Gingrich: Trump is making himself more unacceptable than Clinton
Newt Gingrich, an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, said Wednesday "It is obvious from the polling data and everything we are seeing that Trump is making himself unacceptable next to Hillary Clinton.
The former House speaker, who spoke with me on the phone, went on to say Trump "has to become more disciplined or he runs the real risk of losing this election."
Gingrich emphasized that he still remains a Trump supporter, saying "Don't misunderstand me. I am still 100 percent for Trump."
And he also dismissed the idea of an intervention to force Trump to change course or tactics, saying, "The idea of an intervention on a 70-year-old man who is a billionaire and with these achievements is fairly ridiculous."
He declined to describe any advice he has offered to Trump in recent days, but it should be noted that Gingrich is among Trump's closest and most persuasive advisers.
But Gingrich is convinced Trump can withstand the current chaos and thrive in the fall campaign.
"I believe Trump has until just after Labor Day. He is resilient. I believe America resets itself every 60 days. In a world of Pokemon Go, none of these things last."
Trump and his senior political advisers are also becoming increasingly estranged as the general election kicks off in earnest. One example -- Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort is no longer trying to steer the Republican nominee off harmful or controversial topics, and is now just trying to focus on the mechanics of the campaign.
Manafort isn't exactly hiding this either. "The candidate is in control of his campaign," he told Fox News. "That's number one. And I'm in control of doing the things he wants me to do in the campaign."
The lack of guidance on messaging is showing.
In a single day, Tuesday, Trump said he's "not there yet" on endorsing House Speaker Paul Ryan; he attacked John McCain for not doing enough for veterans; he said he regrets not serving in Vietnam and accepted the gift of a Purple Heart from a veteran, saying, "I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier;" he suggested the election was rigged and complained he had been "viciously attacked" by the Khan family; and he was forced to address a baby's crying during his rally.
The dissonance between Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, is also increasing.
On Wednesday, Pence complimented McCain and show and gave Ryan a hearty endorsement during an interview with Fox News.
"I strongly support Paul Ryan, strongly endorse his reelection," Pence said. The fact that he's there for Ryan -- even if the top of the ticket is not -- is something Pence addressed on Fox News' "Happening Now."
"I talked to Donald Trump this morning about my support for Paul Ryan and our longtime friendship," Pence said. "He strongly encouraged me to endorse Paul Ryan..."
