MSNBC Host Predicts Republicans Will Embrace ‘Hard Right’ Pick in 2016, Rand Paul

Chris Matthews: Rand Paul Will Be The 2016 GOP Nominee (TPM)

MSNBC host Chris Matthews predicted on Wednesday, with confidence, that Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) will be the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2016.

Arguing that the 2016 GOP primaries will parallel the 2008 Democratic nomination contest, when Barack Obama bested Hillary Clinton because Iraq War opponents were fed up "with the party leaders who played it safe and backed the war," Matthews said Republicans will make a similar choice.

"I believe the Republican base will do the same in 2016," Matthews said. "They put up with George Bush the first, put up with Bob Dole, were deeply disappointed with the big-spending George W and last year, again, by Mitt Romney and are now going to come loaded for bear for the race for 2016. So I predict the hard right is gonna take over the Republican party in 2016 and the nomination is going to Rand Paul."

"You watch," he said in closing. "This is what I do for a living."