On Thursday, CNN Newsroom’s Jim Acosta hosted former advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye. Troye, a faux conservative, praised the Democratic Party while describing Trump as a “used car salesman.”
Acosta began by mentioning that Troye has recently been on the campaign trail with Vice President Kamala Harris and is openly “supporting the Democratic ticket.” He asked her what she made “of this hand wringing that’s going on inside the Democratic Party” regarding Democratic members calling on Biden to step down.
Troye absurdly responded, “Yeah, look, obviously I'm a Republican, and so I'm just kind of watching this play out on the Democratic side.” She then claimed to be “impressed at democracy in action with the Democratic Party” because “this would never be allowed in the Republican Party” due to Trump's “bullying” and “threatening.”
Democrats had a chance to put “democracy in action” during their primary, but they declined. Now, they are simply scared Biden might lose.
Acosta also asked Troye what her thoughts were on Biden wanting to be on the top of the ticket. Her response, unsurprisingly, did not seem to be very Republican: “I think President Biden truly cares about the country and the direction that we're going in. I think, you know, I've watched him govern. I think he's done an amazing job in his presidency.”
Further, Troye declared, “I don't agree with everything that he's done because, obviously, I have, you know, conservative views on different things. But I'll say that he's had an effective presidency.”
After attempting to portray herself as a Republican, she went on to praise Harris, “I was with the vice president yesterday. She was incredible on stage. She's incredible when she connects with people, and I think it was amazing that she extended a hand to me and other Republicans to come forward with her and talk about health care rights, women's rights.”
Acosta asked her if she thought Harris could beat Trump and she responded, “I do. I really do, actually.” She continued to commend the vice president for being “incredibly smart” and “incredibly thoughtful,” not forgetting to mention that she is “impactful on policies.”
Turning to the RNC, Acosta wanted to know if Troye thought Trump could become a “unifying leader” or if that is even “in his character.” Troye answered quickly, “Yeah, look, I think Donald Trump is sort of the used car salesman, right? I mean, he will say whatever is convenient at the time, and then he'll flip the switch on it.”
Troye also warned that Project 2025 is what Trump “is going to push – so he can sit here and say he’s a changed man, but he said a lot of things where he’s actually flipped off on it.” She concluded by bashing Trump one last time, noting, “I think he's painting himself as a Messiah right now. And I think that's absolutely ridiculous with the lack of morals that he has.”
Click "Expand" to view the transcript:
CNN Newsroom
7/18/2024
10:04:11 – 10:09:30
JIM ACOSTA: I want to bring in Olivia Troye. She's a former advisor to Vice President Mike Pence. Olivia, you're a lifelong Republican. You're staunchly opposed to Donald Trump. I know you're out on the campaign trail with Vice President Kamala Harris yesterday. You're supporting the Democratic ticket. What do you make of some of this hand wringing that's going on inside the Democratic Party right now? There you are on stage in Michigan yesterday. But what do you make of some of this hand wringing going on inside the Democratic Party, I know you're not inside the Democratic Party, but about whether the president should stay on top of the ticket?
OLIVIA TROYE (FORMER ADVISER TO V.P. MIKE PENCE): Yeah, look, obviously I'm a Republican and so I'm just kind of watching this play out on the Democratic side. I will say that I'm impressed at democracy in action with the Democratic Party, because this would never be allowed in the Republican Party. I think Trump would definitely be out there bullying, threatening people in a very serious way, and so would his allies.
But I'll say this. I really – I think it's challenging right now, when you're really focused on defeating Trump and the danger that he is to have this discussion continue to play out repeatedly for this long. So, I'm in the camp of whatever decision is going to be made, I hope that it gets done immediately, as soon as possible, so that we can go on and start rowing together so we can defeat what this movement is on the right.
ACOSTA: Yeah, and what Priscilla Alvarez was just talking about a few moments ago, apparently Nancy Pelosi, that former House Speaker, who is beloved among progressives inside the Democratic Party, apparently also showing the president polls that indicate he is going to lose in November to Donald Trump. Apparently, Biden was defensive about it, shrugged her off. Apparently, he's not as defiant though. He is listening. I was talking to a source close to the president last night who said that the president is listening to all of this. Do you think there should be some scenario where he steps aside and Kamala Harris becomes the top of the ticket? What are your thoughts on that?
TROYE: You know, I think -- look I think President Biden truly cares about the country and the direction that we're going in. I think I've watched him govern. I think he's done an amazing job in his presidency. I don't agree with everything that he's done because, obviously, I have, you know, conservative views on different things. But I'll say that he's had an effective presidency.
And so I hope that he, when he's looking forward, weighs the decision on what is the best move to make for the greater good of the country right now.
I'll tell you this. I was with the vice president yesterday. She was incredible on stage. She's incredible when she connects with people, and I think it was amazing that she extended a hand to me and other Republicans to come forward with her and talk about health care rights, women's rights. And I saw a lot of Republican women in the audience who were open to that conversation, and I think she's leading the way in setting that example.
So, I think -- yes
ACOSTA: Do you think she could be Donald Trump?
TROYE: I do. I really do, actually. She is incredibly smart. I think that she is incredibly thoughtful and impactful on policies. And I think the more that people are watching her, the more that she's out on the campaign trail, I think she's connecting with the voters. And I think, you know, bringing conservatives in the fold, traveling to conservative states to really talk about what's at stake, I think, is important, I'm glad that she's doing it. And I think she would be an excellent candidate. But right now, as far as I know, the candidate is the Biden-Harris ticket, so that's what I'm going to support.
ACOSTA: Right. And I do want to ask you about the RNC, because, typically, in this time of year, you would be in Milwaukee supporting the Republican ticket. You're not doing that anymore. You work for Mike Pence. There's a new vice presidential running mate. It's JD Vance.
But at the separate event in Milwaukee last night, I guess Trump told a crowd that God was with him during the assassination attempt last week weekend. Let's listen to some of that, if we can.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: But I got lucky. God was with me, I tell you. In many ways, it changes your attitude, your viewpoint toward life. And I think honestly, I think you appreciate God even more. I really do because something happened that -- something happened, not that it was pleasant. It wasn't like it was a complete miss.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Yeah, I -- Olivia, what do you think of -- I mean, a couple of things. One is how the party has really rallied around Donald Trump at this convention, how it's been a pretty unified convention, also, I mean, what Trump has been saying lately, that he's changed and so on. I mean, do you, you know, Donald Trump, you worked in his administration. Do you think he can rise above this and be a different kind of unifying leader? Is that in his character do you think?
TROYE: Yeah look, I think Donald Trump is sort of the used car salesman, right? I mean, he will say whatever is convenient at the time, and then he'll flip the switch on it. I don't expect him to stay the course on this. I think, you know, they're not behaving in a unity ticket for the country. They may be unified as a Republican Party right now, under the candidate that they want to win, regardless of their – you know the sacrificing of their own integrity and morals, and I'm talking about people like Nikki Haley.
But, look, his policies are his policies. Project 2025, those are his policies. Those are the things that he is going to push so he can sit here and say he's a changed man, but he said a lot of things where he's actually flipped off on it. So, until he – you know -- we get to the polls and we get this man out of here, he'll be continuing to spin this and he'll use it to his benefit. And he’ll – you know -- I think he's painting himself as a Messiah right now. And I think that's absolutely ridiculous with the lack of morals that he has.
ACOSTA: All right. Olivia Troye, great to see you. Thanks so much. I really appreciate it.
