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

Rick Scott
Senator was speaking with the Republican Jewish Coalition.

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.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


5 comments

  • S.B. ANTHONY

    September 29, 2020 at 7:34 pm

    That’s funny coming from Rick “I Take the Fifth” Scott.

  • James Robert Miles

    September 29, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    Rick Scott should just STFU!! He is so full of $hit that his eyes ARE brown! ANYBODY BUT TRUMP 2020! Save America from fascism!

  • Sonja Fitch

    September 29, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    Will you shut up,man!

  • Nick Whitehead

    September 30, 2020 at 12:54 am

    Fuck Prick Snott! He should be in prison, bot the US Senate. Biggest thief in Florida History.

  • Ocean Joe

    September 30, 2020 at 8:01 am

    Now that the debate is over, anybody watching, especially somebody Jewish, would have seen Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists, instead creating their new slogan: “Stand back and stand by.”

    Historically, Jews can teach us what happens when we are divided, when people are demonized for their color, how they pray, where they come from, or who they love. Rick Scott is a ghoul who feels no shame, but Randy Fine, state legislator, this repeated pandering to a minority religion to vote for Trump is embarrassing. And if you think Jews and Proud Boys are on the same page, dont forget who was chanting “Jew will not replace us!” and who called them very fine people.

Comments are closed.


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