Snyder: Trump Comments On Mexicans, McCain Were 'Offensive'

TRAVERSE CITY  (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder expressed doubts Wednesday about Donald Trump's suitability for the Republican presidential nomination, saying voters should bear in mind the flamboyant billionaire's "offensive" statements when considering whether he merits their support.

Snyder, who flirted briefly with the idea of entering the race before backing off, said he understood why an accomplished businessman and political newcomer would appeal to some in the GOP. The two-term Michigan governor is a former computer company executive and venture capitalist who held no government office before his election in 2010.

"A lot of people are interested in getting outside the traditional political world, recognizing that the overall political culture in the country is broken," Snyder said in an interview with The Associated Press during an auto industry conference near Traverse City.

But he said there were "clearly issues and problems" with Trump, who has drawn widespread criticism for his disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants and U.S. Sen. John McCain's wartime captivity in Vietnam.

"He's had a lot of success in terms of business, but a number of his comments are clearly inappropriate and would be a major concern," Snyder said. "And I think that's something people need to take into account in their decision-making process."

The AP left phone and e-mail messages seeking comment with a Trump spokeswoman.

Trump, the polling front-runner in the packed GOP race, is scheduled to make his first Michigan appearance as a candidate on Aug. 11 at the Birch Run Expo Center. He will be keynote speaker at a Lincoln Day event hosted by the Republican committees of Genessee and Saginaw counties.

Snyder said he hadn't decided which candidate to endorse, but that he wants it to be a "problem solver" who would abandon "the old, broken culture of fighting and blame."

"I'm watching, like everybody else," he said, adding with a chuckle, "It will be interesting to watch the debates, and the debates, and the debates."

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