Chafee defends Trump, criticizes Raimondo, says hasn’t ruled out future presidential bid

LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, former governor of Rhode Island, has been making media appearances in recent days, talking about President Donald Trump, and how he hasn’t ruled out another run for president in four years.  / BLOOMBERG NEWS/ANDREW HARRER
LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, former governor of Rhode Island, has been making media appearances in recent days, talking about President Donald Trump, and how he hasn’t ruled out another run for president in four years. / BLOOMBERG NEWS/ANDREW HARRER

PROVIDENCE – Former presidential candidate and Rhode Island governor Lincoln D. Chafee has been making media appearances in recent days, talking about President Donald Trump, and how he hasn’t ruled out another run for president in four years.

Chafee, who has called negative coverage of Trump “tiresome,” was on Fox News on Thursday. Earlier in the week, he was on WPRO-AM/FM 630/99.7.

Chafee, a Democrat who bowed out of the race in October 2015, told Fox, “Well it’s a four-year term and we are the greatest country in the world because of our constitution … for those that are not happy about that, and I didn’t vote for him and I disagree with 99.9 percent of his policies, but he’s the president; he won the electoral college and our system of government will work. The branches of power, the legislature, will check him and there are checks and balances. Let’s let him govern, that’s the way I feel about it.

“I think others feel the same way … you turn on the TV and it’s just over-the-top criticism. And I think a lot of Americans do want to move on,” Chafee said.

- Advertisement -

Chafee told the station he felt the “fix was in” for Hillary Clinton during the presidential election by the mainstream media, adding the rest of the Democratic candidates were not given a fair shot.

Chafee, in a phone interview Thursday with PBN, said he ultimately voted for Clinton, but was a Bernie Sanders supporter after he left the race. “I thought the country was thirsting for an outsider,” Chafee said.

Regarding a future run for president, Chafee said, “We’ll see … I haven’t ruled it out.”

“I’ve had a long career in public service and there aren’t too many Americans that have been a U.S. senator, a governor and a mayor, and that’s good experience on behalf of constituents to share,” Chafee said. “If there’s any way I can contribute, I would want to do that.”

While he said he disagrees with most of Trump’s policies, he said he thought reaching out to Russia was a good idea.

Though he said he enjoyed public service, he said it is demanding and he has enjoyed being able to spend time with his three children and wife. He was able to travel to Rio to watch his oldest daughter, Louisa, qualify for the Olympics.

He did not have anything positive to say about his replacement, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo.

“I think it’s been a rough two years,” Chafee said. “As a former mayor, I know you have to plow the snow and pick up the garbage. That extends into implementing computer systems and just making sure the business of government is functioning well.”

No posts to display