Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., has sharply criticized the hosts of the MSNBC program "Morning Joe" for mocking his recent speech at the Republican midterm convention. Scott accused the program of "hiding from the truth" and stated that Democrats "hate what it means to be American."
During an appearance on "Saturday in America," Scott addressed comments made by "Morning Joe" hosts Joe Scarborough and Al Sharpton, who had ridiculed his remarks at the convention in Dallas. Scarborough reportedly called the speech "really weird" and suggested Scott "needs some anti-seizure medication," while Sharpton joined the panel in jokingly praying for the senator.
Scott, responding to the on-air mockery, stated, "At the end of the day, now we know why Joe's ratings are so darn low. They will hide from the truth, and they will publicly endorse a lie." He further elaborated on his view of the political landscape, asserting, "I know they're coming for our culture. This is a group of Democrats, the most dangerous, radical and weird group of Democrats, who literally say there are six genders and God is non-binary. If you don't want to stand up and fight for the soul of this country, your wood is wet."
The Republican convention, held in Dallas, aimed to rally voters ahead of the November elections. In his speech at the convention, Scott declared, "The only way to keep dangerous, radical, weird out of the Senate is a united Republican Party, standing with our President, Donald J. Trump! Stand for the president, Donald J. Trump!"
He also stated that the current political moment is a "battle for the heart of our nation" and that Democrats' "extreme candidates won't rip that heart out of our chests." Scott's remarks included the assertion that "They hate our culture. They hate what it means to be American. Hear me, Dallas. Not! On! Our! Watch! We will not back down. We will not grow weary."
Addressing the criticism further, Scott told Fox News that to protect the nation, "we have to elect sane, competent people who love the America that we are, not the America they want us to be. They're trying to change the very DNA of our country." He added that Democratic candidates "want a different America," contrasting them with a vision where "we stand firm on the fact that we are always one nation, always under God."