Just how much does MSNBC's Joe Scarborough despise Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich?
On Thursday's Morning Joe, the supposedly conservative host equated Barack Obama's lack of government-running experience in 2008 to that of the former Speaker of the House (video follows with transcript and commentary):
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Mika, Democrats decided instead of electing somebody that could actually run the government four years ago, Hillary Clinton, they decided to pick somebody during the primary process that maybe wasn’t the best technocrat, but made them feel good. Republicans look like they have that choice, and the question is whether they’re going to get somebody who would be a train wreck in the White House, or whether they’re going to look at who could run the government best.
Although the names weren't identified in this snippet, the discussion was about what Mitt Romney has to do to beat Gingrich.
With that in mind, prior to winning the Democrat presidential nomination in 2008, Obama had eight years experience of mostly voting "Present" in the Illinois senate, and three tremendously undistinguished years as a U.S. Senator.
By contrast, Gingrich had 20 years in the House, six as Minority Whip and four as Speaker.
Would you consider that even close to equal? Who would you say had more experience running government?
As for Hillary Clinton, she had been a U.S. Senator for roughly seven years when she lost the nomination to Obama never once in a leadership position.
I guess in Scarborough's view that gave her more experience running government than Gingrich's 20 years in the House, four as its Speaker.
You get the feeling that Scarborough's years with Gingrich are clouding his opinion of the former Speaker?
