Dana Perino: Biden was front runner in name only
'The Daily Briefing' host Dana Perino weighs in on 2020 candidates and the New Hampshire primary.
MSNBC host Chris Matthews had some choice words for former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg for "not wanting to offend" supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on the campaign trail, saying he's "going to lose that way."
As the New Hampshire primary was underway, Matthews began by acknowledging the "civil war" within the Democratic Party between those who "want a revolution" and those who "just want a ride home" with a "designated driver," pointing to Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg vying for the latter.
The "Hardball" host praised Klobuchar for her debate performance last week because of her "audacity," something he suggested Buttigieg lacked during the Friday debate.
"For some reason, Pete pulled back on Friday night. I don't know what he thought he was riding, but he made a big mistake," Matthews said. "He didn't go through. He was winning, he should've stayed with it, give audacious answers. Instead, he played it careful. He didn't want to offend the 'Bernie Bros' and the Bernie people. That's a big mistake, because you're going to lose that way."
Matthews went on to praise Klobuchar for paying tribute across the aisle to Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., for voting to convict President Trump of one of the articles against him in the Senate impeachment trial, as well as for being the only candidate to raise her hand and verbally reject the acceptance of a Democratic socialist to be on top of the Democrat Party's ticket, calling her stance the "clap of thunder" that helped boost her campaign.
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"She had the nerve to answer the question and I think if she does well tonight [in the New Hampshire primaries], that's because of it," Matthews continued. "[Jpe] Biden, as usual at a debate, didn't do anything and for some reason, Pete did nothing. He just stood there thinking 'If I don't offend the Bernie people I'm going to win this thing' or 'If I do win I'll have them on the other side.' And Klobuchar did what you have to do in campaigns: jump on the galloping horse of history."
He added that if Klobuchar emerges as the "anti-Bernie candidate," it'll be because of her debate performance.
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