Al Hunt, Editor, Bloomberg News

(This is not a legal transcript. Bloomberg LP cannot guarantee its accuracy.)

AL HUNT, EDITOR, BLOOMBERG NEWS, IS INTERVIEWED AT BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE

APRIL 29, 2011

SPEAKERS: TOM KEENE, BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE HOST

KEN PREWITT, BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE CO-HOST

AL HUNT, EDITOR, BLOOMBERG NEWS

7:51

TOM KEENE, BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE HOST: Let's bring in Al Hunt, of course, Political Capital through the weekend and in Bloomberg Radio Sunday afternoon. Al, anybody in the Washington Bureau wearing a wedding dress today?

AL HUNT, EDITOR, BLOOMBERG NEWS: Tom, they're all - we sent them all over to London for those wedding dresses. So we're just celebrating fiscal frugality here in Washington.

KEENE: You've been watching Washington for decades. What a difference in London. There is an American way. What is the pulse right now of Washington as people get ready for the White House correspondence dinner this weekend?

HUNT: Well, they're waiting to see what Tom Keene wears. Does he - what kind of bowtie does he put on? Does he bring his -

KEN PREWITT, BLOOMBERG SURVEILLANCE CO-HOST: His Irish Guard's uniform.

HUNT: Right, exactly. There's a great deal of chatter (ph) about that and we'll all find out around six o'clock tomorrow night I suppose.

PREWITT: Al, listen, among the pros, the political pros in Washington, how serious is Donald Trump being taken?

HUNT: Not very. And let me condition that a little bit, Ken. He could affect the debate, he could affect the dialogue. Most pros don't think he'll run. They think he's just doing this to get publicity. But the longer he keeps getting publicity the more he shaves (ph) the race. Sometimes in ways not altogether advantageous for Republicans.

KEENE: You've got to go out and raise money. Your thoughts on the President's - your thoughts on the media's reporting of the President's efforts to being fundraising.

HUNT: I don't think the President's going to have any problems fundraising. He raised $750 million last time. My guess is he'll top $1 billion this time. He'll lose some on Wall Street, but he'll pick that up in California in the valley and places of that sort. And a lot of the money will be raised - because it's Democratic money, but a lot of it will be raised for fear of the Republicans. He will - there will be a great deal of let Paul Ryan's budget or let the right-wing Republicans take over and fear tends to raise money on both sides.

KEENE: Can the Republicans raise money?

HUNT: Yes, they can. And they'll raise a lot of money. They'll do a lot - whoever the nominee is in all likelihood will do better than John McCain did last time. So it will be the most expensive race ever.

KEENE: Tell us about Political Capital this weekend.

HUNT: Chris Van Hollen, who's the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Paul Ryan's counterpart and Paul Ryan's intellectual equal, which says a lot because they're both very, very smart guys, totally different views. But I think a real important figure in the House Democratic caucus. And someone who usually has interesting views on economic issues.

KEENE: Very good. Al Hunt, I'll see you this weekend. Look forward to that. Political Capital, folks, through the weekend on Bloomberg Television. You can hear it Sunday afternoon, 3 p.m. on Bloomberg Radio.

7:54

***END OF TRANSCRIPT***

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