Liberal MSNBC guest Donny Deutsch made some bizarre comments during his appearance on “Morning Joe” on Tuesday April 1 regarding the Chris Christie “Bridgegate” scandal.
Speaking to the “Morning Joe” panel, Deutsch asserted that regarding “Bridgegate” he couldn’t “remember anything more egregious, interestingly enough that a politician has done.” Furthermore, Deutsch argued that the Chris Christie scandal was much worse than any of the sex scandals involving President Bill Clinton because that “didn’t affect me.” [See video below.]
Co-host Joe Scarborough seemed perplexed that Deutsch would claim “Bridgegate” to be the worst political scandal of all time and asked “Do you know how many mayors, how many governors, how many people have abused their power for petty political purposes? In ways much worse than this?”
Deutsch then doubled-down on his ridiculous claim:
The scandals we are used to seeing as far as hookers, this is a guy sitting in an office saying, you know what? I don't like what that mayor did so I’m going to make people sit in their cars for four hours. That rings true with the everyman… Chris Christie, I will stand behind it, is damaged goods presidentially in our lifetime. I really do.
Towards the end of the segment, Time Editor Mark Halperin asked if Deutsch had forgotten about Bill Clinton’s alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers and how that didn’t ruin Clinton’s career. Deutsch maintained “There’s a difference. That didn't affect me. Okay? You screw around with an intern that is a different kind of scandal.”
So according to Deutsch’s twisted logic, because something impacts him, it automatically makes it worse than President Clinton’s history of predatory behavior towards women. Under that definition, literally anything, regardless of how insignificant it was, could be worse than Bill Clinton’s sex scandals because it “affects me.” Unfortunately for Deutsch, no one on the “Morning Joe” panel accepted his bizarre logic, with Scarborough mocking his guest throughout the entire segment.
See relevant transcript below.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
April 1, 2014
6:22 a.m. Eastern
DONNY DEUTSCH: Okay, to me what’s interesting and there’s a big if obviously. And you talk about the two-lanething. In my lifetime I can't remember anything more egregious, interestingly enough that a politician has done.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Oh, my god. Are you kidding me?
DEUTSCH: No, it is an abuse of power that affects--
SCARBOROUGH: Do you know how many mayors, how many governors, how many people have abused their power for petty political purposes? In ways much worse than this?
DEUTSCH: A guy who has been anointed the savior of the Republican Party. That to me such an egregious abuse of power.
SCARBOROUGH: This is the no egregious abuse of power in your lifetime?
DEUTSCH: Abuse of power that affects—no listen to me.
SCARBOROUGH: You have led a pristine lifetime, Donny Deutsche. I wish I had been the boy in the plastic bubble like you.
DEUTSCH: The scandals we are used to seeing as far as hookers, this is a guy sitting in an office saying, you know what? I don't like what that mayor did so I’m going to make people sit in their cars for four hours. That rings true with the every man.
SCARBOROUGH: And that is the worst abuse of power you have ever seen in your lifetime from a politician?
DEUTSCH: Listen to me. I think that to the every man, that sings such an acute tune that I think it resonates and you will never be elected president and I also think the Adelson thing the other day about all the sudden the Republicans wake up. We need a guy who is electable. We need a guy who is electable. There is just more margin for error and, obviously, Jeb Bush is and there are other people that could be elected. Chris Christie, I will stand behind it, is damaged goods presidentially in our lifetime. I really do.
WILLY GEIST: Even Donny if the report comes out, not his internal report, U.S. Attorney's report and said he had nothing to do with it some he didn't know about it? This was a couple of rogue people in his administration. Bad management, yes but it was not a decision from his office. That ruins him?
DEUTSCH: I think as time will come out, even if there was not a straight line on this specific thing, what time will show is that there is a way of doing business to your point, the management thing. We have talked about this ad nauseam, that this is a way of doing business around him. Because I've never seen an experience, a right hand person, working for somebody who is so controlling doing something so rogue. It just doesn't work that way. I feel very passionately about this. This is not a nighttime MSNBC thing. I’m not crusading on this. I really believe with human behavior, it has stuck with people and I feel strong about it. We will see. I've been wrong many times before.
--
6:25
SCARBOROUGH: Again, to clarify on Chris Christie. Again, asfar as the shot to the nomination goes yes. Does it damage him with general election voters? Maybe but I’ll tell you what. Two years from now, it's going to be so remote if he is exonerated it's going to be so remote.
MARK HALPERIN: Donny, remember Bill Clinton? Gennifer Flowers?DEUTSCH: There’s a difference. That didn't affect me. Okay? You screw around with an intern that is a different kind of scandal.
SCARBOROUGH: Donny Deutsch talking for the every man. I don't think that’s what quote the every man is worried about this morning.
