NBC's Lauer to Trump: Are You Happy Romney Moved 'Way Closer to the Center'?
Adopting Obama campaign talking points that Mitt Romney has dramatically shifted positions, on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer asked Donald Trump: "Are
you happy with the Romney campaign right now? In the last couple of
weeks he has clearly moved toward the center, way closer to the center than he was during the primaries and the early part of the campaign. His comments on abortion out in Ohio." [Listen to the audio]
Trump dismissed any concerns: "I think he's doing amazingly. It started
with the debate. We were all a little bit worried for a while. He just
knocked it out of the park in the debate, and you look at the polls,
he's generally winning." Lauer pressed: "But you think he's the same
candidate that you signed on with several months ago?" Trump replied: "I
think he's a great candidate and I think he's going to win." Lauer
couldn't let it go: "Same candidate?" Trump reiterated: "Yes, I think
he's a great candidate."
Lauer's desperate attempt to portray Romney as running to the center came on the heels of NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams on Wednesday pushing the same Democratic spin: "What Mitt Romney said about abortion that sure sounds like a change."
Here is a transcript of Lauer's October 12 exchange with Trump:
8:10AM ET
MATT LAUER: The Celebrity Apprentice is about to kick off its
13th season here on NBC. And for lucky number 13, Donald Trump is
bringing back a group of all-stars from previous seasons. We're going to
unveil the cast in just a little while, but first Donald Trump, good
morning. Good to see you.
DONALD TRUMP: Good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump's Takeaways; The Donald on the Biden-Ryan Debate]
LAUER: You were live-tweeting during the vice presidential debate last night. Your overall impression, who won?
TRUMP: Really very even. Both did a really good job, I have to say.
Very different, but both were solid. It was not like the first debate,
where actually Mitt was very good and the President had an off night.
LAUER: You know, and can I say, I was a little surprised at your tweets because you are partisan in this.
TRUMP: I am, totally partisan.
LAUER: And I thought you were gonna be kind of pumping Ryan and saying
what a great job, and Biden's bad, and you really were very much down
the center of the road.
TRUMP: Very much like The Apprentice. I really am fair. I am basically a
fair person. I think the Vice President did a great job, and I think
both sides really did a good job, and very, very different.
LAUER: Do you think that Joe Biden accomplished what some people said
he had to accomplish last night, which was to steady the ship and get
momentum, at least either back on the President's side or at least away
from Mitt Romney?
TRUMP: I do. He gave it a little energy. And, again, it was very good,
two very talented guys, two good guys, but he gave it some energy. The
Democrats needed that. I'll tell you what, the President really got
beaten by Mitt, and they really needed a boost. So I don't say – you
know, it wasn't a victory, but he did stabilize the ship.
LAUER:
Are you happy with the Romney campaign right now? In the last couple of
weeks he has clearly moved toward the center, way closer to the center
than he was during the primaries and the early part of the campaign. His
comments on abortion out in Ohio. Are you hearing from Mitt Romney what
you want to hear from him right now?
TRUMP: Yes, I am. I think he's doing amazingly. It started with the
debate. We were all a little bit worried for a while. He just knocked it
out of the park in the debate, and you look at the polls, he's
generally winning.
LAUER: But you think he's the same candidate that you signed on with several months ago?
TRUMP: I think he's a great candidate and I think he's going to win.
LAUER: Same candidate?
TRUMP: Yes, I think he's a great candidate.
(...)
