Brown: Palin qualified, but backing Romney

Video: A day in the life of Sen. Scott Brown

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   >> welcome back to " morning joe ." since he rocked the political establishment by winning kennedy's senate seat, scott brown has been getting washington to pay attention . and he sat down for an exclusive interview with today national correspondent jamie gangel and gave her a rare behind the scenes look at senate life for scott brown . nice to have you on the set.

   >> my dear friend jamie is here.

   >> we even got a ride in the green pickup truck .

   >> is it an old truck?

   >> it is real. it's old.

   >> it's not that old.

   >> it's disgusting. and i will tell you, it has a fons thing about it, remember how he would hit the machine and the soda would come out. we're driving around washington . there's no air conditioning on and he starts reaching down at the bottom of the thing and says, kick underneath the dash board . you kick it, the air conditioning comes on. so that's.

   >> what year is it?

   >> you've got me.

   >> i'm going to have to check.

   >> i don't know. 2035 ,000 miles. a '92 or something like that?

   >> old.

   >> gmc. right?

   >> what kind of character is he?

   >> he really is a regular guy. it's very, very interesting. he casts himself politically as a regular guy. but he seems to be. you'll see. i'm going to show you from his cosmo center field to being spoofed on saturday night live," scott brown has become an instant celebrity and also made waves in washington for crossing party lines . so he told us about his private conversation with barack obama , most senators won't do that, and what he really thinks of the tea party and sarah palin and whether he might ever run for the white house .

   >> how you doing?

   >> mr. brown has come to washington , but insists nothing has i'm scott brown . i'm from rantham. and i still drive a truck.

   >> an obsessive triathlete, he still gets up early and runs. still picks up his own laundry.

   >> i'm down to my last shirt.

   >> and yes, he still drives that famous green pickup truck .

   >> was there any special meaning in bringing the pickup truck to washington ?

   >> that's the only vehicle i have. this isn't a joke. i mean, i have 205,000 miles. i've had it for five years and this is my vehicle. i live in it, sleep in it, eat in it. it's trashed.

   >> it's all part of the regular guy image.

   >> bagel toasted.

   >> that helped the 50-year-old lawyer win a shocking upset victory.

   >> this is the people's seat.

   >> a victory he still can't quite believe.

   >> i got out of the car, i'm like whoa. okay. is there a bathroom i can go throw up?

   >> i don't think it took 24 hours for someone to ask you, would you ever consider running for the white house . and so?

   >> i've been here what, three months actually today if i can see. and i'm very focused on doing my job.

   >> so are you ruling it out completely for 2012 , but maybe some day?

   >> absolutely 2012 i'm ruling it out.

   >> but maybe some day.

   >> i'm not going to jump at that. nice try.

   >> your claim to fame was because you were going to vote against health care . in the end, obama won. su lost. were you angry about that vote?

   >> first of all, i think that's an improper characterization obama won and i lost. there are some very serious problems with the bill. i wasn't angry. i'm concerned for businesses and my state and throughout this country. i'm concerned about getting a good product if we're going to do it. we did it in massachusetts . let's do it right, not just ram it through.

   >> the new star of the republican party is enjoying his celebrity status. from jay leno .

   >> scott , how you doing?

   >> great jay.

   >> to a boston musical.

   >> it's the people's seat.

   >> to being spoofed onn stat night live."

   >> are you?

   >> senator scott brown but you can call me scott .

   >> i will, scott .

   >> have you run into nancy pelosi or barbara boxer or.

   >> i did run into barbara and i said have you seen the "saturday night live" thing? and she said no. i'm saying to myself, i bet she did. i haven't run into the speaker. barney frank i see. i didn't really want to ask him.

   >> you didn't wink at him when you saw him?

   >> i think about it all the time. i think about going up to everybody and going.

   >> it helps to have a sef deprecating sense of humor especially when you worked is your way through law school as a male model and who can forget his centerfold. it helps to have a family used to being in the spotlight.

   >> his wife gail is a television reporter. their daughter ayla an " american idol " finalist. and for the record, all is forgiven for this election night gaffe.

   >> and just in case anybody who's watching throughout the country, yes, they're both available. no, no, no.

   >> there's a picture over there.

   >> yeah.

   >> your daughter with her hands.

   >> probably before she was about to put them around my neck. she's like dad, what, are you kidding me?

   >> did you get in trouble at home over that.

   >> no, no, no, we still kid about it. like they'll say something, i say hey, i'll get on national tv and say you're available again. you'd better watch it.

   >> it hasn't all been so sneeze you crossed party lines and voted on the jobs bill with the democrats, on unemployment insurance .

   >> whether i'm out of step with the republican party , i don't really care. i'm going to be the voter i've always been.

   >> brown was recently criticized for not attending a tea party rally with sarah palin .

   >> massachusetts , do you love your freedom?

   >> he says the senate was in session and it was not a snub. that said, brown revealed he's supporting another republican in 2012 .

   >> do you think sarah palin is qualified to be president?

   >> yeah, i think she's qualified, sure.

   >> would you support her?

   >> well, i'm going to support governor romney and see who's out there in the field and make my decision.

   >> as for the current white house occupant, so far scott brown hasn't met him, just a phone call on election night .

   >> he made fun of your truck.

   >> he did. he's going to make fun of my votes and my policy but when he makes fun of my truck, that's where i draw the line. i asked him if he wanted to take a spin and also i said i know you play a lot of basketball. if you'd like to -- my daughter and i would love to play.

   >> so far no invitation.

   >> i've made a couple inquiries. i think i need to step back.

   >> maybe when he needs a vote.

   >> maybe when he needs somebody that can shoot.

   >> oh.

   >> that basketball game could happen sooner rather than later.

   >> really.

   >> this week barack obama calls him, lobbies him from air force one on immigration, on financial reform. look, whether he you are a republican from massachusetts with what, 13 to 16% republicans , being independent is being pragmatic.

   >> right. now vickie kennedy has not ruled out running against scott brown , correct?

   >> she has not. interestingly election night she was the first person he called. he felt it was the right thing to do, but she is considering in two years. so that will be very interesting.

   >> that was a great piece.

   >> thank you.

   >> impressive politician.

   >> the truck is a 2005 , thanks to someone very nice.

   >> mine's older.

   >> pat, impressive.

   >> very smart guy . he's got to go independent. he can't go party line conservative republican and expect to survive in massachusetts . he clearly is looking at his seat in 2012 . and if he's looking at the presidency, it's far down the road.

   >> right. look, he's the first to say he has a lot to learn. but what surprised me is, he says things in interviews you just wouldn't hear a u.s. senator saying. whether it's endorsing someone this early, people would just say the politic thing. or saying that he felt like throwing up. you know, they just don't talk like that. so it's refreshing.

   >> uh-huh.

   >> does he have the game to play with president obama , reggie love , craig.

   >> we will see. we will see.

   >> certainly sounds like he's suggesting that the president surrounds himself with losers who can't play basketball.

   >> right.

   >> call me.

   >> by the way, i love -- i love watching those games. i love watching those games though at the white house where barack obama 's playing and everything. he's dribbling down the court and everybody's falling to the side. oh, mr. president. 0mu're so good in basketball.

   >> wow.

   >> can you imagine some guy getting up there and jamming the ball in the president's face when he's trying to shoot?

   >> let's just say that scott brown i think was suggesting that.

   >> all right. jamie gangel .

   >> which may be why they will not let willie geist go over and play the president at the white house .

   >> i'm urging them to try a different sport and do a bipartisan fun run . we'll all get in shape. jamie ,

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