Donald Trump Staff in Talks With Financiers, Campaign Managers to Explore Third Party Bid
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ABC News’ Huma Khan and Jennifer Wlach report:
Donald Trump’s top political adviser told ABC News he’s speaking to “high-level political operatives” to explore a third-party presidential bid on behalf of the real estate mogul, in a sign that Trump may not quite be done with the 2012 presidential race just yet.
“I can confirm that over the past two weeks I have spoken with many high-level political operatives, campaign managers, finance directors — some of whom I have spoken to in the past. Most are new people from all over the country,” said Michael Cohen, executive vice president at the Trump Organization and special counsel to the reality-TV star.
“Until the time Mr. Trump decides to either endorse a candidate or run himself, I am exploring on his behalf the possibilities of ensuring Mr. Trump appears on the ballot in all states, and to develop a team of professionals who could ensure a potential victory,” Cohen added.
Back in March, Cohen met with Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn and 18 political operatives, activists and fundraisers in Iowa, but Trump decided not to run.
Trump, 65, himself indicated this weekend that he might pursue a third-party run.
“It’s a very sad situation what’s happening to the country,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I hope I don’t have to, but I may absolutely.”
Cohen told ABC today that Trump’s preference is to endorse a Republican candidate “as he loves what it is that he’s currently doing,” but if the Republican Party doesn’t nominate someone who “The Apprentice” star believes is capable of defeating President Obama, “he may consider running as an independent for the presidency.”
“He’s both more than financially capable of funding a race and is adamant that America must become great again or forever be lost,” Cohen said.
Cohen, who co-founded the Web site “Should Trump Run,” said that he has been getting thousands of emails daily calling on Trump to reconsider and enter the race.
Trump’s contract with NBC ends after “The Apprentice” season finale in May, after which the TV star will reconsider his decision.
The real estate tycoon turned reality TV host switched his party affiliation from Republican to “unaffiliated” in December and hinted that he might reach out to Americans Elect, an online, independent presidential nominating organization.
In prior years, Trump has flirted with the idea of running for president — first in 1988, then in 1999 — but he has said this is his most serious consideration.
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Run Donald run! More clowns who are in the race the better!
Posted by: AJ | January 30, 2012, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Show us your birth certificate and your kindergarten grades Donald. We all know that you were born in Bulgaria and that your real name is Donald Drumpf- since your grandfather Friedrich Drumpf never changed his name legally. Just what we need in the White House- a stuffed shirt with a big mouth who has repeatedly filed for bankruptcy protection. It’s a cheap publicity stunt and our wonderful media continues to give it coverage..
Posted by: Luke | January 30, 2012, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
haha GOP can’t find one good man. all they can find are crooked lying hucksters…go figure. so this is the big change the Mayan calendar was talking about. the wealthy will be seen for how they ‘flim-flammed’ the world, while the meek will inherit the world. interesting, so it all fits. change is good, thanks Obama , the calm one in the middle of the storm. The one that will get us to the other side. Away from this corrupt , lying , stealing, power grabbing, times that we have come to endure.
Posted by: MrE_mann | January 30, 2012, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
donald , it’s little different than how you run your business(es), you can’t just file bankruptcy when you run it to the ground. that was tried in 2008/2009, won’t happen again, get out here you little mongrel. & please , get a big boys haircut. That might help.
Posted by: MrE_mann | January 30, 2012, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Hey Donald
Just stay home ……. politics is too big for you
Posted by: ghent1944 | January 30, 2012, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
Enough already. Go back to the freak show at the circus!
Posted by: Sanford | January 30, 2012, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
The deficit of viable candidates lures out wealthy opportunists who believe they might be able to take advantage of the situation. Carpetbaggers meet teabaggers you will make for a great third party.
Posted by: sameagain | January 30, 2012, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Run, Baby, run. I’ll send you $5. It’ll mean sure defeat to the GOP (like they need help losing!)
Posted by: bob in texas | January 30, 2012, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm
Don’t you just love this comment ““I hope I don’t have to, but I may absolutely.””…what an egotistical of a man he is..
Posted by: Tan Huynh | January 30, 2012, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
“Celebrity Apprentice” premiere total coincidence, not likely. There should be a law to prevent charlatans like Trump making a mockery of our presidential election.
Posted by: Wayne | January 30, 2012, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
Well, that would certainly guarantee Obama four more years….
Posted by: Working_Class | January 30, 2012, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
Wow. If Donald runs, then all the viewers of The Apprentice as well as Survivor, Real Housewives of _______ (name your city) will be drained away from Newt/Mitt. Can the electoral process stand the brain drain?
How in the world can his entering the race help the American people?
Posted by: njbj | January 30, 2012, 6:29 pm 6:29 pm
If Trump is as smart as he says he is then he knows that any votes he gets would come from Republican and independent ranks, which would guarantee Obama a victory in November.
This tells me that he is either an Obama fan, an idiot or both.
Posted by: DVDCA | January 30, 2012, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
Donald, the Big Boss in the center ring with the clown hair, peddling the miniature tricycle has warned apprentice clowns that it’s time to get serious or face “YOU’RE FIRED”
Posted by: PJ Hurley | January 30, 2012, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
I think a Donald Trump and Ron Paul ticket would do very well.
Posted by: Ann S | January 30, 2012, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
Yes Donald Run! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!!
Posted by: Brave Brick | January 30, 2012, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
Trump has about as much chance of becoming president as Newt Gingrich does. Ain’t gonna happen.
Posted by: George | January 30, 2012, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
RUN DONALD RUN!!
Posted by: lexingtonlady | January 30, 2012, 7:48 pm 7:48 pm
spread the wealthy vote and Obama is a shoe in that’s the best thing that can happen for the middle class.
Posted by: Kent | January 30, 2012, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
will the entertainment never end???
Posted by: justsane | January 30, 2012, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm
I really resent this orange megalomaniac using our election process as his personal publicity machine.
Posted by: Coffeeocity | January 30, 2012, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
Sorry, but if Mitt gets the nomination, there is no way I would vote for Trump. If Newt gets it, all bets are on for a third party bid. Gingrich doesn’t have what it takes to lead America. He’s worse than Obama. Do we really want the Occupier in Chief running as the family values candidate?
Posted by: Jed | January 30, 2012, 8:49 pm 8:49 pm
Looking at the picture of Donald, I wish someone would tell him to
lighten up on the Lancome makeup. LOL!!!
Posted by: michael | January 30, 2012, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm
Um … he needs to spend a few bucks and get a new makeup artist. I think the one he has applied that orange makeup while the Donald was wearing glasses or something and she forgot to fill in the circles of more natural looking white skin around his eyes.
Donald, the Trumpet is always blowing his own horn. Most of us are tired of the racket.
Posted by: Joyce | January 30, 2012, 9:31 pm 9:31 pm
If he runs he’ll split the vote like Perot did in the 90′s and the result: Four more years of O’bummer…
Posted by: Rick | January 30, 2012, 9:58 pm 9:58 pm
Another fauxNews clown in the race, circus is becoming fun.
Posted by: Neil | January 30, 2012, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
Please, please run, Mr. Trump. Our country needs you. You have business experience, and an American birth certifcate. That’s what conservatives say is important. So you could surely get some votes ( Lots, I hope ). The people who love to throw insults, negative labels and juvenile name-calling at Obama have proven themselves to be void of any real intelligence. So, pay them no mind. Without Rush and Hannity literaly putting words in their mouths, they don’t know what to think or say about anything. Their mouths are still hanging open in disbelief at Obama’s election in 2008. They had been raised to believe that there’s no such thing as a scholarly, attractive, articulate and wholesome black man worthy of high political office. Obama rocked their world and exposed the racism within themselves that had been unspoken for years. Now, they can’t say enough nasty things about the POTUS to satisfy themselves. They need you, Mr. Trump to zip past the inferior GOP field of clowns and show ‘em how to beat Obama like he stole something. If you hurry, maybe you can enter the primaries in Maine and New Hampshire. Hell, we’ll even invent a new primary just so you can play catchup. PS-Would you consider Herman Cain as your running mate? That’s what I’d call a DREAM TICKET ! ! Trump 2012 !
Posted by: Cloteasboy | January 30, 2012, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
Just the man we needed: the Donald Chump with his loud mouth. Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are busy cursing out each other’s mama in the debates. We certainly need the Donald to help spice up things. The GOP carnival is definitely entertaining
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 30, 2012, 11:41 pm 11:41 pm
_”PS-Would you consider Herman Cain as your running mate? That’s what I’d call a DREAM TICKET ! ! Trump 2012 !”
POSTED BY: CLOTEASBOY | JANUARY 30, 2012, 11:05 PM 11:05 PM___________No! The Godfather is back to delivering pizza.
Posted by: NoFlyZone2 | January 30, 2012, 11:46 pm 11:46 pm
Yep…He might get 4 or 5 votes.
Posted by: mrgmorgan56 | January 31, 2012, 12:03 am 12:03 am
Please don’t bother. Donald Trump is old news and we don’t need abcnews.com forcing him down our throat, lest we retch.
Posted by: ao | January 31, 2012, 6:21 am 6:21 am
This guy is a self important jerk, he couldn’t get elected dog catcher.
Posted by: hkdakota | January 31, 2012, 6:55 am 6:55 am
It is not hard to understand why the GOP establishment is so nervous and why some of its senior members are looking for alternatives to the pathetic bunch that is running for the GOP nomination, but Donald Trump could not win an election to run Disney (no offense to the little rodent) let alone sit in the Oval Office for other than drinking Kool Aid with a friendly President.
Posted by: DominickSr | January 31, 2012, 7:34 am 7:34 am
Trump knows none of these republican candidates can win the presidential election. He can’t either, but he wants to be the guy that says “I told you so”
As a democrat I would love to see him get in the race. If the republicans are gullible enough to vote for men like Mitt and Newt, many of them would vote for him, if he knocks the President every ten seconds.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 31, 2012, 10:09 am 10:09 am
TERRIBLE IDEA.
Posted by: smirky | January 31, 2012, 10:17 am 10:17 am
Please, if there is a god in heaven, let the Donald run! We NEED him to run, for the comedic value alone. Please. Run Donald Run!!!
Posted by: A Cynic | January 31, 2012, 10:28 am 10:28 am
This is preposterous. Why does ABC print this? The Donald will be President right after the “Cookie Monster”. And the “Monster” admits he’s a hand puppet. The Donald isn’t that honest.
Posted by: BcdErick | January 31, 2012, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
Four years ago, Trump was an Obama supporter and predicted he would make a great president; now he says Obama is a mortal danger to the country and talks of running third party, which would greatly aid the chances of Obama being re-elected. I do not believe a word this man says.
Posted by: Emerson | February 1, 2012, 10:45 am 10:45 am
It figures, this blowhard will probably do something to split the vote so we can have another four years of Obama. He’ll do anything to inflate his own ego, including handing the election over to the great pretender.
No matter how much we dislike the Republican candidate, it’s the only chance we have to take back our country, so lets not blow it by splitting the vote.
Posted by: Jerry | February 1, 2012, 10:56 am 10:56 am
That would be awwwwwesome! I really hope Trump runs.
Posted by: Mike | February 1, 2012, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Everything Trump has said about 0bama since he became “critical” is just blather intended to portray him as an opponent.
He is completely in league with the oligarchs who own 0bama.
0bama’s greatest enemy is a healthy middle class.
Posted by: Jen Gelman | February 1, 2012, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
Trump = Perot
If he runs as an independent, it will ensure a Fascist Obama victory!
Posted by: CommieKiller | February 2, 2012, 9:15 pm 9:15 pm
Trump is the only viable boundary to another Obama victory. The Republican Party is stifled with poor management and scattered goals. Its painful to watch them flounder around in total confusion and exhibit no fire in the belly. If Trump dos’nt run this grand experiment called the USA is over!!!!
Posted by: CHRISTOPHER | February 13, 2012, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm