Rick Scott’s pre-debate advice for Joe Biden: ‘Clean up your problems’

Rick Scott.

Ahead of the first presidential debate, U.S. Senator Rick Scott offered advice for Joe Biden during a pre-debate “Conversation” event with the Republican Jewish Coalition and state Rep. Randy Fine.

Fine, early in a wideranging conversation for a national audience, asked Scott to offer potential advice for Trump and Biden going into tonight’s event.

The Senator’s response was interesting.

“Joe Biden‘s got to try to clean up his problems” and “separate himself from the Democrats,” Scott said, including key foreign policy issues from the previous administration.

“He needs to say he was always against the Iran deal somehow,” Scott said, noting that may be difficult because the rapprochement with Tehran was a Barack Obama initiative.

“They don’t want to fund Israel. They don’t support Israel,” Scott said, adding that Biden would have to also cleave himself from the party on other matters, such as “Defund the police, all this stuff.”

Ultimately, the parlous debate did not go in that direction.

Scott’s words on Biden, though not particularly complimentary, came after several months of television appearances in which the first-term Senator has contended that Biden is uniquely ill-equipped as a candidate.

Among other things, Scott has contended that the massive Michael Bloomberg spend in the Sunshine State against President Donald Trump wouldn’t matter.

“The problem that Bloomberg has is that money’s not going to buy this election. If money bought elections, Mike Bloomberg would be the Democratic nominee,” Scott said.

The Senator, who buoyed three successful elections with his own self-financing, added that the problem with the Democratic campaign was “trying to sell a bad candidate,” as “Floridians do not want Joe Biden.”

“I don’t care how much Michael Bloomberg tries to sell … It’s a bad ad.”

The Fine/Scott colloquoy, which addressed a number of other topics including Scott’s views on China, Iran, and other threats, comes at a time when leading Democrats in the state of Florida fear Republican inroads with traditionally Democratic Jewish voters.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, addressing the Jewish Democratic Council of America, noted weeks ago that Republicans are making a concerted effort to be seen as the pro-Israel party, and are making inroads with Jewish voters with aggressive messaging that is taking root in Florida and the Middle East itself.

“They’re trying to get the Jewish vote in the state of Florida … trying to get into our Jewish community,” Fried said. “Trying to say that not only has Trump been so good for Israel, but also trying to make us doubt where the Democrats are. Trying to say that the Democratic Party now is pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli.”

For his part, Fine “appreciated the opportunity to host this national conversation with Senator Scott as we reached thousands of Jewish leaders across America.”

“With Joe Biden offering anti-semites like Linda Sarsour a seat at the table, and given the President’s historic accomplishments supporting Israel and fighting anti-semitism, Jewish voters in Florida and around the country have an important decision to make. I believe Senator Scott and I illustrated the differences and hope viewers found it valuable,” Fine said Wednesday morning.