Politics

Matthews: Travel Ban ‘Easy’ Choice For Conservatives; ‘Segregate’ The ‘Leper Colony’ [VIDEO]

Al Weaver Reporter
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MSNBC host Chris Matthews said Friday the idea of a travel ban is an “easy” decision for conservatives, and likened the possibility to simply segregating the Ebola-stricken people in areas away from the U.S.

Matthews made the comments on “Morning Joe.”

“It’s easy. It’s the easiest argument in the world. In many ways, it replicates the larger problem liberals have. It’s more complicated to be a liberal,” said Matthews. “To be conservative you simply have to say, look, common sense: segregate these people off from us, leper colony, keep away.”

“It’s easy because if we’re quarantining individuals, why can’t we quarantine countries,” he said. “And on the Democratic side, I think there is an implicit sympathy. Why do we want to do that to people? But, the way the doctors explain it, it’s very complicated.”

“I can’t understand their argument really,” he added.

Co-host Joe Scarborough told Matthews he still does not understand what good a travel ban would do, saying if conservatives brought forth a “logical reason” for a travel ban, it could be a possibility.

“The country is very sensitive for all kinds of reasons. We’re not exactly in a tough mode right now for Americans. We’re not ready to tough this one out. We just say ‘shut that darn door.'”

Of all people, liberal co-host Mika Brzezinski responded saying that if a travel ban would have been in effect, Thomas Eric Duncan would not have made it into America.

“Well, because it would actually prevent it from happening. I mean, if Thomas Eric Duncan had not come here, we wouldn’t be talking about this right now,” she said.