LindaK wrote:
If I understood your post, Pres Trump said no such thing (about being a dictator.).
What he did say, was in order to bring some law and order back to America plus take care of our fuel (gasoline) costs that biden has used almost all our emergency fuel levels, *he would be ‘a dictator for one or two days* to drlll drill for oil and to close our southern border to Biden’s illegals.’
It was in a town hall with Hannity (DJ was smart there - skipping all the R debates and letting Fix give him a free hour of airtime all to himself with a bunch of softball questions, probably agreed on in advance).
One of Hannity’s early questions was about media reports that cast a potential second-term as a Trump dictatorship.
“They want to call you a dictator,” Hannity said referring to the media reports. “To be clear, do you in any way have any plans whatsoever, if reelected president, to abuse power, to break the law, to use the government to go after people?”
“You mean like they’re using right now,” Trump responded - without answering the question.
Hannity tried asking again later: “Under no circumstances — you are promising America tonight. You would never abuse power as retribution against anybody?”
Trump: “Except for day one."
Hannity: “Except, what?"
Trump: “He’s going crazy. Except for day one.”
Hannity: “Meaning?” (either he might have been alarmed at where this was going by now, or they had rehearsed it because DJ knew it would get people talking about him more)
Trump: “I want to close the border and I want to drill, drill, drill."
Hannity: “That’s not retribution."
Trump: “I love this guy, he says, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator are you?’ I said no, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator."
What the exchange implies is for the electorate to discern, I suppose. His fan base believes he was joking. I suppose if he wins, they will find out.
Either way, it certainly got stuck in people's minds.