Joe Scarborough Tries To Convince His Panel That The “Screaming, Racially Insensitive” Trump Is Just A “Character He's Playing”

Scarborough: Trump Is Simply “Playing A Role”

From the August 19 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

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JOE SCARBOROUGH (HOST): Fake it 'til you make it. Fake it until you make it. And that is a question. I will say, though, one of the great ironies of this campaign, I've said it here on the show every day, is anybody -- and Donny certainly has known Donald for a long time -- anybody that knows Donald knows that that Donald last night was closer to the Donald Trump that we've all known for decades than the character he's playing. Because make no mistake of it, make no mistake of it, this loud, screaming, racially insensitive, at times race-baiting buffoon that gets behind microphones at political rallies, that's Donald Trump playing a role. I just think -- unless the Donald Trump that we've known for 20 years is not the Donald Trump. And so I'm saying --

KATTY KAY: It's also the Donald Trump that came up with the Muslim ban and the Mexicans being rapists and things that he's said about women. Those are his statements, he owns them.

SCARBOROUGH: Right, right, Katty. And that's exactly what I was saying about the guy that gets behind the microphone. I'm just saying, this is an interesting pivot because as he goes to teleprompter, he's actually becoming more of the Donald Trump that Donny and Mika and myself and everybody else has known for decades, which is really bizarre, that he's got to go to teleprompter to be more naturally himself. I'll ask you this question, again. Because the list of offenses are so long. The Mexicans, the Muslims, John McCain, Megyn Kelly, etc., etc. Have you in 20 years of knowing Donald Trump behind closed doors -- and I'm not asking for you to vouch for his character, I'm just trying to make this point -- have you ever heard him say the first thing in private that was close to being racially insensitive. Never, right? Never.

DONNY DEUTSCH: Let me describe -- never. Let me describe my relationship with Donald, what I know about Donald. And as I said, I did three episodes of The Apprentice where I've hosted, I interviewed him 10 times, our kids go to the same school, I lived in one of his buildings, I know his kids well. I've always found him to be charming, smart, generous of spirit if you ever called him up. Having said that, this man I've seen up on the stump is repulsive to me. And I can't separate and I can't go, OK, but that's the real Donald.

Previously:

After Months Legitimizing Trump's Campaign, Joe Scarborough Demands GOP Remove Him As Nominee

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Changes His Tune After Claiming Trump Pivoted, Calling June Trump’s “Worst Month”

8 Things Trump And Morning Joe Hosts Discussed When Cameras Were Off