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Tags: Bill Kristol | Trump | Presidency | Clinton | Weak | Campaign

Bill Kristol: Trump Shouldn't Be President, But Don't Underestimate Him

Bill Kristol: Trump Shouldn't Be President, But Don't Underestimate Him
Bill Kristol. (AP Images)

By    |   Thursday, 07 July 2016 09:01 AM EDT

Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol said Thursday he still doesn't think Donald Trump should become president, but that doesn't mean the presumptive GOP nominee should be underestimated, given Hillary Clinton's' "weak" campaign.

"If you look at the polls now, the Hillary Clinton campaign, I would be worried," Kristol, who has been a major force in the "Never Trump" movement, told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. "She's up 5 points against a guy who makes mistake after mistake. There is probably a hidden Trump vote . . . Trump could win because Hillary Clinton is so weak."

Kristol said he has faith that there could be a turnabout in the Republican convention in July, and delegates could still turn against Trump.

"People like the idea of grassroots, democracy in America," said Kristol. "This is a genuine grassroots thing. They studied the rules and history and affirmatively active to buying the delegates. That suggested if you don't affirmatively act behind the delegates, they are free."

Meanwhile, there is still no alternative candidate ready to take Trump's place as nominee, but Kristol said he thinks "that's better."

"What you want at the convention is a general referendum at the first ballot," said Kristol. "He is the front-runner and the presumptive nominee. If they don't nominate Trump, then you go to a bunch of ballots in which candidates emerge or are recruited. That would be very interesting and exciting.

"I think it would be great for the Republican Party. It would be chaotic and everyone would say, no obvious nominee. It will be the most exciting thing that will happen politically in our lifetime."

Sandy Fitzgerald

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics. 

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


Politics
Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol said Thursday he still doesn't think Donald Trump should become president, but that doesn't mean the presumptive GOP nominee should be underestimated, given Hillary Clinton's "weak" campaign.
Bill Kristol, Trump, Presidency, Clinton, Weak, Campaign
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2016-01-07
Thursday, 07 July 2016 09:01 AM
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