Maddow laughs at the 'cross-current of crazy' taking over the Republican party

The sight of more fringe conservative elements stepping to the forefront brought a laugh to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow on Monday night.

"For whatever reason, maybe because it is August, the cross-current of crazy in our national Republican party seems to be surfacing everywhere right now," Maddow said, before highlighting the rise of former Oregon congressional candidate and global warming skeptic Art "I wrote thousands and thousands of words" Robinson -- who famously accused Maddow of taking him out of context in 2010 after she quoted him verbatim -- to being that state's party chair.

Maddow also pointed to Sunday's talk show appearances by Donald Trump,Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Steve King's debate with Latina conservative strategist Ana Navarro.

"It might be comforting to think that these are just the Donald Trumps and Steve Kings and Louie Gohmerts of the world -- that no serious person with real power and standing in politics would make these arguments. " Maddow said. "Sadly, no. Because you're hearing the same arguments in some cases from guys like the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee."

Maddow then played a clip of Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) parroting Gohmert's assertion that militant Islamists were sneaking into the country by learning to "mingle in" with Latino immigrants.

"They can 'mingle in'?" Maddow asked incredulously. "What exactly is the argument here?"

Watch Maddow pick apart the GOP fringe, aired Monday on MSNBC, below.

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