During a discussion on Bloomberg’s With All Due Respect about concerns that the Republican Party would abandon Donald Trump, guest Donny Deutsch shared his own fantasy that would spell bad news for the GOP. “I actually believe something else is going to start to happen in the next few weeks if things don't turn around,” Deutsch warned, “I can actually see Trump bailing.” According to Deutsch, this isn’t the first time the thought has crossed his mind.
“I can't see us ever getting to the point where election night, Trump becomes George McGovern,” he tried to explain, “He’s not going to allow—It is not in his system.” He went on to claim that he was told by a Clinton campaign staffer that the election scenario that they were most afraid of was, “[Trump] bailing out and Mitt Romney coming or something.”
Co-host Mark Halperin shot down Deutsch’s idea quick with a dose of reality. “Manhattan fantasy. He’s not going to drop out before the first debate. He thinks he can win it at the first debate,” argued Halperin. “My point is, drop out at some point,” Deutsch continued, “I cannot see him with the rest of his life with a big “L” on his head.”
And Deutsch wouldn't let it rest, going so far as to claim he heard the same thing from people in the Trump campaign:
DEUTSCH: I’ve heard this from some people also who know him—
HALPERIN: Manhattan fantasy.
DEUTSCH: Well, I’m a Manhattan guy so I like to fantasize.
Transcript below:
Bloomberg
With All Due Respect
August 15, 2016
5:08:16 PM Eastern
DONNY DEUTSCH: I actually believe something else is going to start to happen in the next few weeks if things don't turn around. And I said this a while ago and I turned around, now I’m coming back to it. I can actually see Trump bailing. I can't see us ever getting to the point where election night, Trump becomes George McGovern. He’s not going to allow—It is not in his system. It’s very interesting is, I spoke to a Clinton staffer who said that thing they are most afraid of— and there is a date of September 15 where he—they can’t put someone else in—is him bailing out and Mitt Romney coming or something. I see him dropping the mic and saying, “Here is a speech. I have to do what’s best for the country.”
MARK HALPERIN: Manhattan fantasy. He’s not going to drop out before the first debate. He thinks he can win it at the first debate.
DEUTSCH: My point is, drop out at some point. I cannot see him—
HALPERIN: It’s too late then.
DEUTSCH: I cannot see him with the rest of his life with a big “L” on his head.
HALPERIN: Look at the battleground states. Early voting basically starts everywhere in October obviously, Ohio October 4th. You can’t just— You can’t just turn things around on October 4th, you’ve got to turn it around the run up to October 4th.
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DEUTSCH: He could do whatever the hell he wants.
HALPERIN: Well, but I’m saying—I’m not saying—I’m saying in terms of the party abandoning him. He’s not going to drop out. He’s not.
DEUTSCH: You’re talking about the party abandoning him. I— It is not beyond—and I’ve heard this from some people also who know him—
HALPERIN: Manhattan fantasy.
DEUTSCH: Well, I’m a Manhattan guy so I like to fantasize.
HALPERIN: He’s staying in but he may be doing it under a lot of headwinds unless he can turn things around, which he can do.
