When Asked If Bachmann Should Be President, Ed Rollins Tells Chris Matthews ‘She Will Evolve’

Michele Bachmann‘s former campaign manager Ed Rollins was grilled by Hardball host Chris Matthews Wednesday about whether he still wanted her to be president. Rollins’ response was an ambiguous “she will evolve,” followed by a refusal to answer whether he wanted her to be Commander-in-Chief.

When questioned by Matthews on whether he is still involved in the campaign, Rollins lukewarmly said, “I’m available if she needs to call me and ask me for anything.”

On the issue of whether Bachmann erred in saying HPV vaccines cause mental retardation, Rollins gave more solid responses, saying she needed to admit she was wrong and move on:

She’d had been better if she stayed on issue, the issue was the Governor’s executive orders, and whether he made a mistake…he made a mistake, she made a mistake, the quicker she admits she made a mistake, the better.

Later in the interview, Matthews asked Rollins whom he wanted to win the nomination.

“I still want Michele Bachmann to win the nomination,” he answered. Matthews clarified his question, “You’d like her to be president?”

“I think she’s a great candidate,” Rollins stammered. “I think she’s evolved, I think she will evolve.”

Matthews wanted a more definitive answer though, and asked Rollins pointedly if he wanted her to be commander-in-chief “with her finger on the bomb.”

Rollins was visibly uncomfortable with Matthews’ question and changed subjects, saying he agreed with her economic policies. But the Hardball host sensed apprehension in his answer and kept pressing him about whether he wanted her to be commander-in-chief.

“Whoever’s President gets to be commander-in-chief,” Rollins responded hesitantly. “If she’s elected President, she’ll be commander-in-chief.”

Watch the segment below, courtesy of MSNBC: