Meet the Press’ Chuck Todd talks GOP debate
Aug 5, 2015, 8:05 PM | Updated: Oct 22, 2015, 10:08 am
Chuck Todd from NBC’s Meet the Press joined Mac and Gaydos on KTAR News 92.3 FM Wednesday to sort out Thursday’s Republican debate featuring 10 candidates at the main event and seven at an afternoon forum prior to the debate.
Though the field is large, most viewers will be focused on one candidate, businessman Donald Trump. Todd thinks Trump might surprise a lot of viewers by being, well, cordial.
“The guy’s been pretty smart about marketing himself for years,” Todd said. “Just when It looks like he’s going to go over a cliff, he stops himself. He would love for the reaction to be ‘Oh he wasn’t as crazy as everyone said he was going to be. Well maybe we ought to take another serious look.’”
Todd warns he has to be careful though because that irreverence viewers are tuning in for, is what has gotten him this far.
“The reason that he’s resonating is that he isn’t backing down,” he said. “He’s saying what the guys who yell at their TV say.”
Todd also added that if Trump ends up running as a third party candidate, Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton would “hands down” win Arizona.
Even with all the talk of Trump, it’s another candidate though, that Todd thinks has the most pressure on them.
“There is toughness question that is starting to percolate inside Republican Party circles about Jeb [Bush]. The republican electorate wants a fighter. He’s got to be tough but still stay who he is.”
The debate will start at 6 p.m. Arizona time Thursday on Fox News.
