(Video: MSNBC)
Intellectual dishonesty for the sake of political expediency is a lot like juggling chainsaws; if you shift whichever way the wind is blowing, you’re bound to eventually get your legs cut out from under you.
That is exactly what MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough demonstrated during Monday’s “Morning Joe” when he encouraged Americans to thank Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) for opposing President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” legislation after previously advising Democrats on how to get it passed. The host was speaking with Steve Rattner, former auto industry adviser to President Barack Obama, when he shuddered at what could have been had Manchin not stood firm against it.
“My God, I just wonder what would have happened if progressives had gotten their $6 trillion wish earlier this year,” Scarborough said.
“Yeah, in an ironic way, you almost have to thank Joe Manchin for blocking that because $6.5 trillion of spending in this economy would make these numbers look small,” Rattner said of the record gas prices and devastating inflation rate. “Look we had a huge budget deficit. We had an unbelievably aggressive reaction by the FED to the pandemic. You can kind of understand why they were trying but they just tried too hard and now we’re all gonna pay the consequences in a very, very tough environment over the next year or two while this gets sorted out.”
The host then doubled down on his guest’s assertion and affirmed, “I wouldn’t even ironically say thank Joe Manchin. You can just thank Joe Manchin if you’re glad that interest rates aren’t even higher.”
As one social media user pointed out, “The man has never had an authentic or inner principled thought in his political or media career.”
The man has never had an authentic or inner principled thought in his political or media career. Great example of a follower who checks the direction of the wind and then sets his course.
— JacksonCindy (@Jackson72848512) June 13, 2022
If he had, then he wouldn’t have been caught in such a blatant display “of a follower who checks the direction of the wind and then sets his course.”
(Video: MSNBC)
It was only January when Scarborough was discussing with a panel on his program how “This is pretty simple stuff – let me say that again – this is pretty simple stuff.” In no uncertain terms, he then laid out what he considered to be the best path forward to ensure that “Build Back Better” got passed.
“You get the head of the progressive caucus, you get Joe Manchin and you get Joe Biden and you put ’em in a room,” the host explained. “And you say we’re not gonna get out of this room until one of two things happen. One, we have a deal, or two, we’re gonna have a press conference where we go out and announce that Joe Manchin does not support any piece of legislation regarding ‘Build Back Better.'”
I think part of the job requirement of people like @JoeNBC is to exhibit brazen intellectual dishonesty and not bat an eyelash.
— SimpleCoach (@SC149249) June 13, 2022
Scarborough went further still and argued that Democrats should treat Manchin’s tentative support as a bluff and get him to sign off on whatever he did agree with in the omnibus spending package. “If you take Manchin at his word, he’s already committed. He shook Biden’s hand. He said I’ll give you $1.75 trillion,” he added before suggesting Democrats push the senator to “show us your bill. Not what you might support, show us your bill.”
Turns On A Dime
— Clive Davidson (@CliveSDavidson) June 13, 2022
Exactly. Don’t let @JoeNBC pretend he didn’t try to help them figure out how to pass that garbage.
— CM🍊 (@bulldogfan26) June 14, 2022
However, for someone who earns their living by shilling for the left on a cable network, the reality that Scarborough left out is something that he would likely never admit.
How about “thanking” the 50 republicans that voted no….
— eric (@protect_1776) June 13, 2022
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