“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough labeled President Barack Obama “radically out of step with where the American people are, where our allies are, where foreign policy experts are” in regards to the threat ISIS poses to the world.
“It is staggering,” Scarborough said on MSNBC. “I don’t know where to begin. Democrats don’t know where to begin. Foreign policy experts don’t know where to begin. John Kerry said the same thing, that it was much to do about nothing. They have created a network. Mike, there’s not an intel agency on the planet that doesn’t fear — I will use the word — fear ISIS.”
Responding to Obama’s suggestions that ISIS is just “a bunch of killers with good social media” and reports that the Pentagon was “cooking the books” in favor of a much weaker ISIS than what actually exists, Scarborough said of the president, “he’s radically out of step with where the American people are, where our allies are, where foreign policy experts are. Why you go from saying they’re a J.V. team, they’re contained, they can’t attack the United States, they’re just a bunch of killers with guns and social media?” (RELATED: Attkisson: Obama Is Selectively Reading Intel Reports [VIDEO])
Panelist Mike Barnicle added, “Well, first of all, the intelligence story is a huge story. And you’re right, I would hope it’s not true. But if it is true. … Yes that’s an enormous story, and you got to find out A, is it true? And B, if it is indeed true, where did the pressure to cook the books come from? Where did it emanate from?”
Scarborough responded, “How much does that sound like 2002 and the lead up to the Iraq war?”
Barnicle insisted, “There’s a great deal of similarities between 2002 and this intel story.”
“Secondly, if you listen to people, just people, the president of the United States, it’s time for him to address the United States. It’s time for him to give a speech to the country, indicating that we are involved in a global war on terrorism,” Barnicle said.
Scarborough interjected, “Mike, who appears around him? Who’s around him, Mike, to speak truth to power, to say ‘Mr. President, we’re sorry, on the J.V. team you stand alone. You’re scaring the hell out of the American people, Mr. President. Stop pretending.'”
Barnicle, unable to answer Scarborough’s question said, “Good question.”