Gov. Rick Scott Kicked Off 'Morning Joe' for Not Answering Islam Question

Florida Gov. Rick Scott was only on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program for about three minutes when co-host Mika Brzezinski, angered because he would not answer a question whether he agrees with GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's assertion that "Islam hates" the United States, cut his mic and went to commercial.

The blowup started when show host Joe Scarborough asked Scott if he would tell his "friend, Donald Trump, that he should walk back his statements that Muslims, that Islam, hates America. Do you think Muslims in the state of Florida hate America?"

But instead of answering the question, Scott, who has not named an endorsement in the presidential race, began to talk about Florida being a "melting pot."

"I want you to answer the question," Scarborough told him. "Do you personally think that Islam is a religion that hates America?"

But Scott began to respond with more comments about his state being a melting pot, rather than answering the question, and that's when Brzezinski snapped to the "Morning Joe" producers to "wrap it."

Coming back from the commercial, Brzezinski was still angry, stating that "that's just not what we do on our show," and apologizing to Scarborough for making the interview "awkward" for him.

"That was weak, sniveling political wavering," she snapped about Scott. "I doubt his endorsement would have any impact anyway."

The exchange occurred after Scarborough had railed against Trump's comments on Muslims, insisting the time had come for the front-runner to stop insulting Muslims in his speeches and interviews.

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