Joe Scarborough For President? Mark McKinnon Floats The Idea On Hardball (VIDEO)

Joe Scarborough could be a great Republican presidential candidate in 2012, according to Republican strategist and media adviser Mark McKinnon.

McKinnon appeared on Hardball With Chris Matthews Wednesday to talk about Mike Huckabee's viability as a candidate in the 2012 presidential race in the wake of Sunday's shootings. After arguing that Huckabee could not and would not win the presidency, McKinnon floated the names of Republican leaders who he believes could compete against President Obama in 2012.

Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC's Morning Joe, is one of McKinnon's top picks. Before he was on TV, Scarborough was in Congress, representing Florida's 1st Congressional District. Scarborough, a Republican, served from 1995-2001.

McKinnon argues that Scarborough is an independent thinker with media savvy who can be called a "genuine conservative." Scarborough, McKinnon says, "appeals to people like me."

"I think there are a lot of Republicans out there that aren't happy with the prospective field out there. I think he surprises folks with the positions he takes. I think he's a genuine conservative, but he also takes moderate progressive positions, and he doesn't just drink the kook-aid on a lot of issues."

MicKinnon wrote a list of the top-10 Republican presidential contenders for 2012. Among McKinnon's four classifications of "The Unlikely," "The Improbable," "The Impossible," and "The Probable," MicKinnon listed Scarborough as "Probable."

MicKinnon's List:

1. Mitt Romney
2. Tim Pawlenty
3. John Thune
4. Mike Huckabee
5. Sarah Palin
6. Newt Gingrich
7. Haley Barbour
8. Rick Santorum
9. Joe Scarborough
10. Mitch Daniels
(Long shot: Michele Bachmann)

WATCH:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

During the 2008 presidential election, McKinnon made headlines for exiting Sen. Jon McCain's campaign staff after the Arizona senator won his party's nomination. McKinnon admired then-Sen. Barack Obama and said his departure would be best for McCain.

Comments

[Jahbundance]

11:34 AM on 01/13/2010

Call me a fool, but I was hoping the Republicans could find a candidate who would speak the facts without spin. Joe is a master spinner. Look at how he just equated Trent Lott lamenting that they did not elect a racist segregationist President of the US, with Harry Reid praising the candidacy of Obama with out-of-date terms. Do we want that kind of Rovian spin for 4 years, let alone 8. We just survived 8 years of that.

[DanialThom]

07:29 AM on 01/18/2010

wow, what a non-partisan objective analysis!

[emmasvoice]

06:07 PM on 12/14/2009

Is this a joke? Joe Scarborough for Presidential candidate? I think not.

[rdiaz921]

11:19 AM on 12/14/2009

tyra.nt - maybe. President, not so much.

[zoiebear]

12:16 AM on 12/14/2009

OMG...This has got to be a joke. JS has the temper of a school yard bully. Drowns everyone out that disagrees with him. And pretty much throws a tantrum every day. Even if he didn't have horrible temperament, he wouldn't last a day. As soon as he is asked about the dead female body in his office that was a big coverup back when he was in congressman it would be all she wrote!!

[method]

03:48 PM on 02/18/2010

Love it. Totally agree!

[imb4me]

12:59 PM on 12/10/2009

Joe Scarborough as President of the United States!?!? Give me a break. He is a no nothing, and tries to talk and sound like he is intelligent, and Mika just hangs on to his every word. None of his co-host correct him on all of the facts that he twist and just completley lie about, probaly because they don't know much either!!! He is so fake, trying to act as tough he is a middle of the road person, please I see right through his act. He is so jealous of president Obama, that I am embarrassed for him. Joe wishes that he could be everthing that President Obama is, but he will never be, and that's a fact!!!!

[method]

03:48 PM on 02/18/2010

Love it. You are right on target about our friend Joe.

[yoli647]

04:42 PM on 12/06/2009

President Obama quotes: "Please make make my day.."

[chitown8]

03:29 AM on 12/06/2009

Please Michele Bachmann!

[old lady]

11:20 PM on 12/05/2009

From boring to bizarro in 11 steps of separation.

[sailor422]

10:11 PM on 12/05/2009

while I would not vote for him, I wouldn't count this idea out. Scarborough will have appeal to centrists. There is a lot not to like, I'm not a Republican.

[Lahonda]

07:41 PM on 12/05/2009

Uh... no.

A common beaver would have a better chance, just for the laugh factor.

[mybostonjack]

07:16 PM on 12/05/2009

Judging by the list, President Obama has nothing to worry about. (Not that he ever did.)

[imsosure]

10:34 PM on 12/05/2009

not even to think about and I'm sure he doesn't lose any sleep too

[dzent1]

01:46 PM on 12/05/2009

And fortunately, it's an idea whose floatability will never come...

[oz3472]

01:08 PM on 12/05/2009

If any on that list are the nominee - the margin of victory for Obama will be greater than in 2008!

[mrmikes]

08:52 AM on 12/05/2009

He left out Lou Dobbs?

[nbb]

07:14 AM on 12/05/2009

Joe Scarborough is not electable. Never will be, at least not nationally..

[yoli647]

04:43 PM on 12/06/2009

thank you..

[rdiaz921]

11:21 AM on 12/14/2009

didn't he have some..de-ad woman in his office or something?

That CAN'T be good...