The left has tried to pin a variety of epithets on Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. First came "Cocaine Mitch." The allegation was so absurd that the savvy Leader was actually able to fundraise off it with T-shirts mockingly embracing the moniker.
Next, Joe Scarborough, alleging McConnell ties to Russia, tried out "Moscow Mitch." That became a hot hashtag among ranty Democrats.
But on today's Morning Joe, Scarborough descended to a truly despicable depth, slurring McConnell as "Chokehold Mitch." Scarborough was denouncing McConnell for not signing onto a Democrat bill that would, among other things, prohibit chokeholds. In fact, with Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina taking the lead, Republicans are in the process of devising their own bill to address issues of police misconduct.
Note that not only does Scarborough slur McConnell as "Chokehold Mitch," he gloated that this will be particularly harmful to McConnell in his home state of Kentucky, were he is up for re-election this year.
For Scarborough to equate McConnell's lack of enthusiasm for a Democrat bill with a championing of chokeholds is beneath contempt. And it is particularly hypocritical coming from the Morning Joe host. Scarborough has repeatedly denounced President Trump for his suggestion that Scarborough could be responsible for the death of a congressional aide in his district office. But now it is Scarborough who is wantonly suggesting that Mitch McConnell is the "champion" of chokeholds. Disgusting.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
6/11/20
6:23 am EDTJOE SCARBOROUGH: Let’s be clear about this. It will be Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump who will be the lone protectors of the chokehold . . . Mitch McConnell, the champion of chokeholds.
Hey Mitch, guess what? I can’t speak Russian, so get an interpreter to tell this to you if you will. Mitch, in America, we have elections every two years, and you have an election coming up right now and you’ve got some problems because the kids are all calling you 'Moscow Mitch.'
You’re going to be 'Chokehold Mitch,' next. The kids are probably going to start calling you that . . . You’re going to be asked about it on the campaign trail. In a race that’s going to be a lot tougher than you think it is, Mitch. Really is.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: [Unintelligble, presumably names one of McConnell's potential Democrat opponent] is so impressive.
SCARBOROUGH: All of those oligarchs that you’ve been cavorting with, all of those oligarchs you've been hanging with —
MIKA: People kind of know about it.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, it’s out there, Moscow.
MIKA: It's out there [gloating chuckle.]
SCARBOROUGH: It’s out there, Moscow. And as bad as the nickname 'Moscow Mitch' is, 'Moscow Mitch' --
MIKA: It stuck so quickly.
SCARBOROUGH: 'Chokehold Mitch' probably will be worse for you in Kentucky.
