Scarborough Wonders if Trump Thinks Honoring ‘American Saint’ John Lewis ‘Would Hurt Him with White Voters’

Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Associated Press White House reporter Jonathan Lemire discussed President Donald Trump declining to pay respects for deceased Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) as he lied in state at the Capitol.

Host Joe Scarborough asked Lemire if Trump is afraid of honoring the “civil rights hero” and “American saint” because it “would hurt him with white voters.”

“Did they provide any explanation why he is, in fact, doing something that no other president would do, Republican or Democrat alike?” Scarborough quizzed Lemire about the Trump administration. “You even heard Mitch McConnell offering glowing words to John Lewis. Why would the president be so obstinate about going over to see a civil rights hero? Any explanation from the staff? I know he’s been playing the race card aggressively. Does he actually think going to see a civil rights hero, an American saint, does he think that would hurt him with white voters?”

“Publicly, aides are saying it’s the president’s decision,” Lemire replied. “Privately, they feel the president is too mindful of that, the signal he might be sending to white voters. And also, it’s someone with whom he feuded before. We know how he holds grudges. He did the same when Senator [John] McCain died. He did not pay his respects in any public way then either.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent