August 2, 2016

Joe Scarborough opened MSNBC's "Morning Joe" today by questioning Donald Trump's mental competency, given the events of this past weekend.

Scarborough said, "I will tell you why I ask you this. It’s pretty remarkable. I fielded calls all day yesterday from conservatives, from Republicans, from officials, from people that the media would call right-wing bloggers, from whatever you'd call them, and everybody was asking me about his mental health.”

Since I've been covering Trump from the beginning of the presidential campaign, I'vfe wondered the same thing. He's erratic, changes thoughts and topics in mid-sentence, and is a serial liar and exaggerator.

I'm glad other people, even conservatives, are finally discussing it on television.

Scarborough brought up how a psychiatrist tried to analyze Barry Goldwater back in 1964. “But it was all everybody was talking about yesterday. It’s not like there was talking points shot that were out by the DNC or by anybody else. Everybody was talking about his mental health yesterday. Everybody was calling me saying ‘What’s happening to him? What is wrong with him?’

I wonder if the rigors of a long campaign have him using something to keep up his energy. Just watch this short clip I made yesterday and tell me there's not something wrong.

Guest Steve Rattner asked if somebody has to do a psychological profile on "this guy to figure out why he acts the way he acts. Is he really healthy."

Scarborough was also shocked that "this shtick worked" for Donald, so he was able to capture the nomination. It says a lot about the make up of the Republican voter nowadays.

"I’ve never seen him act like this before. It’s unhinged, it’s not the Donald Trump I’ve known for over a decade. I never have seen anything remotely resembling this type of behavior from a guy who I’ve known and liked and called a friend.”

Mark Halperin, who has been a big defender of Trump's antics throughout the campaign cycle chimed in and said, “The other thing I was hearing that a lot yesterday… I was wondering if you heard also from people was, people were asking me, why can’t anyone around him get him to stop?”

Scarborough responded, "I think it's gotten a lot worse, even over the past month."

"We're in uncharted territory now."

NBC's Chris Jansing then remarked that after Trump went after the Khan family, he then turned on firefighters, again over occupancy capacity - which forced them to respond "Do you want us to break the law and jeopardize people's safety?"

Trump has been acting like this for a very long time. Look at any one of his debate performances. All he did was attack his rivals and make up disparaging nicknames. And he can't seem to let any type of slight, whether great or small go by.

Joe Scarborough also openly predicted that the Republicans will lose the Presidency this year, and that he and his party faithful should focus on down-ballot races.

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