Joe Scarborough Stands by His ‘Best Biden Ever’ Comment

HALPERIN Let s talk ░░░░░░░░ you and your famous ░░░░░░░░ in 2024 before the ░░░░░░░░ about saying Best Biden ░░░░░░░░ This gets a lot ░░░░░░░░ attention I wanna walk ░░░░░░░░ it carefully Set up ░░░░░░░░ context of this You ░░░░░░░░ in the on your ░░░░░░░░ in the soundbite that ░░░░░░░░ d met with Biden ░░░░░░░░ just talk a little ░░░░░░░░ more about the meeting ░░░░░░░░ Well and again it ░░░░░░░░ not just that meeting ░░░░░░░░ remember writing an op ░░░░░░░░ in The Washington Post ░░░░░░░░ Yeah So the wider ░░░░░░░░ of your contact with ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH Yeah the wider ░░░░░░░░ And I remember early ░░░░░░░░ no actually it wasn ░░░░░░░░ Afghanistan it was Ukraine ░░░░░░░░ I wrote a Washington ░░░░░░░░ op ed that said ░░░░░░░░ Biden needs to stop ░░░░░░░░ Vladimir Putin what he ░░░░░░░░ not going to do ░░░░░░░░ Biden needs to start ░░░░░░░░ you know Vladimir Putin ░░░░░░░░ he is going to ░░░░░░░░ or just keep his ░░░░░░░░ shut basically and went ░░░░░░░░ all the reasons why ░░░░░░░░ overly cautious on the ░░░░░░░░ of Ukraine was not ░░░░░░░░ our interests because we ░░░░░░░░ to keep Putin guessing ░░░░░░░░ bit more than that ░░░░░░░░ a call late at ░░░░░░░░ As you know Mika ░░░░░░░░ I go to sleep ░░░░░░░░ early cause of our ░░░░░░░░ wake up call Got ░░░░░░░░ call late at night ░░░░░░░░ there was about a ░░░░░░░░ 45 minute a pretty ░░░░░░░░ sided discussion from the ░░░░░░░░ of the United States ░░░░░░░░ critical but more importantly ░░░░░░░░ in depth as to ░░░░░░░░ he was doing what ░░░░░░░░ was doing and taking ░░░░░░░░ through it And you ░░░░░░░░ Mark you and I ░░░░░░░░ talked to politicians and ░░░░░░░░ think this is a ░░░░░░░░ important point for people ░░░░░░░░ are listening and may ░░░░░░░░ skeptical but may be ░░░░░░░░ minded about this you ░░░░░░░░ I have talked to ░░░░░░░░ lot of politicians And ░░░░░░░░ ll be really blunt ░░░░░░░░ politicians that call up ░░░░░░░░ lecture me or lecture ░░░░░░░░ about something we ve ░░░░░░░░ or said we sit ░░░░░░░░ and we re very ░░░░░░░░ but rolling our eyes ░░░░░░░░ you know they re ░░░░░░░░ going yeah they re ░░░░░░░░ they re going they ░░░░░░░░ doing their talking points ░░░░░░░░ again you re in ░░░░░░░░ interesting position I m ░░░░░░░░ gonna debate a presidential ░░░░░░░░ or a politician when ░░░░░░░░ re calling me up ░░░░░░░░ about something that I ░░░░░░░░ done on the air ░░░░░░░░ go Thank you very ░░░░░░░░ I appreciate your input ░░░░░░░░ usually I hang up ░░░░░░░░ phone and Mika will ░░░░░░░░ like Who s that ░░░░░░░░ I ll be like ░░░░░░░░ that was fill in ░░░░░░░░ blank Oh my God ░░░░░░░░ his talking points it ░░░░░░░░ pretty embarrassing I didn ░░░░░░░░ get that with Biden ░░░░░░░░ fact when I finished ░░░░░░░░ to Biden on I ░░░░░░░░ it was 22 late ░░░░░░░░ I hung up the ░░░░░░░░ and I said to ░░░░░░░░ He doesn t have ░░░░░░░░ Whoa Because again it ░░░░░░░░ not just cogent it ░░░░░░░░ a better really analysis ░░░░░░░░ the situation than I ░░░░░░░░ heard from most people ░░░░░░░░ it was let s ░░░░░░░░ it was Chairman McCaul ░░░░░░░░ somebody running a pertinent ░░░░░░░░ HALPERIN And you re ░░░░░░░░ and you re confident ░░░░░░░░ someone heard the audio ░░░░░░░░ that conversation they would ░░░░░░░░ away with the same ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH oh my God ░░░░░░░░ Anybody Anybody And then ░░░░░░░░ were other calls They ░░░░░░░░ also it s not ░░░░░░░░ secret Mike barnacle is ░░░░░░░░ good friend of ours ░░░░░░░░ a friend of Joe ░░░░░░░░ and talked to him ░░░░░░░░ you know probably weekly ░░░░░░░░ d always talk to ░░░░░░░░ and again there s ░░░░░░░░ grand conspiracy I d ░░░░░░░░ How s he doing ░░░░░░░░ s his energy level ░░░░░░░░ he seem cogent Did ░░░░░░░░ seem off Because you ░░░░░░░░ reading the reports in ░░░░░░░░ paper and again there ░░░░░░░░ about five people like ░░░░░░░░ that we were and ░░░░░░░░ would talk to you ░░░░░░░░ this too If somebody ░░░░░░░░ a concern I would ░░░░░░░░ you up and say ░░░░░░░░ I ve got so ░░░░░░░░ so saw him in ░░░░░░░░ White House and was ░░░░░░░░ So so that there ░░░░░░░░ a lot of those ░░░░░░░░ There also though was ░░░░░░░░ this two and a ░░░░░░░░ three hour meeting that ░░░░░░░░ had with him I ░░░░░░░░ it was March maybe ░░░░░░░░ March of 2024 and ░░░░░░░░ went in it was ░░░░░░░░ to be like an ░░░░░░░░ lunch which is not ░░░░░░░░ I ve done it ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump and been ░░░░░░░░ with Barack Obama We ░░░░░░░░ in pretty regularly But ░░░░░░░░ I had him there ░░░░░░░░ was asking him I ░░░░░░░░ t asking him about ░░░░░░░░ campaign I was asking ░░░░░░░░ about Ukraine I was ░░░░░░░░ about Israel I was ░░░░░░░░ about India which I ░░░░░░░░ was in the news ░░░░░░░░ basically took him around ░░░░░░░░ world I asked him ░░░░░░░░ you know sort of ░░░░░░░░ flex in Asia what ░░░░░░░░ going on in Guam ░░░░░░░░ was going on in ░░░░░░░░ what was going on ░░░░░░░░ Australia what was going ░░░░░░░░ with South Korea and ░░░░░░░░ talking and he took ░░░░░░░░ he really took me ░░░░░░░░ the world and I ░░░░░░░░ say if you and ░░░░░░░░ lined up 100 Washington ░░░░░░░░ you know he would ░░░░░░░░ he would have handled ░░░░░░░░ handled those answers better ░░░░░░░░ 99 of them Ironically ░░░░░░░░ will be a surprise ░░░░░░░░ people ironically the the ░░░░░░░░ person that I talked ░░░░░░░░ in the 2024 cycle ░░░░░░░░ had as an impressive ░░░░░░░░ grasp was Ron DeSantis ░░░░░░░░ for some reason didn ░░░░░░░░ want to show that ░░░░░░░░ the campaign But I ░░░░░░░░ to Ron DeSantis several ░░░░░░░░ on foreign policy and ░░░░░░░░ was one of these ░░░░░░░░ that I talked to ░░░░░░░░ d go Wow okay ░░░░░░░░ I went away from ░░░░░░░░ three hour meeting with ░░░░░░░░ talking about everything from ░░░░░░░░ Burns negotiating in Russia ░░░░░░░░ he going to negotiate ░░░░░░░░ Russia and talking about ░░░░░░░░ West Bank and what ░░░░░░░░ was doing as far ░░░░░░░░ illegal settlements in the ░░░░░░░░ Bank how the relationship ░░░░░░░░ Netanyahu and I went ░░░░░░░░ from there feeling extraordinarily ░░░░░░░░ the guy was cogent ░░░░░░░░ and beyond cogent that ░░░░░░░░ actually more than again ░░░░░░░░ for maybe chairman or ░░░░░░░░ of the relevant committees ░░░░░░░░ Capitol Hill a better ░░░░░░░░ on foreign policy than ░░░░░░░░ anybody HALPERIN All right ░░░░░░░░ here s now what ░░░░░░░░ said in the wake ░░░░░░░░ that meeting This is ░░░░░░░░ please on Morning Joe ░░░░░░░░ starts SCARBOROUGH As I ░░░░░░░░ said here on the ░░░░░░░░ over the past couple ░░░░░░░░ I ve spent a ░░░░░░░░ bit of time with ░░░░░░░░ Biden I ve spent ░░░░░░░░ couple of hours with ░░░░░░░░ Biden sitting talking going ░░░░░░░░ the world as far ░░░░░░░░ talking issues talking the ░░░░░░░░ talking inflation talking He ░░░░░░░░ cogent but I undersold ░░░░░░░░ when I said he ░░░░░░░░ cogent He s far ░░░░░░░░ cogent In fact I ░░░░░░░░ he s better than ░░░░░░░░ s ever been Intellectually ░░░░░░░░ because he s been ░░░░░░░░ for 50 years and ░░░░░░░░ know I don t ░░░░░░░░ if people know this ░░░░░░░░ not Biden used to ░░░░░░░░ a hot head Sometimes ░░░░░░░░ Irishman would get in ░░░░░░░░ of the reasoning Sometimes ░░░░░░░░ would say things he ░░░░░░░░ t want to say ░░░░░░░░ is and I don ░░░░░░░░ really you know I ░░░░░░░░ t really start your ░░░░░░░░ right now cause I ░░░░░░░░ about to tell you ░░░░░░░░ truth and F you ░░░░░░░░ you can t handle ░░░░░░░░ truth This version of ░░░░░░░░ intellectually analytically is the ░░░░░░░░ Biden ever Clip ends ░░░░░░░░ Okay So a lot ░░░░░░░░ unpack there SCARBOROUGH Mark ░░░░░░░░ have to explain to ░░░░░░░░ like that s actually ░░░░░░░░ first time I ve ░░░░░░░░ the clip all the ░░░░░░░░ through and you re ░░░░░░░░ one like six months ░░░░░░░░ to alert me to ░░░░░░░░ fact that this had ░░░░░░░░ viral HALPERIN Yeah well ░░░░░░░░ I told you and ░░░░░░░░ may not realize you ░░░░░░░░ t pay much attention ░░░░░░░░ social media anymore You ░░░░░░░░ t pay much attention ░░░░░░░░ criticism But I told ░░░░░░░░ for several months I ░░░░░░░░ Joe Best Biden ever ░░░░░░░░ become the symbol for ░░░░░░░░ right of the media ░░░░░░░░ MSNBC having so much ░░░░░░░░ derangement syndrome that you ░░░░░░░░ claiming that a guy ░░░░░░░░ s clearly lost mental ░░░░░░░░ is the best Biden ░░░░░░░░ Now I ll say ░░░░░░░░ say to people go ░░░░░░░░ the State of the ░░░░░░░░ address Talk to people ░░░░░░░░ talked to Joe Biden ░░░░░░░░ had good days and ░░░░░░░░ days You were with ░░░░░░░░ on a good day ░░░░░░░░ had conversations with him ░░░░░░░░ a good day SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ good days On good ░░░░░░░░ plural HALPERIN Yeah But ░░░░░░░░ back at that would ░░░░░░░░ say well it was ░░░░░░░░ to say Best Biden ░░░░░░░░ without caveating and say ░░░░░░░░ on the days when ░░░░░░░░ s not the best ░░░░░░░░ ever SCARBOROUGH Well but ░░░░░░░░ never saw those days ░░░░░░░░ HALPERIN Well you did ░░░░░░░░ did because you saw ░░░░░░░░ address a dead congresswoman ░░░░░░░░ you saw him in ░░░░░░░░ Carolina SCARBOROUGH The dead ░░░░░░░░ yeah HALPERIN I can ░░░░░░░░ you the RNC clip ░░░░░░░░ There were plenty of ░░░░░░░░ in public when he ░░░░░░░░ not the best Biden ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH Yeah he stumbled ░░░░░░░░ bumbled around Mark I ░░░░░░░░ yeah he certainly did ░░░░░░░░ Trump did Other politicians ░░░░░░░░ But and it s ░░░░░░░░ the same case as ░░░░░░░░ lot of times when ░░░░░░░░ ve gone in and ░░░░░░░░ to Donald Trump I ░░░░░░░░ gone to Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ I ve heard the ░░░░░░░░ narrative around Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ certainly I have been ░░░░░░░░ critical of Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ when I leave I ░░░░░░░░ a better understanding just ░░░░░░░░ Jeffrey Goldberg did a ░░░░░░░░ of weeks ago had ░░░░░░░░ better understanding of where ░░░░░░░░ Trump is mentally if ░░░░░░░░ Trump is losing it ░░░░░░░░ you know people have ░░░░░░░░ through the years or ░░░░░░░░ So again am I ░░░░░░░░ to look at a ░░░░░░░░ that s gone viral ░░░░░░░░ pay more attention that ░░░░░░░░ and a half three ░░░░░░░░ I had with a ░░░░░░░░ one on one going ░░░░░░░░ the world No I ░░░░░░░░ just not going to ░░░░░░░░ those are some of ░░░░░░░░ clips bad Yeah they ░░░░░░░░ they certainly are bad ░░░░░░░░ can understand why people ░░░░░░░░ see that without the ░░░░░░░░ and say that there ░░░░░░░░ a a problem with ░░░░░░░░ because I said Start ░░░░░░░░ your tape right here ░░░░░░░░ know it s like ░░░░░░░░ I you know when ░░░░░░░░ look at that tape ░░░░░░░░ on what I saw ░░░░░░░░ Biden based on the ░░░░░░░░ that I spent with ░░░░░░░░ based on the hundreds ░░░░░░░░ hours that I talked ░░░░░░░░ people who talk to ░░░░░░░░ and people that worked ░░░░░░░░ Biden and were with ░░░░░░░░ day in and day ░░░░░░░░ good friends that I ░░░░░░░░ that I trusted before ░░░░░░░░ was president that I ░░░░░░░░ now that Biden s ░░░░░░░░ president I mean put ░░░░░░░░ in the proper context ░░░░░░░░ m just not going ░░░░░░░░ freak out and melt ░░░░░░░░ on one or two ░░░░░░░░ here and there And ░░░░░░░░ he bumbled around and ░░░░░░░░ stumbled around but he ░░░░░░░░ for quite some time ░░░░░░░░ didn t seem to ░░░░░░░░ to get in the ░░░░░░░░ of Joe Biden being ░░░░░░░░ to analyze the most ░░░░░░░░ issues and I certainly ░░░░░░░░ he has a better ░░░░░░░░ on it than probably ░░░░░░░░ overwhelming majority of his ░░░░░░░░ or certainly did when ░░░░░░░░ spoke with him But ░░░░░░░░ the question is you ░░░░░░░░ is somebody else running ░░░░░░░░ government for him Is ░░░░░░░░ incapable of running meetings ░░░░░░░░ We agree on that ░░░░░░░░ I never talked to ░░░░░░░░ that has said Joe ░░░░░░░░ is incapable of running ░░░░░░░░ The complaint that I ░░░░░░░░ not only from and ░░░░░░░░ hope people are still ░░░░░░░░ to me because it ░░░░░░░░ important the only complaints ░░░░░░░░ ve heard about Biden ░░░░░░░░ was that he was ░░░░░░░░ he would often get ░░░░░░░░ and that it was ░░░░░░░░ his way or the ░░░░░░░░ He would listen to ░░░░░░░░ people but the Afghanistan ░░░░░░░░ is a perfect example ░░░░░░░░ had everybody from Mark ░░░░░░░░ every general everybody saying ░░░░░░░░ t get out of ░░░░░░░░ But you know it ░░░░░░░░ I think at times ░░░░░░░░ would have been good ░░░░░░░░ him to yield a ░░░░░░░░ bit more to some ░░░░░░░░ his advisors than he ░░░░░░░░ That s one thing ░░░░░░░░ second thing is again ░░░░░░░░ is multi layered You ░░░░░░░░ I talked to a ░░░░░░░░ friend that I had ░░░░░░░░ the French delegation When ░░░░░░░░ had tough negotiations I ░░░░░░░░ it was right after ░░░░░░░░ state dinner the French ░░░░░░░░ dinner before the state ░░░░░░░░ and they said they ░░░░░░░░ all surprised There were ░░░░░░░░ five or six points ░░░░░░░░ not only was Biden ░░░░░░░░ top of his game ░░░░░░░░ was they thought a ░░░░░░░░ aggressive.”