MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough has a love-hate relationship with Republican nominee Donald Trump. At first, Scarborough was one of Trump’s biggest cheerleaders, providing his old pal endless airtime and chumming it up live TV. Then Scarborough decided that Trump was an evil, racist demagogue whom he has never supported, or something. And now, as the world turns, Scarborough looks to be gearing up to be back on the Trump Train.
It’s a rocky but sweet romance, really.
On Friday, the MSNBC host defended Trump, explaining that new Pivot Trump—the calm, direct, Trump who has delivered arguably wonderful speeches the past three days—is actually the authentic Donald Trump; the “at times race-baiting buffoon” is simply a “role” Trump plays, he argued.
“I will say, though, one of the great ironies of this campaign, I’ve said it here on the show every day, is anybody…anybody that knows Donald knows that that Donald last night was closer to the Donald Trump that we’ve all known for decades than the character he’s playing,” asserted Scarborough. “Because make no mistake of it, make no mistake of it, this loud, screaming, racially insensitive, at times race-baiting buffoon that gets behind microphones at political rallies, that’s Donald Trump playing a role.”
Scarborough continued: “I’m just saying, this is an interesting pivot because as he goes to teleprompter, he’s actually becoming more of the Donald Trump that Donny and Mika and myself and everybody else has known for decades, which is really bizarre, that he’s got to go to teleprompter to be more naturally himself.”
Reiterating his point—and completely changing his tune from his previous Trump stance—Scarborough asked panelist and marketing expert Donny Deutsch, a friend of Trump’s, if he has ever viewed Trump to be racist in their personal interactions, since Scarborough certainly never has:
“Have you, in 20 years of knowing Donald Trump behind closed doors — and I’m not asking for you to vouch for his character, I’m just trying to make this point — have you ever heard him say the first thing in private that was close to being racially insensitive. Never, right? Never,” he asked.
“No, never,” replied Deutsch (before bashing Trump the candidate).
Again, this is rather interesting coming from Scarborough. The man can’t seem to make up his mind over Trump. When he decided to go against the Republican nominee, he had the audacity to scold Republicans for capitulating and “not standing up to” Trump.
Uh, can someone get Scarborough a mirror?
Watch the clip of Scarborough defending Trump below.
