MIKE BARNICLE: I am mystified by the process on both sides, to tell you the truth. Especially the Republican side. And I’m — the Cruz aspect of the campaign, we were talking about, Joe. I’m wondering, and maybe someone here can answer my question, does his support in the primaries, his growing support in the primaries, especially in Iowa, does it translate to the fall, to a general election?

JOE SCARBOROUGH: No. It does not. I am shocked, I’m shocked—and this is the sort of thing hat makes right-wing bloggers get very angry about—I’m just telling you, I said it about Romney, when I said Romney was going to lose. They got really, really angry with me. This is a different category. I am shocked by how many Republicans, that have always voted Republican, that have said they’re going to vote for Hillary if it’s Cruz, or, um, Trump running against Hillary. I’m talking Deep South, Southern Baptist. I asked people who I expect to say yes, Cruz, go “hell no. Hell no! No. I will never vote for Ted Cruz or Donald Trump. I will vote for Hillary Clinton before those two.” Shocked: lifetime Republicans saying that.

WILLIE GEIST: Why not Cruz? He checks so many boxes.

JOE: Just too harsh. I’ve heard two things: I’ve heard that he’s too harsh, first of all. And secondly–and I hear this from a lot of Republicans that don’t follow politics every day–they think it’s an act. They think it’s staged.