President Barack Obama told reporters and voters Friday, May 6, 2016 to look closely at the record of business mogul Donald Trump, who became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee this week.
“He has a long record that needs to be examined,” Obama said at a press conference on job growth. “I think it’s important for us to take seriously the statements he’s made in the past.”
The President stressed the impact the general election would have on the United States, urging candidates and voters to take the contest seriously.
“I just want to emphasize the degree of which we are in serious times, and this is a really serious job. This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States.”
Obama hit Trump indirectly on the lack of detail in his policy plans, and urged the media and voters to vet candidates’ policies.
“Every candidate, every nominee, needs to subject to exacting standards and genuine scrutiny,” he said.
The President issued a warning to the media, emphasizing the impact their reporting could have on voters.
“What I’m concerned about is the degree to which reporting and information starts emphasizing the spectacle of the circus because that’s not something we can afford,” Obama said. “And the American people, they’ve got good judgment, they have good instincts, as long as they as have good information.”
