VIENTIANE, LAOS — (CNN) President Barack Obama warned Thursday against becoming immune to Donald Trump’s more outlandish statements, arguing that the stakes of the US presidential contest were too high for Americans to tune out.
“People start thinking behavior that in normal times we would consider completely unacceptable and outrageous becomes normalized,” Obama said during a news conference at the tail end of his visit to Laos.
“People start thinking that we should be grading on a curve,” he said.
“But I can tell you from the interactions I have had over the last eight or nine days with foreign leaders that this is serious business.
“You actually have to know what you are talking about and you actually have to have done your homework. When you speak, it should actually reflect thought-out policy you can implement.”
Obama: Trump is ‘outright petty’
Obama declared last month that Trump was unqualified to succeed him as commander in chief, and reiterated his view Thursday.
“Every time he speaks that opinion is confirmed,” Obama said.
“I think the most important thing for the public and the press is to just listen to what he says and follow-up and ask questions about what appear to be either contradictory or uninformed or outright petty as he is.”
The stinging remarks were the latest harsh take on Trump from Obama, who is expected to campaign heavily for Hillary Clinton this fall.
He makes his first solo campaign appearance in Philadelphia Tuesday.
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