After several months of running a campaign fencing against
the Washington political establishment, Donald Trump – now the assumptive
Republican presidential nominee, took seats opposite GOP leaders Thursday
morning with nothing less than party unity on the line. The billionaire businessman had a string of back-to-back
meetings lined up in the shadow of the Capital, starting with a sit-down with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
Ryan, the highest-ranking GOP elected official, so far has refused to endorse Trump, saying last week he was "just not ready to do so." On Wednesday, Ryan said he wanted to pursue "real unification" among Republicans after a hotly contested primary campaign.
Trump has two meetings scheduled with Ryan on Thursday, with the second involving Ryan’s House leadership team. As Trump arrived,protesters gathered outside the Republican National Committee offices on Capitol Hill where they were sitting down.Trump also is expected to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other top Senate Republicans. "We cannot afford to lose this election to Hillary Clinton,” Ryan briefing at a news conference Wednesday, adding that "to pretend [Republicans are] unified as a party" would mean contesting the general election campaign at "half strength.
In a closed-door GOP meeting Wednesday, a number of Republicans stood up and argued in support of Trump, with one saying that anyone who cares about "unborn babies" should get behind him because of the likelihood the next president will make Supreme Court appointments, and Trump's would be better than Clinton's, lawmakers who were present told the Associated Press.
Others expressed reservations, and asked Ryan to raise concerns with Trump about where he really stands on social issues and budgetary policies, including changes to Social Security and Medicare. Trump has said in the past that he doesn't want to touch Social Security or Medicare, whereas Medicare cuts have been a centerpiece of GOP budgets Ryan has shepherded over the years. If we make a deal, that will be great. And if we don't, we will trudge forward like I've been doing and winning all the time. ‘Trump says’
Trump's allies and advisers have repeatedly insisted that he can claim the White House with or without leading congressional Republicans. Additionally, Trump's team doesn't believe Ryan or the GOP's other congressional leaders have any significant influence on the majority of general election voters.
Ryan, the highest-ranking GOP elected official, so far has refused to endorse Trump, saying last week he was "just not ready to do so." On Wednesday, Ryan said he wanted to pursue "real unification" among Republicans after a hotly contested primary campaign.
Trump has two meetings scheduled with Ryan on Thursday, with the second involving Ryan’s House leadership team. As Trump arrived,protesters gathered outside the Republican National Committee offices on Capitol Hill where they were sitting down.Trump also is expected to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other top Senate Republicans. "We cannot afford to lose this election to Hillary Clinton,” Ryan briefing at a news conference Wednesday, adding that "to pretend [Republicans are] unified as a party" would mean contesting the general election campaign at "half strength.
In a closed-door GOP meeting Wednesday, a number of Republicans stood up and argued in support of Trump, with one saying that anyone who cares about "unborn babies" should get behind him because of the likelihood the next president will make Supreme Court appointments, and Trump's would be better than Clinton's, lawmakers who were present told the Associated Press.
Others expressed reservations, and asked Ryan to raise concerns with Trump about where he really stands on social issues and budgetary policies, including changes to Social Security and Medicare. Trump has said in the past that he doesn't want to touch Social Security or Medicare, whereas Medicare cuts have been a centerpiece of GOP budgets Ryan has shepherded over the years. If we make a deal, that will be great. And if we don't, we will trudge forward like I've been doing and winning all the time. ‘Trump says’
Trump's allies and advisers have repeatedly insisted that he can claim the White House with or without leading congressional Republicans. Additionally, Trump's team doesn't believe Ryan or the GOP's other congressional leaders have any significant influence on the majority of general election voters.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon