Donald Trump is not "thinking intelligently about how to be president" as he prepares to be sworn in as the nation's 45th commander in chief, Bill Kristol tells Newsmax TV.
Kristol, editor-at-large of The Weekly Standard, cited Trump's highly-criticized tweets blasting John Lewis' civil-rights record as "all talk, talk, talk" after Lewis said he does not consider the billionaire businessman to be a legitimate president.
"John Lewis has acted irresponsibly. You should not use the word illegitimate unless you genuinely believe the president is illegitimate in which you case you wouldn't … participate, I suppose, in the Congress that's supposed to confirm his nominees and his budgets," Kristol said Tuesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show."
"On the other hand, the way he tweeted, Trump did, was stupid and inappropriate … I don't think Trump is thinking intelligently about how to be president in the sense both in terms of how a president should behave but just almost important about how to win more support.
"Because he's going to need it to get legislation through. The idea that he's going to snap his fingers and 52 Republican senators are just going to fall in line automatically. That's not how it's going to work after the first few weeks. So anyway, that's gotten me worried these last few days."
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Kristol said he was disturbed at the growing list of Democrats who are planning on boycotting Trump's inauguration to protest his criticism of Lewis.
"That's not good. People should come. Whatever they're unhappy with … it's good to show united front to the world at this transfer of power. It's something America takes great pride in and I think they should all come to the inauguration, obviously," Kristol told Malzberg.
He noted a new ABC News Washington Post poll which calls Trump the most unpopular future president in at least 40 years.
"The media is not for him, he's going to get hammered by them no matter what and by the Democrats no matter what … Ultimately, obviously he's going to be judged on how he governs … I'm perfectly happy to be turning the page on Friday. I think a lot of Americans will have this attitude," Kristol said.
"Let's see what he does in defense, let's see what he does in foreign policy. Let's see what how he repeals and replaces Obamacare, let's look at the economic policies.
"[On Trump's] Supreme Court nomination, I imagine it will be a highly qualified and strongly conservative nominee and we'll all be for it and the liberals will be against it. But that's a fight conservatives can win and will win I think. I think he's got some opportunities here."
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