Combative attorney Avenatti lays out road map to beat Trump — and it doesn't involve 'puppies and daisies'

Scrappy attorney Michael Avenatti on Saturday explained how a Democratic challenger can defeat Donald Trump — and how difficult the road ahead of them will be.

The segment began when host Alex Witt asked if Avenatti has noticed a "palpable" difference in tone since Trump demeaned Stormy Daniels, the lawyer's client.

"It's the most recent in a long string of insults directed at women," the attorney said, adding that regardless of political persuasion, more women "are starting to see Donald Trump for what he is, and that is a misogynist."

Avenatti demurred and didn't answer directly when Witt asked him if he plans on running against Trump in 2020 — but he did acknowledge that the president "is going to be a very difficult individual to beat."

"You are not going to beat Donald Trump through a message of puppies and daisies," he said. "You're gonna have to take the fight to Donald Trump and it's gonna have to be a brutal campaign if the Democrats hope to take back the White House."

While many of the people weighing 2020 runs would make "exceptional presidents," most have "no shot," Avenatti added.

"It's gonna take a fighter and it's gonna be a very, very brutal campaign," the attorney said. "And if the Democrats don't come to that realization quickly, he's gonna be re-elected in 2020."

Watch below via MSNBC: