In an unusually candid interview with Bloomberg Politics, Senator Mitch McConnell offered a window into his thinking on presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The Republican majority leader told the Master in Politics podcast that for all his “obvious faults,” Trump represents a change in direction. Although McConnell registered vehement objections to many of Trump’s comments, he said he feels comfortable supporting the unorthodox candidate because, if elected, he will have to respond to the concerns of the right-of-center voters who put him in office.
Asked about potential vice presidential picks, the Kentucky senator recommended that Trump choose someone with experience because "he doesn't know a lot about the issues."
"You see that in the debates in which he's participated," he remarked. "It's why I have argued to him, publicly and privately, that he ought to use a script more often. There's nothing wrong with having prepared text. It indicates a level of seriousness that I think is important to convey."
McConnell has been cautious in his endorsements of the firebrand real estate mogul, reportedly telling colleagues privately in February that Republican Senate candidates could drop Trump “like a hot rock.” On Thursday, the senate heavyweight repeated his criticism of reality star's habit of lobbing off-the-cuff insults.
"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," McConnell said.
Still, the majority leader said he doesn’t believe Trump is redefining the Republican Party, adding that and the platform will remain largely the same.
