the indefensible ? This is not trivial pursuits. It was a legitimate question to ask someone who thinks they are qualified to be the Commander in Chief . He should've known that Qasem Soleimani was the head of the Iranian Qud forces .....and as TooConservative pointed out ,he was even asked about him in the 1st debate and STILL did not do his homework . It is not unreasonable to expect a Presidential candidate to know the leading characters in regions vital to our interests and what their role in the region is. It's not a gotcha question to ask him about the heads of major terrorist organizations . It is important for him to know the difference between Hamas and Hezbollah. As Carly Fiorina said in her interview " , it is critically important that we have a leader in the White House who understands the world and who's in it and how it works." I don't know..... maybe Trump is some kinda magic candidate like the emperor was who can win the whole thing on the force of his personality . He seems to think that saying "I'm going to be so good about the military it will make your head spin" is enough of a response to get the deal done. I for one need more specifics . You may not recall this but 4 years ago Herman Cain was leading in the polls for a while . Then he started getting questions about foreign policy and he proved he had no clue about the basic issues . In fact ;Trumps response is almost a carbon copy of what Cain said when he was exposed . Cain said he would 'consult with experts' ,and 'come up with a plan sometime between his election and his inauguration'. When Chris Wallace asked him about the so called "Right of Return" for Palestinians ,Cain said he was reading a book about Israel.He would not say what book it was . O’Reilly asked him what he would do to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons .He said he would do things to make America energy independent . Too bad he didn't think about building big beautiful walls. Maybe that would've done the trick . You can support who you like . I'm looking for a SERIOUS candidate who at very least has a basic rudimentary understanding of the issues and the major players involved .
Cain's 9-9-9 was semi-famous, albeit widely ridiculed as simplistic and unworkable. But Cain was ultimately stopped by a bimbo eruption. Which made it all too clear that Cain was never anything more than a book tour and the Not-Romney until he imploded over an old fling with a broad. And hints that his infidelity was ongoing. It's worth pointing out that Trump's strong lead developed much earlier in the race and has now outlasted Cain's stint as frontrunner. So Trump has more durability than Cain, largely due to his celebrity factor and high name recognition. Knowing Suleimani is perhaps not of primary importance. But any candidate should know that Baghdadi is the new Caliph and head of ISIS/ISIL/Caliphate with a capital in Raqqa. And any candidate should know that Zawahiri was a co-founder of al-Qaeda in the late Nineties, that he was bin Laden's chief lieutenant and operational commander for 9/11 and the Iraq war, that he became the leader of al-Qaeda after Bin Laden was killed in 2011. Trump appears to be as much a Know-Nothing as Carson. But at least Carson has applied himself to studying foreign policy. Trump is doing no prep work so he can discuss the basic elements of foreign policy in debates and in conversation. You can't credibly defend America against its enemies if you do not even know the names of two of your most implacable and ruthless enemies. Zawahiri and Baghdadi, what, it's really that hard? I thought Donald said he "watches the shows" but he must not watch very closely or he would have at least soaked that much up.
#22. To: TooConservative (#21)
(Edited)
Obama knows their names. Do you feel "credibly defended"? I sure as shit don't ... but I would if Trump was in charge. Isn't that what's important?
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#18. To: tomder55 (#3)
He was asked some simple questions about prominent people and organizations in a region that is still vital to our national interests ...and he stumbled and ' attacked the questioner for asking him 'gotcha questions' .
#19. To: A K A Stone (#18)
(Edited)
#21. To: tomder55, A K A Stone, misterwhite (#19)
You may not recall this but 4 years ago Herman Cain was leading in the polls for a while . Then he started getting questions about foreign policy and he proved he had no clue about the basic issues .
Replies to Comment # 21. "You can't credibly defend America against its enemies if you do not even know the names of two of your most implacable and ruthless enemies."
End Trace Mode for Comment # 21.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]