Former ABC’s “World News” anchor Sam Donaldson said Tuesday on MSNBC that 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden did not “have what it takes to get in a knife fight in the back alley with Donald Trump.”

Donaldson said, “Donald J. Trump, he must be defeated. We have one more chance to get the country back on track with the rest of the world. One more chance to stop hurting people in this country unnecessarily, the caged children at the Southern border, all that stuff.”

Host Ali Velshi asked, “Let’s talk about the role that Bloomberg had, he came into this campaign after Joe Biden had been anointed the leader and got off to a rough start, now with the momentum that Joe Biden’s picking up out of South Carolina, in the long term. What is the result for having Mike Bloomberg still there if Joe Biden isn’t floundering?”

Donaldson said, “I think Mike Bloomberg is a man to beat Donald J. Trump. I think he is the best shot. Nothing is guaranteed. You know something before I joined Mike Bloomberg before he got into the race, I gave money to Joe Biden. He’s a nice guy. But I think he doesn’t have the fire in the belly. I think he doesn’t have what it takes to get in a knife fight in the back alley with Donald Trump taught by Roy Cohn to win at any cost. No matter whether it is legal. No matter you hurt anyone. No matter if you try to never concede a point. I don’t think Joe’s the guy. I think Mike Bloomberg’s the guy, and he’s proven it in New York City as the mayor of the biggest city in our country.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN