Chris Matthews may have a thrill coming out of his wherever for Donald Trump.
The liberal MSNBC host said on his show Monday that he understands the billionaire businessman’s popularity with Republican voters, and compared Trump favorably to Sen. Ted Cruz, who he said was an enigma.
“I think we’re looking at asymmetric warfare here,” Matthews said. “We’re looking at Donald Trump who has this sort of nationwide appeal among people who are ticked off at the way things are. We all get why he’s popular. I do, I think. And then you have Cruz who just mystifies me. What’s the Cruz appeal?”
Matthews went on to say that Cruz is “not a particularly charming fellow” and that he “has nothing in terms of personality that would appeal to anybody.”
By contrast, Matthews said Trump’s success as a real estate developer has an inherent advantage in politics.
“Trump is a builder. He’s not a debater. He’s a builder,” Matthews said. “He’s a guy who spent his life putting up these big buildings. I’m still impressed. I’m one of these kids who still looks … I’m in New York and go, ‘Wow, he built that, he built this, he built this.’ Why doesn’t he run a paid TV ad in these early primary states … Most people would be impressed with a guy or a woman who’s built a lot of stuff … and then say, ‘Do you want the builder or the debater?'”
He said it would “put down” Trump’s rivals to show he’s “done stuff with his life.”
Trump apparently noticed Matthews’ praise, responding Monday on Twitter, “Thank you Chris Matthews for your nice words. They are very much appreciated. I fully understand that you really get it.”
Trump remains the front-runner to win the GOP nomination, but his lead in Iowa has disappeared as Cruz has seen his own polling numbers sharply rise in the state.
Trump’s popularity has remained despite spending far less money on advertising than the rest of the GOP field. He has yet to spend any money on TV advertising, even while dominating media coverage with his packed campaign rallies and unpredictable news interviews.
