President Barack Obama lambasted Donald Trump and the Republican establishment on Friday, likening the GOP front-runner to a television huckster and blaming the party for his rise.
Obama, after touting his own economic record at the Democratic fundraiser in Austin, Texas, put Trump and the GOP on the chopping block.
"We’ve got a debate inside the other party that is fantasy and schoolyard taunts and selling stuff like it’s the Home Shopping Network," Obama said, referencing a recent Trump press conference where he showed off Trump steaks and wine.
Obama mocked what he called "the Republican establishment" for feigned shock at Trump's anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim lies and slurs.
"How can you be shocked?" Obama asked. "This is the guy, remember, who was sure that I was born in Kenya. Who just wouldn’t let it go. And all this same Republican establishment, they weren’t saying nothing. As long as it was directed at me, they were fine with it. They thought it was a hoot. Wanted to get his endorsement. And then now, suddenly, we’re shocked that there’s gambling going on in this establishment.
"What is happening in this primary is just a distillation of what’s been happening inside their party for more than a decade," Obama said, arguing that the chaos in the Republican Party is a continuation of its science-denying climate extremism, unwillingness to compromise and declaration that those holding opposing views are traitors.
"So if you don’t care about the facts, or the evidence, or civility, in general, in making your arguments, you will end up with candidates who will say just about anything and do just about anything," Obama said.
Earlier on Friday, Obama participated in the keynote event at South by Southwest, the music, film, and technology festival, and discussed the role of technology in modern American life.
Editor's Note: Donald Trump is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist, birther and bully who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims -- 1.6 billion members of an entire religion -- from entering the U.S.
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