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Posted on 07/07/2016 10:16:51 AM PDT by ObozoMustGo2012
Donald Trump’s private meeting Thursday with Senate Republicans — designed to foster greater party unity ahead of the national convention in Cleveland — grew combative as the presumptive presidential nominee admonished three senators who have been critical of his candidacy and predicted they would lose their reelection bids, according to two Republican officials with direct knowledge of the exchanges.
Trump’s most tense exchange was with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who has been vocal in his concerns about the business mogul’s candidacy, especially his rhetoric and policies on immigration that the senator argues alienate many Latino voters and others in Arizona.
When Flake stood up and introduced himself, Trump told him, “You’ve been very critical of me.”
“Yes, I’m the other senator from Arizona — the one who didn’t get captured — and I want to talk to you about statements like that,” Flake responded, according to two Republican officials.
Flake was referencing Trump’s comments last summer about the military service of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam conflict. Trump questioned whether McCain was a war hero because he was captured.
Flake told Trump that he wants to be able to support him — “I’m not part of the Never Trump movement,” the senator said — but that he remains uncomfortable backing him, the officials said.
Trump said at the meeting that he has yet to attack Flake hard but threatened to begin doing so.
Flake’s spokesman did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Trump also called out Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) — who withdrew his endorsement of Trump last month, citing the business mogul’s racially based attacks on a federal judge — and said he did not approve of the senator’s action, the officials said.
Characterizing Kirk as a loser, Trump vowed that he would carry Illinois in the general election even though the state traditionally has been solidly Democratic in presidential contests. Kirk did not attend the meeting with Trump.
Trump also singled out Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who has refused to support Trump and has emerged as perhaps the most vocal advocate for a third-party candidate. Sasse declined to speak with reporters as he left the meeting.
“Senator Sasse went to today’s meeting ready to listen. Senator Sasse introduced himself to Mr. Trump, and the two had a gracious exchange,” said James Wegmann, the senator’s spokesman. “Mr. Sasse continues to believe that our country is in a bad place and, with these two candidates, this election remains a dumpster fire. Nothing has changed.”
Trump’s trip to Washington on Thursday highlighted the continuing concerns among congressional Republicans over controversial remarks he continues to deliver on the campaign trail and how they may affect GOP members facing tough reelection battles in the fall.
Before his meeting with Senate Republicans, Trump visited with the House GOP conference in what leaders billed as a chance for rank-and-file members to get to know the party’s presumptive presidential nominee.
“What I thought was especially helpful today was our members just got access and got to ask their questions and talk about their issues,” said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). “I thought he did a great job engaging with our members, and I think our members appreciated it.”
Ryan said members talked to Trump about the constitutional roles of the president and Congress, reducing regulations and overhauling the tax code — all issues included the “A Better Way” policy blueprint House Republicans have rolled out in recent weeks.
“We clearly have a presumptive nominee who wants to work with us on moving this agenda forward,” Ryan said.
Trump was greeted by applause from more than 200 House GOP members at the standing-room-only gathering, according to GOP aides, and was introduced at the event by financial commentator and TV personality Larry Kudlow. Trump opened the discussion with a speech on the importance of appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court, members said.
In his discussion with senators, Trump claimed that he had inside intelligence about Hillary Clinton’s vetting process for Supreme Court vacancies and that he knew the names of two people the presumptive Democratic nominee is considering nominating, two Republican officials said. But Trump would not reveal those names.
Trump has long cited vacancies on the Supreme Court as a reason for Republicans to unify behind his candidacy, pledging that he would appoint more-conservative justices than Clinton.
Despite House leaders positive statement about the gathering, several GOP lawmakers leaving the morning meeting said they are still unconvinced that Trump can be a good standard bearer for the party.
“I still need to be persuaded,” said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), a moderate member of the conference.
Several lawmakers said questions were raised about derogatory comments Trump has made about minorities and women, as well as his inability to stay on message.
Trump dismissed the issue and insisted he has great support from Hispanics, Dent said.
[Donald Trump praises Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists ‘so good’]
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) described Trump’s remarks in the meeting as “a lot of stream of consciousness” akin to what he says at rallies but “less cheery.”
He said Trump brought up his recent comments about Saddam Hussein “in the context of how unfair the media has been to him.” Trump has praised the former Iraqi dictator for being “so good” at killing terrorists while adding that’s all he thinks was good about a “bad guy, really bad guy.”
Kinzinger called Trump’s previous comments about Hussein “disgusting and despicable.” He said it was “awkward” to hear the GOP nominee defend his remarks in the room.
Other members expressed confidence that Trump understands he needs to tone down his rhetoric.
“If you look at the trajectory of his unforced errors, he’s getting better,” said Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.). “I mean, he’s not where we want him to be, but he’s getting better.”
[Trump says campaign shouldn’t have deleted image circulated by white supremacists]
The gatherings with House and Senate Republicans came after Trump said at a rally in Ohio on Wednesday night that it was a mistake for his campaign to remove a tweet attacking Clinton with a six-pointed star placed on top of a bed of money. The image reportedly appeared last month on an online web forum frequented by white supremacists and has widely been condemned as anti-Semitic.
The controversy started to quiet by Tuesday, as Republicans moved to draw attention to Clinton’s email practices as secretary of state, which had come under investigation by the FBI. But now, it has returned to the forefront of the national political debate.
[While Clinton tries to change the subject, Republicans pounce on email criticism]
Trump repeatedly said Wednesday that the six-point star was “just a star,” not the Jewish Star of David, and that media outlets that covered the controversy are “racially profiling.”
House members leaving the meeting said Trump did not address the controversy in his remarks and was not asked about it by members.
When asked whether he was bothered by the tweet, Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), the only Jewish Republican in Congress, said: “I don’t think it helps him.”
Do you live in Illinois? If so, in which town do you live? I live in Wheeling.
What were the two ovations for? Several things are mentioned, but I couldn’t figure out which were the biggies.
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“Do you expect that Trump would praise them for trying to knife him in the back?”
Of course not, but at some point we need to set these feuds aside, and if he wants to be the leader of our party that means Trump needs to be the one to lead.
This will be a major test of his abilities - no way he could possibly turn Illinois or New York red if he can’t find a way to end all this petty squabbling.
“...but at some point we need to set these feuds aside...”
Trump is not the one feuding. He won the primaries. Flake and Sasse and Kirk should have shut up a long time ago.
“...and if he wants to be the leader of our party that means Trump needs to be the one to lead.”
IF he wants to be...?
Historically, the winner of the nomination IS the leader.
Looks like you may need to stop feuding.
I certainly understand your frustration with Kirk and your thinking. I think the only problem this year is that even if they’re RINOs, we need to keep the Senate to get Trump’s conservative SCOTUS appointees through; and, there are a lot more Pubbies than Dims up this year in the Senate, so it’s going to be harder to keep. G_d forbid Hillary wins, keeping the Senate will hopefully help blocking some of her liberal SCOTUS appointees as well as legislation. I’m no fan of McConnell and would love to have a different Pubbies Senate leader, as bad as he is I think he’s still better than what Chuck E. Schumer would be (he’ll be taking Reid’s place next year since Dirty Harry is retiring).
Yeah, it’s totally my fault that Trump keeps up the attacks on his foes even after he defeats them. And it’s totally my fault that he has chosen to antagonize the members of our party rather then find common ground.
A good leader can pull out multiple approaches based on the situation. The carrot and the stick. I just don’t see that out of Trump, and I refuse to pretend that it isn’t an issue. He’s a charismatic man, he needs to be able to work a little charm if he’s even going to get elected, much less get our agenda through an obstinate Congress.
When Trump officially receives the nomination, he will be the titular leader of the party. But that doesn’t mean he can lead.
This is an historic election. We all agree on that. It should be an easy one, ripe for the taking. But I see opportunity slipping away, and it’s driving me up the freaking wall.
“Yeah, it’s totally my fault that Trump keeps up the attacks on his foes even after he defeats them.”
Can you cite me an instance?
He has offered a bit more carrot than I think he needs to. The senators mentioned have not let up with their sniping.
“But that doesn’t mean he can lead.”
You mean someone who can assemble a ten billion dollar company can’t lead? Does’t know how to choose the right people to help get the job done?
Translation: "He's too much of a straight talker. We want him to be more of a phony and talk out of both sides of his mouth, like us"
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