Despite admitting that Joe Walsh has almost no chance in his longshot bid against Donald Trump in the Republican primaries, MSNBC and CNN touted him all day on Monday. In between correctly calling out Walsh’s past offensive and conspiratorial comments, MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace lectured the former Congressman, demanding he agree to vote Democrat if his bid fails.
She repeatedly peppered, “If it doesn't work out, will you vote for the Democrat?... Will you vote for the Democrat?” After Walsh equivocated, the Deadline: White House host told the Republican to suck it up and accept liberalism as the price of getting rid of Trump: “If you believe it's an emergency, pay more in taxes to get rid of the crazy. That seems like the most intellectual honest place to go if you believe what you say.”
Wallace then described how a Democratic strategist (or MSNBC host) would work to defeat Trump:
But if you think he's mentally unfit, I mean, I said months ago I would vote for any of these candidates, I would vote for their automobile. I think the most intellectually honest thing to do, and I believe you believe what you're saying, is to say that the best person to beat him will be the nominee of the other major party in this country.
So I'm going to try to take down his numbers. This is a political strategist thinking, I'm going to try to pull down his numbers. I’m going to raise attention around his fitness. I’m going to find the few cats and dogs, maybe stick Corker in a bus and drive around Iowa. Only a handful of people made this argument but if it doesn't work out I will throw my weight and vote and support and my radio listeners behind the Democratic nominee.
Later, ex-Republican Congressman David Jolly joined in to lecture Walsh on not being anti-Trump soon enough.
When Donald Trump is gone and every Republican that remains silent, and I'm talking about Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Jeb Bush, all of those on stage, who remain silent, that is a moment where we get to judge their discernment and their discretion and their own judgment because if you're asking to be in the Oval Office where your judgment has to be in a moment's notice, something the American people can trust, how do we trust your judgment if you weren't saying these things two years ago and just saying them now when you decided to run for president?
Walsh admitted that he’s “almost” at the point of endorsing a Democrat in 2020: “I'm almost there. I am. Because that's the fight. And that's a better fight. I would rather sit down at the table with Elizabeth Warren and talk about free college tuition. This guy is destroying the country. I agree with you. I can be brought there.”
Perhaps he just needs a few more appearances as an MSNBC Republican.
A partial transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more.
Deadline: White House
8/26/19
4:34
NICOLLE WALLACE: If it doesn't work out, will you vote for the Democrat?
JOE WALSH: I will never vote for Donald Trump again.
WALLACE: Will you vote for the Democrat?
WALSH: I don't know, that's the best honest answer I can give you. I don't think so.
WALLACE: But if you think he's mentally unfit, I mean, I said months ago I would vote for any of these candidates, I would vote for their automobile. I think the most intellectually honest thing to do, and I believe you believe what you're saying, is to say that the best person to beat him will be the nominee of the other major party in this country.
So I'm going to try to take down his numbers. This is a political strategist thinking, I'm going to try to pull down his numbers. I’m going to raise attention around his fitness. I’m going to find the few cats and dogs, maybe stick Corker in a bus and drive around Iowa. Only a handful of people made this argument but if it doesn't work out I will throw my weight and vote and support and my radio listeners behind the Democratic nominee.
WALSH: Trump can't win.
WALLACE: Is that a yes?
WALSH: Nicolle, it's grab my hand, I could be brought there. I'm a Tea Party conservative. The Democrats' ideas, many scare me.
WALLACE: If you believe it's an emergency, pay more in taxes to get rid of the crazy. That seems like the most intellectual honest place to go if you believe what you say.
WALSH: I'm almost there. I am. Because that's the fight. And that's a better fight. I would rather sit down at the table with Elizabeth Warren and talk about free college tuition. This guy is destroying the country. I agree with you. I can be brought there.
...
FORMER REP. DAVID JOLLY: When Donald Trump is gone and every Republican that remains silent, and I'm talking about Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Jeb Bush, all of those on stage, who remain silent, that is a moment where we get to judge their discernment and their discretion and their own judgment because if you're asking to be in the Oval Office where your judgment has to be in a moment's notice, something the American people can trust, how do we trust your judgment if you weren't saying these things two years ago and just saying them now when you decided to run for president?
