House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 3, 2016.

Photo by J. Scott Applewhite/AP

For now, Paul Ryan balks at backing Trump

05/05/16 05:10 PM—Updated 05/05/16 05:16 PM

This is supposed to be the point at which the dominoes start falling. Republican officials and Capitol Hill leaders have made little effort to hide their discomfort with Donald Trump’s candidacy, but now that he’s the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, the party simply doesn’t have much of a choice. Republican voters have spoken; Trump has no more intra-party rivals.

With this in mind, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) issued a tepid written statement last night, pledging support for Trump, despite having said just a few weeks ago that he was “optimistic” about a second ballot at the Republican National Convention that might derail Trump.

Would McConnell’s House counterpart follow suit? Not yet. NBC News reports that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said this afternoon that he just “not ready” to throw his backing to Trump.

“I’m just not ready to do that at this point,” he said of publicly backing Trump. “I’m not there right now.”

Ryan said in an interview with CNN that he “hopes” to eventually feel ready to back Trump. “I think what is required is that we unify this party. And I think the bulk of the burden on unifying the party will have to come from our presumptive nominee.” Ryan added that Trump needs to “do more to unify this party, to bring all wings of the Republican Party together.”

This doesn’t come as too big of a surprise given the fact that the House Speaker has repeatedly felt the need to publicly denounce Trump’s more ridiculous antics.

What is curious about this is that Ryan, for months, has said he intends to back the Republican nominee – even if it’s Trump.

Revisiting our coverage from a couple of months ago, Ryan’s Trump hostility first emerged when the presidential hopeful hedged on denouncing support from white supremacists. “Today I want to be very clear about something, if a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games, they must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry,” the Speaker said at the time. “This party does not prey on people’s prejudices.”

And if the party’s presidential nominee does prey on people’s prejudices? Well, so be it – Ryan also said he’d support the Republican candidate no matter what.

Similarly, following unrest at several Trump rallies, the House Speaker told reporters this morning that he’s concerned about liberals disrupting political events, but Ryan added, “All candidates have an obligation to do what they can do to try and provide an atmosphere of harmony, to reduce the violence, to not incite violence and to make sure that we are appealing to people on their best ideals.”

And if the Republican candidate ignores that obligation? No matter – Ryan’s said he’s still going to vote for him.

Over and over again, the Speaker kept admonishing Trump. And over and over again, each condemnation came with the caveat that Ryan would support his party’s nominee anyway.

So, did the Speaker change his mind? Is he having a crisis of conscience? Or is the Wisconsin congressman hoping to secure some concessions from Trump in exchange for an endorsement? Or perhaps this has something to do with 2020 considerations?

Watch this space.

History tells all:

Published on May 5, 2016

Rachel Maddow looks at some past presidential candidacies by party outsiders that were not able to break through party establishment firewalls to win the nomination - until the Republican Party last night was too weak to fend off the candidacy of Donald Trump.
» Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc

About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth analysis of daily headlines, insightful political commentary and informed perspectives. Reaching more than 95 million households worldwide, MSNBC offers a full schedule of live news coverage, political opinions and award-winning documentary programming -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Connect with MSNBC Online
Visit msnbc.com: http://on.msnbc.com/Readmsnbc
Find MSNBC on Facebook: http://on.msnbc.com/Likemsnbc
Follow MSNBC on Twitter: http://on.msnbc.com/Followmsnbc
Follow MSNBC on Google+: http://on.msnbc.com/Plusmsnbc
Follow MSNBC on Instagram: http://on.msnbc.com/Instamsnbc
Follow MSNBC on Tumblr: http://on.msnbc.com/LeanWithmsnbc

Donald Trump Victory A Mark Of Historic GOP Weakness | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

TJKCB 2016-05-06 09:04:45 回复悄悄话 ? Paul Ryan's acumen - roller coaster ! - TJKCB - ♀ 给 TJKCB 发送悄悄话 TJKCB 的博客首页 TJKCB 的个人群组 (56007 bytes) (1426 reads) 05/05/2016 14:44:53

? 原则还是要坚持。Trump不仅反Establishment, 而且反American Values! - 窗外细雨 - ♀ 给窗外细雨发送悄悄话窗外细雨的博客首页窗外细雨的个人群组 (0 bytes) (16 reads) 05/05/2016 15:35:42

? Your comment is oxymoron - baiwen - ♂ 给 baiwen 发送悄悄话 baiwen 的博客首页 baiwen 的个人群组 (104 bytes) (50 reads) 05/05/2016 16:10:36

? 你这篇幅也太大了，没法看啊。建议下次搞得简练一点 - 板凳球迷 - ♂ 给板凳球迷发送悄悄话板凳球迷的个人群组 (0 bytes) (4 reads) 05/05/2016 15:38:55

? 一样的东西不要重复贴。 - tibuko - ♂ 给 tibuko 发送悄悄话 tibuko 的博客首页 tibuko 的个人群组 (0 bytes) (1 reads) 05/05/2016 15:50:39

? Paul Ryan 就是想四年以后自己选 - cowpi - ♂ 给 cowpi 发送悄悄话 cowpi 的个人群组 (28 bytes) (18 reads) 05/05/2016 18:11:49

? Ryan 作为共和党领袖，小滑头一个，没有一点担当，把团结共和党重任抛给了川普。实际上向川普喊话，让他向建制派妥协。 - sx1992 - ♂ 给 sx1992 发送悄悄话 sx1992 的博客首页 sx1992 的个人群组 (0 bytes) (5 reads) 05/05/2016 18:23:19

? 刚看了对Ryan的访谈 - SwiperTheFox - ♂ 给 SwiperTheFox 发送悄悄话 SwiperTheFox 的博客首页 SwiperTheFox 的个人群组 (283 bytes) (172 reads) 05/05/2016 18:28:21 (2)

? 你放心，机会是为人创造的 - richman - ♂ 给 richman 发送悄悄话 richman 的博客首页 richman 的个人群组 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 05/05/2016 18:49:22

? 人格? Paul Ryan 就是想四年以后自己选. 不支持大多数的选择叫坚持原则? Trump选不上大法官就丢了 - cowpi - ♂ 给 cowpi 发送悄悄话 cowpi 的个人群组 (110 bytes) (11 reads) 05/05/2016 22:20:22

? Ryan跟establishment走得太远陷得太深，还上了o?8的贼船了，不能自拔了 - baiwen - ♂ 给 baiwen 发送悄悄话 baiwen 的博客首页 baiwen 的个人群组 (0 bytes) (3 reads) 05/05/2016 18:58:11

? 他前些日子不是说无论是谁支持最后胜出的nominee吗？到底哪个是真话 - Narnar - ♀ 给 Narnar 发送悄悄话 Narnar 的个人群组 (0 bytes) (4 reads) 05/05/2016 20:44:52

登录后才可评论.

陇山陇西郡

Paul Ryan\'s acumen - for his own

Paul Ryan: 'I'm just not ready' to back Donald Trump

Trumps New Money Man Has a Repulsive Record of Throwing Homeowners Out on the Street

Donald Trump Is Coherent on Monetary Policy, but Not on Debt

McCain on tape: Trump damages my reelection hopes

Bushes' snub of Trump has roots in Republican base anger

Republican Senate candidate says he won't vote for Trump

For now, Paul Ryan balks at backing Trump