At first, months ago, when Donald Trump was said to be running for president in the upcoming 2016 election, I thought it was merely funny, an amusement, for me and a lot of us out here in the nation. But the longer this goes on and the longer period of time Mr. Trump is in first place in popularity for Republicans and the Right Wing, frankly, the scarier and more ominous the situation and he become.
Here, then, to clear the air, are actual statements and quotes from The Donald, things he has actually said and believes. Because people need to know this clown:
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're sending people that have lots of problems...they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists."
“Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are little short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”
"He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured." –On Senator and Veteran John McCain
"When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time." –Donald Trump, on his diplomacy skills
"Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people."
“All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me—consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected.”
"We need a leader that wrote The Art of the Deal." –Plugging his book in his presidential campaign announcement
"I have people that have been studying [Obama's birth certificate] and they cannot believe what they're finding... I would like to have him show his birth certificate, and can I be honest with you, I hope he can. Because if he can't, if he can't, if he wasn't born in this country, which is a real possibility…then he has pulled one of the great cons in the history of politics." –Three weeks before Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011
"I have a great relationship with the blacks."
"When it comes time to default, they’re not going to remember any of the Republicans’ names. They are going to remember in history books one name, and that's Obama." –Urging Republicans to force a default on America's debt so that Obama wouldn't be reelected
"I don't like the crying." –On House Speaker John Boehner
"These are stupid people that say, `Oh didn't Trump declare bankruptcy? Didn't he go bankrupt?' I didn't go bankrupt." –On filing for bankruptcy on parts of his various businesses (And yes, yes he did:
Donald Trump goes bankrupt. Four times)
"The man that wrote the second book ... didn't write the first book. The difference was like chicken salad and chicken s**t." -On President Obama's books
"I will build you ... one of the great ballrooms of the world." –On building a $100 million ballroom at the White House (because that's important)
“I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I’m more honest and my women are more beautiful.” –While teasing a presidential run in 2000
"In life you have to rely on the past, and that's called history." –On Celebrity Apprentice (I'm glad he cleared that up)
“You know, it doesn’t really matter what [the media] write as long as you’ve got a young and beautiful piece of ass.”
"I don't think Ivanka would do that, although she does have a very nice figure. I've said if Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her." –When asked how he would react if Ivanka posed for Playboy
"She really has become a monster ... I mean monster in the most positive way." –On his pregnant wife Melania
"You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better than I get along with the rich people."
“.@ariannahuff is unattractive both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man- he made a good decision.”
"My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well been documented, are various other parts of my body."
"I'm not a schmuck. Even if the world goes to hell in a handbasket, I won't lose a penny."
"You were born stupid." --To very Right Wing columnist Michelle Malkin who, if she liked him could be a possible help to Mr. Trump and his campaign
"The beauty of me is that I'm very rich."
"Our leaders are stupid, our politicians are stupid, and the Mexican government is much sharper, much more cunning. [So] they send the bad ones over because they don’t want to pay for them, they don’t want to take care of them.” —GOP debate, August 2015
“Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest—and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure. It’s not your fault.” —Twitter, 2013
“It’s like in golf. A lot of people — I don’t want this to sound trivial — but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.” —explaining his stance on, of all things, gay marriage in a New York Times profile in May 2011
Finally, at least today, because I'm sure there will be more, my personal favorite:
"Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy."