SAVANNAH GUTHRIE (CO-HOST): There are a few big moments in a presidential campaign, the convention is one. Do you have high hopes?
CHUCK TODD: I am interested to see. Look, this is a jittery nation, jittery party. So [Donald] Trump has two things -- two opportunities and I think two charges. Opportunity is this is four days to reassure the country that he can be this guy. All this uncertainty that's out there, you're unsettled and feel insecure, this is his opportunity to do that. The other thing he's got to do is reassure Republicans that he can win. I can't tell you how many professional Republicans that are already in town that are so depressed and think it's already over. He's got some work to do just to make them come out of this going oh, the party can win.
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GUTHRIE: You mentioned Governor [Mike] Pence [(R-IN)]. On substance, it seems to be a choice that Republicans are happy with. In terms of process and the rollout, the reports that Trump was vacillating until the end and then the kind of bizarre speech and roll out on Saturday, what do you make of it?
TODD: It's just -- we're going to say this a lot: missed opportunity. It's the nicest way to put it. It's a total -- how did they blow this? This is not a hard thing to blow and they've totally blown it. I'm still just stunned that they're not campaigning together. They have yet to campaign together. This is crazy. It's --
MATT LAUER (CO-HOST): You want to defend them a little?
NICOLLE WALLACE: Well I watched the interview last night was sort of Mad Men-era, you know, speaking over your wife. It was uncomfortable to watch in sort of a modern age, and the dynamic between them is lacking because there is no dynamic between them yet. They barely know each other. And I was asked to give a grade last night. We were talking this through about this morning. You got to give it a T for Trump-like. And I guess this is how Trump rolls. It's chaos, it's mayhem, but for some reason -- listen --
[CROSSTALK]
WALLACE: We disagree but I think this convention is going to help Trump. I think he’ll come out of this ahead or even in the polls.
LAUER: So he’ll have a boost in the polls? You don’t think so.
TODD: I just think it's impossible to get a bump out of conventions anymore when you have them back to back. There's no time -- even if it's a great convention for him, Democrats immediately start there so I think it mutes it. I kind of think there's no movement after this.
GUTHRIE: You wouldn't give it a T for Trump?
TODD: I'll give it a T for Trump, but if the VP roll out is any hint of how this is going to go, then the Republican jitters may be warranted.
