Both Morning Joe contributor Nicolle Wallace and host Joe Scarborough said "thank God" President Obama was not in the White House after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Friday.
Wallace tore into Obama's foreign policy in light of his poorly received address Wednesday at West Point, making the point that even the New York Times editorial board, often very friendly to Obama's views, called it "largely uninspiring." She also alluded to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki's mocked remarks about Obama not "giving himself enough credit" for his achievements.
"My favorite thing that happened in Washington was this comment that he's not getting enough credit on foreign policy," she said. "He's not getting enough blame on foreign policy."
Liberal Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein issued a retort about Obama not starting the war in Iraq.
"Well, the fact that his legacy on foreign policy is going to be that he didn't start a war in Iraq ... He wasn't the president, thank God, in the years after 9/11," she said. But I think the notion that his record --
"Why do you say thank God?" Stein interrupted.
"Please," Scarborough said. "It would take me three hours to explain why Nicolle, myself, and millions of Americans would say thank God he wasn't president after 9/11, but let Nicolle finish her point."
"Forget about any Republican critique of this president," Wallace said. "Forget about John McCain's very, very divergent views on foreign policy, and look at the fact that the New York Times editorial page, a loyal ally of this president on just about everything, especially foreign policy, had nothing nice to say about what he said yesterday. It's not just a stunning development in terms of his foreign policy, but I think it is an interesting signal about what Hillary Clinton's going to face if she runs for president as part of the Obama foreign policy team."
The Washington Post editorial board similarly panned Obama's foreign policy and the overall tenor of the address.
Full exchange:
NICOLLE WALLACE: On foreign policy, the notion that you can defend -- my favorite thing that happened in Washington was this comment that he's not getting enough credit on foreign policy. He's not getting enough blame on foreign policy. The notion that he -- you don't have to be a Republican to travel around the world --
SAM STEIN: They would argue and say we didn't launch a war in Iraq. Consequences of which were much worse --
WALLACE: Well, the fact that his legacy on foreign policy is going to be that he didn't start a war in Iraq. He wasn't the president, thank God, in the years after 9/11. But I think the notion that his record --
STEIN: Why do you say thank God?
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Please. It would take me three hours to explain why Nicolle, myself, and millions of Americans would say thank God he wasn't president after 9/11, but let Nicolle finish her point. I really think it makes me sad you keep interrupting her on set. Where do you learn this behavior?
STEIN: I'm sorry, you're right. I learn my lessons.
WALLACE: On Twitter, people will be really psyched that you did so you've got that going for you. Listen. I think the fact that on foreign policy, they can't convince the New York Times editorial page that they're doing the right things says everything you need to know. Forget about any Republican critique of this president. Forget about John McCain's very, very divergent views on foreign policy, and look at the fact that the New York Times editorial page, a loyal ally of this president on just about everything, especially foreign policy, had nothing nice to say about what he said yesterday. It's not just a stunning development in terms of his foreign policy, but I think it is an interesting signal about what Hillary Clinton's going to face if she runs for president as part of the Obama foreign policy team.