The Democratic Party seized on House Speaker Paul Ryan’s refusal to back Donald Trump on Thursday, slamming the GOP for refusing to accept its own presumptive presidential nominee.
{mosads}“Well, that was awkward,” Democratic National Committee spokesman Mark Paustenbach said in a statement. “Paul Ryan — the highest-ranking Republican in the country, and chair of the Republican National Convention — just said he can’t support Dangerous Donald Trump’s nomination for president.”
Paustenbach added, “Bring a hazmat suit if you’re one of the remaining Republican leaders still planning to stand with your nominee – Trump has gone radioactive.”
Earlier on Thursday, Ryan told CNN that he was “not ready” to support Trump for president.
“I hope to, though, and I want to,” he said. “But what is required is to unify this party. And the bulk of the burden on unifying the party will have to come from our presumptive nominee.”
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also blasted Ryan’s “cowardice” for refusing to confront the business mogul.
“‘Not there right now’ is just another one of the toothless statements that have become Ryan’s hallmark since becoming Speaker,” said DCCC spokeswoman Meredith Kelly in a statement. “For months, Paul Ryan refused to take on or rebuke Trump by name as he demeaned women, refused to disavow the KKK, or insulted Hispanics. Trump is now poised to accept the GOP’s nomination, and Ryan is scrambling because he knows what everyone else knows: Donald Trump is toxic for his own reputation, and for House Republicans. His cowardice veiled as bravery is too little, too late.”