Joe Scarborough went on a three-minute rant about President Barack Obama Tuesday morning after the president used a White House address on Monday to slam Republicans immediately after the Navy Yard shooting tragedy in Washington, D.C.
From the backdrop to the content of the speech, the MSNBC host insisted Obama’s remarks were poorly timed and very insensitive.
“It was props — he brought his props along and he had this political,” Scarborough said. “And it was a harsh, partisan speech from the president of the United States on any day. But you know what? This president is frustrated and there is — he certainly has every right to do that. But on the day while people were hiding, while people were bleeding, while people were dying, while the nation was locked in on this — he’s talking about harsh partisanship and Republicans wanting to hurt people.”
“Mike [Barnicle], what is more partisan than not being able to put aside one of these stupid Washington battles — [postponing it] for a day,” Scarborough continued. “Never came under consideration. Never considered it. There’s not one person in the White House that said, ‘You know right down the block, people are dying right now and there’s a gunman on the loose and there’s local schools shutdown. The Capitol is on shutdown. And there may be a second or third gunman. And you know what? Maybe we’ll just give this speech tomorrow.’ Really, nobody even considered that? You believe Jay Carney — it never came under consideration? It’s unbelievable.”
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He went on to ask what if it had been any other president, particularly George W. Bush, who was a favorite foil of MSNBC personalities throughout his second term.
“I just can’t imagine if any other president did this — the ramifications,” Scarborough said. “George W. [Bush] — George W., can you imagine what certain people at this network in 2006, at this table … would have done? Mika [Brzezinski] would be killing George W. Everybody at this network would be killing George W. Everybody at The New York Times would be killing George W. Every journalist in Washington, D.C. would be killing George W.”
Brzezinski suggested Obama was put in “a horrible position” in the wake of the tragedy, which was a suggestion that also drew a strong rebuke from Scarborough.
“No he wasn’t,” Scarborough said. “He’s president of the United States. He should be smart enough — the guy should be smart enough. There should be one person there that had the guts to say, ‘Mr. President, you know people are dying right now. You probably should not do this. You know, comfort the nation today. Bash Republicans tomorrow.’”
(h/t Mediaite)