'Older,' 'Wiser,' 'Richer' Donald Trump Would Be Better President Than Hillary Clinton, Bill Kristol Says
The conservative magazine editor also discussed the Iran nuclear deal.
— -- Real estate mogul Donald Trump would make a better president than Hillary Clinton, Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, told ABC News.
Kristol, who joins the "This Week" roundtable Sunday and is also an ABC News contributor, shared his thoughts on the 2016 race for president, the Iran nuclear deal struck this week and more over email.
1. Is Donald Trump helping or hurting the Republican Party? Also, what are Trump’s chances for capturing the Republican nomination for president?
Kristol: Trump's chances of being the GOP nominee are small but not nonexistent. And he's not hurting the GOP, and is probably helping by broadening the tent. Incidentally, if you look at match-ups of the various GOP possibilities with Hillary Clinton, they're doing no worse today than before Trump emerged. So what evidence is there -- as opposed to knee-jerk conventional wisdom -- that he's hurting the GOP?
2. Would Donald Trump make a better president than Hillary Clinton?
Kristol: Yes. After all, he's older, wiser, and richer!
3. You called the nuclear deal struck with Iran this week “a deal worse than even we imagined possible.” So, what would have been your alternate plan? Do you see this development changing Israel’s view on a potential military strike?
Kristol: The alternative would be to keep the sanctions in place (or perhaps ratchet them up), increase diplomatic and political pressure on the regime, keep on sabotaging the nuclear program, etc.
4. Looking outside those who are openly seeking the White House, who do you think will be closely looked at for the VP spot on the eventual Republican ticket for president?
Kristol: GOP VP's: Rubio (if not the nominee), Martinez, Ayotte, Kasich, Cotton.
5. How do you see the issue of gay marriage playing in this election? Should GOP candidates focus on it?
Kristol: Probably not a big issue, and probably not one GOP candidates will focus on. The Supreme Court and the Constitution ("judicial supremacy") could be a big issue, though.