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Michael Reagan Previews Tonight's Republican Debate

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Michael Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan, offered a preview of tonight's Republican presidential debate at the Reagan Presidential Library in Southern California and cautioned those in his party about the danger of Donald Trump and against making too many assumptions about the candidates on stage.

Talking to Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, Reagan said this particular group of candidates needs to show themselves for who they are and stop competing for the legacy of his father.

"We weren't looking for George Washington when we elected Ronald Reagan. We were looking for a leader. I think right now, not only are we looking for a leader in the United States of America, I think the world is looking for a leader, other than Vladimir Putin. That's what we're looking for. I think we make a mistake by trying to find Ronald Reagan. There's no Ronald Reagans in the room. People have to find themselves in who they are and that has become a problem."

He dismissed the candidacy of Donald Trump and does not think his supporters fit into the fabric of the Republican party.

"I don't think you can be a Trump Republican who's for taking 11 million people and throwing them out of the United States of America. Ronald Reagan would never do that. Ronald Reagan never attacked his foes personally. Donald Trump seems to always attack his foes personally. I think if you're in the clothes of a Donald Trump where you're attacking people personally, then that's not what America is all about. That's not what Ronald Reagan was, in fact, all about."

Reagan also expressed his worry that, in the political environment we have today, his father would have a much harder time getting elected.

"If Ronald Reagan were to run today, for the nomination, you only knew him as Governor, you don't know him as President, he's running for President, so what would talk radio today say about a man who raised taxes as Governor? Who signed an abortion bill as Governor? Signed no fault divorce as Governor and was, in fact, a union leader of the Screen Actors Guild, what would talk radio be saying about that person? They'd be calling him a RINO [Republican in Name Only]. Now, I'd like to think he could overcome all of that and still win the nomination. But he would be referred to as a RINO. I think one of the mistakes we make today is we're given these litmus tests, or should I say purity tests, that you have to be pure here, pure there. Ronald Reagan didn't look at the world that way."

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