If not by funny can weigh in on social media. Istter http twitter. Com cspanwj. It also send us a email at journal cspan. Org. If you have not seen or read the republican pledge, please look at it. It is a very brief document from the rnc. It says i come in so and so, a firm that if they do not win the nomination, i will endorse the republican nominee regardless of who it is. I further pledge that i will not seek to run as an independent, write in candidate, nor will i seek or accept the nomination for president of any other party. That is it. Donald trump cited in new york. During the 1 00 hour yesterday. He was at a meeting with the head of the rnc. He came out it to a clock, donald trump did, he spoke to reporters. This is what he said. [video clip] justrump the chairman left, as you probably know. He has been extremely fair. The rnc has been extremely last twofor the months. I wanted fairness. I do not have to be treated any differently than anybody else. I just wanted fairness from the Republican Party. We are leading in every single poll. A new poll came out today that we are over 30 . We have hit numbers as high as 35 and 40 . I felt like the absolute best and to be the democrats, and very easily, i think, be to the democrats, no matter who it is, whether it is hillary are anybody else and i think that maybe hillary will have a very hard time, frankly, with what is happening, getting to the starting rate. The best way for the republicans to win is if i win the nomination and go directly against whoever they happen to put up. For that reason, i have signed the pledge. [applause] so, i will be totally pledging my allegiance to the Republican Party and the conservative principles for which it stands. We will go out, and we will fight hard, and we will win. We will win. Most importantly, we will make our country great again. That is what it is all about. What is being wind about all of this, this morning . The Washington Post headline bow that trumps loyalty ins the gop problem, but brings others. The bustling scene attended by a crowd of reporters and tv cameras was more political theater than the marking of a formal pact. Trump is under no legal obligation to abide by the political document. Him closer tokes a party where rank and file activists have throughout the summer, and his leadership has been met with alarm, especially the prospect of an outside bid that could siphon away those republicanentual standardbearer. By bringing trump deeper into the partys tent, the republicans gained reassurance about his intentions and fallout theing closely with unpredictable and sharp tongued billionaire that has angered hispanics about his remarks about immigration. We will take this closer with jonathan easily, a reporter for the hill publication. Good morning. Thank you for joining us. More on the back story, what led up to this event yesterday . What was happening behind the scenes . What finally made mr. Trump sign the pledge . Caller will lead up to it was the donald trump refused to take the option of a thirdparty run off of the table. You probably remember the very first question at the Republican Debate in early august. The moderator asked everyone to raise their hand to take it off the table. Trump was the only one who refused to do so, he said he wanted to to the option out there as leverage. He wanted to make sure the National Party treated him properly. There was tension early on between Republican NationalCommittee Chairman and donald trump. He called trump, reportedly asking him to tone down his rhetoric about hispanics. Trump was trying to make inroads with minority voters, and the party did not think trump was helping with his rhetoric. There has been tension, there, but i think that trump has been living in misdirection for some time. His hand was forced a little bit moving in thisen direction for some time. His hand was forced a little bit. This loyalty pledge will probably be a requirement to get on the ballot. He was probably going to have to do this anyway. The National Party quietly circulated a pledge on wednesday to all of the candidates. The news got out there. The news that he would travel to new york city and try to get trump to sign. It is all happening on Donald Trumps terms. Us did not travel to see in the every other candidates. He went to new york city. There was political theater directly afterwards. Donald trump had a press conference with supporters at trump towers. Supporters in the background. Answering questions on home brady and kanye west. A spectacle that we have become used to with donald trump. Ultimately, he ended up citing it, but it is also not winding. Will be interesting to nonbinding. It will be interesting to see if donald trump continues to do well in the polls. If National Republicans decide to rally around an alternative to trump, if you will stick his word and stick to the pledge. Host it is up 30 and one of the most recent polls. We can look at that headline. What do you think of this decision to sign it . Will this decision improve the numbers, keep them stable . What is the speculation . Caller that is really hard to say. For now, and in the near term, it removes some of the drama surrounding this. It is really difficult to launch a thirdparty bid. It will be expensive. It is difficult to get on the ballots. I do not know how realistic of a prospect of ever was. If anyone could do it, it would be donald trump. He has the money to do it. There is still a question, whoever donald trump supports, hese polls so that does well across the conservative spectrum, with tea party people, people who describe themselves as very conservative, moderate, as liberals. Young people, old people, men, women. Are stillof pollsters trying to figure out who Donald Trumps supporters are. It is hard to see if they want him to run as a republican or would respond to him running as an independent. Whether this will energize them, or not matter to them whatsoever. We do not know if this will boost him in the polls, but right now, i think what it does is take some of the tension that has been out there between him and the National Party. Like you said, were he to run as an independent and successfully get on the ballot, and do all of these things, it would essentially kill republican hopes of taking the white house. That is what a lot of republicans are concerned about. They wanted to hear from him that he is committed to only running as a republican. That is what he is saying he will do. , a reporteran for the know, thank you for your insight. Lets get to your call. The first one is from wisconsin. A democratic caller. Good morning, paula. Paul. D morning, caller i cannot believe how the Republican Party is drinking the koolaid. They are at a new low supporting this celebrity blowhard. That is all he is, and arrogant billion air that wants to bully people and arrogant an arrogant billionaire that wants to bully people. Intonned investors investing him and then going into bankruptcy. I would have voted for romney in a second over this guy. I cannot believe that republicans are going to for this kook. He is a kook. He is a celebrity. Host 30 is the number in recent polls. What do you think . Shocking. Is it is like republicans, if they could collect the biggest crook in the world, they would support him. He is an overgrown bully that thinks he will bully his way into the white house. Host that is the democratic line. Lets go to lorenzo in austin, texas on the republican line. You think that donald trump should have signed the pledge . I think you should. I think he totally believes, and you will, when the gop nomination. His lead has not grown beyond the margin of error. Some things that you have to consider, it is not if not him, then who. Republicans, based on the bush. S have not liked he only has 8 of the polls right now. If you look at ben carson, his record on abortions with the Fetal Tissue Research is going to be controversial in the primary if it becomes exposed. Trump is the only one by default i can see winning the nomination. As for the previous caller, that was calling mr. Trump a crook and crony capitalist, it seems to be, considering the fact that Hillary Clinton has taken millions of millions of dollars from corrupt people to only want to control the system, who has had scandals since benghazi all the way to whitewater, shes the only first lady to ever be fingerprinted. She has such agates. The reason that people she has such baggage. The reason that people are supporting trump is he is the only person speaking against little correctness. When he does win the nomination, when it comes time, he will win the general election because people are sick and tired of the status quo of politician saying whatever they want to say just to get the right answers. Greensboro, North Carolina. Should donald trump have signed the pledge . Caller it is not make any difference if donald trump signed the pledge or not. Us liketrump played priebn a fiddle. If he does not get the nomination he would go to the third party anyway. I cannot believe that the republicans are really trying this tactic. Like i said, donald trump really played him like a fiddle. Host the first couple of calls, heres her first meet. Trump is being a realist, she writes. It is difficult running as an independent, which makes it almost impossible to win. This helps jump and the gop. To the New York Times this morning, they put it on page 816. He signed the pledge. There is a passage i wanted to point out. Why mr. Trump was asked, mr. Appearing with him at the news conference. That would have looked like an endorsement. Tourged the Party Chairman avoid it. Optics were clear. The head of the Republican Party came to Trumps Office in midtown manhattan. A tribute unlikely to be afforded to the other candidates. Chris christie called him obsessed and said that mr. Iebus did not give him the same respect for his signature. 2 ,do not have to be met at mr. Trump said. He said he liked mr. Christie. His voice rising, mr. Kim said he took pleasure in the fact that everyone that has attacked me has gone down the tubes. A little bit more of the flavor from new york. Greg is on the line for an independent color. Caller thank you, for having me this morning. I just want to make a comment. Ae republicans are using tactic directly from niccolo machiavelli. They need donald trump. You are fired, thank you. Caroline from winstonsalem, North Carolina. We are asking folks of mr. Comp should have signed the pledge. What is your perspective . Caller i think he should not have. Im a democrat. What i heard trump, i have been following him, he got on the stage and said that he would not sign. He lifted his hand and said that he was not going to sign it. Then, he came right around and signed it. I thought the gop has been dominating negativity about the democrats and president obama for years. He was different. I thought that he was going to stick with not signing. He signed it. Trump hadt the donald had negativity about other candidates, especially jeb bush. I do not care about the gop, but he planted the bad seed that he is weak. In the republicans believed it. Just like they did the koolaid about obama is weak and not a good leader. Up. Nt the democrats to wake stop being weak minded and let people planned negative seeds in. Our head and you believe it especially about hillary. Hillary would be you can see how he does people that attack him. In a war. He is the one unstable. We need to stake with hillary. She has the experience. Stop letting these gops plant negative seeds about hillary. Stop drinking the koolaid. Host thank you for your call. Rick writes on twitter that he is shocked that trump signed the deal, but it represents another deal he can win a gun he can regege on. There are staunch republicans that would have not have voted chums way if you had not signed the pledge. Reasonhat followed his for hesitation, you do not have to be concerned, because he tops the ranks by a great margin. They better see the gop making everyone who ever wants to run for president in the future sign the pledge. If they ever miss one person, trump should sue. Daniel writes the trouble make more money by setting the pledge. He needed to sign the pledge. The potential nominee should have signed it. You can leave comments at http twitter. Com cspanwj, facebook. Com cspan, or send us an email at journal cspan. Org. More reaction from the Washington Times on page 883. It says that trump signs pledge to support the republican nominee. The Senior Adviser from mitt romneys Campaign Said that it is good news is on as he does not change his mind. He said, all along it felt like trump has had a gun to the head of the republicans, basically saying, vote for me or i will kill the gop. By setting the pledge, trump his extortionist power over the party. At the end of the day, i do not think the pledge is worth much, because trump can always have a reason for backing out of it, claiming the party violated its pledge to him to be fair. They point out that for his part, mr. Come said he has no intention of changing his mind. That is a Washington Times be used. Marilyn from billy, maryland. The democratic line. Good morning. Bowie,lyn from maryland. The democratic mind. Caller host we will take more of your phone calls for the next 3035 minutes. Were looking forward to more facebook postings and tweets. We are asking if donald trump should have signed a republican loyalty pledge. We have phone numbers for democrats, republicans, and independence on the bottom of the screen. We do have a fourth line this morning just for supporters of donald trump. We look forward to more of your comments. Added Bloomberg Politics rights but donald trump just signed his political death warrant. There are a couple of Different Reasons for it. He said it is unlikely to he wanted toat accomplish. There are a number of reasons why it will hurt him. First, it shatters the independent image that is the key to trumps appeal. The idea that he is not beholden to anyone and will make a great president precisely because of this. Second, rather than quiet the attacks against him, this gives the gop license to amplify them without fear of repercussions down the road. Third, they ride by signing the pledge trump invites everyone to judge him by that standard. It is not a standard that favors him. Supports higher taxes on hedge fund managers, opposing cuts on medicare, until now his political image was of someone larger than either party that had appealing views. After today you will be easy to attack as a republican who will not get to the program. One more point at Bloomberg Politics, trump seems to not understand the dynamic of the republican primary process. The fact that he is leading in the polls while plainly gratifying to his ego does not mean much. And i trump sentiment is actually quite strong. Thank you for waiting. The democratic line, good morning. Caller i have a question. This is funny to me. Republicans, they open up this pandoras box. You know what i mean . This reminds me of what is that again . The boxstory that says in the scorpion wanted to get across the river. Get on led the scorpion top of him to get across the river. When the scorpion stung the fox, and the fox said, why did you staying me . It was because i always do that, and that is what republicans have done. Theyre going to get st inged. Dont blame anyone, it is your own fault. You open up a pandoras box and he will get stung. I like it for the simple fact you will get it. You open the box and you will get it. Host thank you for calling. Rick from florida. Is, trump isestion a real estate mogul, and i have not heard him mention anything about the millions of people who lost their homes due to the financial bubble in the real estate market. Why is that . Host why do you think that is . Caller well, i guess because the reporters have not gotten around to asking him. Host something you look for to hearing about in the future, though . Caller i hope so. Host what do you make of the pledge . The whole idea of a pledge of loyalty to the party and the fact that mr. Trump and others are signing it . Caller i believe that he is a smart man that can get things done. That is why he signed the pledge. I hope that he does become president because he could make things happen for this country, and make things good for this country. Host john from pennsylvania. Caller good morning. I am a registered republican, but i do vote independently. I will be voting in the republican primary. , i would hope never to have to vote for bush o clinton, but donald trump has more scandals and skeletons in his closet than the bushs and clintons combined. If anyone would go to Atlantic City today they would see the is still the trump taj mahal they would see the taj mahal is still the trump taj mahal by name. The cards you get to play there are from trump and attainment. Trump entertainment. Trump was then major owner of that property, a tajleman walks into the mahal and shot the casino manager dead and killed himself. He done that, he had mailed a letter to the newspapers saying why he was doing this. Trump with his money was able to keep that letter from getting out into the public, but he had played the table games. It was because he was accusing trump of controlling the card games electronically. Host how did you not about all of this, john . Caller this was in the newspapers. The gentleman walked in and shot that was in the newspapers. It was in the newspapers that this letter had been mailed in. Host so, what is caller i do not know if the table games are controlled electronically. Every slot machine in the casinos are controlled electronically. Host let me jump in, im not trying to cut you off, just asking a question. Everything you said, what do you think that has to do a thing a good president ial candidate or a president . Connect the dots if you can. Isler i think anyone who going to Atlantic City knows that these machines and slot machines are being controlled electronically. They know who is playing those machines, and they pay off them jackpots to their frien