MSNBC host Joe Scarborough has some questions for Donald Trump after his latest attacks on Kamala Harris.
Monday’s edition of Morning Joe aired a series of comments the former president made at a campaign rallies in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania over the weekend in which he variously described Harris as “mentally impaired,” “mentally disabled,” and “a stupid person.” “Joe Biden became mentally impaired—Kamala was born that way,” Trump said to laughter and applause from his supporters at the Wisconsin event.
Reacting to the insults, Scarborough noted that Republicans had been concerned by Trump’s remarks for “good reason” and sarcastically called the rally attendees who applauded Trump’s comments a “nice crowd.”
“The question answers itself, I guess,” Scarborough said later. “If [Harris] were so quote stupid, if she were so quote mentally impaired, if she were quote so mentally disabled, why did she destroy him in a debate for 90 minutes, humiliate him, and beat him so badly that he refuses to even debate her on Fox News?”
“That’s question number one,” he continued. “And if she’s had this mental condition from birth, then why did he give her thousands of dollars in 2014 for her political campaign when she was running for the United States Senate?”
He appeared to be referring to donations totaling $6,000 Trump gave to Harris’ campaign between 2011 and 2013 when she became California’s attorney general. Trump’s daughter Ivanka separately made a $2,000 donation to Harris in 2014, according to The Sacramento Bee.
Scarborough also said Trump’s comments had got Republicans “doing something Republicans never do,” namely being openly critical of the MAGA leader. The host read from a New York Times article that quoted some of the GOP pushback to their nominee’s words, including the damning assessment of Maryland’s ex-Republican governor Larry Hogan.
“I think that’s insulting not only to the vice president, but to people that actually do have mental disabilities,” Hogan, a current Senate candidate, told CBS News. “I’ve said for years that Trump’s divisive rhetoric is something we can do without.” Hogan also described Trump’s comments “outrageous and unacceptable” and confirmed that, despite receiving Trump’s endorsement in his own senate race this year, he will not be voting for the former president in November.
Scarborough also highlighted criticism from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who on CNN urged Trump to focus instead on Harris’ “crazy liberal” policies, and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), who similarly said during an ABC News interview that his party “should stick to the issues.” Emmer is reportedly involved in helping JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, prepare for his Tuesday night debate with Harris’ VP pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
