Keller @ Large: Panel Talks Trump In 2016
BOSTON (CBS) -- Boston Globe political correspondent Jim O'Sullivan said he spent the majority of 2015 being wrong about Donald Trump--but he and WBZ's Joe Mathieu now agree that Trump's supporters are for real.
"You go up [to New Hampshire], and you talk to people, you find two-time Obama voters, lifelong democrats," said O'Sullivan. "You would think that these would not be the folks cottoning to Donald Trump, but they are. He's bringing new people into the electorate, he's appealing to the middle. He's really reflecting a broad swath of the electorate at this point."
O'Sullivan and Mathieu sat down with WBZ political analyst Jon Keller to talk about state politics in 2015, and look ahead to national politics in 2016. Keller mentioned that, at this point in past elections, the frontrunners were candidates who eventually took a dive--so does that mean Trump's high numbers don't mean much?
Mathieu said that's not the case this election.
"History and conventional wisdom do not apply, apparently, in this cycle," said Mathieu. "It is very likely he will win New Hampshire, and probably by a pretty good margin. The general election is another story."
The panel also talked about the differing approaches to the Boston Olympic bid taken by Mayor Marty Walsh and Gov. Charlie Baker in 2015. Walsh dove in, whereas Baker wanted to run the numbers and consider long-term consequences with analysis from an independent outside panel.
"The mayor got way too far in way too quickly, but I think in the end was able to extricate himself with a minimum amount of political damage," said O'Sullivan.
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.