Joe Scarborough may not “know who [he's] insulting here”, on Wednesday’s Morning Joe, but that didn’t stop him from digging into Marco Rubio, saying that the presidential candidate has been “preprogrammed” to be the “best robotic candidate in the race.”
Scarborough explained he felt that whoever is in charge of his campaign is using him like the text-to-speak function on a computer, where they whispering in his ear and then releasing him into campaign events. “…somebody has said “we are going to make the best robotic candidate for the race.” And they give him these things: “go say you bought a gun on Christmas Eve.” And he goes out and does it, everything is so calculated. It is—it is maddening.”
The authenticity of Rubio’s feeling about the state of the country were called into question as well. “I said he went full on nativist one week after there's an article saying the number one line that nativist say is “I don't feel like I belong in my own country anymore.” And Marco Rubio put a video, a week ago, “well I don’t even feel like I belong in my own country.” What do you mean? You and your family symbolize… the American dream.” Scarborough insinuated that Rubio did not buy a gun at all, on Christmas Eve, and it was him playing to people’s fears.
“I think they are playing by what use to be valued by the Republican base. And the base use to value discipline,” Nicole Wallace added, pinning it on the electorate. “I mean, George Bush bested John McCain in 2000, because at the end of the day he ran a more disciplined operation. That is no longer valued.”
Scarborough topped off his rant with all due respect to Marco Rubio: “Marco is a super star in train. But whoever's running his campaign, they like keep feeding him stupid lines.”
Transcript below:
Morning Joe
January 20, 2016
6:15:05 – 6:18:04
JOE SCARBOROUGH: But-- so I don't really know so—I don’t know who I'm insulting here. So, I feel free to insult them. So, I know Alex who does-- who’s his P.R. Guy. I've talked to him. I’ve had some good interactions with him.
WILLIE GEIST: Rubio’s?
SCARBOROUGH: Rubio’s guy. I don't know whose running the campaign. So this person I’m about to insult. They have so preprogrammed Marco Rubio. People want to know what my deal is with Marco Rubio. First of all, he's too young in the way Barack Obama was too young, eight years ago, but he is so preprogrammed. It is—somebody wrote a column about this a while ago. And it's like, Marco is an extraordinary talented guy. He’s an extraordinary likeable guy. Everybody that worked with him in Florida liked Marco Rubio. He's a super star in training.
And, my prediction is if he doesn't work out, he might be the vice president, he might be Florida’s governor in 2018. He’s got—but somebody has said “we are going to make the best robotic candidate for the race.” And they give him these things: “go say you bought a gun on Christmas Eve.” And he goes out and does it, everything is so calculated. It is—it is maddening. By the way, I get like rolled by—like some apologist for Marco will get really mad when, you know, I said he went full on nativist one week after there's an article saying the number one line that nativist say is “I don't feel like I belong in my own country anymore.”
And Marco Rubio put a video, a week ago, “well I don’t even feel like I belong in my own country.” What do you mean? You and your family symbolize--
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The American dream?
SCARBOROUGH: The American dream. You're giving up on it a little early. And he does it. You can't talk about being in the front of the auditorium, my dad worked in the back of the auditorium. And talk about how extraordinary America is; and then the second nativist sentiment takes over. Like, for a week in December say you don’t feel like you belong. But it's one after another. Then it’s “I bought a gun on Christmas Eve.” I got-- Marco is a super star in train. But whoever's running his campaign, they like keep feeding him stupid lines.
NICOLE WALLACE: I think they are playing by what use to be valued by the Republican base. And the base use to value discipline. I mean, George Bush bested John McCain in 2000, because at the end of the day he ran a more disciplined operation. That is no longer valued.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, but do you believe that Marco Rubio bought a gun on Christmas Eve?
WALLACE: Listen, after San Bernardino, I think a lot of people bought guns.
SCARBOROUGH: I’ve got no problem—I’ve got no problem with people buying guns to protect their families. I’ve got no problem at all with that.
