In the eyes of Joe Scarborough, the lack of a Speaker of the House poses nothing less than a "dire" threat to the security of the United States and the entire world! There are "existential" crises in Ukraine, in Israel, and maybe soon in Taiwan.
During his show-opening rant on today's Morning Joe, Scarborough predictably laid all of the blame on the "chaos" created by a small faction of House Republicans.
Scarborough railed that the Republicans are:
Proving what complete, reckless, irresponsible people they are by allowing this to go on while we have all these crises across the globe.
...And again, the Republicans have been trusted, just barely, but trusted with one wing of government. And they're completely making fools of themselves, and they're undermining America's national security, and they're undermining our ability to help the Israelis, help the Ukrainians, to help our allies across the globe.
It is serious. It is dire. They need to get serious very soon.
But if Republicans are being fools in a dire situation, what about another group who could, if it so desired, immediately ensure the election of a Speaker—the Democrats?! Aren't Democrats the "party of government," the "responsible" ones who "defend democracy"? Not when they can help Republicans look bad.
Scarborough conveniently ignored the fact that the Democrats apparently intend to refuse to cast any of their votes for the Republican nominee for Speaker. But if having a Speaker is as crucial as Scarborough makes it out to be, there could be one today if sufficient Dems voted for Steve Scalise, or whoever it might be, to give him the necessary 217 votes.
In Israel, bitter political enemies Bibi Netanyahu and Benny Gantz have come together to form a unity government. Why didn't Scarborough suggest that Democrats put aside their politics and grievances for just one vote?
Scarborough naturally never suggested that solution. Later in the hour, doing his best Edward R. Murrow imitation, Scarborough sententiously intoned: "It is all, all so very petty."
Pettiness cuts both ways. For that matter, Joe, it applies not only to the Democrats, but to liberal media hosts who focus exclusively on ripping Republicans.
Joe Scarborough accusing Republicans of endangering national security by not coalescing to elect a Speaker, but ignoring that Democrats could help elect a Speaker today if they cast enough votes for the Republican, was sponsored in part by Abbvie, maker of Vraylar, Etsy, Consumer Cellular, and Abbott, maker of Ensure.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
10/12/23
6:01 am EDTMIKA BRZEZINSKI: Also ahead, an update from Capitol Hill on the Speaker's race. Republicans have a nominee, but it is not clear if he's got the votes to get the gavel.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I mean, Willie, looks like more chaos.
MIKA:Rough timing.
SCARBOROUGH: More chaos from Republicans. We have, of course, just an existential challenge for the people of Israel, who are going to need support from Congress. We have an existential challenge from Ukraine. And with all this going on, I mean, you look and see what may be happening in Taiwan, if, if, if, you know, one domino falls after another. We need Congress, and a Congress with a Speaker.
. . .
Congresses in the past have understood the importance of having a Speaker. You have a hard set rule. And that is, you go to conference, or you go to caucus, you vote the person with the most votes inside the Republican conference or the Democratic caucus. They go to the floor, and they're the Speaker and everybody votes for them. If not, there would be chaos.
And, and, you know, again, borrowing from the Logan Roy line [in the TV show Succession], these are not serious people. They really are, they are proving what complete, reckless, irresponsible people they are, by allowing this to go on while we have all these crises across the globe.
. . .
And again, the Republicans have been trusted, just barely, but trusted with one wing of government. And they're completely making fools of themselves, and they're undermining America's national security, and they're undermining our ability to help the Israelis, help the Ukrainians, to help our allies across the globe.
It is serious. It is dire.They need to get serious very soon.
. . .
JACQUELINE ALEMANY, Washington Post: While there is a sense of urgency, lots of people coming to the cameras making, you know, fiery statements, at the end of the day, there are not enough people willing to rally around someone, and sort of put their, their politics and their, their petty grievances behind them to get a Speaker and start, you know, get back to business.SCARBOROUGH: It is all, all so very petty.
