Trump: Ready for Iowa Hand-Shaking
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So much for skipping the hand-shaking — Donald Trump says he'll compete in Iowa if he launches a presidential bid this year.
Trump made the comments in an interview with the Des Moines Register, in which he also addressed head-on his three marriages — like Newt Gingrich, the story noted — and attributed his divorces to his hard work.
“I will meet many, many people — maybe all of the people” in Iowa, Trump told the Register.
“If I decide to run, I will be shaking hands with everybody,” added Trump, a well-known germaphobe.
The paper also reported that "a top Trump associate affiliated with a campaign to draft him to run" said he himself plans to visit Iowa Monday to talk to Republican activists about 2012, a reference to lawyer Michael Cohen, who works for the developer's organization.
As for his positions on social issues — which tend to dominate in the GOP caucuses in the state - Trump said, "I think I’m good.”
His divorces have the potential to rankle social conservatives, but The Donald said, "One of the reasons I was divorced is because I worked very hard,” he said. “And, you know, that’s a good reason. But I worked very, very hard building up a great company. And it’s a great company.”
He was asked about same-sex marriages, and said he's against them, and then initially said he didn't have a "fully formed" opinion on whether gay couples should get the same benefits as married couples.
The Register reported, "Given a second to think, Trump said on marriage and civil benefits, "As of this moment, I would say no and no.'"
