Peter Kalikow: Offensive to see some in GOP trying to stop Trump

Kalikow: Offensive to see some in GOP trying to stop Trump

On 'Your World,' former owner of the New York Post sounds off about the 2016 race

This is a rush transcript from "Your World," March 15, 2016. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right. I think this is an establishment guy in the Republican Party telling the establishment to knock it off.

His name is Peter Kalikow. Of course, he's a former owner, publisher of The New York Post, a brilliant writer, brilliant thinker.

But, before I get to him, I want to get to a line that I really liked in his column today.

"So, my advice to those who are attempting to deny the nomination to anyone who has garnered the requisite delegates to be our nominee is this. Stop. Let's honor the democratic process that has served this country so well" -- the aforementioned Peter Kalikow.

Peter, good to have you.

PETER KALIKOW, FORMER OWNER AND PUBLISHER, NEW YORK POST: Yes. Be careful here.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: What kind of reaction have you gotten to that?

KALIKOW: Well, I have gotten calls from my friends. Most of them like what I say.

CAVUTO: Yes.

KALIKOW: But my friends generally like what I say, so I have to see what happens.

But this was something that I think needed to be said. You know, we went to school in third grade, you had a class election, the guy with the most votes won the election. That's what we try and teach people.

And with what's going on in this campaign, especially guys like Bernie Sanders telling everybody that the game is rigged, by us not allowing the democratic process to work, we prove Bernie Sanders right. And that's probably the last thing we should want to do.

CAVUTO: And I should stress you are actually a John Kasich supporter. You're friends and have been many years with Donald Trump. But you prefer John Kasich of Ohio.

So, you weren't really showing any political leanings this way, just to be fair, right?

KALIKOW: Right.

I like John Kasich. I like what he stands for. I like Donald Trump. I disagree with him on immigration. And that's a hot-button item for me.

CAVUTO: Yes.

KALIKOW: But, nevertheless, if Donald win the most delegates, he's got to be our party's nominee. And I would support him myself.

CAVUTO: Well, what is the most delegates, Peter? Because this is where it gets into a sort of arcane kind of battle back and forth.

If he doesn't have the 1,237, he's not the nominee. He might have the most delegates going into Cleveland, but he's not the nominee until he does. What do you say?

KALIKOW: Well, if he has, 1,900-and-something and he's or so short, and the next guy up the ladder has 500, then, I mean, he should be our nominee.

CAVUTO: All right, but you're saying -- I think you meant if he has about 1,000 or 900, that's one thing, but anything over 1,237, he would be a first ballot victor.

KALIKOW: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: But even Mitt Romney has said he wouldn't interfere in that case. He wouldn't be happy, but he wouldn't interfere.

But there is a feeling, like there is a cabal in the establishment to stop Trump even from that. What do you think of that?

KALIKOW: Well, I think it's wrong.

I think he's done well in the primaries. I wish John Kasich would have done better than he's done, although I am happy with the job that he's done. But Donald Trump clearly is the leader now. And if he's still the leader as this process unwinds, then I think he should be our nominee.

CAVUTO: OK.

So, just to be clear here, there are a lot of Trump folks -- I think Donald Trump himself has said this, that, hey, if I go into that convention with the most delegates, I think he was saying even if he didn't necessarily have the 1,237, but he was miles ahead to the closest guy, let's say Ted Cruz, who might be a few hundred delegates behind, it should be mine?

What do you think of that?

KALIKOW: I think, if it's clearly he's the choice of the rank and file of our party who came out and voted for him, yes, I think he should be our guy.

CAVUTO: But, see, what you're saying there is that he's technically not at that 50 percent-plus one, which would be the 1,237, you're saying he's close enough, give it to him?

KALIKOW: I'm saying he's close enough that we shouldn't gang up on him.

CAVUTO: I see.

KALIKOW: Now, guys make deals before that happens. And I'm sure that if he was a few hundred or 100 short, or 50 short, he would be able to figure out a way to get those 50 votes.

CAVUTO: But he would have to win it on the first ballot. Most of those delegates are bound to him on the first ballot. The second delegate, they can go -- most of them can go anywhere.

KALIKOW: Well, on the second ballot, then the guy with the most delegates is going to win.

CAVUTO: Not all the time.

KALIKOW: And it may not be him.

CAVUTO: No, not all the time.

KALIKOW: Well, you have to have a majority no matter what.

CAVUTO: Right.

KALIKOW: So, the guy with the 12 -- whatever the number is, that will be the guy.

CAVUTO: OK.

Peter, thank you. It's a very interesting column. Good read on the part of people who want to step back and look at the damage the party can do if it targets someone who is ahead right now in delegates.

Thank you very much, Peter. Good seeing you.

KALIKOW: Thank you, Neil.

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