Before launching her television career, MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace spent years in Republican politics. Her public split with the GOP has often been a topic of discussion on her show, especially with other former Republicans, as she sheds light on how the party has morphed into one centered around Donald Trump. During a recent conversation with ex-Republican strategist Tim Miller, Wallace addressed Trump’s bizarre comments at a Pennsylvania rally.
At the rally, Trump commented on the late golf legend Arnold Palmer, saying, “Arnold Palmer was all man, and I say that in all due respect to women, I love women. … This man was strong and tough, and I refused to say it, but when he took showers with the other pros they came out of there, they said, ‘Oh, my God. That’s unbelievable.’”
Trump’s remarks drew immediate reactions, with House Speaker Mike Johnson attempting to deflect criticism by accusing CNN host Jake Tapper of being fixated on the subject. Tapper, however, quickly shut this down, stating, “If President [Joe] Biden had gone on stage and spoken about the size of a pro golfer’s penis, I think you would be on this show right now saying you were shocked and appalled, and you would suggest it was evidence of his cognitive decline.”
Wallace weighed in, saying that Trump’s erratic behavior should concern even his supporters. “He’s waving a red flag in front of the country in these final 16 days saying, ‘Look how bats— crazy I can be,'” she remarked. For voters still deciding, Wallace suggested that Trump was “making a fool of you.”
She continued, explaining that Trump likely believes his base enjoys his random, off-the-cuff comments, including his use of Arnold Palmer’s anatomy as a metaphor for virility. “I was in a sorority,” Wallace said, “and the only men who ever talk about the size of anyone’s penis are the ones who are projecting some insecurity about their own.”
Wallace went further, pointing out how the GOP has evolved under Trump’s leadership, saying, “I used to say that the Republican Party will say everything’s fine as long as Donald Trump doesn’t come out and play with his pee-pee on air. We’re there. I mean, he’s talking about Arnold Palmer’s penis on TV and at rallies from a podium.”
She concluded by describing Trump’s behavior as “uncomfortable” and “disgusting,” a reflection of how far the party has shifted under his influence.