Joe Scarborough’s ludicrous attempt to school ‘lying’ Mike Pence on Christianity

OPINION:

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough ripped into Mike Pence during a recent televised rant, calling out the vice president as a liar, a fake Christian and a guy who simply sits idly by and smiles as little kids get tortured.

There’s just too much to unwind there to get it all in one sentence. But let’s start with “L” for Ludicrous — the notion of the secular, oft-vicious Scarborough giving lessons in Christianity to Pence.

Or is it Laughable? You decide.

First, the backstory. Scarborough’s remarks came in response to Pence’s weekend interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper about conditions at the border — as reported by the New Yorker, that is. And the New Yorker reported that children in U.S. detention centers are living in squalor, toothbrush-less, soap-less, with soiled diapers and shirts stained by mucus. The takeaway is supposed to be that’s President Donald Trump’s fault. But Pence, on CNN, didn’t properly lay the blame at Trump’s feet.

And Scarborough was shocked — shocked! — at Pence’s demeanor. Which is to say Scarborough was shocked — shocked! — Pence didn’t wilt like a flower when presented with the “evidence” of Trump’s cruelty.

“Mike Pence is lying about children living in torturous positions right there,” Scarborough said, Mediaite reported. “Mike Pence who claims to be a devout Christian — I’m sure he is, but he uses it as a political badge of honor. Mike should read the gospels again and see what Jesus says about the treatment of little children. You can start at Luke 17:2. Something about no stones being hung around people’s neck. You have got to explain to us what does the administration think they are gaining by allowing children to walk around with lice and walk around without diapers and 8-year-olds having to take care of 2- or 3-year-olds?”

Thing is: Why isn’t Scarborough upset with the parents of these children?

The liberal mindset on children detainees has been skewed from the get-go.

The Trump administration did not invite them here. The White House did not cross the border, swoop them up and carry them to cages to endure diaper-less days and torturous conditions.

Republicans have been making the case for some time that open borders overwhelm America’s resources — and voila, here we are, trying to deal with an overwhelming situation at the borders where minor-age migrants, some with parents, some without, have crossed, putting the onus on taxpayers to provide for them.

Sympathies should lie with the citizens first, the intruders second — if at all.

But if Scarborough wants to be the better Christian, he could certainly reach into his own pockets, travel to the migrant shelters and dole out toothbrushes he purchased with his own money. After all, when Jesus spoke of helping the needy, he wasn’t addressing the government. He was speaking to the individuals. Joe.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.