Last Friday, when Donald Trump’s infamous lewd audio was released, Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan condemned his words and disinvited him from a joint appearance in Wisconsin. So it should probably have come as no surprise that when Ryan held a conference call with Republican lawmakers yesterday, he basically threw Donald Trump’s candidacy under the bus. From the New York Times:
Mr. Ryan informed Republican lawmakers on a morning conference call that he would never again campaign for Mr. Trump and would dedicate himself instead to defending the party’s majority in Congress, according to five lawmakers who participated in the call and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Effectively conceding defeat for his party in the presidential race, Mr. Ryan said his most urgent task was ensuring that Hillary Clinton did not take the helm with Democratic control of the House and Senate, two lawmakers said.
This, of course, is an eminently sane political strategy, and one Republicans should have taken up long ago. Trump will almost certainly lose the presidential election, and it’s akin to political madness that Republicans haven’t been taking steps to ensure that he doesn’t drag the entire party down with him.
Nevertheless, some of Ryan’s fellow Republicans were furious. Trent Franks, for one, made the cogent point that if Clinton were elected, fetuses across America would be torn “limb from limb.”
Nevertheless, reports seem to indicate that by and large, most Republicans supported Ryan’s practical stance. Trump, as I’m sure you’ve already guessed, has been responding with his characteristic understatement on Twitter…all f’ing morning:
Disloyal R’s are far more difficult than Crooked Hillary. They come at you from all sides. They don’t know how to win – I will teach them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
With the exception of cheating Bernie out of the nom the Dems have always proven to be far more loyal to each other than the Republicans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Our very weak and ineffective leader, Paul Ryan, had a bad conference call where his members went wild at his disloyalty.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Despite winning the second debate in a landslide (every poll), it is hard to do well when Paul Ryan and others give zero support!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Paul Ryan should spend more time on balancing the budget, jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his time on fighting Republican nominee
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2016