In his first remarks about Donald Trump’s presumptive Republican presidential nominee status, U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday urged U.S. media to closely vet the New York billionaire developer’s past statements and stances.
“It’s important for us to take seriously the statements he’s made in the past,” said Obama here at a press conference. “I just want to emphasize the degree to which we are in serious times and this is a really serious job.”
Since the outset of his campaign last June, Trump, a bombastic businessman turned reality TV star, suffocated the rest packed GOP field with his unpredictability and incendiary remarks.
While it was not the first time he urged the U.S. media to refrain from being distracted by the “spectacle and the circus” aspect of the 2016 election campaign, Obama on Friday took direct jabs at the presumptive GOP standard-bearer.
“This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States,” said Obama.
Stressing that Trump had a long record in public life, Obama said that what Trump said and did should be carefully examined, as should the past stances and statements of all other candidates.
“If they take a position on international issues that could threaten war or has the potential of upending our critical relationships with other countries, or would potential break the financial system – that needs to be reported on,” Obama said.
Some top Republican leaders – U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan among them – are still expressing wariness about Trump, who became the party’s presumptive nominee this week when two Republican rivals dropped out of the White House race.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination, posted on Facebook that he will not vote for Trump — one of the heaviest sleights yet against the New York real estate mogul by a senior Republican.
“Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed a respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy,” Bush wrote, adding that he would not vote for likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton either.
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, who made an unsuccessful bid for president, joined a growing list of Republicans who are refusing to support Trump and he announced on Friday he will also skip the Republican convention in July. Mitt Romney, who won the Republican nomination in 2012, is also refusing to support Trump.
For Trump, finding unifying enemies like Obama and Clinton could help rally Republicans back to his side ahead of the Nov. 8 general election.
Obama is likely to be the feature of much of Trump’s criticism in the general election. Republicans have sought to paint Clinton as an extension of the Obama administration who would continue all of his policies.