Joe Scarborough to Marco Rubio: It’s nothing personal

“Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough insists his criticism of Marco Rubio has nothing to do with the fact that the Florida senator and Republican presidential hopeful has refused to appear on his MSNBC show.

“I don’t know Marco well enough to resent him,” Scarborough told the New York Times. “I am paid to be an analyst, a political analyst, to tell viewers and influencers what my take is on the political system.”

Scarborough was asked about his relationship with Rubio after the newspaper obtained an email exchange between Scarborough’s producer and the campaign that seemed to indicate the senator’s snub had gotten personal.

“Joe sees this as disrespectful given their past relationship,” the producer wrote to an unnamed Rubio aide who had complained about one of Scarborough’s on-air critiques. “It’s as simple as that.”

The producer added: “Have him come on with us.”

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“That’s a booker being a booker and being aggressive,” Scarborough explained to the Times.

The MSNBC host — who served four terms in the House representing Florida and has long eyed a Senate seat — dismissed the notion he was envious.

“I have a great gig,” he said. “I’m very well paid, and I’m not going anywhere.”

But Scarborough, who reiterated his producer’s invitation to Rubio, seemed to relish the Florida senator’s poor performance in Saturday’s GOP debate.

“I’ve been criticized for saying Marco looks too robotic, too prepackaged, and too young,” he wrote in a text message to the Times. “But everything I’ve said alone for months is now being repeated this morning by everyone else in the political world. My critiques weren’t personal: They were right.”

Cover tile photo: Yahoo News