McLaughlin Thinks Trump Will Win in 2016: ‘Do You Realize the Buildings He’s Put Up?

[rush transcript]

MCLAUGHLIN: “Assuming Trump wins -- assuming Trump wins the GOP nomination, will his views on illegal immigration be an impediment to winning the White House, yes or no?”

BUCHANAN: “No. If he won the nomination, that would be the reason he won it, but he’s not going to win it.”

CLIFT: “He won’t win the nomination.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “He won’t win the nomination?”

CLIFT: “It will burn out.”

ZUCKERMAN: “But your question is, if he does get the nomination, would that be –“

MCLAUGHLIN: “Yes. If he does get the nomination, assuming he does.”

CLIFT: “He would then lose –“ (Crosstalk)

MCLAUGHLIN: “Very specifically, he wins the nomination.”

CLIFT: “He would then lose the general election.”

ZUCKERMAN: “He would lose the general election, I agree to that completely. He would lose it by a large margin.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “Do you realize this man’s achievement?”

ZUCKERMAN: “I’m very, very comfortable with his achievements.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “Do you realize the buildings that he’s put up? Building contracts he’s arranged, Mort?” (Crosstalk)

MCLAUGHLIN: “-- marvels at the new buildings – they’re enormous, Trump Tower.”

ZUCKERMAN: “I never would say that I’m -- excuse me a second.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “Does he get any credit for that?”

ZUCKERMAN: “I never would say that I know -- let me finish one sentence, please?”

MCLAUGHLIN: “All right.”

ZUCKERMAN: “I never would say anything that I know more than you. But the real estate business, I do know more about it, OK? He’s very competent at this. I take nothing away from him. We’re not talking about his real estate skills here. We’re talking about public policy.”

MCLAUGHLIN: “Oh, yes. But you can’t divorce real estate skills as though it’s some creature from afar.”

CLIFT: “You can divorce from public policy.”