Scarborough Rips Decision to Leave Christie out of Main Debate

[rush transcript]

BRZEZINSKI: “Joe, I agree. What do you think?”
SCARBOROUGH: “I think it’s stunning. You look at how Chris Christie has been doing over the past week. Look at the campaign and the fact he has a video out that’s viral. Look at the fact Jennifer horn said this guy is in the top tier in the first in the nation primary. The most important primary in America and along with Marco Rubio is actually moving faster up to the top than any other candidate. Yet, he’s knocked out of the debate where, I mean no disrespect to Rand Paul but he’s literally sold 500 books in the first two weeks of his publication. Mark, this debate from seems just got stranger. CNN figured out a way to get Carly in her debate when she had the hot hand. Even assumed one of the hottest guys in New Hampshire and social media this week would also get in. This is a decision that’s flabbergasted.”
HALPERIN: “In a normal cycle this would be close for Chris Christie. I agree they should have got Christie on the stage. He needs to keep the fundraising together. I think right now while it’s unfortunate and keeping Lindsey Graham off the stage is a mistake, this is not something that’s going to stop Chris Christie’s presidential campaign.”
BRZEZINSKI: “He might be able to. What’s your take on what’s happening with this field? You have Chris Christie, we were playing, I don’t know if you saw the Facebook video of him talking about addiction in new Hampshire but it’s gone viral. I was watching over the course of two shows here on morning Joe folks from the class watching this video for the first time and their mouth dropping open like this is the candidate. This is the moment. Yet, there’s this process that’s completely separate from how people feel or what’s happening in the moment that is getting these men on and off the main stage. Couldn’t there be a better way to do it?”
MEACHAM: “Certainly it becomes much more subjective. You’re trying to oppose a subjective standard on averages. We know where people are on the polls.”
BRZEZINSKI: “There’s an argument polls mean nothing, polls mean this. How does it determine?”
MEACHAM: “They don’t mean nothing. It’s a factor but shouldn’t be the factor.
BRZEZINSKI: “Shouldn’t be the factor. Or maybe they go state by state, Joe.”
SCARBOROUGH: “You have to look and see we’ve always said anybody that knows how politics works, these polls are beauty contest. How are you doing in Iowa? How are you doing in new Hampshire? How are you doing in south Carolina and how are you doing in your own state? One of the things so stunning is Chris Christie was camped out because of a poll by investor’s business daily which was rated the worst poling outfit in all of the 2012 campaign. So you talk about a sample. We’re not carrying Chris Christie’s water. Nate silver whom I’ve been in fights with forever, Nate was a guy who scored the worst. This is keeping the guy with the hottest hand-off the debate stage.”
KAY: “I think there’s going to be a lot of questions why they chose it over the CBS/New York Times poll which some thought was a more recognized respectable poll. The day before veterans day the only candidate that served in the military is the only one who doesn’t get a chance to debate. I can’t see how they don’t regret that one.”