Wait! We thought it was those scary right-wing Christian nationalists who were dragging their religion into politics!

So what the heck was Joe Scarborough up to on today's Morning Joe, when he echoed some Bible verses about the coming of Jesus, but invoked it to celebrate Democrats having a couple of good weeks in the presidential race?

"Gene Robinson, before we get to the news of the day, behold, you bring tidings of good news to Democrats east, west, north, and south, for unto them is born the reason for exuberance."  

I'm anything but an expert on the Christian liturgy, but Scarborough's mention of "tidings east, west, north, and south," could be a reference to Daniel 11:44, which speaks of "tidings out of the east and out of the north."  And then there's the Christmas carol, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, wherein the line appears: "Oh tidings of comfort and joy." 

Even more shocking was Scarborough's mention of "for unto them is born." That clearly seems a reference to Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." And then Luke 2:11-14: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

So in Scarborough's mind, good fortune for the Democrats is equivalent to the birth of the Savior and Christ the Lord? Has Joe lost his mind? Or throwing the Bible behind the Democrats is just a little whimsey?

Scarborough also struck a strangely bellicose tone, out of keeping with his Christian theme.  Criticizing whiny Democrats who supposedly don't think they deserve "good things," Scarborough angrily shouted at them: "BS! You take. What. You. Need! You fight! If you need it, you take it."

Scarborough was riffing off Gene Robinson's current Washington Post column, "For Democrats, there’s cause for rational exuberance." 

Note: Judging by his facial expression, Robinson appeared initially bewildered by Scarborough's strange invocation of Christian themes. And in contrast with Scarborough's bizarre religious allusions, Robinson invoked an entirely secular metaphor, saying that while Democrats should express joy, they also need to focus on the "three yards and a cloud of dust" of campaigning. That line is associated with Woody Hayes, the legendary Ohio State coach [1951-78], who won by largely sticking to a conservative ground game.

Here's the transcript.

MSNBC
Morning Joe
8/6/24
6:06 am EDT

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Gene Robinson, before we get to the news of the day, behold, you bring tidings of good news to Democrats east, west, north, and south, for unto them is born the reason [shouts] for exuberance!

You know, Democrats, it's one thing I never understood about Democrats.

EUGENE ROBINSON: Yeah.

SCARBOROUGH: [Whiny voice] We don't we don't deserve good things. I'm like, BS! You take. What. You. Need! You fight! If you need it, you take it by getting the most votes. By knocking on the most doors.

ROBINSONL Exactly.

SCARBOROUGH: And every time you knock on a door, every time you plant a yard sign, you do it with exuberance. You do it with joy. And you do it knowing you have no choice but to win.

ROBINSON: Right, yeah.

SCARBOROUGH: And Gene, you're telling Democrats, it's okay. You can be happy while you're going out about your business of working hard and winning elections.

ROBINSON: Right. You don't have to be overconfident, but be happy. You just had, like, two of the best weeks ever in politics, right? You've had this amazing couple of weeks. You've got more money than you can spend at this point. You just have to figure out how to spend it. You've got an opponent, a Republican ticket, that's self-destructing in any number of ways. They just helped you put Georgia back in play for the election.

So, yeah! You should be a little pumped at this point, and you can be happy about what has happened without saying, you know -- without being overconfident, without being silly about it, and, and sort of not tending to business.

So tend to your business, and get it done. It's, it's, you know, three yards and a cloud of dust, there's that part of it. But do it with some joy. And do it, you know --

SCARBOROUGH: Exactly.

ROBINSON: It's a happy time for the Democratic party right now.