‘Never Gonna Say That Again’: CNN Panel Laughs After Host Admits He Was Wrong To Doubt Trump In 2016

A CNN panel broke out in laughter Tuesday morning after host Phil Mattingly admitted he was wrong to doubt former President Donald Trump in 2016.

Mattingly was joined by CNN’s Alayna Treene and Elie Honig, and The Washington Post’s Joyce Kon as they discussed Trump’s chances at winning the nomination amid the indictments and trials.

Kon said that while speaking to voters in Iowa she has yet to meet a Republican voter who says they will not support Trump if he’s convicted or if he is in prison, even if they are supporting a different Republican candidate.

“I’ve been fixated on this idea of, tell me post-May, tell me post-convention, the path right now. And I’m not one of those people saying Donald Trump can’t win. I lived through 2016. I covered his campaign in 2016. Been there. Never going to say that again,” Mattingly said, cracking up the panel.

“That idea that the people that gave Joe Biden the presidency have not gotten any happier about the former president and to some degree are the exact population that are saying they’re turned off by these indictments. So what’s the plan inside the campaign?”

Treene said the Trump campaign is currently focused on winning over primary voters and have not yet figured out “how to spin” the indictments to the general electorate. (RELATED: CNN Set Cannot Contain Off-Screen Laughter As Clip Rolls Of GOP Candidate Prepping For Debate)

Despite Trump’s mounting legal troubles, the former president maintains a strong lead over Republican contenders in primary polls. CNN’s Harry Enten recently pointed out that Trump is within the margin of error in general election polls against President Joe Biden.

“The largest lead for Joe Biden is just three points … no clear leader.”