(CNN) – The now-infamous 'self-deportation' policy proposal from Mitt Romney was "crazy" and "maniacal," real estate magnate Donald Trump said in an interview published online Tuesday.
The former Romney backer said the suggestion, made during a GOP primary debate in January, made it seem like the Republican Party was hostile and anti-immigrant.
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"He had a crazy policy of self deportation which was maniacal," Trump said in the interview with the conservative website NewsMax. "It sounded as bad as it was, and he lost all of the Latino vote."
Romney's suggestion involved making economic conditions so difficult for undocumented workers that they choose to leave the country to find better opportunities. That stance was derided both by Democrats and his Republican rivals.
The 2012 GOP nominee often sought to balance his positions in ways that appealed both to Hispanic voters and the base of the Republican Party. In December, he vowed to veto the DREAM Act if he became president, saying instead he would support a path to residency – not citizenship – for undocumented immigrants who served in the military, but not other DREAM Act proposals.
Later, Romney gave a more detailed version of his stance, telling supporters at a fund-raiser in Florida that Republicans needed to offer their own version of the DREAM Act.
In the November 6 election, 27% of Latinos cast ballots for Romney, compared to 31% who voted for Sen. John McCain in 2008 and 44% who supported George W. Bush in 2004, according to exit polls. Seventy-one percent of Latinos voted for President Barack Obama in 2012.
In the interview Tuesday, Trump said Obama and Democrats were still without a clear immigration policy, but had adopted a friendlier tone in discussing immigration issues.
"The Democrats didn't have a policy for dealing with illegal immigrants, but what they did have going for them is they weren't mean-spirited about it," Trump said. "They didn't know what the policy was, but what they were is they were kind."
He also said Republicans had yet to develop clear proposals that "take care of this incredible problem that we have with respect to immigration, with respect to people wanting to be wonderful productive citizens of this country."
The real estate developer and reality television show host was a leading voice of the "birther" movement during the campaign, which questions Obama's birthplace and his eligibility to be president. After the election was called for Obama, he urged his sizable Twitter following to "march on Washington and stop this travesty."
"Fight like hell and stop this great and disgusting injustice," he also wrote, claiming the country was now in "serious and unprecedented trouble...like never before." Trump has since deleted the revolution missive.
Trump himself was slated to moderate a GOP presidential primary debate with NewsMax in December, but pulled out after only two candidates – former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum – agreed to participate. He flirted with a run for the White House, vowing to put pressure on Obama to release his birth certificate, but said in May he was going to eschew a run to remain a businessman.
From CNN Politics
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Et eu Brute? Gotta love Romney supporters faithful right up until he lost.....
Seems like during the campaign all of Romney's top surrogates were in complete agreement with what he was doing. Now they all have a spin on what could have been done diffently. Almost like there's a do over. Sorry no do overs and your canidate lost get over it...
Sick of Romney. Sick of Trump. Sick of Santorum. Hey, GOPers. Isn't there anybody in your party worth half a mention without becoming a national laughingstock?
McCain. Palin. Romney. Ryan. Trump. Limbaugh. Norquist. O'Reilly. Ingram. Coulter. Cain. West. Bachmann. (The list goes on and on.)
They all get media coverage, yes. But surely all these GOPerville "winners" representing this new FOX News empowered GOP aren't all that is left within the Grand Old Party . . . or are they?
I bet these GOP guys and this Donald Duck are drunk. When Briton did tight regulations on immigration–it hurt, so they realized and opened gates for immigrants with stringent measures.
yeah and just a few short weeks ago the donald was touting romney as the next coming of jesus
"made it seem like the Republican Party was hostile and anti-immigrant."
-–
First, if I never see the rug-man or Rob-money again, it'll be way too soon.
Secondly, as numerous people have painstakingly pointed out, hostility to immigrants is a solid plank in the Repugnant platform. It is not just something that "seemed to be".
I wish Donald Trump would self-deport or at least shut up
"The Democrats didn't have a policy for dealing with illegal immigrants, but what they did have going for them is they weren't mean-spirited about it,"
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Oh Donald, what do you consider your "Birther" talk? All your birther talk has ruined your brand. The Apprentice ratings are going to be so bad if it gets renewed for another season. You're this close from having Macy's drop you.
He had a crazy policy of self deportation which was maniacal," Trump said
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As maniacal as you keeping the home fires stoked and burning for the Birthers.
The Dump dumping on Romney would be funny if his opinion was worth anything these days, which it isn't.
Forward.
Does any warm hearted people really care about TRUMP AND HIS OBSESSION WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA. He was all up in Romney's face and Romney was eating him up. I'm glad Gov. Romney did not win, Trump and some others behind the scene would have been jerking his strings. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Out of the abundance of heart, the mouth speaks. Pray for this nation, those who can get a prayer through to God.
thanks Mr Combover for that tidbit of "wisdom." No go away and do the real estate thing. Leave politics to the adults
That's rich...Trump calling Romney crazy and maniacal.
Trump = Patheic !!!
Romney is back to being the politcal pariah that he has always been. The only reason he was catapulted into being the Great White Hope of the GOP is because he was the easy sell-out to the Koch brothers et al, doing their bidding without letting his conscience and common sense get in the way.
Nobody is consulting him about anything. Most are taking cheap shots at him and insulting his intelligence. Friends and foes are hard to distinguish in this race to displace he who just a couple of short weeks ago would've been King.
Si la vi.
Forward America.
Don't you just love the way how so many people are coming out and comdemning Mitt Romney's words and ideas when they so whole heartedly behind them for months on end prior to the election? They must think that voters are stupid. On second thought, they're trying to impress right wing voters, and so maybe conservative voters respect politicians who throw candidates under the bus when they lose.
They will self-deport anyway when they can't find a job and get fined for not having health care. That's the irony of who they voted for. Wrong party – destructive policies.
Oh, the audacity! Trump was once a supporter of Romulus to further his own "political" agenda, and now he wants to toss him under a bus. What a weird and abusive dude. Not a good friend at all. This past election has continuously highlighted the term "fair-weather friend".
Donald the Trump has proved me wrong. I never put him in the list of "cowards". Today he is in. I can imagine what Romney is saying now: "friends like these"!
Fake hair + fake smile = Donald Trump. The most desperate seeker of attention in the USA
The good news keeps pouring in. the more we hear from Republican 'spokesmen' like Norquist, Trump, Gingrich, Limbaugh, etc. the more likely it becomes that the GOP will lose even more voters, and hopefully, some more seats in the house. keep it up Donald, you are doing a great job for your party!
Trump is irrelevant, Romney is irrelevant. The GOPs failed policies lost. move on.
freedom: They will self-deport anyway when they can't find a job and get fined for not having health care. That's the irony of who they voted for. Wrong party – destructive policies.
Haha. Tells us about the low IQ of the Republicans. Illegal immigrants do not vote dumbo.
Who the hell is Trump? Where did the Republican Party find him? Well, as long as the Republicans keep Trump and Dick Morris around, it will be great for the Democrats!! Does America feel now how much sense did Ron Paul make?
Trump should stay away from the political scene. Now the Don can call himself a flip – flopper ........like Mittens.
He is good at making his businesses go bankrupt, so he can save billions.......like Mittens.
Trump should fade away slowly into obscurity to avoid further embarassment.