Scarborough questions RFK Jr. loyalty after Michigan rally comments
The Morning Joe host linked Kennedy's attacks on Arab people to the 1968 Indianapolis speech by his father.
By Noor Phillips ·
Political commentators have long debated the weight of family name in American elections. This debate resurfaced on Wednesday morning when Joe Scarborough reacted to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign stop in Michigan.
Scarborough delivered an emotional segment on Morning Joe criticizing the health secretary's remarks regarding Arab people. Kennedy had been campaigning for Republican candidates Mike Rogers and John James when he addressed the crowd. He claimed that Arab people do not produce science. He also stated that they do not win Nobel Prizes, Fields Prizes, or Wolf Prizes, and that they do not produce literature.
The comments drew sharp criticism because they conflict with historical records. Several Arab scientists have won Nobel Prizes in science, and five have received the Nobel Peace Prize. Scarborough described the remarks as one of the most asinine things he had ever heard. He focused his critique on the contrast between RFK Jr. and his late father, Robert F. Kennedy.
Scarborough told his co-hosts that Bobby Kennedy was the reason he entered politics. He noted that the elder Kennedy embraced all Americans and understood the strength of diversity. He asked how ashamed Bobby Kennedy would be to see his son denigrate over a billion people based on their faith. Scarborough suggested that the health secretary sacrificed his extraordinary legacy for thirty pieces of silver.
The host pointed to a post by Kerry Kennedy, the health secretary's sister, on the social platform X. She wrote that a person's race, religion, or background does not determine their intellect. She expressed thoughts with those hurt by her brother's false and cruel words. Scarborough used this reaction to highlight the split within the family over the current administration's direction.
Scarborough compared the recent rally to the 1968 speech in Indianapolis by Bobby Kennedy. That speech called for peace after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Scarborough argued that RFK Jr. showed cowardice by moving toward bigotry. He said the elder Kennedy's courage allowed Indianapolis to sleep in peace that night.
The host concluded his segment by saying he takes no pride in the son's actions. He stated that RFK Jr. disgraces his father's name and memory. He said he prays that the health secretary will reconnect with his father's legacy. The segment ended with Scarborough questioning why so many good things are being traded for alignment with Donald Trump.
