Presidential election is not reality TV, says Obama

President Barack Obama of the US says presidential election is “not reality TV”.

Speaking in an interview in Washington, Obama said he was worried about the Republican Party.

He said the public should want a Republican nominee “to be somebody who could do the job if they win” — implying he does not think Trump, the presumptive nominee, could.

Obama said he views Trump’s rise as an outgrowth of the GOP’s tactics during his presidency, saying he had not spoken with Trump in a while.

“Democracy works; this country works when you have two parties that are serious and trying to solve problems,” he said.

“I haven’t been enjoying over the last seven years, watching some of the things that have happened in the Republican Party.

“What’s happened in that party, culminating in this current nomination, I think is not actually good for the country as a whole. It’s not something Democrats should wish for.”

He, however, said on a serious note that the situation among opposition Republicans “is not actually good for the country as a whole”.

“It’s not something Democrats should wish for,” he said.

Obama expressed the hope that the Republicans could correct itself in future elections and return to its role as a centre-right party.

Obama, who praised Hillary Clinton for securing Democratic Party’s nomination, said he did not endorse her outright ahead of a meeting on Thursday with rival candidate Bernie Sanders.

He also discussed the Democratic race, praising Sanders and Clinton, while expressing confidence the party will unite for the general election.

“My hope is, is that over the next couple of weeks, we’re able to pull things together,” he said.

The president said his main role in the process was to remind the American people that presidency was a serious job.