RNC chairmen Reince Priebus was asked about Donald Trump’s honesty, and what followed were several awkward pauses and attempts to change the subject to Hillary Clinton.
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KARL: Two weeks ago, right before he dropped out, Ted Cruz called Donald Trump “a pathological liar.” He said, “He lies practically every word that comes out of his mouth.”
And you heard the latest story this week, the one about Trump apparently posing as his own spokesperson. And then you also heard him come out and deny that was him on that tape.
Let me just ask you more broadly, do you have any doubts about Donald Trump’s truthfulness?
PRIEBUS: Well, look, it doesn’t matter as far as what Ted Cruz said or what Lindsey Graham said or what Jeb said or Marco or the whole 17 folks that we had —
(CROSSTALK)
KARL: Yes, I’m asking about you —
PRIEBUS: — does matter, what we’re dealing with, not —
(CROSSTALK)
PRIEBUS: — my interaction with Donald Trump — I have to — listen, I have to judge people by — based on how I have dealt with individuals one on one. I have never had a situation where he’s lied to me. I’ve never had a situation where he was not gracious and — to me.
Now, obviously we had a fight over the elect — you know, the delegate allocation system, but I didn’t back off of that. I came out and defended the party and he didn’t have a problem with that.
So I judge people one on one —
(CROSSTALK)
KARL: Do you trust him?
Do you think he’s trustworthy?
PRIEBUS: I also believe that people are entitled to listen — yes, of course. And — but I also believe that people are entitled to forgiveness and redemption. And the question I think most people have in this regard is whether or not people are who they say they are.
And Hillary Clinton — I mean, you can talk about this issue of 30 years ago with “The Washington Post.”
But the real question is and I think bigger questions are that, on Hillary Clinton’s watch, in regard to exchanging cash for favors in The Clinton Foundation. What — I mean, that’s an issue. Whether someone impersonated someone to some dumb story in “The Washington Post” — now that’s interesting, but what about —
(CROSSTALK)
KARL: OK, let me ask you —
PRIEBUS: — four dead American heroes in Benghazi. I mean, these are issues, guys.
Karl asked Priebus about Trump’s honesty and trustworthiness, and he was greeted with a pause and then attempts to change the subject. Karl asked again and got another pause followed by a four-word answer and then the RNC chairman tried the change the subject to Hillary Clinton.
If the party chair’s best defense is that Trump has never personally screwed him over, the GOP has an even bigger problem than anyone previously imagined.
Priebus’s non-answers put a glaring spotlight on the Republican Party’s Trump problem. Every Republican official, incumbent, and candidate is going to be asked about each new Donald Trump lie.
Trump’s character issues are going to be an anchor around the necks of every Republican.
The RNC chairperson’s answers also showed that Republicans know that they have no hope of running on Trump. The party has committed itself to a campaign against Hillary Clinton. Republicans tried the same strategy of running against their opponent instead of for something in 2012, and they lost.
If the top official in the RNC can’t defend Trump better than this, Republicans could be in for a beating in November.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
