Maggie Haberman Says Trump ‘Lies About The Election’ And Jan 6 Attack Hurt With Average Voters — And His Advisers Know It

New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman told CNN’s Brianna Keilar that former President Donald Trump’s “lies about the election” and the Capitol riot aren’t helpful with general election voters — and his advisers know it.

On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Keilar noted that Trump’s “apocalyptic” campaign has him nearly locking up the GOP nomination, but asked Haberman if Trump is well-positioned for the general election against President Joe Biden:

KEILAR: Maggie, looking beyond the nomination. If Trump does have a lock on it, is he ready, is he positioned, for a general election?

HABERMAN: In what respect?

KEILAR: In terms of his appeal. In terms of how people are responding to him.

HABERMAN: Oh, I see what you’re saying.

Look, this has been actually something that’s been discussed a lot, today, because of a piece, by your colleague, Isaac Dovere, focusing on how the Biden folks are going to train their attention, on Trump, going forward, in the coming weeks.

I think we all forget that we see a lot of Donald Trump, because we cover this. And Republicans see a lot of Donald Trump, because it’s their primary.

The general election electorate has not seen that much of Donald Trump. He has not been on Twitter. He does not hold press conferences. He does not really do media interviews, the way he used to. He is not on Fox News, the way he used to be. And so, there hasn’t been a lot of Donald Trump, in the public eye, the same way. There will be, once he is in a general election.

He’s been trying to massage his position, on abortion, to be essentially everywhere on it. He’s the person, who is most responsible, other than Mitch McConnell, for Roe v. Wade ending, with the appointment of Supreme Court justices, and a supermajority.

And yet, because Donald Trump, once upon a time, was pro-abortion rights in it, he is seen by a segment as moderate. And I think he’s going to continue to try to push that.

I don’t think that his constant discussion, about the election, and his lies about the election, and his claims about January 6th, 2021, and the attack on the Capitol that day, I don’t think that that’s especially helpful to him, in a general election. And I don’t think his advisers think it is either. But I think they are going to deal with that when they get to it.

KEILAR: Yes. David is certainly nodding along with you.

URBAN: Yes.

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.