Scarborough Opens Show with a 20-Minute Rant Aimed at Atlantic Writer David Frum Over Claims that the MSNBC Hosts ‘Fear Donald Trump’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT Most of ░░░░░░░░ nation reverend Al Sharpton ░░░░░░░░ we diving What you ░░░░░░░░ You can Absolutely Point ░░░░░░░░ personal privilege Yesterday we ░░░░░░░░ a good friend of ░░░░░░░░ on the show A ░░░░░░░░ who has been a ░░░░░░░░ for some time A ░░░░░░░░ who he knows has ░░░░░░░░ one of my heroes ░░░░░░░░ years now A great ░░░░░░░░ David He writes for ░░░░░░░░ Atlantic David came on ░░░░░░░░ show yesterday and we ░░░░░░░░ having a good conversation ░░░░░░░░ we were talking about ░░░░░░░░ Fox News employees that ░░░░░░░░ talk to courtney and ░░░░░░░░ people at NBC News ░░░░░░░░ said that he had ░░░░░░░░ too much there And ░░░░░░░░ was devastated It was ░░░░░░░░ David flippantly said he ░░░░░░░░ joking he said if ░░░░░░░░ re too drunk for ░░░░░░░░ News you are very ░░░░░░░░ drunk and he We ░░░░░░░░ on with the segment ░░░░░░░░ let you know how ░░░░░░░░ work here I was ░░░░░░░░ should we address that ░░░░░░░░ not If someone has ░░░░░░░░ that about any news ░░░░░░░░ we would usually say ░░░░░░░░ about it Two reference ░░░░░░░░ entire network So at ░░░░░░░░ end and I want ░░░░░░░░ get the words right ░░░░░░░░ was said The comment ░░░░░░░░ a little too flippant ░░░░░░░░ the moment we are ░░░░░░░░ We disagree with Fox ░░░░░░░░ but there s some ░░░░░░░░ people over there A ░░░░░░░░ are worried about Pete ░░░░░░░░ A lot of those ░░░░░░░░ worried about America s ░░░░░░░░ security and they were ░░░░░░░░ to an NBC News ░░░░░░░░ coming forward saying Hegseth ░░░░░░░░ not qualified It was ░░░░░░░░ after the comment was ░░░░░░░░ little too flippant for ░░░░░░░░ moment we are in ░░░░░░░░ disagree with Fox News ░░░░░░░░ disagree with the people ░░░░░░░░ there Including of course ░░░░░░░░ talking to NBC News ░░░░░░░░ their concerns This got ░░░░░░░░ into a column and ░░░░░░░░ headline that said what ░░░░░░░░ the headline The sound ░░░░░░░░ fear That wasn t ░░░░░░░░ sound of fear that ░░░░░░░░ the sound of civility ░░░░░░░░ saying that Mika had ░░░░░░░░ he didn t apologize ░░░░░░░░ simply said it was ░░░░░░░░ flippant I would recommend ░░░░░░░░ we are at a ░░░░░░░░ where like this causes ░░░░░░░░ meltdown and George Conway ░░░░░░░░ guy that we have ░░░░░░░░ the show we love ░░░░░░░░ Saying read this article ░░░░░░░░ s going to make ░░░░░░░░ very sad but you ░░░░░░░░ read it all Because ░░░░░░░░ the fearful times we ░░░░░░░░ in Well there s ░░░░░░░░ problem with the times ░░░░░░░░ we are in You ░░░░░░░░ t be fearful You ░░░░░░░░ t be fearful Just ░░░░░░░░ some people have said ░░░░░░░░ we are fearful Let ░░░░░░░░ tell you something you ░░░░░░░░ talk to anybody that ░░░░░░░░ worked in the front ░░░░░░░░ of and we see ░░░░░░░░ msn ec over the ░░░░░░░░ 22 years I tell ░░░░░░░░ I m not fearful ░░░░░░░░ you talk to anybody ░░░░░░░░ with me in Congress ░░░░░░░░ will tell you not ░░░░░░░░ of leadership Now Not ░░░░░░░░ And I will say ░░░░░░░░ had a wonderful conversation ░░░░░░░░ David He was supposed ░░░░░░░░ be on today and ░░░░░░░░ said he was going ░░░░░░░░ be on today We ░░░░░░░░ going to tweet back ░░░░░░░░ forth talking about having ░░░░░░░░ back on today Just ░░░░░░░░ talk through this to ░░░░░░░░ again maybe it was ░░░░░░░░ right call Maybe it ░░░░░░░░ t the right call ░░░░░░░░ don t know exactly ░░░░░░░░ to do it after ░░░░░░░░ said if you are ░░░░░░░░ drunk for Fox News ░░░░░░░░ are very very drunk ░░░░░░░░ Let me tell you ░░░░░░░░ they wouldn t certainly ░░░░░░░░ let in the pages ░░░░░░░░ the Atlantic or the ░░░░░░░░ Post This is all ░░░░░░░░ Or The New York ░░░░░░░░ They never do that ░░░░░░░░ actually asked an editor ░░░░░░░░ at the Atlantic when ░░░░░░░░ was so shocked we ░░░░░░░░ I said would you ░░░░░░░░ me in writing a ░░░░░░░░ at the Atlantic to ░░░░░░░░ if you are too ░░░░░░░░ for The New York ░░░░░░░░ you are very very ░░░░░░░░ If you re too ░░░░░░░░ for the New York ░░░░░░░░ you are very very ░░░░░░░░ indeed In the context ░░░░░░░░ talking about some of ░░░░░░░░ Some s alcoholism And ░░░░░░░░ from the news organization ░░░░░░░░ stepping up to help ░░░░░░░░ cause To get a ░░░░░░░░ who is grossly unqualified ░░░░░░░░ that the time to ░░░░░░░░ that I understand David ░░░░░░░░ talked And David said ░░░░░░░░ was just a joke ░░░░░░░░ I said to him ░░░░░░░░ appreciate that And who ░░░░░░░░ Maybe I made the ░░░░░░░░ call maybe I made ░░░░░░░░ wrong call I m ░░░░░░░░ sorry if I made ░░░░░░░░ feel comfortable We tried ░░░░░░░░ give it enough distance ░░░░░░░░ t say his name ░░░░░░░░ waited for an entire ░░░░░░░░ We thanked him and ░░░░░░░░ on Then Mika generally ░░░░░░░░ about a flippant comment ░░░░░░░░ I m telling you ░░░░░░░░ sound of fear the ░░░░░░░░ None of that is ░░░░░░░░ But guess what This ░░░░░░░░ what s been going ░░░░░░░░ now for several weeks ░░░░░░░░ went down to talk ░░░░░░░░ the president elect And ░░░░░░░░ wrote articles that were ░░░░░░░░ false But you know ░░░░░░░░ we did We did ░░░░░░░░ corporate thing Corporate said ░░░░░░░░ t say anything Just ░░░░░░░░ your head down What ░░░░░░░░ the royal say Never ░░░░░░░░ never complained We did ░░░░░░░░ We enjoyed our Thanksgiving ░░░░░░░░ know what People are ░░░░░░░░ with some of our ░░░░░░░░ some of our friends ░░░░░░░░ snuck up on them ░░░░░░░░ fast We should have ░░░░░░░░ them more of a ░░░░░░░░ whatever It s The ░░░░░░░░ complaint was that we ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump s rhetoric ░░░░░░░░ during the campaign And ░░░░░░░░ we went down to ░░░░░░░░ an off the record ░░░░░░░░ Caswell s does that ░░░░░░░░ me see from The ░░░░░░░░ York Times Washington Post ░░░░░░░░ know what I even ░░░░░░░░ folks from the Atlantic ░░░░░░░░ think they might be ░░░░░░░░ that If they have ░░░░░░░░ chance to talk in ░░░░░░░░ background with the incoming ░░░░░░░░ and president elect Yeah ░░░░░░░░ were doing in fact ░░░░░░░░ wrote during this outrageously ░░░░░░░░ stupid immature series of ░░░░░░░░ that lied time and ░░░░░░░░ again about us reporters ░░░░░░░░ I would be fired ░░░░░░░░ I had the opportunity ░░░░░░░░ go in and talk ░░░░░░░░ somebody who is incoming ░░░░░░░░ of the United States ░░░░░░░░ any journalist at The ░░░░░░░░ York Times and in ░░░░░░░░ post And that s ░░░░░░░░ funny thing people at ░░░░░░░░ Washington Post especially Hair ░░░░░░░░ fire media report How ░░░░░░░░ they how dare they ░░░░░░░░ the same time that ░░░░░░░░ Washington Post is doing ░░░░░░░░ same thing Trying to ░░░░░░░░ to the president on ░░░░░░░░ background That s what ░░░░░░░░ do By the way ░░░░░░░░ what That s what ░░░░░░░░ ve been doing for ░░░░░░░░ When I speak to ░░░░░░░░ East leaders on background ░░░░░░░░ warnock and people Guess ░░░░░░░░ I do it to ░░░░░░░░ information to get it ░░░░░░░░ you I bet you ░░░░░░░░ t know Because I ░░░░░░░░ t tell you Because ░░░░░░░░ was a background conversation ░░░░░░░░ I went to the ░░░░░░░░ last summer and I ░░░░░░░░ to micron for an ░░░░░░░░ in his office about ░░░░░░░░ about the EU about ░░░░░░░░ ability of NATO About ░░░░░░░░ problems with United States ░░░░░░░░ did that but I ░░░░░░░░ t report it The ░░░░░░░░ difference between what we ░░░░░░░░ on that visit and ░░░░░░░░ The New York Times ░░░░░░░░ Washington Post Wall Street ░░░░░░░░ everybody else is doing ░░░░░░░░ were transparent and we ░░░░░░░░ told you I understand ░░░░░░░░ you don t know ░░░░░░░░ the media works day ░░░░░░░░ and day out I ░░░░░░░░ you will be like ░░░░░░░░ okay man That s ░░░░░░░░ For media reporters to ░░░░░░░░ to pretend that this ░░░░░░░░ a shock to try ░░░░░░░░ get clips for Washington ░░░░░░░░ reporters and columnists how ░░░░░░░░ they go see them ░░░░░░░░ they said he was ░░░░░░░░ fascist That s exactly ░░░░░░░░ the Washington Post is ░░░░░░░░ That s exactly what ░░░░░░░░ Wall Street Journal is ░░░░░░░░ That s exactly what ░░░░░░░░ New York Times is ░░░░░░░░ Can we call it ░░░░░░░░ call it their job ░░░░░░░░ let me say this ░░░░░░░░ me say this two ░░░░░░░░ You can do two ░░░░░░░░ at the same time ░░░░░░░░ can say he had ░░░░░░░░ rhetoric and still go ░░░░░░░░ and talk to him ░░░░░░░░ know why do that ░░░░░░░░ get the read of ░░░░░░░░ man Do you know ░░░░░░░░ I went in Did ░░░░░░░░ the read of the ░░░░░░░░ at a crucial time ░░░░░░░░ EU funding And NATO ░░░░░░░░ Do you know why ░░░░░░░░ went to leaders in ░░░░░░░░ Middle East who are ░░░░░░░░ at the United States ░░░░░░░░ I sat there and ░░░░░░░░ to them attacking me ░░░░░░░░ For 45 minutes Because ░░░░░░░░ U S policy You ░░░░░░░░ why I do that ░░░░░░░░ get the read of ░░░░░░░░ leader To get the ░░░░░░░░ of where the country ░░░░░░░░ going So I can ░░░░░░░░ back here and talk ░░░░░░░░ you and let you ░░░░░░░░ what the hell is ░░░░░░░░ on To give you ░░░░░░░░ insight and background Do ░░░░░░░░ know that everybody that ░░░░░░░░ have on this show ░░░░░░░░ is reported It s ░░░░░░░░ they do every day ░░░░░░░░ speak on background Listen ░░░░░░░░ I m going to ░░░░░░░░ this again I love ░░░░░░░░ He s a dear ░░░░░░░░ of mine I can ░░░░░░░░ see why David felt ░░░░░░░░ by what we did ░░░░░░░░ you know what That ░░░░░░░░ a call we do ░░░░░░░░ we do a four ░░░░░░░░ show Right And it ░░░░░░░░ going in real time ░░░░░░░░ had to make the ░░░░░░░░ call over the course ░░░░░░░░ about five or 10 ░░░░░░░░ I can sit in ░░░░░░░░ Atlantic office going let ░░░░░░░░ see Let s change ░░░░░░░░ word here Let s ░░░░░░░░ that word No I ░░░░░░░░ t do that Because ░░░░░░░░ s not the business ░░░░░░░░ we re in here ░░░░░░░░ of all a couple ░░░░░░░░ I want to apologize ░░░░░░░░ David for making him ░░░░░░░░ uncomfortable And I wish ░░░░░░░░ would have come on ░░░░░░░░ show today He said ░░░░░░░░ would come on Friday ░░░░░░░░ the way Bill Clinton ░░░░░░░░ tell me something in ░░░░░░░░ background that s going ░░░░░░░░ give me insight on ░░░░░░░░ the Democratic Party is ░░░░░░░░ or where needs to ░░░░░░░░ You will be smarter ░░░░░░░░ you have been over ░░░░░░░░ last several weeks because ░░░░░░░░ what we talked about ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump for an ░░░░░░░░ hour and a half ░░░░░░░░ get information on where ░░░░░░░░ are going And I ░░░░░░░░ report that Just like ░░░░░░░░ at The New York ░░░░░░░░ Washington Post Wall Street ░░░░░░░░ financial times Just like ░░░░░░░░ do it And again ░░░░░░░░ you had to talk ░░░░░░░░ a journalist we shouldn ░░░░░░░░ talk the complaint that ░░░░░░░░ said that he was ░░░░░░░░ fascist that he talked ░░░░░░░░ a fascist yeah he ░░░░░░░░ during the campaign Guess ░░░░░░░░ We were watching Guess ░░░░░░░░ That means it s ░░░░░░░░ more important we go ░░░░░░░░ That means it s ░░░░░░░░ more important we go ░░░░░░░░ to people in the ░░░░░░░░ East or people in ░░░░░░░░ People we disagree with ░░░░░░░░ s part of our ░░░░░░░░ And we don t ░░░░░░░░ it for ourselves we ░░░░░░░░ it for you One ░░░░░░░░ thing David told me ░░░░░░░░ else And I really ░░░░░░░░ t hope you will ░░░░░░░░ texted leslie and said ░░░░░░░░ if you can come ░░░░░░░░ please come on We ░░░░░░░░ like him We love ░░░░░░░░ guy He meets the ░░░░░░░░ to us I m ░░░░░░░░ sorry he s the ░░░░░░░░ that was caught in ░░░░░░░░ middle of this I ░░░░░░░░ it had been somebody ░░░░░░░░ don t like and ░░░░░░░░ so much But he ░░░░░░░░ something And I wanted ░░░░░░░░ talk about it for ░░░░░░░░ couple of weeks I ░░░░░░░░ I understand the front ░░░░░░░░ Let s just be ░░░░░░░░ We respect Yeah I ░░░░░░░░ that We saw it ░░░░░░░░ will go through Thanksgiving ░░░░░░░░ being with our families ░░░░░░░░ it go And it ░░░░░░░░ dying until this But ░░░░░░░░ said one of the ░░░░░░░░ that concerns us is ░░░░░░░░ you are in fear ░░░░░░░░ does that say about ░░░░░░░░ rest of us A ░░░░░░░░ of things First of ░░░░░░░░ this is what is ░░░░░░░░ crazy in this era ░░░░░░░░ are in when Democrats ░░░░░░░░ shooting at each other ░░░░░░░░ are shooting at each ░░░░░░░░ instead of coming together ░░░░░░░░ s your fault it ░░░░░░░░ your fault They say ░░░░░░░░ you are fearful what ░░░░░░░░ it mean for the ░░░░░░░░ of us Listen we ░░░░░░░░ not thrilled with these ░░░░░░░░ We think a lot ░░░░░░░░ them are absolutely horrible ░░░░░░░░ Patel has promised to ░░░░░░░░ journalists that s a ░░░░░░░░ But we were fearful ░░░░░░░░ Congress when Newt Gingrich ░░░░░░░░ leadership said they were ░░░░░░░░ to destroy me run ░░░░░░░░ against I said go ░░░░░░░░ make my day I ░░░░░░░░ t fearful on the ░░░░░░░░ By the way I ░░░░░░░░ have Republican say they ░░░░░░░░ telling you exactly what ░░░░░░░░ say One person did ░░░░░░░░ time One leader did ░░░░░░░░ time If you think ░░░░░░░░ can do such a ░░░░░░░░ job why don t ░░░░░░░░ come here and do ░░░░░░░░ show four hours a ░░░░░░░░ I m fine I ░░░░░░░░ fine quitting I m ░░░░░░░░ to do my show ░░░░░░░░ m going to do ░░░░░░░░ show the way I ░░░░░░░░ to do my show ░░░░░░░░ I say this now ░░░░░░░░ people who watch the ░░░░░░░░ and love the show ░░░░░░░░ me tell you something ░░░░░░░░ should have no fear ░░░░░░░░ s deeply deeply concerned ░░░░░░░░ constitutional norms We should ░░░░░░░░ everything we can to ░░░░░░░░ those three four five ░░░░░░░░ senators To hold the ░░░░░░░░ against nominees that would ░░░░░░░░ the Pentagon That would ░░░░░░░░ the health of America ░░░░░░░░ would we should hold ░░░░░░░░ line Accept what we ░░░░░░░░ Hold the line in ░░░░░░░░ other areas Do not ░░░░░░░░ fear Do not be ░░░░░░░░ Because we saw what ░░░░░░░░ in South Korea They ░░░░░░░░ had like 20 years ░░░░░░░░ democracy at their backs ░░░░░░░░ the wind at our ░░░░░░░░ that we have we ░░░░░░░░ like 240 years of ░░░░░░░░ democracy of checks and ░░░░░░░░ We ve got people ░░░░░░░░ will not give up ░░░░░░░░ ship So we need ░░░░░░░░ stand shoulder to shoulder ░░░░░░░░ keep fighting and have ░░░░░░░░ fear Show no fear ░░░░░░░░ as FDR said the ░░░░░░░░ thing we have to ░░░░░░░░ is fear itself I ░░░░░░░░ to say that this ░░░░░░░░ What triggered it more ░░░░░░░░ anything else is David ░░░░░░░░ concern A guy that ░░░░░░░░ love and who loves ░░░░░░░░ David is concerned that ░░░░░░░░ did something because we ░░░░░░░░ fearful First of all ░░░░░░░░ of all we weren ░░░░░░░░ talking about Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ are talking about Fox ░░░░░░░░ Secondly if we get ░░░░░░░░ our immediate culture where ░░░░░░░░ is confused for fear ░░░░░░░░ by simply saying let ░░░░░░░░ not say that about ░░░░░░░░ entire network And that ░░░░░░░░ acquaints you to then ░░░░░░░░ are in trouble And ░░░░░░░░ again let me underline ░░░░░░░░ they meant nothing by ░░░░░░░░ It was just a ░░░░░░░░ line It was just ░░░░░░░░ throwaway joke And I ░░░░░░░░ hope he comes on ░░░░░░░░ show to talk about ░░░░░░░░ But I ve got ░░░░░░░░ say at this point ░░░░░░░░ m sick and tired ░░░░░░░░ the nonsense And I ░░░░░░░░ we would all just ░░░░░░░░ to work doing the ░░░░░░░░ that we need to ░░░░░░░░ which is our job ░░░░░░░░ is talking to people ░░░░░░░░ going to determine where ░░░░░░░░ country goes over the ░░░░░░░░ four years And to ░░░░░░░░ the reporting and have ░░░░░░░░ people that will come ░░░░░░░░ as we have done ░░░░░░░░ Matt Gaetz As we ░░░░░░░░ done with Pete Hegseth ░░░░░░░░ we have done with ░░░░░░░░ Gabbard and as we ░░░░░░░░ do for the next ░░░░░░░░ years That s what ░░░░░░░░ need to do That ░░░░░░░░ what we ve been ░░░░░░░░ That s what we ░░░░░░░░ going to do So ░░░░░░░░ just maybe everybody can ░░░░░░░░ their breath stop freaking ░░░░░░░░ about a loss of ░░░░░░░░ percentage point and stop ░░░░░░░░ this circling firing squad ░░░░░░░░ we see the Democratic ░░░░░░░░ have And this media ░░░░░░░░ where people are just ░░░░░░░░ to get clicks To ░░░░░░░░ point two minor points ░░░░░░░░ the meeting that we ░░░░░░░░ to was not kissing ░░░░░░░░ ring or bending any ░░░░░░░░ all of your other ░░░░░░░░ headlines It was a ░░░░░░░░ meeting here quite frankly ░░░░░░░░ we hadn t told ░░░░░░░░ about it if we ░░░░░░░░ shared it with our ░░░░░░░░ to be transparent and ░░░░░░░░ was our call because ░░░░░░░░ was a meeting on ░░░░░░░░ nobody would have known ░░░░░░░░ it Nobody would have ░░░░░░░░ weren t floundering in ░░░░░░░░ and doing a big ░░░░░░░░ of it This was ░░░░░░░░ private meeting One more ░░░░░░░░ to those that you ░░░░░░░░ talking about here who ░░░░░░░░ still pushing this narrative ░░░░░░░░ saying this article is ░░░░░░░░ sad and oh my ░░░░░░░░ fear is taking over ░░░░░░░░ job Good job You ░░░░░░░░ so stuck in your ░░░░░░░░ you are so stuck ░░░░░░░░ your hatred mode that ░░░░░░░░ can t see that ░░░░░░░░ are doing exactly what ░░░░░░░░ forces at play here ░░░░░░░░ Which is causing us ░░░░░░░░ fight We should not ░░░░░░░░ fighting for doing our ░░░░░░░░ for doing with The ░░░░░░░░ York Times the Washington ░░░░░░░░ the Atlantic they are ░░░░░░░░ right now And if ░░░░░░░░ are not meeting with ░░░░░░░░ president elect and talking ░░░░░░░░ him then they are ░░░░░░░░ doing their jobs But ░░░░░░░░ know they are They ░░░░░░░░ talking to them And ░░░░░░░░ want to say again ░░░░░░░░ are lying to get ░░░░░░░░ They understand exactly what ░░░░░░░░ at their own newspapers ░░░░░░░░ doing The New York ░░░░░░░░ is talking to Trump ░░░░░░░░ with Trump talking to ░░░░░░░░ around Trump meeting with ░░░░░░░░ After calling him a ░░░░░░░░ The Wall Street Journal ░░░░░░░░ doing it CNN is ░░░░░░░░ it Do we judge ░░░░░░░░ for doing it We ░░░░░░░░ t You know why ░░░░░░░░ s their jobs Grow ░░░░░░░░ The only thing we ░░░░░░░░ that caused this Twitter ░░░░░░░░ we told you If ░░░░░░░░ would prefer that we ░░░░░░░░ t tell you everything ░░░░░░░░ we do that s ░░░░░░░░ But we just thought ░░░░░░░░ this case transparency was ░░░░░░░░