Donald Trump made headlines Saturday for some seriously inflammatory comments he made while visiting a conservative forum in Ames, Iowa. In case you missed it, here’s a sampling of what the GOP presidential candidate had to say.
1. “He’s not a war hero.”
Referring to GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, this is the quote that set off a firestorm of Republican backlash. That’s because McCain is a former POW whose military service is widely considered an untouchable attribute.
This was Trump’s almost-immediate follow-up to the previous statement. It only served to dig him deeper into the same hole.
3. “I didn’t say that, I didn’t say that. No.”
During a press conference following Trump’s on-stage appearance, msnbc’s Benjy Sarlin quoted Trump’s own words — “He’s not a war hero” — back to him. Rather than trying to clarify or say he misspoke, Trump simply stated that the quote is incorrect and that’s not what he said.
4. “The people I relate to most is the middle class.”
Later in that same press conference, when the talk turned to jobs and the economy, the self-proclaimed billionaire said the Americans he relates to most are the middle class. When a reporter asked how that could be so, Trump failed to answer the question and only stated he would help bring back the middle class.
5. “When we go in church and I drink the little wine, which is about the only wine I drink, and I eat the little cracker.”
While on stage, Trump discussed religion and marriage. He was asked about seeking forgiveness from God, and made this rather inartful remark about taking communion.
Nick Ramsey
Nick Ramsey is a senior producer with MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.”