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Speaker Paul Ryan releases video criticizing 'bitterness' in national politics

By Eric DuVall
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., talks about his meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a press conference on Capitol Hill on May 12. Ryan released a new video Wednesday, calling out politicians fro both parties for the "bitterness" shown in the campaign. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., talks about his meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a press conference on Capitol Hill on May 12. Ryan released a new video Wednesday, calling out politicians fro both parties for the "bitterness" shown in the campaign. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- House Speaker Paul Ryan released a new video Wednesday assailing "bitterness" in American politics, though he didn't name names of those he thinks are to blame.

Off the top, Ryan says the tone of politics lately is the fault of both parties, not just rival Democrats.

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The video comes as Republicans work to unify their party after a brutal primary, during which the presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, and his opponents frequently resorted to personal, often petty attacks on one another to gain an advantage.

"This anxiety has got to be channeled and dealt with with solutions instead of just amplified and accelerated and exacerbated. How do you fix that? I think leaders fix this, and we haven't had that kind of leadership lately," Ryan says in the video. "Leaders need to say: 'here's my principle; here's my solution.' And let's try and do it in a way that is inclusive, that's optimistic, that's aspirational, that's focusing on solutions."

The video has the feel of a 60-second campaign commercial, with professionally shot clips of Ryan speaking, set to a musical score.

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While Ryan does not mention Trump or Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton by name, he encourages Republicans to focus on policy, not personality, to win November's election.

"And so, that's the choice you'll have, far more than a personality. Republicans lose personality contests anyway. We always do. But we win ideas contests. We owe you that choice."

Ryan has yet to formally endorse Trump's campaign, though the two had a much-anticipated meeting recently where they pledged to work together for victory in the general election.

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