Paul Ryan’s cold embrace of Trump
The House speaker scolds Trump for racially based attacks on the judge overseeing Trump University lawsuits.
Less than 24 hours after Ryan announced that his “not ready” had become a “ready,” the House speaker ripped into the presumptive Republican nominee, making it clear he will not be Trump’s defender in chief.
Unprompted by WISN radio host Vicki McKenna, Ryan scolded Trump for his racially-based attacks against the federal judge in California overseeing a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump University.
“Look, the comment about the judge the other day just was out of left field for my mind,” Ryan said, after Trump argued that U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s Mexican heritage creates “an inherent conflict of interest.”
“It’s reasoning I don’t relate to. I completely disagree with the thinking behind that. And so, he clearly says and does things I don’t agree with, and I’ve had to speak up from time to time when that has occurred, and I’ll continue to do that if it’s necessary. I hope it’s not.”
.. And Ryan’s eagerness to distance himself from Trump’s rhetoric on Friday spoke volumes, especially because his counterpart, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, passed up a chance to rebuke Trump.
“Well, what I am willing to say is that Donald Trump is certainly a different kind of candidate,” McConnell told MSNBC on Friday when asked about Trump’s repeated tirades against Curiel.
.. After a high-profile meeting in Washington brokered by the RNC on May 12 and repeated phone calls, Ryan on Thursday declared that Trump offered the best chance of enacting conservative change after eight years of the GOP being blocked by President Barack Obama.
.. “Donald Trump can help us make it a reality.”
.. He’s agreed to let you be the rudder is what you’re saying?” McKenna asked in response. “He’s agreed to let the House Republican agenda, you know, that you guys be the keel of the ship?”
“That is the role we see ourselves playing,” Ryan said. “We can’t just blow another election. The Supreme Court, everything’s up for grabs. We can’t afford to blow another election.”