Republican vice presidential nominee Indiana Gov. Mike Pence refused Thursday to endorse Republican senators John McCain and Kelly Ayotte in their respective elections while calling for “new leadership”.
Advertisement
“To restore our country and home and overseas, we need new leadership, and I’m looking forward to standing should to shoulder with Donald Trump to drive that new leadership forward.”… “I believe we need Paul Ryan in leadership”. He also praised Ryan’s GOP opponent, Paul Nehlen, for running “a very good campaign”.
The Washington Post reached out to Trump’s campaign to clarify which words Trump was thanking him for, but Nehlen’s Twitter account posted a link to a website where his staff criticized Paul Ryan’s criticism’s of Trump saying “The problem with Paul Ryan is his constant knee-jerk reactions to anything controversial Donald Trump might say without completely understanding the issue”.
Manafort says of Trump’s spat with the family: “We’ve put it behind us”.
“If you are repeatedly having to say, in very strong terms, that what he has said is unacceptable, why are you still endorsing him?” “I’m just not ready to do that at this point. I think there’s something to be said about respecting those voters”, Ryan says.
“I like Paul, but these are disgusting times for our country”, Trump said in an interview with The Washington Post.
Trump told the Washington Post in an interview Tuesday that he is “not quite there yet” when it comes to endorsing Ryan in his primary run against businessman Paul Nehlen. Their son was killed in Iraq.
“He’s expressed his sympathy”, Manafort said.
Trump on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that the GOP frustration was hurting his campaign, even as he openly contemplated an Election Day loss.
“So Mike called me and he said yesterday, ‘Would you mind if I endorse?”
Trump’s campaign, when asked about the video, told NBC News that he was referring to “b-roll” that he saw on television, meaning footage that often appears on screen during conversation of a given story. He regularly meets with Trump and his senior staff, and is the former business partner of campaign head Paul Manafort.
“You know what, Paul Ryan wants to play this game – I haven’t made up my mind, either”.
Trump’s repetition of the phrase “not quite there yet”, which he used four times in the interview, echoed Ryan’s own hesitancy to back Trump.
Despite the rift, Pence told Fox News the Trump campaign is “totally focused on strengthening America at home and overseas”. “Therefore, I have the utmost respect for the verdict of the people”.
Priebus, who like Ryan, hails from Wisconsin, was an early supporter of Ryan’s before either ascended to national office.
Trump added that reporters wrongly tried to portray the split – Pence supports Ryan in his re-election bid, while Trump has said he’s still undecided – as a major rift within the GOP ticket.
Advertisement
Ryan is reaffirmed his support for Donald Trump Thursday while speaking on the “Jerry Bader Show” in Wisconsin.
