Paul Ryan is not endorsing Donald Trump for president—not yet, at least. But it was clear from the House speaker’s Thursday press conference that Ryan is moving in that direction. The Wisconsin Republican told reporters that his meeting with Trump Thursday morning was “encouraging” and “pleasant.”
“I was very encouraged from what I heard from Donald Trump. I do believe that we are now planting the seeds to get ourselves unified, to bridge the policy differences,” Ryan said.
“The question is, can we unify around our common principles to offer the country a compelling and clear agenda going forward?” Ryan said. The speaker presented it as an open question, but everything else he said suggested he would likely answer in the affirmative at some point in the future.
The truth is, the question really isn’t open, but it’s not the answer Ryan seeks. How can the GOP “unify around our common principles” when the presumptive nominee appears to have none in common with the conservatives Ryan claims to represent?
Take just one example. Ryan noted the party’s pro-life, anti-abortion stance as one of those core Republican principles. How would Ryan be convinced Trump is committed to that principle when Trump has such a dubious conversion story from his former pro-choice position? When Trump has never had to cast a vote or make a decision that might prove his commitment to reducing abortions? When Trump waffles over the question of cutting off federal funds for Planned Parenthood, which performs abortions and has even been shown to sell the body parts of aborted infants? When he’s offered plenty of evidence he could nominate federal judges who might determine a right to taxpayer-funded abortions?
Similar questions could be applied to any of the other principles Ryan spoke about. When has Trump demonstrated his commitment to limited government? How often does Trump speak about the Constitution?
But instead of pressing on those questions of principle, Ryan seemed more concerned with projecting an image of unity. Shortly after the meeting between the two GOP leaders at the Republican National Committee headquarters, Ryan and Trump issued a joint statement that called the discussion a “very positive step toward unification” of the party. The statement wasn’t the only place the two were in sync. Ryan said he and Trump agree that a “Hillary Clinton presidency would be a disaster for this country” and that they both believe in “limited government” and “the Constitution.”
And at times during his press conference, Ryan seemed to adopt Trump’s own lines. He repeated a pro-Trump talking point that “He’s bringing whole new voters that we’ve never had for decades.” He noted that Trump “has gotten more primary votes than any other Republican nominee” and called it “a remarkable achievement.”
“I thought he had a very good personality. He is a warm and genuine person,” Ryan added. (Trump himself would agree.)
That’s a lot of synergy between two Republicans who couldn’t be further apart on policy and their approaches to politics. So why is Ryan withholding the endorsement? Ryan told reporters the Thursday meeting was the beginning of a “process” of unifying.
“It’s very important that we don’t fake unifying,” Ryan said. “I don’t want us to have a fake unification process here.” One aide to the speaker says Ryan views himself as someone “looking out for conservatives” and their interests in the party. But beyond simple assertions that Trump indeed shares the party’s conservative values, Ryan did not offer any convincing evidence that he had learned this in their meeting.
Perhaps behind closed doors at the RNC, Trump spoke eloquently and passionately about conservative principles in a way he hasn’t done any time in his long public life or his considerably shorter political one. Or perhaps what Ryan is looking for is a fake unification after all.
