Scarborough: The Way the GOP Could Hurt Trump Would Be to Hug Him

SCARBOROUGH: “And the more the media attacks him regardless of the statement, [crosstalk] the more it feeds into his brand. And what he’s doing Willie, he’s painting in the brightest, the boldest primary colors. He says an outlandish, outrageous statement but people pick up the gist of it.”
GEIST: “Yeah.”
SCARBOROUGH: “And in picking up that gist of it — they support it — Mark, I know you know this, and we need to get — it’s fascinating I know you know this. This for Democrats going out playing at Republicans, this isn’t just about Republicans. I am shocked, as Nicole said, by the Democrats that are coming up basically saying the same thing. Well, you know, oh yeah it’s offensive but you know it’s right.”
HALPERIN: “When you say Trump wounds, let me say Trump isn’t hurt in the context of Republican nomination fight by the media attacks. It’s more than that. He’s helped by it.”
SCARBOROUGH: “He’s helped. Great.”
HALPERIN: “And he’s helped by being attacked by Dick Cheney and Paul Ryan. The establishment doesn’t like what he’s saying and his reporters say, you know why? Trump speaking out. It is such [indecipherable] for people like Dick Cheney and Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell who don’t want Trump to be the nominee, even though they won’t say that publicly. They don’t — they’re powerless, and every minute they speak out against him, it only helps him right now.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Willie, the way they could hurt him the most is by endorsing.” (Laughter)
GEIST: “Yeah.”
HALPERIN: “No, that’s right.”
SCARBOROUGH: “I’m dead serious. Mitch McConnell — you’re laughing — Mitch McConnell, John Boehner —“ [crosstalk]
WALLACE: “[indecipherable] I got an image.” (Laughter)
SCARBOROUGH: “And just go up and hug him, he’ll drop 10 points.”