Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Donald Trump needs to get his campaign organized and start sticking to a script if he wants to win the presidency.
“It's no secret that he's struggling,” McConnell said in an episode of the KickAss Politics podcast with Ben Mathis uploaded to iTunes on Friday. “As you and I are talking today, we just saw his latest financial report and it's not much money in there. He's earned the nomination, but in order to be elected president, he needs to pivot and start acting, like, presidential."
"For example, there's nothing wrong with using a script, most candidates for president use a script, it's how you remember everything you want to say," McConnell continued. “I think just kind of going from rally to rally and winging it may have worked in the primary but it's not going work in the general.
“I’ve endorsed him because he’s earned the nomination, but he needs to start acting like a serious candidate for president if he wants to win the election.”
McConnell recalled being in a green room with Trump at the NRA convention where he asked the nominee if he had a script. Trump, who pulled one out of his pocket, said he hated using one.
"He pulled the paper out of his pocket and he said, 'you know, I hate a script, it's so boring.' I said, 'Donald, put me down in favor of boring,'" said McConnell.
"Running for president is a big deal and it requires a major operation—we haven't seen that yet,” McConnell added. “It requires really kind of thinking through what you're going to say, because he's made a number of very significant gaffes that have had him moving down in the polls. Look, I want him to change and I want him to win, because I know what Hillary Clinton will do, four more years just like the last eight."