The journalists at CBS This Morning on Wednesday speculated that one reason Speaker of the House Paul Ryan disavowed any interest in the 2016 Republican nomination is because it’s “not worth having.” Talking to reporter Nancy Cordes, co-host Charlie Rose suggested, “Is it possible he thinks this is not a nomination worth having in this political year?”
Cordes eagerly agreed, “Absolutely.” She added, “He's in the position to a lot of influence and he is in a position to sort of position himself maybe even as soon as 2020 as kind of the alternative to the Trump wing of the party.”
As for the nomination being "not worth having," it's true that Trump loses in every head-to-head matchup against Clinton. However, in a Cruz vs. Clinton scenario, the Democrat is ahead in two, Cruz is ahead in one and the two are tied in another poll. Hardly a lost cause.
Cordes cheered, “He [Ryan] is a leader with ideas who says that the party needs to change gears if it wants to win the presidency.”
In contrast to Ryan, asked about Bill Clinton, Cordes delicately danced around the issue of whether or not the ex-President is helpful:
NANCY CORDES: He certainly is beloved in the Democratic Party and he's a very fierce advocate on behalf of his wife. Sometimes some might say too fierce. And sometimes he does go a little bit off script. And sometimes he's seen as a reminder of the past. But in general, I think the Clinton campaign still believes that he is a big plus for them and that is why they have him on the road all the time.
A transcript of the CBS This Morning segment is below:
4/13/16
8:04am ETCHARLIE ROSE: Nancy Cordes joins us now in Studio 57. She covers Congress and the Democratic presidential race for us. Nancy, good morning.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning. Good to be with you.
ROSE: Good to have you here. Does this mean, do we take him at his word? Paul Ryan will not under any circumstances accept the nomination?
CORDES: I think we do take him for his word because he said that word over and over again, “I won't take it, I don't want it.”
GAYLE KING: But he’s said that before about the Speaker position.
CORDES: He has, he has. I remember that. But this is different. It's different when you say, okay, “I'll acquiesce to the wishes of my colleagues and lead them,” versus “I am willing to ignore the will of millions of voters and have myself installed as the nominee.”
ROSE: Is it possible he thinks this is not a nomination worth having in this political year?
CORDES: Absolutely. I think it’s very possible that he does he want to be president someday and that he knows if he were to accept the nomination now, if it were to come to that, that he would be seen by a significant chunk of his own voters as sort of stealing the nomination and that won’t help him down the road.
NORAH O’DONNELL: Yeah, but at the same time, isn’t he laying out a full proposal for what the Republican Party should stand for? Meeting with major donors and he’s chairman of the Republican convention.
CORDES: Right. He's in the position to a lot of influence and he is in a position to sort of position himself maybe even as soon as 2020 as kind of the alternative to the Trump wing of the party.
O’DONNELL: And a leader in the party.
CORDES: He is a leader with ideas who says that the party needs to change gears if it wants to win the presidency.
KING: Let's take a look at the Democrats. Big debate here in New York tomorrow. Big vote. A week from yesterday. So how is it looking to you? Where is the momentum at this particular point? They are both saying they are winning New York and they are both saying they are New Yorkers.
CORDES: Well, the poll shows Hillary Clinton lead is holding remarkably steady at about12 to 14 points. That’s where she has been for weeks. This debate tomorrow night was very important to Bernie Sanders. He saw it as a potential momentum changer. That’s why he fought so hard for it, but something really dramatic would have to happen in that debate to change the contours of this race. And Hillary Clinton is a pretty seasoned debater at this point. And New York voters know her better than almost anybody.
ROSE: One quick question. Is Bill Clinton having an impact?
CORDES: I think it cuts both ways with Bill Clinton. He certainly is beloved in the Democratic Party and he's a very fierce advocate on behalf of his wife. Sometimes some might say too fierce. And sometimes he does go a little bit off script. And sometimes he's seen as a reminder of the past. But in general, I think the Clinton campaign still believes that he is a big plus for them and that is why they have him on the road all the time.
O’DONNELL: Yeah, he’s doing a lot of events. Nancy, so good to see you. Thank you so much.
