During the October 16 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough falsely asserted that Sen. Barack Obama said during the October 15 presidential debate that Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) “drew appropriate comparisons” in an October 11 statement invoking George Wallace, the segregationist former governor of Alabama, and a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, in criticizing the “negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign.” In fact, when prompted during the debate to discuss Lewis' statement, Obama said that Lewis "inappropriately drew a comparison between what was happening there [at McCain-Palin rallies] and what had happened during the civil rights movement, and we immediately put out a statement saying that we don't think that comparison is appropriate" [emphasis added]. Indeed, co-host Willie Geist aired a clip of Obama saying Lewis' comparison was “inappropriate[]” moments before Scarborough claimed otherwise. Nonetheless, Scarborough went on to criticize Obama for a statement that he did not make, asserting: “That's a guy that doesn't want to offend his base. That was shocking to me.” Scarborough also said the statement was “staggering.”

As Obama noted during the debate, the Obama campaign issued an October 11 statement in which campaign spokesman Bill Burton said of Lewis' remarks:

Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies. But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States “pals around with terrorists.” As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together. That is the kind of campaign Senator Obama will continue to run in the weeks ahead.

During the Morning Joe discussion, Scarborough further asserted:

[T]hink about this, though. ... How ironic it is that actually Barack Obama had the association with a domestic terrorist, but Barack Obama -- and John Lewis -- actually linked Sarah Palin with domestic terrorists that killed four little girls in Birmingham in a bombing -- that this event occurred before she was even born. So, Obama knows a domestic terrorist. Obama started his campaign in the living room -- his '95 political career in the home of domestic terrorist, and, yet, they're trying to link Sarah Palin with four guys who blew up a church in '63?

From the October 15 presidential debate:

OBAMA: I mean, look, if we want to talk about Congressman Lewis, who is an American hero, he, unprompted by my campaign, without my campaign's awareness, made a statement that he was troubled with what he was hearing at some of the rallies that your running mate was holding, in which all the Republican reports indicated were shouting, when my name came up, things like “terrorist” and “kill him,” and that you're running mate didn't mention, didn't stop, didn't say “Hold on a second, that's kind of out of line.”

And I think Congressman Lewis' point was that we have to be careful about how we deal with our supporters.

Now...

MCCAIN: You've got to read what he said...

(CROSSTALK)

OBAMA: Let -- let -- let...

MCCAIN: You've got to read what he said.

OBAMA: Let me -- let me complete...

SCHIEFFER: Go ahead.

OBAMA: ... my response. I do think that he inappropriately drew a comparison between what was happening there and what had happened during the civil rights movement, and we immediately put out a statement saying that we don't think that comparison is appropriate.

And, in fact, afterwards, Congressman Lewis put out a similar statement, saying that he had probably gone over the line.

The important point here is, though, the American people have become so cynical about our politics, because all they see is a tit- for-tat and back-and-forth. And what they want is the ability to just focus on some really big challenges that we face right now, and that's what I have been trying to focus on this entire campaign.

From the October 16 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

GEIST: Let's listen to how Barack Obama handled the question of John Lewis last night.

[begin video clip]

McCAIN: And the fact is, it's gotten pretty tough. And I regret some of the negative aspects of both campaigns. But the fact is that it has taken many turns which I think are unacceptable.

One of them happened just the other day, when a man I admire and respect -- I've written about him -- Congressman John Lewis, an American hero, made allegations that Sarah Palin and I were somehow associated with the worst chapter in American history, segregation, deaths of children in church bombings, George Wallace. That, to me, was so hurtful.

And, Senator Obama, you didn't repudiate those remarks.

OBAMA: I do think that he inappropriately drew a comparison between what was happening there and what had happened during the civil rights movement, and we immediately put out a statement saying that we don't think that comparison is appropriate.

[end video clip]

BRZEZINSKI: OK.

GEIST: How'd he handle that one.

BRZEZINSKI: Actually --

SCARBOROUGH: I think that's stunning -- that he, that John McCain was compared to domestic terrorists and the segregationist who epitomizes the evil of segregation --

BRZEZINSKI: I think, though --

SCARBOROUGH: -- and Barack Obama just said that Lewis drew appropriate comparisons. That's a guy that doesn't want to offend his base. That was shocking to me.

BRZEZINSKI: Well, there was that, possibly, political reasons for it. But I think he's also saying, your candidate -- your campaign started it; that this guy is not someone who even works for me. Meanwhile, your running mate was saying some things that were pretty hateful, and things that were inciteful, potentially --

SCARBOROUGH: But think -- think --

BRZEZINSKI: -- and what was going on at your rallies are an issue as well.

SCARBOROUGH: -- think about this, though. Hold on, though, think about this. How ironic it is that actually Barack Obama had the association with a domestic terrorist, but Barack Obama -- and John Lewis -- actually linked Sarah Palin with domestic terrorists that killed four little girls in Birmingham in a bombing -- that this event occurred before she was even born. So, Obama knows a domestic terrorist. Obama started his campaign in the living room -- his --

PAT BUCHANAN (MSNBC political analyst): Career.

SCARBOROUGH: -- '95 political career in the home of domestic terrorist, and, yet, they're trying to link Sarah Palin with four guys who blew up a church in '63?

BRZEZINSKI: OK, hold on a second. It was an Obama supporter who said that it was George Wallish-like tendencies being raised by the campaign.

SCARBOROUGH: And, and, and, hold on, though. But, Barack Obama --

BRZEZINSKI: Meanwhile, Sarah Palin, hold on --

SCARBOROUH: -- supported that.

BRZEZINSKI: -- Sarah Palin, saying that Barack Obama pals around with terrorists is bad if not worse. You have --

SCARBOROUGH: No, no. It is not even close to being worse.

BRZEZINSKI: -- a supporter who they don't -- who they didn't, or they say -- they didn't sanction, OK. And that supporter is reacting to what Sarah Palin is saying on the campaign trail.

SCARBOROUGH: But Mika -- but, but Mika, last night, Barack Obama just said he drew appropriate comparisons comparing Sarah Palin and John McCain to beasts that blew up four little black girls in a Birmingham church because the South was rising --

BRZEZINSKI: I think we need to hear it again.

SCARBOROUGH: -- he just associated --

BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.

SCARBOROUGH: He said he drew appropriate comparisons. That was just staggering, but you know --

BUCHANAN: He was, he was --

SCARBOROUGH: -- but hold on second, though.

BRZEZINSKI: Palling around --

SCARBOROUGN: You know, Pat, what the most staggering thing was, that John McCain didn't stop the debate right there and call him on it.

BUCHANAN: I know, I know.

BRZEZINSKI: Yeah.

BUCHANAN: To drive the point home, are you saying, senator, that we are like the people that incited the bombers in the 16^th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham? Is that what you're saying about Sarah Palin?

SCARBOROUGH: Yes.

BUCHANAN: Simply because she said you are a pal of William Ayers, which you have been and you haven't explained?