VIDEO CNN anchor calls out Donald Trump: “What’s traditional about being married three times?”

 

Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign for president has gotten off to something of a stilted start. His announcement drew widespread criticism for its perceived arrogance and lack of policy substance. And he generalized on the topic of immigration to the point that Trump more or less called all immigrants from Mexico murderers and rapists–a move that prompted Univision to sever all ties with the Trump-owned Miss America pageant.

Now, Donald Trump is drawing criticism for a third topic: his inconsistency with regard to gay marriage. CNN sat with Trump for an interview that aired yesterday; during the interview, an anchor asked Trump about his stance on the topic, in light of the Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage in all 50 states this past Friday.

Here’s the video of the exchange:

 

 

“I’m [for] traditional marriage, you know, it is changing rapidly,” Trump began.

“But,” the anchor asked, “what do you say to a lesbian who’s married or a gay man who’s married who says, ‘Donald Trump, what’s traditional about being married three times?'”

Trump floundered, trying to praise all of his wives and explain that his divorces had more to do with how many hours in the day he spends working:

 

Well, they have a very good point, but….You know, I’ve been a very hard-working person, I’ve had–actually, I have a great marriage; I have a great wife now, and I, the, though, the two wives were very good. And I don’t blame them. But I was, I was working…maybe like you…twenty-two hours a day–

 

At that point, the interviewer cut in, saying, “I’m not asking you to explain your divorces.”

“I’m just saying,” Trump then said, “I blame myself, because my business was so powerful. For me. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

When the interviewer repeated his initial question, Trump’s response was blunt: “I really don’t say anything. I’m for traditional marriage.”

Donald Trump’s first marriage, to Ivana Zelníčková, lasted from 1977 to 1992. He was married to Marla Maples from 1993 until 1999. Trump married his current wife, Melania Knauss, in 2005.

Donald Trump is currently in either second or third place in New Hampshire primary polling, depending on who you ask.

 

(Photo credits: WENN)