Cokie And Scarborough Not Sure Reagan Could Get Elected In GOP Today

Ronald Reagan: RINO?  Cokie Roberts and Joe Scarborough have suggested the Gipper might be viewed that way by the modern-day Republican party, making him unelectable within GOP ranks.

After Joe Scarborough said that it was Reagan who rounded up Republican support for the assault weapon ban in 1984, Roberts exclaimed "I'm not sure Reagan could get elected within the Republican party today."  Scarborough concurred: "I don't know that he could." View the video after the jump.

Cokie can also be heard mentioning "immigration" as another issue that would cause Reagan problems with current Republicans. What do you think?  I say Reagan's ability to express conservative principles more effectively than any politician in modern times would continue to make him very popular among Republicans today.

JOE SCARBOROUGH:  Jim VandeHei, of course back when the assault weapon ban passed in 1984, the man who made it happen: Ronald Wilson Reagan, by lobbying Republican moderates that were afraid to support the assault weapon ban. Reagan weighed in, he made the difference, and I think tonight, the Republicans have to decide whether they want to be the party of Ronald Reagan or they want to be the party of Wayne LaPierre.

COKIE ROBERTS: I'm not sure Ronald Reagan could get elected in the Republican party today.

SCARBOROUGH: I don't know that he could, because he supports—there's no doubt Ronald Reagan would support universal background checks, and he would support the end --

ROBERTS: Immigration!

SCARBOROUGH: Who doesn't support universal background checks? Who doesn't support the end of gun trafficking? You know who doesn't support it? People inside the little Republican bubble in the House of Representatives [Cokie can be heard laughing off camera] and some Democrats who are scared, Jim.