‘I’m Sorry Sir, That’s Not What I Asked’: Cavuto Grills Rick Scott On Contested Convention
Fox News host Neil Cavuto grilled Florida Gov. Rick Scott
Thursday over the governor’s assertion that Donald Trump should
automatically be selected as the Republican nominee if he enters the
convention with the most delegates.
“I am saying there is this thing where you have to get 1,237 delegates. You seem to be saying that there will be hell to pay if he doesn’t get the nomination when he doesn’t have the 1,237 delegates. Those are the rules. Everyone understood it’s 1,237. You seem to be saying if he doesn’t get them on the first ballot, he should still be the nominee?” Cavuto asked.
“I think that if he’s where we all think he’s going to be and we don’t coalesce behind him, then we are going to have a very difficult time winning in November,” Scott replied.
“I’m sorry sir, that’s not what I asked. That’s not what I asked,” Cavuto said. “If he doesn’t get to 1237 on the first ballot, he is not the nominee. Technically, he is not. Now, he might get it on a second ballot.”
“Absolutely. Neil, I agree with you. I would hope that he has the 50 percent. But if he’s close, he needs to be our nominee because we have got to start coalescing this party,” Scott said.
Cavuto continued to press him.
“But close is no cigar,” the Fox News host quipped. “Governor, this is an important distinction. I’m worried because I just want to be fair to everybody, as I’m sure you do. There have been many candidates that have gone into the convention with delegate leads. Lyndon Johnson had far more delegates committed to him than John F. Kennedy. … All I’m saying is are you shifting the rules a bit? Where if Donald Trump has a big enough lead, but not quite the majority, it should still be given to him? Shouldn’t we go through the motions of ballots and see if he gets to 1237? Are you saying that’s not the case?”
“Well, clearly at the convention the rules will be followed,” Scott replied. “My belief is that if he’s close to the 50 percent, clearly if he’s there it’s fine, but if he’s close to the 50 percent and he doesn’t get the nomination we will have a very difficult time winning in November. That’s why I believe we ought to coalesce around him now.”
“So why do we have ballots at all? Governor, why do we have ballots at all then?” Cavuto pressed. “This is not a done deal. You seem to be advocating that this if he doesn’t get it that’s not fair. Well, if he’s close, and he doesn’t get it, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
Scott agreed that’s “absolutely what the rules are” and that the “rules should be followed,” but reiterated this his belief was that Trump should get the nomination to give the GOP the best chance to win in November. Cavuto, for his part, continued to grill him for the remainder of the segment.
“I am saying there is this thing where you have to get 1,237 delegates. You seem to be saying that there will be hell to pay if he doesn’t get the nomination when he doesn’t have the 1,237 delegates. Those are the rules. Everyone understood it’s 1,237. You seem to be saying if he doesn’t get them on the first ballot, he should still be the nominee?” Cavuto asked.
“I think that if he’s where we all think he’s going to be and we don’t coalesce behind him, then we are going to have a very difficult time winning in November,” Scott replied.
“I’m sorry sir, that’s not what I asked. That’s not what I asked,” Cavuto said. “If he doesn’t get to 1237 on the first ballot, he is not the nominee. Technically, he is not. Now, he might get it on a second ballot.”
“Absolutely. Neil, I agree with you. I would hope that he has the 50 percent. But if he’s close, he needs to be our nominee because we have got to start coalescing this party,” Scott said.
Image source: Screen grab
“But close is no cigar,” the Fox News host quipped. “Governor, this is an important distinction. I’m worried because I just want to be fair to everybody, as I’m sure you do. There have been many candidates that have gone into the convention with delegate leads. Lyndon Johnson had far more delegates committed to him than John F. Kennedy. … All I’m saying is are you shifting the rules a bit? Where if Donald Trump has a big enough lead, but not quite the majority, it should still be given to him? Shouldn’t we go through the motions of ballots and see if he gets to 1237? Are you saying that’s not the case?”
“Well, clearly at the convention the rules will be followed,” Scott replied. “My belief is that if he’s close to the 50 percent, clearly if he’s there it’s fine, but if he’s close to the 50 percent and he doesn’t get the nomination we will have a very difficult time winning in November. That’s why I believe we ought to coalesce around him now.”
“So why do we have ballots at all? Governor, why do we have ballots at all then?” Cavuto pressed. “This is not a done deal. You seem to be advocating that this if he doesn’t get it that’s not fair. Well, if he’s close, and he doesn’t get it, that’s the way the cookie crumbles.”
Scott agreed that’s “absolutely what the rules are” and that the “rules should be followed,” but reiterated this his belief was that Trump should get the nomination to give the GOP the best chance to win in November. Cavuto, for his part, continued to grill him for the remainder of the segment.
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