Even a milquetoast Republican who hates Donald Trump just as much as they do isn’t safe on MSNBC. At least that was the case on Monday afternoon when former Arkansas Republican governor Asa Hutchinson appeared on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House in what he probably thought was going to be a friendly, softball interview with host Nicolle Wallace and her assembled cast. Things turned south very quickly when Wallace started enquiring about Hutchinson’s intention to vote for Trump if he’s the GOP nominee in 2024. Like his fellow Trump critic in the race, Chris Christie, Hutchinson signed the RNC’s pledge to support the nominee. This upset Wallace.
“If you are not the Republican nominee, will you vote for Donald Trump as President?” Wallace asked. “Well, I don't expect him to be the nominee,” Hutchinson responded.
“He's ahead 30 points in the latest polls. It's certainly a possibility,” Wallace interjected.
Hutchinson explained that “if you believe that he's not qualified under our constitution, the 14th Amendment, then he's not gonna even be in the picture.”
That answer made even the gullible Wallace skeptical and she asked again for another clarification on his stance on the RNC pledge: “I agree with you but did you sign the pledge as a condition of being in the debate that you'll support the eventual nominee? I'm just trying to find the consistency with your stated positions. I admire some of them but some of them don't add up.”
Responding in a similar way that Christie did when asked in numerous other interviews, Hutchinson explained: “I signed it saying I'm going to support the nominee of the party. I do not believe that Donald Trump will be the nominee of the party so I can feel comfortable in signing that pledge.”
From there, frequent MSNBC guest and turncoat former Republican Congressman David Jolly jumped in and admitted he was completely perplexed by Hutchinson’s refusal to say he wouldn’t vote for Trump if he ended up becoming the nominee again.
“I'm just honestly in real time a bit taken aback. Governor, I don't understand what you just said, that you don't think he's qualified to be President and you don't support him but you would support him,” Jolly huffed.
“I said on the pledge that I will support the nominee of the party,” Hutchinson explained. “That's what I said. I could in good conscience sign that because I believe that I'll be the nominee of the party or somebody else on the stage Wednesday night.”
Becoming more and more agitated, Jolly asked again: “If Donald Trump's name appears as the Republican nominee whether you think he's qualified or not, are you going to vote for Donald Trump next November if he's the nominee of the Republican Party?”
“I don't expect him to be the nominee of the party,” Hutchinson said doubling down.
Completely irritated, Jolly interjected once more: “That's not what I said, governor.”
“Are you going to vote for Donald Trump as the Republican nominee if indeed he's on the ballot in Arkansas where you're registered to vote?” Jolly asked.
“I just gave you the answer that I am providing in signing that pledge based upon,” Hutchinson replied.
This interview went absolutely nowhere and was a complete 180 from the kind of foot massage that liberal Trump-hating Republican Will Hurd received during his appearance on MSNBC’s Inside with Jen Psaki.
It seems Will Hurd won this round of the MSNBC contributor primary. We all know that’s what Hurd & Hutchinson are running for.
This wild interview on MSNBC was made possible by Liberty Mutual. Their information in linked.
To read the transcript, click “expand”:
MSNBC’s Deadline: White House
8/21/2023
4:40:36 p.m. EasternNICOLLE WALLACE: If you are not the Republican nominee, will you vote for Donald Trump as President?
ASA HUTCHINSON: Well, I don't expect him to be the nominee so --
[crosstalk]
WALLACE: He's ahead 30 points in the latest polls. It's certainly a possibility.
HUTCHINSON: Well, I understand that and I'm sure that will come up on the debate stage, but of course, if you believe that he's not qualified under our constitution, the 14th Amendment, then he's not gonna even be in the picture.
WALLACE: Well, I agree with you but did you sign the pledge as a condition of being in the debate that you'll support the eventual nominee? I'm just trying to find the consistency with your stated positions. I admire some of them but some of them don't add up.
HUTCHINSON: Well, you got to think a little bit lawyerly here that I signed it saying I'm going to support the nominee of the party. I do not believe that Donald Trump will be the nominee of the party so I can feel comfortable in signing that pledge. Now you're asking me questions as what's going to happen down the road? I'm sticking with that statement. That gets me on the debate stage and it's important for me to be there and my voice. And we'll see what the future holds after that.
[...]
4:42:24 p.m. Eastern
DAVID JOLLY: I'm just honestly in real time a bit taken aback. Governor, I don't understand what you just said, that you don't think he's qualified to be President and you don't support him but you would support him. I apologize. I'm at a bit of a pause. I don't understand what you just said.
WALLACE: We’re not lawyers. Actually, David is a lawyer. I'm not. Do you want to take another stab at that, governor, helping us understand?
HUTCHINSON: I said on the pledge that I will support the nominee of the party. That's what I said. I could in good conscience sign that because I believe that I'll be the nominee of the party or somebody else on the stage Wednesday night. Donald Trump hasn't signed that. Donald Trump is not going to participate in that. And so, I expect the nominee of the party to be on that stage Wednesday night. You can accept that or reject it but that's the basis on which I in good conscience can sign that pledge.
WALLACE: Governor—
JOLLY: If I may—
WALLACE: Go ahead, David.
JOLLY: Yeah, if I may. If Donald Trump's name appears as the Republican nominee whether you think he's qualified or not, are you going to vote for Donald Trump next November if he's the nominee of the Republican Party?
HUTCHINSON: I don't expect him to be the nominee of the party --
JOLLY: That's not what I said, governor. I support your spirit but are you going to vote for Donald Trump as the Republican nominee if indeed he's on the ballot in Arkansas where you're registered to vote?
HUTCHINSON: And I hear you very clearly exactly what you're asking me and I just gave you the answer that I am providing in signing that pledge based upon. You don't have to accept it. I just gave you the answer.
