(7:05 am: I am in Donald Trump's office in Trump Tower, seated in a chair against the back wall)
Trump:
"Rhonda, I finished up my reading and let me ask something. Do you read Karl Rove's column?"
Graff:
"Mr. Trump, I did read it. It's in Thursday's Wall Street Journal, on the right hand inside opinion page."
Trump:
"And what do you think of it?"
Graff:
"I see it as a humor column. I laughed in the summer when he made fun of us. Then I laughed when he dismissed us. And I laughed when he wrote that we couldn't win. And it was funny when we said we won't hold up.
And now I laugh when he says what we need to do to win the general. He does not have a clue."
Trump: (to Manafort)
"Paul, now do you see what I mean when i say I've got a great staff?"
Manafort:
"Donald, she nailed it."
Trump:
"OK, Rhonda, please cut his column out of the newspaper and throw it away. If I see it, I won't have to respond to it. And I won't waste my time."
Manafort:
"Donald, he just wrote a book about the 1896 election. Perhaps he's mixed up."
Trump: (laughing)
"That's it. He's confused and thinks it's 1896."
"I'm telling you, everyone want's to tell me what to do, how to win."
"Paul Ryan is a good guy and means well. He may have great ideas, but, hell, he just passed a bad budget. And I can't see a thing he's done as Speaker. If I've learned anything from 10 million voters, it is that they want action, not ideas."
Manafort:
"We're not changing a thing. And Ryan worries me because he lost the last election."
Trump:
"Paul, I like our idea of televising our meetings from the oval office. I like it more and more.
And when Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell starts talking ideas and won't take my program
for a vote in the Senate or House, here's what I'll do."
"Mr. Speaker, please turn and look into the camera and tell the American people that you won't put
our program up for a vote. And then I'll look into the camera and tell them why you're wrong."
"Paul, the system is broken. I loved the 60 minutes story about Congressman spending 5 hours
a day in a call center calling donors."
Manafort:
"And the chart showing the dollar amount for each person."
Trump:
"And Paul Ryan is concerned about conservatism - and his people spend more time in a call center than they do in the House."
"No, the donors are out, the lobbyists are out. It's a new day."
"And let's make a highlight show each day. Show it at 9:00 eastern. And let the American
people see that I'm doing what I said i would do, and let them see their elected officials
either getting on board or getting in the way."
"Paul, I can't wait."
Trump:
"Rhonda, I finished up my reading and let me ask something. Do you read Karl Rove's column?"
Graff:
"Mr. Trump, I did read it. It's in Thursday's Wall Street Journal, on the right hand inside opinion page."
Trump:
"And what do you think of it?"
Graff:
"I see it as a humor column. I laughed in the summer when he made fun of us. Then I laughed when he dismissed us. And I laughed when he wrote that we couldn't win. And it was funny when we said we won't hold up.
And now I laugh when he says what we need to do to win the general. He does not have a clue."
Trump: (to Manafort)
"Paul, now do you see what I mean when i say I've got a great staff?"
Manafort:
"Donald, she nailed it."
Trump:
"OK, Rhonda, please cut his column out of the newspaper and throw it away. If I see it, I won't have to respond to it. And I won't waste my time."
Manafort:
"Donald, he just wrote a book about the 1896 election. Perhaps he's mixed up."
Trump: (laughing)
"That's it. He's confused and thinks it's 1896."
"I'm telling you, everyone want's to tell me what to do, how to win."
"Paul Ryan is a good guy and means well. He may have great ideas, but, hell, he just passed a bad budget. And I can't see a thing he's done as Speaker. If I've learned anything from 10 million voters, it is that they want action, not ideas."
Manafort:
"We're not changing a thing. And Ryan worries me because he lost the last election."
Trump:
"Paul, I like our idea of televising our meetings from the oval office. I like it more and more.
And when Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell starts talking ideas and won't take my program
for a vote in the Senate or House, here's what I'll do."
"Mr. Speaker, please turn and look into the camera and tell the American people that you won't put
our program up for a vote. And then I'll look into the camera and tell them why you're wrong."
"Paul, the system is broken. I loved the 60 minutes story about Congressman spending 5 hours
a day in a call center calling donors."
Manafort:
"And the chart showing the dollar amount for each person."
Trump:
"And Paul Ryan is concerned about conservatism - and his people spend more time in a call center than they do in the House."
"No, the donors are out, the lobbyists are out. It's a new day."
"And let's make a highlight show each day. Show it at 9:00 eastern. And let the American
people see that I'm doing what I said i would do, and let them see their elected officials
either getting on board or getting in the way."
"Paul, I can't wait."
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