Jerry Brown on Donald Trump: ‘Oh, My God’

California Gov. Jerry Brown was asked Wednesday what he thought of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump: “Oh, my God,” he said.

But as Bay Area political reporter Josh Richman noted, Brown went on to praise Trump for his bold tactics, particularly during the Fox News GOP Debate. “I did think that when he raised his hand and said ‘I might run as an independent,’ I think there are very few politicians who would do that,” Brown said.

Brown is considered a potential “dark horse” candidate for president, if Hillary Clinton falters.

Meanwhile, he has a state transportation crisis to deal with, as he tries to convince the state legislature to raise taxes to pay to fix California’s crumbling roads–which he neglected in his recent state budget.

CBS Sacramento’s Steve Large called Brown’s Oakland press conference “puzzling,” noting that Brown had described his leadership as “brooding omnipresence.”

Brown added: “I stand above the fray here.”

State Sen. Jim Beall (D-San Jose), who chairs the Transportation and Housing Committee, replied:

“If the governor comes down from the clouds, and helps us, we can get things done quickly. He has to play a role in pulling people together…us weak, unfortunate earthlings.”