Following Thursday night’s CNN presidential debate, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough expressed his “love” for President Biden, but acknowledged that his performance against former President Trump calls into question whether Biden should seek reelection.
Scarborough began his Friday morning monologue about Biden’s debate performance with a long list of his accomplishments during his time as president, before suggesting Biden might need to step down.
“If he was a CEO and he performed like that, would any company in America, any Fortune 500 company in America, keep him as CEO?” the moderator asked.
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MSNBC host Joe Scarborough expressed dissatisfaction with President Biden’s performance in the first debate of the 2024 election cycle, against former President Donald Trump. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
Scarborough’s doubts about Biden’s fitness for a second term echoed concerned reactions from liberal commentators who acknowledged Biden’s poor performance in the debates suggested he may not be enough to beat Trump and may need to be replaced before November.
The MSNBC host made it clear that the criticism was painful to make given the amount of “affection” he has for Biden, who he said has been “an unimpeachable success as president.”
“I think I have to start by saying, without any apologies, that I love Joe Biden and I love Jill. And I’m willing to debate with anyone, anywhere, anytime on the issue of whether Joe Biden has been the most effective president in passing bipartisan legislation, in expanding NATO, in dealing with the growing threat from China. I’m willing to debate with anyone, anywhere, anytime on the issue of whether Joe Biden has been the most effective president in passing bipartisan legislation, in expanding NATO, in dealing with the growing threat from China. I’m willing to debate with anyone, anywhere, anytime on the issue of whether Joe Biden has been the most effective president in passing bipartisan legislation, in expanding NATO, in dealing with the growing threat from China. I’m willing to debate with anyone, anywhere, anytime on the issue of whether Joe Biden has been the most effective president in passing bipartisan legislation, in dealing with the growing threat from China. I’m willing to debate with anyone, …
But Scarborough said the threat to the country if Trump wins a second term is probably too significant for Democrats to risk for Biden after the debate.
“But if you, like me and like many of you who watch this show, are afraid of how dark a place a second term for Donald Trump could lead America, then I think it’s and will continue to be really important that we ask those same questions of the man that I love and respect and who has served in public service for the last three and a half years to save this country from Donald Trump,” Scarborough said.
He also criticized Biden’s failure to deal with Trump that night.
Biden made a surprising omission while claiming that no soldiers had been killed “anywhere in the world” during his term.
President Biden and former President Trump debated on Thursday night. (Getty Images)
“And Joe Biden failed to refute any of those lies. In fact, as The New York Times reported, he spent much of the night with his mouth agape and his eyes rolling. He failed to fact-check a single thing Donald Trump said. Not only that, but he missed layup after layup,” he said.
Scarborough later said Biden “tragically failed to meet the occasion last night.”
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Donny Deutsch, MSNBC host and regular guest on “Morning Joe”, He expressed a similar view about Biden during the show.
“The truth is, Joe Biden is a great man, a hero. He’s 10 times better than Donald Trump. I just don’t think he’s the best choice for us at this point,” he said.
“Everything is at stake,” Deutsch continued. “Democracy is at stake. Who we are is at stake. Women’s right to choose their own bodies is at stake. Our ability to vote freely is at stake. Joe Biden is an American hero. I believe Joe Biden will do the right thing.”
Struggling to find the right words, Deutsch added: “It just breaks my heart, but I don’t feel like he’s the right person for the job at this point. I don’t know what to do to get out of this situation.”
