Joe Scarborough took a shot at Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) after the candidate defended comments he made praising Cuban leader Fidel Castro during a CNN town hall on Monday night.
Sanders curiously doubled down comments he made during a 60 Minutes interview that aired on Sunday night, in which he gave credit to Castro’s literacy program while also criticizing his strongman leadership of the communist nation.
“Okay’s he initiated a major literacy program,” Sanders said on CNN. “A lot of folks in Cuba at that point who were illiterate. He formed a literacy brigade. You may read that. Went out and helped people learn to read and write. You know what? I think teaching people to read and write is a good thing.”
Sanders’ comments predictably caught fire, which was only fueled by the dry winds that chase a presumptive presidential favorite. Many had expected Sanders to clarify his comments Monday night, he instead stood firm in a signature style that makes him appealing to so many voters.
After playing the clip, Scarborough offered, “I don’t even know what to say,” though he did.
“He had a literacy regime, but he also had a regime who tortured Catholics, tortured people who worshipped God in a way he didn’t like, tortured students that had newspapers, kept people locked up or years,” Scarborough said. “Killed people.”
“You cannot talk about Fidel Castro’s literacy
Watch above via MSNBC.