Scarborough Makes Case For Newt—But Says He's 'Danger To America' Who'd Be Routed By Obama
In his Politico column and on Morning Joe today, Joe Scarborough made the case for Newt Gingrich from the Republican primary voter's perspective, pointing to Gingrich's record of winning back the congressional majority, achieving balanced budgets and passing welfare reform.
Scarborough then proceeded to trash Gingrich, saying that: 1. he'd never vote for him; 2. Gingrich would be a "danger to the country"; 3. Gingrich is a "bad person" in political if not personal ways; and 4. Gingrich would lose to Obama in a rout, winning 100 electoral votes at best. Video after the jump.
Watch Scarborough's split take on Gingrich. And note how Joe sends a message to the people who "blog about this show" not to misinterpret his remarks about Newt being a "bad person." Wonder who Scarborough might have had in mind?
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I have not supported Newt, I am not going to vote for Newt, I will not support him in any way . . . That said, if I'm a Republican in South Carolina and I don't know just how erratic and undisciplined Newt Gingrich is, and what a danger to America he'd be, I would sit there and think, OK . . . here is a guy, Newt Gingrich, who faced down Bill Clinton in 1994, came in, gave Republicans their first majority in a generation . . . Gingrich master-minded a takeover, first in a generation, within a year we balanced the budget, had a balanced budget amendment out, within three years we balanced the budget for the first time in a generation, four years in a row for the first time since the 1920's, passed welfare reform . . . All I'm explaining here is why Republican voters across America who haven't seen the train wreck that has been Newt Gingrich's political career and life would say you know what? I'm going to vote for him instead of Mitt Romney.
MARK HALPERIN: So, he's got a new wife, and he's converted to Catholicism and he's a grandfather. Do you two hold open the possibility he could be a changed man and a different man than the one who you think would be dangerous?
SCARBOROUGH: I've got to answer that, because no . . . He is not a nice human being. He is a bad person when it comes to demonizing opponents . . . When he puts on his political helmet he is a terrible person . . . Let me tell you something: the Republican establishment will never make peace with Newt Gingrich: they just won't! They won't: this is an important point. Because the Republicans I talk to say he cannot win the nomination at any cost: he will destroy the party. He will re-elect Barack Obama and we'll be ruined. That's going to happen. I mean Newt Gingrich would possibly win 100 electoral votes. If Newt Gingrich wins the primary, Ohio's out of play, Pennsylvania's out of play, Wisconsin's out of play, Minnesota's out of play, Florida's out of play, Virginia's out of play--his home state--out of play. All the swing states are out of play. This would be a rout. Even for a president who in my opinion--Barack Obama--has failed on just about every front, he would, it's just stunning . . . There are a lot of people who blog about what we say here. I want to say: when I said Newt Gingrich is a bad person, I thought I was clear: his political character, when he puts on that political helmet, he becomes a very bad actor. Just like a football player may be great off the field, may be a wonderful dad, a wonderful husband, etc. But sometimes, put on a helmet and they do cheap shots.
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Comments
A Joke
Submitted by dan iroticiv on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 9:32am.
Watch the show this morning, started at 6, when I left for work at 7:15, they were still insulting Newt Gingrich. He called Newt a bad person because per Joe he called Kathleen Sebelius names.
→ Morning Joe
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 9:40am.
As a non-watcher of MoJo I'm curious.
How much attention has Scab Bro paid to Fast & Furious? While we're on the subject of evil, y'know?
Uh hoh please....
Submitted by NeoKong on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 9:47am.
We know who Joe is going to vote for.
The same guy he voted for last time.
have to agree
Submitted by dpeters8 on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 9:50am.
I like Gingrich as an idea's person, or maybe I should say liked, because back in the republican revolution he had some good ideas with contract with America. But he has been a disaster over the past 15 years and though I don't like Scarborough, I have to agree with him on the point that Gingrich will be destroyed in the general election. I saw him unravel in the 90's on the budget, on so many personal issues, and that train wreck continue into the 00's, with global warming, health care, Fanny/Freddy, and so much more. He IS the system that needs to be fixed.
Scarborough is a fraud
Submitted by Gat New York on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 9:59am.
Scarbrough's hit on Gingrich is part of an ongoing diatribe against ALL GOP candidates by Scarborough. If NB were to go back and look at Scarborough's commentary on GOP candidates you would find him criticizing and mocking all of them with the possible exception of Jon Huntsman who is the MSNBC/DNC favorite.
Scarborough does not go through a day on air without having to qualify everything his says with with "as you know I am a small government conservative" or "as we conservatives" which he would not have to do if his comments reflected that.
I am sure that even if he got his wish for the RNC to re-ropen the primary process to allow for all new comers like Chris Christie or Jeb Bush, that Scarborough would find reason to bash the hell out of them the minute they delcared.
Scarborough is a fraud.
Joe's opinion, not facts
Submitted by Blonde on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 1:03pm.
Florida primary voters are going for Gingrich in a big way.
“Florida has one of the oldest Republican electorates in the country and with voters over 65, he’s at 54%,” Jensen wrote in an analysis. “That sort of support from seniors has become the rule for Newt in our polls.”
Furthermore, note that when Joe discusses Newt's accomplishments, it's "we".....Joe is such a tool.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
I came across this article
Submitted by motherbelt on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 10:01am.
I came across this article this morning, and I agree with it wholeheartedly.
Whether one believes Newt is the person to do it (I happen to), this is what the Republican nominee, whoever it ends up being, has to be willing and able to do.
Beat Back Barack
Good read, mb
Submitted by Blonde on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 1:06pm.
As my pal MOTUS says, Barry's new theme is:
"The audacity of NOPE ~ not my fault!!!"
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Excellent Reading
Submitted by stratman on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 5:23pm.
"The Republicans have to understand that mindset and get dirty -- fight with both hands -- for this election will be a battle to the death for the nation, and perhaps the world.
Barack Obama is the ultimate of bullies. Yet, like most bullies, it is the challenge he fears, the truth he despises. The ultimate terror for Barack Obama is that the world will see who he really is: a petty man of little talent and few gifts.
The Republican candidate needs to show the world this truth."
There is only one current Republican candidate who is equipped and willing to do this - Newt Gingrich.
The establishment Right "leaked" an internal private conversation that Repubs must not attack the person Obama or risk failure. This is exactly the recipe for failure the RNC and GOP utilized in 2008. So worried about maintaing their power, The Right would rather suffer defeat in the Oval Office than risk their rice bowl for a banquet.
Obama and the Leftists have ZERO compulsion to muzzle their rage, lies and attack, including, and most importantly to them, personal attacks on their opponents. Obama cannot run on his record alone. He must resort to his traditional personal attacks and dirty tricks to secure a victory. Just look at every election he's run, where Obama has either disqualified or demonized his opponents, including a mentor and supposed good friend back in Chicago. Obama is a campaign predator who uses anything at his disposal to win.
If Gingrich is an angry badger, or whatever the Left tries to insult him with, then so be it. We need an angry badger who can win over the snake in the White House.
Excellent article
Submitted by Model850 on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 4:42pm.
This article should be the in the hands of every Republican candidate, and whoever is the nominee needs to adhere to its instructions to the letter.
Despite how things may appear a Republican win in 2012 is NOT a shoo-in, and the nominee had better take off the gloves, give twice as good as they get, and not be afraid to get down in the mud and get their hands dirty. Otherwise it's four more years of zero. The country may never be able to recover from that.
motherbelt
Submitted by amyshulk on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 10:40pm.
TY for the link - I agree with that article wholeheartedly!!!
Ronald Reagan
I'm a week behind again - and
Submitted by amyshulk on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 10:19am.
I'm a week behind again - and it looks like I won't bother, if he is going to pander to Mika!
Ronald Reagan
Joe, poor Joe...
Submitted by KyWriter on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 10:41am.
...still fuming because Newt paid no attention to him while they were in Congress. Actually, Newt gave him all the respect he was due then and gives him all the respect he is due now. I'm just waiting for a Buddy Hackett joke.
Joe claims to be the Obi-Wan Kenobi
Submitted by Marsh on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 12:34pm.
of the Republican party, the all knowing oracle of what the party is thinking and how it's trending.
For months now he's been proclaiming a Romney victory, claiming he's the model of who the party ultimate nominates. A moderate even keeled country club Republican . And for these same months he treated all the other nominees (except Huntsman) with cheap shots, insults and cleverly edited sound bits to make them look like simpletons .
Which is why Michelle Bachmann's appearance today was particularly interesting.
In an earlier segment Joe railed against Newt saying he couldn't vote for Newt because he demonized people, which is so rich coming out of this man's mouth. Joe mentioned to the gracious Ms Bachmann the Morning Joe crew had been 'rough' on her in the past. No, they weren't rough. They were condescending and demonizing , painting Bachmann as a wild eyed. know nothing joke of a candidate.
Newt's surge to the top highlights how far out of the loop Joe is with voting Republicans and undermines his dubious bragging rights about having his finger on the pulse of the Republican party. . And it's driving Joe crazy. Or should I say crazier. If Joe won't vote for Newt, what do we take from that? Is he sitting out the election or voting for Obama?
What is a RINO to do?
From this morning forward I dub Joe Scarborough RINObi-Wan Kenobi
Scarborough is NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL in the Shed
Submitted by Conservator on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 12:18pm.
More important, his hatred of Gingrich is a tall tale for him to rationalize why he's voting for Obama. Below are a couple of paragraphs from the Politico article cited above:
The case for Newt
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/69798.html
By Joe Scarborough
"I don’t know Newt Gingrich enough to hate him. The truth is the guy has been pretty damn good for my career. Add to that the fact we’ve never had a cross word in 15 years and it should become obvious to even the slowest Gingrich supporter that I have no axe to grind with my former speaker.
But when the subject switches from Private Newt to Public Newt, Mr. Gingrich drives me crazy. My criticisms of Newt have been documented in books, newspaper columns and news transcripts. Like Sen. Tom Coburn, I find his leadership skills to be deplorable. But I find his ideological inconsistency to be even more troubling..."
However, Joey has a history of working with the former Speaker of the House and supporting Newt on many issues. Thus when he writes or states "I don’t know Newt Gingrich enough to hate him," he's LYING.
Like most freshmen Republicans elected during the 1994 Republican takeover of the House led by Newt Gingrich, Scarborough was regarded as a reliable conservative. He was a part of a small group of Republican congressmen the National Journal said possessed a surprising amount of power given their youth and lack of experience in Congress. He received a 95 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. He signed the Contract with America. Scarborough served on the Armed Services, Judiciary, Government Reform, and Education committees. In 1998, he was named Chairman of the Civil Service Committee.
Scarborough was one of a group of about 40 freshmen Republican legislators who dubbed themselves the "New Federalists" after the Federalist Papers. Scarborough was elected Political Director of the incoming legislators. The New Federalists called for sweeping cuts in the U.S. government, including plans to "privatize, localize, consolidate, [or] eliminate" the Departments of Commerce, Education, Energy and Housing and Urban Development, but were largely unsuccessful in their goals. Gingrich tapped Scarborough to head a Republican task force on education, and Scarborough declared, "Our goal is to get as much money, power and authority out of Washington and get as much money, power and authority into the classroom as possible.
Scarborough supported a number of pro-life positions while in Congress including legislation (H.R.2436, Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 1999) that made it a crime to harm a fetus during the commission of other crimes, though he did not vote for the passage of the final bill.
Scarborough sponsored a bill to force the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations after a four-year transition and voted to make the Corporation for Public Broadcasting "self-sufficient" by eliminating federal funding. He also voted for the "Medicare Preservation act of 1995," which cut the projected growth of Medicare by $270 billion over ten years, and against the "Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996," which raised the minimum wage to $5.15..."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Scarborough#Political_career
The more and more I listen to Morning Shmoe.............
Submitted by djwolf12 on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 12:51pm.
the harder and harder I want LSU to totally beat down and destroy Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game.
Morning Joe just didn't jump the shark today....
Submitted by hawk101 on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 1:26pm.
...Joe did a 360 spin midair with the tow bar in his teeth.
I had to watch the 5am hour agin in the 7a hour (cdt, and yes they repeat segments) so I can hear the rant again, now with context that.... he doesn't know him.
After a lengthy and often personal attack, Joe utters, "..but I don't know him personally...' wha...??
All of his disparaging remarks and the show's general attacks on him were supposedly coming from a man who served with him during the rep revolution. So much for credibility.
I'd say that 95 consrvative ranking would be around 43 now, same as someone else's poll #'s.
I thought at one point Mika was going to jump up and just start high-fiving people during Joe's rant.
It's time to replace Mika with a conservative female, so there's at least some balance between the 2 co-hosts.
I don't give a rat's a** who the "Republican Establishment" wants; you know who else doesn't? Swing voters.
Goodbye Morning Joe, you lost me for good today.
The Media Meme to Destroy Newt
Submitted by Blonde on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 2:01pm.
Erratic, Undisciplined, Grandiose
Joe is just leading the charge.
The more the media punditocracy and the Establishment Republicans fight against Newt, the more I like him.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Take off the MSNBC helmet Joe
Submitted by OxyCon on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 2:17pm.
There are a lot of pundits who talk on MSNBC about what we say here. I want to say: when I said Joe Scarborough is a bad person, I thought I was clear: his pundit character, when he puts on that MSNBC political helmet, he becomes a very bad actor. Just like a football player may be great off the field, may be a wonderful dad, a wonderful husband, etc. But sometimes, put on a MSNBC helmet and they do cheap shots.
Take this for what it's worth, but Jeff Kuhner was on...
Submitted by Dave. on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 2:51pm.
...Rusty Humphries local radio show yesterday discussing Newt Gingrich.
I realize Jeff is no Gingrich fan, but he claimed to be aware of two major bombs the MSM has lying in wait for Newt to get the nomination, then they are going to drop them both.
He gave no specifics, but did say they would most likely sink him in the GE - even against the Dear Ruler.
Kuhner usually knows where the bodies are burried, so I have to give him a fair amount of credibility here.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Then why didn't Kuhner reveal
Submitted by ckc1227 on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 6:53pm.
Then why didn't Kuhner reveal what they are, and take those two bombs away from them?