Donald Trump's bluster did not impress moderates at a bipartisan conference
In a mismatch of epic proportions, the bipartisan No Labels conference dedicated to reasoned problem-solving invited Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump to speak Monday in front of signs that read "stop fighting, start fixing." The result was about as uncomfortable as you might expect.
Most of the presidential candidates who spoke emphasized their willingness to compromise to get work done, but Trump, famous for firing people on national television, opted for a more combative approach, Politico reports. Some questions from the audience were less than forgiving:
"In the spirit of problem-solving, I'm wondering if you're at all concerned that some of your divisive language you use on the campaign trail undermines your ability to solve problems," one attendee asked, garnering applause.
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Trump's response? "I went to Ivy League schools, I know what's divisive, I know what's not divisive. I don't want to be politically correct all the way down the line."
Another attendee prefaced her question with "I don't think you're a friend to women." Trump then interjected, but she got her full question in after the crowd shut him down.
For what it's worth, Trump did technically say it's important to compromise, "but it's always good to compromise and win."
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.