In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Donald Trump says he’ll compete in the Iowa Straw poll if he decides to run for president.
“I would do that. Absolutely. I believe the straw poll. I think the straw poll is a terrific thing. It’s an institution in Iowa. All over the world, people are waiting for the Iowa straw poll. So I assume they’re going to have it and we would certainly participate," he said.
Watch below with full transcription.
MANDATORY COURTESY; CBN NEWS/THE BRODY FILE
David Brody: If you do decide to run and you compete here in Iowa, an Iowa straw poll, would that be something in your future potentially?
Donald Trump: I would do that. Absolutely. I believe the straw poll. I think the straw poll is a terrific thing. It's an institution in Iowa. All over the world, people are waiting for the Iowa straw poll. So I assume they're going to have it and we would certainly participate.
Brody: Let me ask you real quick about your team on the ground in Iowa because you have specifically hired some top notch folks here. What kind of statement is that making to folks?
Trump: With Chuck Laudner and all the people that we have. You know Corey. We have incredible people. Those people are going to do great things. We'll see. I don't know what it means. It means I still have to have the right message no matter how good they are. But we have a great team of people. They are hardworking. They believe in my message.
And my message is 'Make America Great Again.' We have to make America rich again and make America great again. You can't do it without making it rich and right now China is taking all of our money. And many other countries, Mexico, Japan, many other countries are taking our money.
Saudi Arabia, they make a billion dollars a day and they don't pay us anything for protection. They don't pay us anything. They would if we had the right message. When we have a meeting, last week the president had a meeting, they won't even show up to the meeting. They tell him 'We're not coming,' or 'We’re not having the king.' Give me a break. We'll make our country great again.
Brody File Analysis:
Hey look, you may not think of Donald Trump and evangelicals as being the perfect fit but that would be a lazy misread of the situation. I’m not saying Trump is a hit with all evangelicals. I know his egotism can rub some the wrong way. But let me clue you in to a little secret: Trump's ability to cut through the clutter and paint the world in “absolutes” attracts quite a few evangelical voters.
Remember, evangelicals hold true to their “biblical absolutes” so to see a person like Trump let it rip and tell it like it is becomes a somewhat endearing quality to some evangelicals. Trump takes hits for his boldness and evangelicals take hits from society for their biblical boldness too.
See the parallel? Those who think Trump would just be a presidential sideshow may want to think again if he jumps in. Let’s be honest: he has a huge megaphone and so he’s going to make news wherever he goes. Trump’s challenge (if he gets in) will be to lay out a cohesive message that becomes less about him and his personality and more about the voters he's looking to attract.
I think a "Donald Trump Listening Tour Across America" would be in order. This way Trump makes voters the priority. It would throw the media off their tired narrative and give Trump the upper hand. Having the upper hand is always good in business negotiations and, to coin a phrase, it can also be the “art of the deal’ in politics too.