Trump Stumps Aboard USS Iowa In San Pedro On Eve Of Second GOP Presidential Debate
SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump brought his tough-talking campaign to Southern California on Tuesday.
Speaking to a large crowd aboard the retired battleship USS Iowa in San Pedro on Tuesday afternoon, the front-runner in the race to the White House said illegal immigrants are treated much better than U.S. veterans.
Trump vowed to fix the Veterans Affairs hospitals. He said if that doesn't work, veterans should be able to go to any public or private hospital to get health care, and the government would pay the bills. He said: "We're going to take care of our veterans."
For much of his 15-minute address, the real-estate mogul spoke about immigration and other issues that have become part of his stump speeches.
"The silent majority, believe me, is back. I don't think we have to call it the silence majority anymore because they're not silent. They're disgusted with our incompetent politicians. They're disgusted with the people who are giving our country away," he said.
"They're disgusted when a woman, who is nine months pregnant, walks across the border, has a baby. And you have to take care of that baby for the next 85 years," Trump said.
Supporter Mary Boston said: "What gets my attention with him is that he speaks honestly. He's saying what I think."
Retired Lt. Col. Joe Mancuso is a Vietnam veteran with three purple hearts. He believes Trump is just what this country needs..
"I love the guy. We need to get him in there. No bull. No nonsense. He understands the principles of war," said Mancuso. "He knows how to organize. He knows how to fight. And he knows how to win. And that's what we've got to do."
The front-runner also called for rebuilding the military but gave no specifics about his plan. "We're going to be building up our military. We're going to make our military so big and so strong, and so great. And it will be so powerful that I don't think we're ever going to have to use it. Nobody is going to mess with us," Trump said.
But he failed to talk about how his proposed expansion of the armed forces and subsidized veteran's health care will be paid for.
Trump also offered no specifics on national security or foreign policy. But the presidential hopeful did mention the wall on the Mexico border again. "There's tremendous crime. There's tremendous drugs pouring across the border," he said. "We're going to build a wall." He said he will make Mexico pay for it.
A few hundred protesters gathered across the street from the event to express their disapproval of him.
"I am a teacher. I am a person who really cares about the future of our nation. And I see Trump as a threat," said Vivian Price. "He's a hateful person who tries to make people laugh at hatefulness."
Trump's speech came on the eve of the second GOP presidential debate that will take place Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
