After reality TV star and real estate mogul Donald Trump joined a crowded 2016 Republican field Tuesday with promises to resurrect the American dream, a CNN guest cautioned counting the candidate out too soon, lest we have a Ronald Reagan redux.
Errol Louis, an anchor with New York City’s NY1, compared Trump’s nascent campaign with conservative demigod Ronald Reagan’s first run in 1980.
“People said this B-movie actor Ronald Reagan, he was playing opposite a chimpanzee, he couldn’t possibly be a serious candidate for office.” Louis said. “And he won the presidency – twice!”
Louis pointed to polls ranking Trump “in the same range” as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) as evidence of his viability.
After Trump took up a flurry of policy issues in his record-setting 45-minute long announcement speech – from boasting a personal wealth of $9 billion to sport analogies about China – Erroll also said that his campaign would at least be a win for free speech.
“You want free speech, this is what you get,” he said.
Watch the full clip over at Mediaite.