MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said on her network's election night coverage that she believes former President Donald Trump will be the Republican presidential nominee and be convicted.
A partial transcription follows:
Steve Kornacki: You asked the question here. Donald Trump was convicted. Do you think he's fit to be president? Again, this is our admissions poll of Republican caucus attendees. Yeah, it's similar, there's something very similar going on here. “Yes” he is 63%. I'd like to show you the breakdown: 71% of people said he was fit to serve. So who's going to vote for him tonight? For DeSantis, it's 13%. For Haley, it's 6%. Among those who say no, Trump is unfit to hold office. The number is Haley. Remember, Haley appears to be eating up a large portion of the anti-Trump vote. Among this group, Haley has 50%, DeSantis has 30% and Trump has 9%.
And in fact, Mr. Trump narrowly leads Mr. Ramaswamy in this group, with 8% of the vote. But yeah, this is a roughly 1/3, 2/2 split on the legitimacy of the 2020 election and Trump's legal status. And you can see how that's a rift within the party.
Maddow: Again, the big picture is the big picture here. This means the number of people who attended the caucuses in Iowa. One-third of them believe that if Donald Trump is convicted, he would be unfit to be president. In this incredibly conservative district, Trump is running away from the Iowa caucuses by a mile and then a few miles. Still, one-third of voters say they would vote MM-MM if convicted.
Are you going to nominate him nationally? If even a third of the people in the Iowa caucuses say no, will he be unable to become president if he is convicted? I'm sorry, but (whispering) he will be found guilty.
Ari Melber: Rachel, there's overwhelming evidence in some of these cases, so we don't know what's going to happen. But there is very strong evidence.
Maddow: I'm not a lawyer, but I can. he will be found guilty.
Melber: Stage whisper.
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