In the past, Joe Scarborough hasn't exactly hidden his disdain for Marco Rubio, saying he reminds him of an eager student government candidate and questioning his integrity. But things have now escalated to open warfare between the two.
Scarborough, responding to an ad in which Rubio speaks of feeling "out of place in our own country," tweeted an attack accusing Rubio of playing a "crass, offensive, nativist" [read xenophobic/borderline racist] card. Rubio has fired back, putting out a fundraising message in which he slams Scarborough as an "elitist."
On today's Morning Joe, Scarborough, citing his University of Alabama/Florida Panhandle roots, took umbrage at the "elitist" label. But while Joe might still have some good old boy in him, how unfair is it to call someone elitist who pulls down a reported $99,000 a week while splitting his time between homes on the Upper West Side and an upper-crusty corner of Connecticut?
What do readers think? Is Rubio's line about feeling "out of place in our own country" . . . out of line? Or is he simply expressing something that millions of good Americans feel?
View the video: it's wah, I tell ya, wah!
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: It's interesting, Marco Rubio is seemingly fund-raising off those criticizing a recent campaign ad he did. Take a look at the ad first.
MARCO RUBIO: This election is about the essence of America. About all of us who feel out of place in our own country. A government incredibly out of touch and millions with traditional values, branded bigots and haters. This is about wages growing slower than the cost of living. A generation drowning in debt and a president humiliated by Putin, Iran and Islamic jihadists. I'm Marco Rubio, I approve this message because this is about the greatest country in the world. And acting like it.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: These people who feel out of place in their own country.
MIKA: So, Joe, you tweeted. I could tell that struck a chord with you. You tweeted, pretty critical. Marco goes full-on nativist. Says he feels out of place in his own country. It's such a crass play, it's offensive. Plus, you also said to Marco and movie stars promising to move to Canada if a Republican is elected. If that's how you feel about America, just leave now. This morning, Joe, here's a recent Rubio fund-raising e-mail. I just think you might recognize someone's name in it. His campaign claims his message is catching on. And that Democrats, the media and the political establishment on both sides know it and they're absolutely terrified.
JOE: You can actually see it in the poll we saw this morning. He's down five percentage points.
MIKA: Here's this part: elitist members of the media, like MSNBC's Joe Scarborough --
JOE: Roll Tide!
MIKA: -- are claiming Marco's remarks are nativist, saying he's trying to pander.
. . .
JOE: So here's a guy that flies around in private jets every day. And he has for years. Here's a guy that sits in luxury suites at Miami Dolphins football games and other football games around America. Here's a guy that got paid $800,000 by a massive, powerful, Manhattan publishing company to write a book. $800,000. More than most of the people he's shaking hands make in ten years. He makes it for writing a book and he's got the guts to go on and lift a line out of this nativist playbook? I don't belong, I feel like I don't belong in my own country? Because he wants to appeal to Donald Trump's crowd. This is a guy that does belong in this country. Because this is a guy whose father came over here, not the way Marco told us he came over here. But his father came over here. His family embodies the American dream. And he's doing this nativist BS to try to appeal. This is such a crass and ham-fisted play. Again, this is what a student government president does when he wants to get elected with a nativist vote.
. . .
MIKE BARNICLE: I've heard a lot of descriptions applied to your name. I've never heard you called an elitist.
JOE: University of Alabama: Roll Tide. Redneck Riviera. By the way, also, 95% lifetime conservative rating. It seems to me could probably attack ISIS first. Maybe he could attack Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, the Iran deal. He's trying to fundraise over a Republican with a 95% lifetime conservative rating. Lots of luck there, fella. It's not going to work.
