NBC's Gregory: Trump Will Reach ‘Those Extremists Who Don’t Like the President’

April 19th, 2011 8:19 AM

Appearing on Sunday’s Today show on NBC, Meet the Press host David Gregory seemed to lump people who think President Obama is "the worst President" or who "don’t like the President" in with "extremists" as he explained real estate developer Donald Trump’s appeal among some Republican voters as a potential presidential candidate.

After co-anchor Natalie Morales cited poll numbers showing Trump topping other potential Republican candidates, Gregory gave his explanation for the support:

Part of that, he’s got name recognition, he’s got money, and he's out there talking in a way that is attention-seeking and attention-grabbing, whether he's talking about the President's birth certificate which is a settled issue or talking about him being the worst President in the United States. So he's going to reach some of those extremists who don't like the President and will be able to grab some of that attention.

Below is a transcript of a greater portion of Gregory’s words from the Sunday, April 17, Today show on NBC:

DAVID GREGORY: I don't think he's being viewed very seriously at this point, but he is making some headway in these polls, as you point out.

Part of that, he’s got name recognition, he’s got money, and he's out there talking in a way that is attention-seeking and attention-grabbing, whether he's talking about the President's birth certificate which is a settled issue or talking about him being the worst President in the United States. So he's going to reach some of those extremists who don't like the President and will be able to grab some of that attention.

But I think that puts him in a separate category than someone like a Mitt Romney who’s also getting closer to getting in the race, who’s being taken more seriously within the White House as the Republican front-runner.