MSNBC's Joe Scarborough wants Democrats to repeat 'I will not attack Barack Obama' before bed each night

Joe Scarborough
(Image credit: MSNBC)

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough is continuing to hammer Democrats for criticizing former President Barack Obama's policies during this week's presidential debates, and now, he's got a new nightly ritual to suggest.

Numerous Obama policies, including the Affordable Care Act, came under fire during the debates, and Scarborough previously slammed 2020 Democrats for seemingly spending more time attacking the popular former president than President Trump himself.

On Friday's Morning Joe, Scarborough continued to drive this point home, going after the 2020 candidates who are arguing over "what Barack Obama did wrong" when Trump is doing things that are "straight out of a fascist playbook."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up

"They need to wake up," Scarborough said. "...I will say it to Democratic candidates again: Focus on Donald Trump! Repeat after me: 'I will not attack Barack Obama. I will focus on Donald Trump and the dangers his presidency brings.'"

Scarborough feels so strongly about this message that he suggested Democrats "read it slowly five times before you go to bed every night," joking he may even put together a mindfulness tape with "the sound of babbling brooks in the background" for them. For now, though, Scarborough concluded that these Democrats targeting Obama are "letting the country down."

The unexpected heat Obama took during the debate has been subject to plenty of discussion, and although Obama has remained on the sidelines of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, CNN reported on Thursday that he and his allies "question the wisdom in assailing the record of a popular ex-president." Brendan Morrow

Brendan Morrow

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.