Responding to Media Matters, Scarborough again suggests that Franken “steal” votes

Written by Dianna Parker

Published

Joe Scarborough responded to Media Matters' highlighting of his assertions that Al Franken “only needs to steal” a small number of votes to win his Senate race, by saying: “Can I have my Media Matters moment here, because it drives them crazy when I say this. How many -- how many votes does Al Franken have to steal to get elected in Minnesota? OK, there, I've said it. Now you guys can write another article. That's my little present to you.” He continued: “Now, for the record, Media Matters, I've never accused Al Franken of stealing votes. I just asked Pat Buchanan, 'Hey, how many -- he needs 250 votes. Would those votes be hard to steal?' And, of course, Pat said, 'No, I've got those in the back of my station wagon, Joe.' ”

On the December 9 broadcast of MSNBC's Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough responded to Media Matters for America's highlighting of his assertions that Minnesota Democrat Al Franken “only needs to steal” a small number of votes to win his Senate race against incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman (R), which is currently undergoing a recount. After political analyst Carlos Watson commented on the possibility that “three new stars enter the Senate in the next month or two, post-election,” Scarborough said: “Can I have my Media Matters moment here, because it drives them crazy when I say this. How many -- how many votes does Al Franken have to steal to get elected in Minnesota? OK, there, I've said it. Now you guys can write another article. That's my little present to you.” He continued: “Now, for the record, Media Matters, I've never accused Al Franken of stealing votes. I just asked [MSNBC political analyst] Pat Buchanan, 'Hey, how many -- he needs 250 votes. Would those votes be hard to steal?' And, of course, Pat said, 'No, I've got those in the back of my station wagon, Joe.' ”

As Media Matters documented -- providing relevant transcript and audio -- Scarborough said on the November 19 edition of Morning Joe:

SCARBOROUGH: If Al Franken steals enough votes in Minnesota --

MIKA BRZEZINSKI (co-host): They could get to 60.

SCARBOROUGH: -- they get to 60. I'm not saying he stole any votes --

BRZEZINSKI: They're gonna find them in the trunk of a car.

SCARBOROUGH: -- I'm just saying, as a Republican from Florida, I mean, it's a close race. Steal some votes, you get over the top. Democrats have 60. Right, Barnicle?

[...]

SCARBOROUGH: All right. So, again, recapping: If Al Franken can steal enough votes in Minnesota, that's get -- that gets Democrats to 59.

BRZEZINSKI: That's right.

As Media Matters also documented -- providing relevant transcript and audio -- Scarborough asserted on November 21:

ANDREA MITCHELL (guest co-host): And in Minnesota, Republican Senator Norm Coleman's edge over Democrat Al Franken faded somewhat in the second day of a statewide recount. According to the secretary of state in Minnesota, Franken now trails Coleman by just 129 votes out of nearly 3 million cast.

SCARBOROUGH: All right, so, Pat Buchanan, Al Franken only needs to steal 130 more votes to win that thing, and you've got to be thinking, “That's child's play.”

BUCHANAN: Look, you've got a station wagon up in the Iron Range that's hold -- got more of them in there, I'm sure, Joe.

MITCHELL: These are the good government guys in Minnesota. They don't work that way, you know -

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, these are the good government guys, but they're -- that all the votes that were mis -- miscast were all miscast for the same guy, huh? And again, Buchanan's thinking, “This is child play. I can steal 130 votes” -

MITCHELL: This is Michael -- now this is -

SCARBOROUGH: -- “by the time I went to get a beer.”

MITCHELL: This is Walter Mondale country. These guys are reformers.

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, they are, reform -- whatever.

BUCHANAN: I can find those, easy, Joe.

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, 130's nothing. Nothing, nothing.

[...]

MITCHELL: And in Minnesota, Republican Senator Norm Coleman's edge over Democrat Al Franken faded somewhat in the second day of a statewide recount. According to Minnesota's secretary of state, Franken now trails by only 129 votes out of nearly 3 million cast.

SCARBOROUGH: All right. And Buchanan says Al Franken can steal 130 votes easily. He said he can -

MITCHELL: Out of the Iron Range.

SCARBOROUGH: -- usually hide 130 votes in the back of a station wagon.

From the December 9 broadcast of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

WATSON: Here's the last note I'll give on it. It's interesting that we just had an incredible election, and yet there may be more exciting things ahead. Caroline Kennedy could end up in the Senate.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI (co-host): I know.

WATSON: Al Franken from Saturday Night Live fame could end up in the Senate.

BRZEZINSKI: Good lord, good lord.

SCARBOROUGH: [inaudible]

WATSON: Jesse Jackson Jr. could end up in the Senate. All I'm saying is that you could have three new stars that are in the Senate in the next month or two, post-election.

BRZEZINSKI: Wow.

SCARBOROUGH: Can -- can I have my Media Matters moment here, because it drives them crazy when I say this.

BRZEZINSKI: Oh, yes, you need to have one. Let me check it off.

SCARBOROUGH: How many -- how many votes --

BRZEZINSKI: Media Matters moment.

SCARBOROUGH: -- does Al Franken have to steal to get elected in Minnesota? OK, there, I've said it. Now you guys can write another article. That's my little present to you.

BRZEZINSKI: They're all in the back seat of a Buick Skylark.

SCARBOROUGH: Now for the record, Media Matters, I've never accused Al Franken --

BRZEZINSKI: Lord.

SCARBOROUGH: -- of stealing votes.

BRZEZINSKI: OK, you've had your moment. I checked it off.

SCARBOROUGH: I just asked Pat Buchanan, “Hey, how many -- he needs 250 votes. Would those votes be hard to steal?” And, of course, Pat said, “No, I've got those in the back of my station wagon, Joe.”