In fairness, Scarborough asserted that if Iraq and the War on Terror were the top concern, McCain would be ahead in the polls. Then taking a shot at liberal elitism he added "I know it’s hard for Manhattan and Georgetown to figure out."
The transcript follows.
STEPHEN COLBERT: How does McCain win this one Joe? How does McCain bring it out of the pooper?
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Well, you know, the prob-
COLBERT: You were a Republican Congressman. Help the man. Give him advice right now. What does McCain have to do?
SCARBOROUGH: It is Stephen, and I am serious about this, it’s too late. And the reasons why-
COLBERT: Oh come on!
SCARBOROUGH: The reasons-
[applause]
COLBERT: Never say die! Never say die!
SCARBOROUGH: And I talked about this before. The Republican party inherited a $150 billion surplus, we’ve got a $500 billion debt [sic] this year, eight years later. Inherited a $5 trillion debt which was being paid down in 2000. Now it’s a $10 trillion debt. Social Security and Medicare are closer to bankruptcy than it was eight years ago. Medicaid also going bankrupt. We got a trillion dollar bailout right now because of what’s been going on. We have- the markets keep crashing, but-
COLBERT: Joe, Joe, Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: When there’s peace and prosperity Stephen you can talk about certain issues. But you can’t, at this point, you have to talk about the economy and as long as this economy-
COLBERT: Look at how MSNBC has changed you!
[laughter]
SCARBOROUGH: I know. I know.
COLBERT: I mean I watched you for six years of the Bush administration.
SCARBOROUGH: I know. I know.
COLBERT: And you went along with whatever that cat did!
[laughter]
SCARBOROUGH: I know. I know.
COLBERT: And now you’re down on the Republicans? I mean, they certainly haven’t changed. You must have.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, I have changed.
COLBERT: You have changed.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, you know, actually the funny thing is it really does- not really funny- ironic thing is everybody talked about how the Iraq War hurt the Republican party. I can tell you that it actually- a lot of this goes back to Hurricane Katrina. That’s when the light switch- because the thing that Republicans-
COLBERT: So you don’t think the Iraq War hurt the Republican party.
SCARBOROUGH: No, it actually- it hurt them in 2006, but I will tell you this, and you can look at every poll. I don’t know what those laughs were about. [laughter] But, if- as long as this election is being run McCain’s territory, the Iraq War, the War on Terror, McCain was ahead 15-20 percentage points over Obama. And again, I know that there’s- I know it’s hard for Manhattan and Georgetown to figure out.
