Washington: US President Barack Obama says it is not surprising that at this early stage of presidential election process Donald Trump is receiving a lot of attention, but he cannot win the White House in 2016. The billionaire businessman, the frontrunner in the race to become the Republican party’s White House nominee, has raised hackles with his controversial comments on immigration, gun control and women, among other issues.
He knows how to get attention. He is, you know, the classic reality TV character, and at this early stage, it’s not surprising that he’s gotten a lot of attention,” Obama said of Trump in an interview on CBS television’s “60 Minutes” news program.
Trump’s incendiary comments on immigration and other issues have dominated the campaign and offended many Americans, but he nevertheless has seen his poll numbers climb steadily higher.
During a speech to Latino political leaders last week, Obama condemned the logic of “saying clearly inflammatory things and then saying, ‘Well that’s not what I meant’ – until you do it again and again.”
“Leadership is not fanning the flames of intolerance, and then acting all surprised when a fire breaks out,” he added. Obama did not name Trump directly during that speech, instead denouncing the overall tone of the Republican presidential field.
In his “60 Minutes” interview, the Democratic president pointed to “genuine anti-immigrant sentiment in a large portion of at least Republican primary voters,” although he stressed it was not “uniform.” Obama, who is currently completing his second term after winning elections in 2008 and 2012, said he had no regrets about term limits that prevent him from running again.
“I think having a fresh set of legs in this seat, I think having a fresh perspective, new personnel and new ideas – and a new conversation with the American people about issues that may be different a year from now than they were when I started eight years ago – I think that’s all good for our democracy,” Obama said.
Bureau Report
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