Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was critical of the GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's recent attacks on the so-called "Mexican" judge overseeing the civil litigation against his sham "Trump University." That said, McConnell refused to admit the obvious and call Trump a racist, because heaven forbid, he wouldn't want to do anything to offend the thin-skinned bigot now that he's got the nomination wrapped up:
"I couldn't disagree more with a statement like that," McConnell said on NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview that aired Sunday morning, referring to Trump's comments.
"I couldn't disagree more with what he had to say," he added, when pressed on whether Trump made a racist statement.
Trump last week criticized Judge Gonzalo Curiel, questioning whether the judge could be impartial as he oversees lawsuits against Trump University.
Trump said Curiel's "Mexican heritage" is an "absolute conflict" in three civil fraud lawsuits against the presumptive GOP nominee. He said the judge is biased because of Trump's calls for a wall along the country's southern border with Mexico.
McConnell said the judge was born in Indiana and defended his heritage.
"All of us came here from somewhere else," McConnell said.
"That's an important part of what makes America work."
McConnell also noted that he's concerned about the Hispanic vote.
"I think it's a big mistake for our party to write off Latino Americans, they are an important part of our country," he said.
"And so I am concerned about that and I hope he'll change his direction on that."
Still though, McConnell said Trump is a "competitive candidate" and said this is a good time for the presumptive GOP nominee to start to "unify the party."
McConnell can "hope" all he wants, but Trump isn't moderating his stances on anything now that the primary is over. Unfortunately for anyone trying to Etch-A-Sketch Trump's statements during the Republican primary race, we have these pesky things called recording devices to remind everyone of what he's said now that the general election is underway and he is their nominee.
