MSNBC's Joe Scarborough pans the debate as a 'disaster for the Democratic Party'


MSNBC's Joe Scarborough wasn't exactly thrilled with Thursday's Democratic debate.
Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, on Friday's Morning Joe declared the second round of Democratic debates a downright "disaster for the Democratic party," saying that as a fierce opponent of President Trump who wants him to lose re-election, "my only hope is people were not watching."
Scarborough was particularly tough on former Vice President Joe Biden, who he argued was "off his game" and turned in "one of the more disturbing debate performances I have seen since Ronald Reagan's first debate in 1984."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"It was one of those moments where you're going, 'My god, is he going to complete his sentence?'" Scarborough added.
Sanders also received a poor review from Scarborough, who said the Vermont senator was "yelling all night" and clearly "didn't prepare." But Scarborough didn't sound thrilled with just about anyone on the stage, criticizing the entire field for "yelling at each other" rather than focusing on Trump, speculating that a casual viewer who tuned in would have thought, "I thought Donald Trump was a clown show. I'm changing the channel."
The Morning Joe host additionally blasted each of the Democrats on the stage for what he called their "free-for-all immigration policies," which he contended will lose them key states like Wisconsin in 2020. Even Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who many pundits have concluded was the winner of the debate, didn't get a glowing reaction from Scarborough, who asked, "Is there really a Democrat today in 2020 that wants to say ... 'Even in '74, I would have supported busing'?"
Scarborough capped off this five-plus minute rant by again hoping that "only Trump was watching last night." Given Wednesday night's big ratings, though, Scarborough likely has some bad news headed his way. Brendan Morrow
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime minister
In the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
‘Extraordinary asymmetry’: the history of Israeli prisoner swaps
In The Spotlight Exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees is the latest in a series of trades in which Israeli lives appear to count for more
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literature
Speed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91
Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year