Mitch McConnell: Donald Trump "ought to use a script more often"
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, seemed to criticize Donald Trump for his shallow policy understanding in a frank interview with Bloomberg News published Friday -- but that's not going to stop McConnell from supporting the billionaire in the general election.
"He needs someone highly experienced and very knowledgeable because it's pretty obvious he doesn't know a lot about the issues," said McConnell, recommending that Trump pick an experienced running mate. "You see that in the debates in which he's participated. It's why I have argued to him publicly and privately that he ought to use a script more often--there is nothing wrong with having prepared texts."
And he talked about his conversation with the nominee on the subject.
"I said, 'Hey Donald, you got a script?' and he pulled it out of his pocket. He said, 'You know I hate scripts, they're so boring,'" McConnell recalled. "And I said, 'Put me down in favor of boring. You've demonstrated that you have a lot of Twitter followers and you're good at turning on a big audience. Now you need to demonstrate you have the seriousness of purpose that is required to be president of the United States, and most candidates on frequent occasions use a script.' So we'll see whether that's something he's capable of doing."
But McConnell, who has endorsed the presumptive GOP nominee, said that despite Trump's shortcomings, he would still be "comfortable" backing him.
"For all of his obvious shortcomings, Donald Trump is certainly a different direction, and I think if he is in the White House he'll have to respond to the right-of-center world which elected him, and the things that we believe in. So I'm comfortable supporting him," McConnell said.
He added, however, that Trump's attacks on Hispanics and other minority groups -- as well as his trashing of prominent members of the Republican party -- must change.
"I object to a whole series of things that he's said--vehemently object to them," the Kentucky Republican said. "I think all of that needs to stop. Both the shots at people he defeated in the primary and these attacks on various ethnic groups in the country."
And he offered some words of advice about how Trump could win back some of those voters who have felt alienated by his remarks: "I think he'd have a much better chance of winning if he would quit making so many unfortunate public utterances and stick to the script," he said.