Scarborough blames Clinton for Justice Kennedy retirement fallout: ‘She ran a horrible campaign’

Joe Scarborough hit out at former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, blaming her for President Donald Trump's ability to choose a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

What's the background?

The "Morning Joe" co-host outright placed some blame on Clinton after Kennedy's retirement announcement Wednesday, which has caused massive consternation among Democrats nationwide.

Kennedy's retirement directly puts Trump in position to alter the balance of the Supreme Court — a move that has many Democrats very concerned.

On Wednesday, Kennedy — long known as the U.S. Supreme Court's crucial swing vote — said that his retirement would be effective July 31.

Former President Ronald Reagan appointed Kennedy to the bench in 1988. Prior to Kennedy's appointment to the Supreme Court, former President Gerald Ford appointed Kennedy to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Kennedy is the 14th longest-serving justice of all time.

What did Scarborough say?

“Yesterday, there were several people who were shocked at this news, and quite a few people actually with blue check marks by their name, saying this was the bleakest moment in their lives and they didn't know how they were going to move forward with it," Scarborough explained.

“There are many things that Donald Trump does that we criticize and talk about, cause great concern and they are actually violations of constitutional norms," Scarborough added. “Just for our friends who are suggesting the same here, when you elect presidents, this is what happens."

“Hillary Clinton didn't visit Wisconsin and didn't visit Michigan enough," Scarborough raved. “Hillary never had a message. She ran a horrible campaign, and this is just, this is a consequence of it."

Scarborough added that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old Democratic Socialist who unseated 10-term New York Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley in a primary on Tuesday night, had a message that was "more inspiring in three minutes than what Hillary Clinton gave us in two years" of her campaign for president.

For his part, Trump said that he created a short list of Supreme Court justice nominees to replace Kennedy in the coming days.

The list was created on the campaign trail, and has been added to since.

"We have to pick a great one," the president cautioned during a Wednesday night campaign rally in North Dakota. "We have to pick one that's going to be there for 40 years, 45 years."