CNN’s Smerconish breaks down GOP 'battle for no. 2' against 'crazy like a fox' Trump

CNN political commentator Michael Smerconish on Wednesday analyzed the current state of the 2024 presidential election, insisting that the race among Republican candidates is really a “battle for number two” against former President Donald Trump.

Four of Trump’s rivals will take the stage in Alabama on Wednesday in the fourth Republican presidential primary debate: former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump is not participating in the debate.

“It feels like a battle for number two,” Smerconish said. “I mean, Nikki Haley is the only one among the four that I think is ascendant, although maybe Ron DeSantis got some added visibility from the debate with [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom."

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“One of the factors tonight is: Is anybody gonna watch?” The CNN commentator added. “Because the ratings have been in decline as these debates have progressed.”

"I don’t know that it’s really going to matter,” he said.

Smerconish later described the state of the election as “a crazy cycle,” adding he “wouldn't be surprised if in the end it's neither” Trump nor President Joe Biden on the ballot by March of next year.

“Consider the fact that President Biden said that he wouldn't be running if Donald Trump wasn't running,” Smercomish said, noting Biden appears to be setting up 2024 as another “referendum on Trump.”

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Asked about the possibility of a former Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney candidacy, Smerconish dismissed the idea that she could be a viable alternative to Trump.

“Pardon my cynicism, this is not a conversation we were having last week,” Smerconish said. “What has changed? Here's the brand-new book. What perfect timing to launch a book and talk about a presidential campaign.”

“I don't see a path,” Smerconish said of a Cheney candidacy, arguing “it’s just not in the cards.”

The commentator then turned to Trump’s Tuesday interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, during which the former president declined to say he would “never abuse power as retribution against anybody.”

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“Except for day one,” Trump told Hannity.

Smerconish said that reply was an example of Trump “[redefining] what dictatorship means."

“He's crazy like a fox,” Smerconish said. “There's so much legitimate concern as to what a second Trump presidency would look like.”

Smercomish added when he heard Trump’s “day one” comment, “I said to myself, ‘He’s just redefined what dictatorship means.’ To him, it means closing the border and drilling and he gives cover now to his base to say, ‘Yeah, they call him a dictator — if dictatorship means no more porous borders and drilling for oil in the United States then I'm for dictatorship.’”

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