Guy Benson: There is not great unity in the GOP just yet
'The Big Weekend Show' panelists react to former President Trump sailing to victory over 2024 White House hopeful Nikki Haley in South Carolina, Fox News Decision Desk projects.
Sportscaster Bob Costas drew ire from "The Big Weekend Show" panelists hours after slamming Trump supporters as members of a "toxic cult" on CNN’s "Smerconish" on Saturday.
"74, 75 million people in this country voted for Donald Trump. I'm not sure that's a great look [for Costas]," Guy Benson, radio host and Fox News contributor, said.
As discussion pivoted from former President Donald Trump's cruise to victory in Nikki Haley's home state of South Carolina on Saturday, Benson, along with Fox News contributors Katie Pavlich and Lisa Boothe, laid into Costas with their own takes on the current state of politics.
Bob Costas of NBC Sports talks before the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at University of Phoenix Stadium on January 16, 2016, in Glendale, Arizona. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
"From sports to saying Trump supporters are a cult… It was a deplorable moment for him," Pavlich weighed in.
CONSERVATIVES TAKE AIM AT HALEY AFTER TRUMP WINS SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY: ‘NO PATHWAY TO VICTORY’
Boothe alleged the criticism would apply to anyone dominating the Republican race to retake the White House in November. With that race down to two people – and with Donald Trump securing all primary and caucus victories so far – the spotlights have mostly turned in his direction.
"Let's say Nikki Haley did get the nomination, but she's not going to. He would be turning the same ire toward her, right? Remember, they called John McCain racist. Mitt Romney was a sexist. Basically, if you're a Republican, you have a target on your back," she said.
"They're going to criticize Donald Trump, but we're seeing, with Joe Biden, a fracturing coalition of the people that propelled him to victory in 2020, saying, ‘You know what? We thought that you were going to be better. You weren’t.' And now Trump's going in and can easily say, ‘Things were good under my watch…’" she continued.
Costas, during his appearance on "Smerconish," titled Trump the "most disgraceful figure in modern presidential history" in addition to calling out his supporters.
"He [Trump] is a bubbling cauldron of loathsome traits," he told host Michael Smerconish.
Costas served up criticism for both former President Trump and current President Biden. (Getty Images)
"You have to be in the throes of some sort of toxic delusion and in a toxic cult to believe that Donald Trump has ever been, in any sense, emotionally, psychologically, intellectually, or ethically fit to be President of the United States," he added. "But his supporters are locked in on that."
Costas additionally rebuked President Biden for running for re-election and thereby risking plunging the country into "insanity" by setting the stage for Trump to take office again.
"He could lose to Trump and subject the nation to four more years of this kind of ongoing insanity. Or if he squeaks by, it's very likely that he cannot complete his second term. He‘d be 86 at the end of it," he said.
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Former President Trump quickly secured a win over former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in Saturday's showdown in the Palmetto State, another essential victory as he looks to clinch the nomination and face off against President Biden in a November rematch.
Both candidates now eye Super Tuesday, slated for March 5.
Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.