BREAKING: Paul Ryan Says He CAN'T Endorse Donald Trump "Right Now"

In a striking interview on CNN, Ryan said he’s “not there yet” on supporting Trump, who effectively clinched the GOP nomination this week with a win in the Indiana primary that forced his remaining rivals from the race. Ryan said he has serious doubts about Trump’s commitment to conservative principles and GOP standards, saying the burden is on Trump to unify the party he hopes to lead.

“Conservatives want to know does he share our values,” Ryan said. “There are lots of questions that conservatives are going to want answers to.”

Ryan said if Trump hopes to bring together the Republican Party, he must provide “something that they’re proud to support and proud to be a part of.” […]

H/T: TIME

Today Obama enjoys an outstanding level of approval from Democrats and his overall approvals continue to rise. Clearly, Obama is far and away the most popular politician in Washington and he will carry enormous persuasive political appeal next year. I think this is the larger, more toxic problem for conservatives. Hillary will never be popular. So, she will have to be competent. She will be dealing with a GOP also struggling to get off the canvas. This radioactive soup for both may actually produce a period of good governance. […]

"What Now, Conservatives?"

Excerpts:

The party of Lincoln is in ruins. A minority of its primary voters have torched its founders’ legacy by voting for a man who combines old-school Democratic ideology, a bizarre form of hyper-violent isolationism, fringe conspiracy theories, and serial lies with an enthusiastic flock of online racists to create perhaps the most toxic electoral coalition since George Wallace. Then — to add insult to injury — multiple GOP leaders bulldozed the ashes by issuing nauseating calls for unity, foremost among them Reince Priebus.

Reince, you should resign rather than spending one more ounce of personal energy supporting a reprehensible man.

So, what now? If the conservative movement is to endure in the short term and prevail in the long term, it has to combine immediate short-term responses with a number of long-term strategic changes. This is a clarifying moment in American political history — a moment that gives conservatives the opportunity to act decisively, to start anew.

First, it is absolutely vital that conservatives stay firm in their opposition to Trump. For at least a generation, the Left has been arguing that American conservatism is shot through with racism, sexism, and xenophobia. And now millions of Americans will face the difficult task of rebutting charges of hateful bigotry while supporting a man who gives aid and comfort to avowed racists, incites violence, and can’t even consistently disavow the Klan. Trump is the destroyer of conservatism, and he will taint all who take his side. […] David French, writer – National Review Online (NRO)