On this week’s broadcast of “Fox News Sunday,” White House Correspondent for The Associated Press Julie Pace said President Obama is eager to campaign for Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton because the presumptive nominee for the Republican party, Donald Trump “was leading the birther movement in Obama’s first term what a shot at the president’s credibility.”
Partial transcript as follows:
WALLACE: Meanwhile, President Obama piled on this week making his first comments about Trump since he became the presumptive Republican nominee and he challenged Republican voters. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are in serious times and this is a really serious job. This is not entertainment. It is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Julie, how big a role does President Obama plan to play in this campaign? And he seems to take particular delight and he has actually for a few years now in going after — well, I guess since the birther issue in going after Donald Trump.
JULIE PACE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: I think if the president has his way, he will play a very large role in this campaign. And right now, the Clinton campaign would like to see him play a large role, they think that he is still an effective messenger for Democrats, for young voters, for African-Americans who Clinton would need in a general election. But I think what’s interesting with both Obama and Clinton in the last week or so is you hear them making these specific appeals to Republican voters. Clinton talked about thoughtful Republicans. And they think that with Trump at the top of the Republican ticket, that they could appeal to people who may not believe in policy positions that Clinton has, but at least would feel comfortable that she wouldn’t necessarily drive the country into a ditch and may be able to come around and vote for her for at least one term.
WALLACE: Do you think it’s personal with Obama?
PACE: I do. I really do. You have to remember when Trump was leading the birther movement in Obama’s first term hwhat a shot at the president’s credibility that was and I think that he is surprised and his staff is surprised that Trump has gone from being this show man on the side of the political arena to actually now the presumptive nominee. And if he were to be succeeded by Donald Trump as president, what would that say about Obama and his stewardship of the country as well?
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