Bill Kristol: Trump Can’t Win The 2020 Election But The Democrats Could Lose It

Conservative and Trump critic Bill Kristol joined MSNBC’s Morning Joe Tuesday to talk about the President’s re-election chances. In something of an in-depth discussion, Kristol and others worried that Democrats could blow their opportunity to take back the White House.

“I think people need to remember and you guys need to remember that panic is not a bad thing for the Democrats,” former Senator Claire McCaskill said. “It is a good thing. It is the unifying force that will keep us together after what is going to be a circus-like Democratic primary.”

“We’ve got to have the panic because that’s what unifies us. The opportunity for a four-year term again for this President, and here’s the reason we’re panicking, it’s totally rational. Over 40% of the country think this guy’s OK. If you’re us and you’re watching this President and you’re watching his lying, you’re watching how he’s undermining his only successful thing, which is the economy, you’re watching him on the world stage, you’re watching his buffoonery, you say how in the world can 40% of America think this guy’s OK?”

Kristol agreed that panic might be useful for Democrats but argued that taking the wrong steps out of panic could hand Trump a victory and allow him to claim exoneration. Still, Kristol believed Trump would be hard pressed to replicate his 2016 win.

“Look, I think Trump is likely to lose if you just look at the numbers. I think that’s very true,” Kristol said. “But they’re busy developing the whole campaign infrastructure the way an incumbent president does.”

“Who is running the anti-Trump campaign now? In 2019, not 2020. No-one.”

“Trump,” McCaskill said.

“And Hillary counted on Trump disqualifying himself and it didn’t quite work in 2016,” Kristol said. “I still agree, it’s an inside straight, he’s likely to lose and all that. Trump can’t win this election but the Democrats are capable of losing it, I’m afraid.”

Watch the video above, via MSNBC.