(CNN) – Business mogul Donald Trump will be recognized as the 2012 Statesman of the Year by the Sarasota, Florida, Republican Party the day before the Republican National Convention opens in Tampa next month.
Tickets for the August 26 dinner go as high as $1,000 per person, which include a private meet-and-greet with Trump, according to an invitation flyer for the event.
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Trump has endorsed the presidential run of presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, though Trump's repeated questioning of President Barack Obama's birthplace and birth certificate have overshadowed events where they have appeared together.
Trump initially flirted with his own run for the presidency, but dropped out of the field in the spring.
He has appeared this year at state-level Republican Party events, such as a fundraiser for the North Carolina GOP last month, where he stood by his so-called "birther" comments and said waging war with Iran may be "good politics" for the incumbent.
Rep. Vern Buchanan, who is the subject of four federal and Congressional investigations into his business practices, has donated at least $15,000 in conjunction with the event, according to the August invitation. Buchanan is the head of fundraising for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which works to elect Republicans to Congress.
- CNN's Steve Brusk and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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I'm sure he bought this recognition. These big boys do this kind of stuff all the time – they promise to fund a dinner or other get-together and the locals bestow an "honor". Means nothing EXCEPT what a low threshold the Republicans have for the word "statesman".
They are also honoring Bart Simpson as "Student of the Year," and Charlie Sheen as "Role Model of the Year."
Sarasota GOP: Why are you kissing this guy's backside. There has to be more to this very funny story. He is no statesman or you are too old to remember the meaning of the word.
Can't do anything but help Obama in Florida. Fundraising is vital, naming Trump a "statesman" is beyond idiotic. Too late to name Jane Fonda Ambassador to South Vietnam?
states·man /ˈstātsmən/
Noun: A skilled, experienced, and respected political leader or figure.
You know, Americans like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Jay, James Madison, James Monroe, Daniel Webster, etc.
This is so funny. Republicans don't know the definition of statesman any better than they know economics, foreign affairs, tax policy, etc.
I suppose that now they will name Mitt Romney as the "Conservative of the Year". Oh wait a minute – they already have.
Hahahahahahaha, the level Republicans will stoop to in order to get campaign cash is astounding. Hahahahahahahahahahah
C'mon, Donald!
Pair up with Romney as a running mate so we can finally be sure the presential election is over and he has lost.
WTG Republican party, promote up, yet again another Republican that most of your base likely finds embarrassing. When you wonder where your voters are, or why turn out in the local communities are down.... here's your answer.
I watched a lot of young adults in my community ask our local Republican leaders... what does the party stand for, and are their leaders role models of that... and in reply they got no ones is going to be ideal, but we need to get 'them' out... yada. When I was a kid the kind of shut down, don't have an open dialogue or debate this answer, would have been scoffed even for those that were *not* taking a leadership role. The party wanted their youth educated and active. Well the youth got active... without your help, and they likely won't be sticking around giving what you've been serving up.
The Republican party isn't bringing much to the table these days, IMO.
Statesman? Hmmph, what he is is a pretentious dramatic hateful man. It is embarrassing that an organization named him a statesman. But then of course, republicans are a source of embarrassment as well.
Incredible! This is the GOP at its finest.
there's nothing honorable about donald trump. and anyone like the donald who persists in spreading lies and long ago disproven stories has earned scorn. not honor. and this is what the gop has become. honoring someone who seems to have trouble telling the truth. sad
Statesman? What the hell has this man EVER done for his country?
Who says the GOP has no sense of humor.
What a joke !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Florida Republicans. Screwing Al Gore out of the presidency started a slide into ideological nether nether land. What is surprising and disheartening is that so many Floridians buy into it.
I would choose Stan Ross over this guy. Just "Google" it and learn the facts
Not that it had any before this but the Sarasota, Florida Republican Party has now lost all credibility.
Well, this doesn't say much about the Republicans!
The GOP much really be getting hard up. This man Is another Nut case.
Trump ....... hopeing for a war with IRAN , As long as his children dont have to go its all politics as usual for him ,
And Romney is humming the same tune with him .
In other news, Sarah Palin wins the Nobel Prize for Literature.
This may possibly be the dumbest nomination of the last 100 years. It even makes the nomination of RMoney by the GOP for this year's Presidential race seem wise!
Trump / Romney ........ The Rich , The Powerful , When i grow up i want to be just like them .
Such roll models for Democracy .
Straight out of the Onion, only in florida...
This is almost as embarrassing for the republican party as having Romney as the presidential nominee. My how the mighty have fallen. As bad as Obama has been for our country, the Republicans pretty much had this election handed to them and they just threw it away. It's really a shame.