Donald Trump Plays Down Expectations, Says 'I'm Not a Debater'
— -- Republican presidential contender Donald Trump played down expectations for the first GOP debate slated for Thursday, saying “I’m not a debater” and he would not be "throwing punches" against his opponents on the stage.
“These politicians, I always say, are all talk no action. They debate all the time," Trump told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl on “This Week” Sunday. “I don’t debate, I build. I've created tremendous jobs, I've created a great company.”
“Maybe my whole life is a debate in a way, but the fact is I’m not a debater, and they are,” Trump added. “With that being said, I look forward to it, we’ll see what happens.”
The current 2016 GOP frontrunner went on to say that he doesn't anticipate attacking his opponents on the stage, saying that every attack he's made on the campaign trail has been a counterattack.
"I don't think I'm going to be throwing punches," he said. "I'm not looking to attack."
But while on the campaign trail, the real estate has not shied away from attacking his opponents, who have criticized him for his harsh tone. But Trump said a “strong tone” was needed.
“The tone has to be tougher. If we're going to stop ISIS, if we're going to clean up the border and stop what's happening at the border which is a disaster,” he said.
Trump said that projection of strength would carry into his policies if he was president, defending the use of enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding.
“I have no doubt that that works. I have absolutely no doubt,” Trump said. “When you see the other side chopping off heads, waterboarding doesn't sound very severe.”
Trump is currently in first place in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. A Quinnipiac poll out this week shows Trump with 20 percent support. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker follows with 13 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has 10 percent.
