MSNBC host Alex Witt explained on Sunday that "speculation helps get us through" breaking news events like a Saturday night explosion that injured 29 people in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood.

After former ATF agent Jim Cavanaugh told Witt that a pressure cooker bomb "if that's what it was" did less damage than expected because the perpetrators miscalculated the size of the blast.

But he said that a second "bomb on 27th street" would have "been much more devastating" if it had not malfunctioned and "if it's a real device."

"I can't thank you enough," Witt replied. "I think that Jimmy put it very aptly. You guys are able to bring your expertise to our broadcast and let us know what's going on and speculation helps get us through these times."