Scarborough rejects the backlash to Obama's joke
Joe ScarboroughMorning Joe cohost
Scarborough rejects the negative response to Obama's comparison and criticizes Trump and his allies as insulting Americans.
“Can you believe how stupid the reaction is and how stupid they think Americans are?”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Obama compares Trump's White House decor to a Cheesecake Factory; Trump and Bessent push back
Barack Obama compared Donald Trump's White House decor to a Cheesecake Factory opened by Saddam Hussein at two October 24, 2026, campaign rallies, in Cleveland and then Detroit. Both times the line followed a list of Trump's White House projects and came just before Obama said Trump was not focused on lowering prices. Trump answered at an October 26 rally in Mississippi, defending the renovations and saying Obama doesn't like successful companies. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ate lunch at the restaurant that day, said the museum Obama built looks like Darth Vader's tomb and urged the "Martha's Vineyard set" to try it. The exchange prompted disagreement about whether Obama was criticizing ornate decor or expressing contempt for a popular restaurant and its customers. On CNN, Caroline Heldman interpreted the joke as an effort to needle Trump and criticized Bessent's response.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The report dates the televised comments to Monday, October 26.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The report dates his Morning Joe remarks to Monday, October 26.
After the quotation
He adds that Trump's side says things suggesting it thinks Americans are dumb, especially in the campaign's final stretch.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Scarborough expressly rejects the backlash to the joke.
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More from this case
Read the full caseObama cites trips with his daughters while defending the joke
“Do you think I could have survived their childhood without going to the cheesecake factory?”Read statement
Heldman interprets Obama's joke as a jab at Trump
“A billionaire talking about ... to attack Barack Obama. ... it's obviously getting under Trump's skin. That is the whole point; that Barack Obama wanted to poke him.”Read statement
Trump says Obama doesn't like successful companies
“He said, this isn't a Cheesecake Factory. Can you believe it? Which is a very successful company. ... he doesn't like successful companies. But, you know, he was very critical about me because I spend time. And if you would have seen the White House, I took over the White House and it was in horrible condition.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Scarborough rejects the backlash to Obama's joke". First published: 2026-10-30. Last updated: 2026-10-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/7367-scarborough-rejects-the-negative-response-to-obama-s