Obama Calls Trump the 'Standard Bearer' of GOP
The president spoke to reporters at the White House today.
— -- President Obama is asking Republican voters to take a closer look at proposals floated by Donald Trump, who he says is now "the standard bearer" of the GOP.
"I want to emphasize that we are in serious times and this is a really serious job," Obama told reporters today. "This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show."
Obama said he hoped the media would take a closer look at policies put forward by the candidates as the general election campaign neared.
"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 potentially break the financial system. That needs to be reported on," Obama said. "The one thing that I’m gonna be looking for over the next six months is that the American people are effectively informed about where candidates stand on the issues."
Asked to weigh in on the purported feud between House Speaker Paul Ryan and Donald Trump, Obama said there's "no doubt" Republicans are assessing the identity and future of their party.
"Their standard bearer at the moment is Donald Trump, and I think not just Republican officials but more importantly Republican voters are going to have to make a decision as to whether this is the guy that speaks for them and represents their values," Obama said.
Obama has said repeatedly he does not believe Trump will be his successor.
