Joe Scarborough Unloads on Chuck Todd Over Defense of Bergdahl Parents

On Thursday’s “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, co-host Joe Scarborough unloaded on NBC White House correspondent Chuck Todd for suggesting the parents of recently released prisoner of war U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl were not fair game for criticism.

Todd insisted grieving parents should be given leeway for their behavior, but Scarborough argued that they were in part responsible for the circumstances of Bergdahl’s capture.

Partial transcript as follows:

SCARBOROUGH: I keep holding up this image where Barack Obama has his arm around a man who is reaching out to pro-Taliban forces, talking about killing Americans

TODD: Joe, Joe, don’t criticize the parents. Don’t criticize the parents in here that are missing a child? Their son is missing for five years. You know what? It is not logical. You cannot handle it. You put yourself in his shoes –

SCARBOROUGH: I have a 26-year-old son, and if my son is out on the wire and he is out there with fellow troops and he is writes me up and says he hates America and he’s thinking about deserting and he’s thinking about leaving his post, I can tell you as a father of that 26-year-old or 23-year-old son, I’d say, “Joey, you stay the hell right there” I would call his commander, I would say, “Get my son. He is not well. Get him to a military base in Germany.” I would not say, “Follow your conscience, son.” I would not reach out to the voice of jihad.

TODD: I’m not backseat driving how someone parents.

SCARBOROUGH: That is not backseat driving. I am a father. Any good father would not tell their son to follow their conscience and leave men and women on the line.

TODD: So he’s a bad father?

SCARBOROUGH: Yes! Yes, he is! Oh my god, Chuck.

(h/t Mediaite)

Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor