Charles Joseph Scarborough is an American television host, attorney, political commentator, and former politician, best known for co-hosting MSNBC's 'Morning Joe'. He served as a Republican congressman for Florida from 1995 to 2001 and later contributed to political discourse through roles like his fellowship at Harvard's Kennedy School. Scarborough's influence earned him recognition in the 2011 Time 100.
1960: Historical Voting Patterns
The district Joe Scarborough represented had not supported a Democratic candidate for U.S. president since 1960.
April 9, 1963: Birth of Joe Scarborough
On April 9, 1963, Charles Joseph Scarborough was born in Atlanta.
1963: Early Life and Family Background
Joe Scarborough was born in Atlanta in 1963. His father was a businessman, and the family relocated several times during Scarborough's childhood.
1969: Move to Meridian, Mississippi
In 1969, Joe Scarborough's family moved to Meridian, Mississippi.
1973: Relocation to Elmira, New York
In 1973, the Scarborough family moved to Elmira, New York.
1978: Moving to Pensacola, Florida
The Scarborough family relocated to Pensacola, Florida in 1978.
1985: Graduation from the University of Alabama
Joe Scarborough graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Alabama in 1985.
1986: Scarborough's First Marriage
Joe Scarborough married Melanie Hinton in 1986.
1989: Potential Link to Vaccine Concerns
Joe Scarborough suggested that something happened in 1989 that might be connected to his son's Asperger's and the experiences of other parents who approached him with concerns about their children.
1990: Completion of Law School
In 1990, Joe Scarborough earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law.
1991: Admission to the Florida Bar
Joe Scarborough was admitted to the Florida Bar and began practicing law in Pensacola in 1991.
1991: Scarborough's Son Born
Joe Scarborough's son, who was later diagnosed with Asperger's, was born in 1991.
1993: Representing Michael F. Griffin
In 1993, Joe Scarborough briefly represented Michael F. Griffin, who was accused of murdering Dr. David Gunn. Scarborough eventually withdrew from the case.
1993: Leading a Tax Revolt
Joe Scarborough helped lead a tax revolt in late 1993, successfully challenging a proposed property tax increase in Pensacola.
1994: Election to U.S. House of Representatives
Joe Scarborough was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, representing Florida's 1st congressional district.
1995: Joe Scarborough's Tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1995, Joe Scarborough began his term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida's 1st district.
1995: Medicare Preservation Act
Joe Scarborough voted in favor of the "Medicare Preservation act of 1995," aiming to reduce the projected growth of Medicare spending.
1996: Re-election to the House
Joe Scarborough was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 72 percent of the vote in 1996.
1996: The "New Federalists" and Budget Reform
As a member of the "New Federalists," Joe Scarborough advocated for significant cuts in the U.S. government. This group played a key role in pushing for a balanced federal budget in 1996.
1996: Opposition to Minimum Wage Increase
Joe Scarborough voted against the "Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996," which included an increase in the minimum wage.
1996: Address to the John Birch Society
Joe Scarborough delivered a speech at the John Birch Society's Council Dinner in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in 1996.
December 1998: Vote to Impeach Bill Clinton
Joe Scarborough was among the members of the House who voted to impeach President Bill Clinton in December 1998.
1998: Unopposed Re-election
In 1998, Joe Scarborough faced no major party opposition in his bid for re-election to the House.
1998: Chairmanship of the Civil Service Committee
Joe Scarborough was named chairman of the Civil Service Committee in 1998.
1999: Scarborough's First Divorce
Joe Scarborough and Melanie Hinton divorced in 1999.
1999: Joe Scarborough Founds "The Florida Sun" Newspaper
While still a congressman, Joe Scarborough founded the free weekly newspaper "The Florida Sun" in the Pensacola area in 1999.
June 2000: High Rating from the American Conservative Union
In June 2000, Joe Scarborough received a 95 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union.
2000: Another Unopposed Re-election
Joe Scarborough was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives once again in 2000, facing only write-in candidates as opposition.
May 2001: Joe Scarborough Announces Resignation from Congress
In May 2001, Joe Scarborough announced his resignation from Congress after serving four terms, citing a desire to spend more time with his children.
July 20, 2001: Death of Lori Bolterstein Klausutis
On July 20, 2001, Lori Bolterstein Klausutis, an aide to Joe Scarborough, was found dead in Scarborough's congressional office. An autopsy attributed her death to an undiagnosed heart condition, but the incident sparked speculation and was later used to fuel conspiracy theories.
October 2001: Special Election Held to Replace Scarborough in Congress
A special election was held in October 2001 to fill the congressional seat vacated by Joe Scarborough's resignation.
October 2001: Scarborough's Second Marriage
In October 2001, Joe Scarborough married his second wife, Susan Waren.
2001: End of Joe Scarborough's Term in Congress
In 2001, Joe Scarborough's time as a U.S. Representative came to an end.
2002: Appointment to the President's Council
Joe Scarborough was appointed to the President's Council on the 21st Century Workforce in 2002.
April 2003: "Scarborough Country" Debuts on MSNBC
Joe Scarborough's nightly primetime show, "Scarborough Country," premiered on MSNBC in April 2003.
August 2003: Scarborough's Daughter Born
Joe Scarborough and Susan Waren welcomed their daughter in August 2003.
June 2005: Scarborough Expresses Vaccine Concerns
During an interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in June 2005, Joe Scarborough voiced his concerns about a potential link between vaccines and autism, citing his son's Asperger's diagnosis.
October 4, 2005: "Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day" Released
Joe Scarborough published his first book, "Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day: The Real Deal on How Politicians, Bureaucrats, and Other Washington Barbarians Are Bankrupting America," on October 4, 2005.
2005: Joe Scarborough Covers Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
In 2005, Joe Scarborough's program "Scarborough Country" shifted to cover politics and popular culture. Notably, Scarborough broadcast from Biloxi, Mississippi, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, drawing attention to the situation's severity and criticizing the government's response.
2006: Conservative Defeats in Midterm Elections
Joe Scarborough's book, "The Last Best Hope," was written in the context of conservative defeats in the 2006 midterm elections.
May 2007: Scarborough Joins Auditions for "Imus in the Morning" Replacement
Joe Scarborough became one of the rotating guest hosts auditioning to permanently fill the vacancy left by Don Imus on his MSNBC morning show in May 2007.
July 2007: Scarborough Secures Permanent Hosting Role on "Morning Joe"
In July 2007, Joe Scarborough's success as a rotating guest host led to him being awarded the permanent hosting slot for what would become "Morning Joe."
2007: New Set Launch for "Morning Joe" at 30 Rock
In 2007, "Morning Joe's" new set at 30 Rock was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Willie Geist, Mika Brzezinski, MSNBC president Phil Griffin, and Joe Scarborough.
May 2008: Scarborough's Son Born
Joe Scarborough and Susan Waren had their son in May 2008.
December 8, 2008: Scarborough and Brzezinski Debut on WABC Radio
On December 8, 2008, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, his future co-host on "Morning Joe," began a two-hour late-morning radio show on WABC in New York City.
2008: Conservative Defeat in Presidential Election
Joe Scarborough's book, "The Last Best Hope," was published after the 2008 presidential election, in which conservatives faced another defeat.
June 9, 2009: "The Last Best Hope" Published
On June 9, 2009, Joe Scarborough released his second book, "The Last Best Hope," which outlined his plan to help conservatives regain political ground after losses in the 2006 midterm and 2008 presidential elections.
April 26, 2010: Scarborough and Brzezinski's Radio Show Goes on Hiatus
After its debut in December 2008, the WABC radio show hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski was put on hiatus on April 26, 2010, with plans for reformatting. The show ultimately did not return.
2011: Recognition by Time Magazine
In 2011, Joe Scarborough was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time 100.
January 2013: Scarborough's Second Divorce
Joe Scarborough and Susan Waren divorced in January 2013.
November 12, 2013: "The Right Path" Published
Joe Scarborough published his third book, "The Right Path: From Ike to Reagan, How Republicans Once Mastered Politics—and Can Again," on November 12, 2013.
2015: Scarborough Interviews Donald Trump on "Morning Joe"
Joe Scarborough interviewed Donald Trump on "Morning Joe" in 2015, during Trump's first presidential campaign, abruptly ending the interview before resuming it after a commercial break.
August 2016: Scarborough Calls for Republican Party to "Dump Donald Trump"
Joe Scarborough penned an op-ed for The Washington Post in August 2016, arguing that the Republican Party should disavow Donald Trump as their presidential nominee, citing Trump's concerning rhetoric.
2016: Scarborough Maintains Residences in Connecticut and Florida
As of 2016, Joe Scarborough had residences in both New Canaan, Connecticut, and Jupiter, Florida.
2016: "Morning Joe" Achieves Ratings Milestone, Surpassing CNN
In 2016, "Morning Joe" achieved its highest-ever viewership according to Nielsen ratings, surpassing CNN in total viewers and key demographics for the seventh consecutive year.
June 2017: Scarborough and Brzezinski Become Targets of Trump's Tweets
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski became targets of President Donald Trump's tweets in June 2017, facing personal attacks related to their coverage of his administration. The incident sparked criticism from members of both parties.
June 23, 2017: "Mystified" EP and Music Video Released
Joe Scarborough released his debut EP, "Mystified," on June 23, 2017, along with a music video for the title track. This marked his entry into the music scene.
2017: "Morning Joe" Celebrates 10th Anniversary
"Morning Joe," co-hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, celebrated its 10th anniversary on air in 2017.
2017: Trump Resurrects Debunked Rumor
In 2017, Donald Trump resurrected the debunked rumor surrounding the 2001 death of Scarborough's aide, calling for further investigation and drawing condemnation from several media outlets.
2017: Joe Scarborough Leaves the Republican Party
In 2017, Joe Scarborough left the Republican Party to become an independent.
2017: Scarborough and Brzezinski's Engagement
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski got engaged in early 2017 during a trip to Antibes, France.
November 24, 2018: Scarborough's Third Marriage
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski were married on November 24, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
August 2019: Scarborough's Tweets on Jeffrey Epstein's Death Draw Criticism
In August 2019, Scarborough faced criticism for posting tweets about Jeffrey Epstein's death, suggesting a conspiracy involving "rich and powerful men" and alluding to Russian involvement.
May 2020: Klausutis's Widower Appeals to Twitter
In May 2020, the widower of Lori Klausutis wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, urging him to remove Trump's tweets that perpetuated the debunked rumor about his wife's death.
May 26, 2020: Twitter Fact-Checks Trump's Tweets About Scarborough
On May 26, 2020, following a letter from the widower of Lori Klausutis and an op-ed by Kara Swisher, Twitter began fact-checking and applying warnings to Trump's tweets about Scarborough and the 2001 death of his aide.
November 24, 2020: "Saving Freedom" Published
On November 24, 2020, Joe Scarborough released his fourth book, "Saving Freedom: Truman, the Cold War, and the Fight for Western Civilization."
January 2021: Scarborough Criticizes Capitol Police Response
In January 2021, following the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Scarborough strongly criticized the Capitol Police, alleging a double standard in their response to the predominantly white mob compared to potential responses to Black or Muslim protesters.
August 2023: "Morning Joe" Maintains Ratings Success, Outperforming Competitors
In August 2023, "Morning Joe" was reported as the most-watched morning cable news program, marking its 14th consecutive year surpassing CNN in total audience and its eighth straight year leading in the 25-54 demographic.
2023: Scarborough Hosts Primetime Special, Interviews Notable Figures
Joe Scarborough hosted a primetime special focused on a single topic in 2023, featuring interviews with notable figures including Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Tony Blair.
2024: Scarborough Appears on "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Joe Scarborough made appearances as himself on two episodes of the HBO comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" in 2024.