Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign will be in serious jeopardy if she's challenged by a fellow Democrat, says Bill Kristol, founder and editor of The Weekly Standard and an ABC News contributor.
"She's in real trouble the moment a Democratic candidate or potential candidate, elected official, attacks her," Kristol said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV.
"If a candidate or a Democrat has the nerve to say that Hillary Clinton should not be our nominee. That's the moment when it gets real serious."
Story continues below video.
Watch Newsmax TV on DIRECTV Ch. 349, DISH Ch. 223 and Verizon FiOS Ch. 115 Get Newsmax TV on your cable system – Click Here Now
Whether that will actually happen is another question.
"It's hard to believe, but the Clintons have a pretty good thing going there and she'll be the first woman president," Kristol said.
"[But] someone of stature or even someone who's just an elected Democratic official could say, 'I'm sorry this is just too much.'"
Kristol, who attended the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas over the weekend, said he was very impressed with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the first Republican to declare his candidacy for president.
"The big story of the weekend was Cruz. Ted Cruz gave a speech and … it was just outstanding. Five standing ovations," Kristol said.
"I've seen Cruz many times and he's always very good, but at times he can be a little overbearing or a little preachy or maybe not quite thick with the audience. But he really hit on all cylinders."
Kristol said he talked to a number of Republicans before the Cruz speech who told him, "'Well, I respect Cruz and he's good on Israel, but I couldn't nominate him, he's too conservative, too confrontational.'"
But afterward, Kristol said the mood was different.
"It was, 'Boy that was something. I still worry that maybe he couldn't win, but boy, I got to rethink this.'"
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.