Internal Friction at MSNBC? Joe Scarborough Cancels Appearance on Ed Schultz Show

You could see this one coming.

"Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough was due to appear on MSNBC colleague Ed Schultz's "The Ed Show" on Tuesday, in apparent reciprocity after Schultz was on "Morning Joe" that day.

But Scarborough canceled his appearance, Schultz told a caller to his radio show Tuesday, with Schultz saying he wasn't sure why.

Here's how Schultz described it after initially speaking with the caller about Liz Cheney (click here for audio) --

(Update: Brian Maloney at The Radio Equalizer describes how "the backstabbing has officially backfired" for Scarborough as his badmouthing of conservatives has apparently translated into sluggish sales for new book)

CALLER: Gosh, she is just like her father, that's the scary part. She is so like her father and everybody wants to put a microphone in front of her face. Why? Why?! She's just spilling the hate rhetoric just like he is. And thank you for your interview on "Morning Joe" this morning, it was so good. I look forward to seeing him tonight on your show.

SCHULTZ: Uh, well actually, I've been told ...

CALLER: He's not gonna be on there?

SCHULTZ: I've actually been told that he's canceled.

CALLER: Wow.

SCHULTZ: So I don't know if it has anything ...

CALLER: He doesn't want to offend the righties.

SCHULTZ:  I don't know, I don't know, I don't know what the deal is (crosstalk) I'm sure, I'm sure he'll pick his spot when he wants to come back on. Gosh that would have been so good.

Canceled as opposed to postponed. The latter implies rescheduling; the former, not.

That there's not a lotta love between Schultz and Scarborough was evident from the cordial, passive-aggressive tone of their chat on "Morning Joe," along with this shot across the bow from Schultz on his radio show Wednesday while lathered up with his claim that Dick Cheney wants the country hit by a terrorist attack (here for audio) --

SCHULTZ (yelling): I'm the only guy with any balls out there that's willing to call him on it! (lowers voice for effect) Joe Scarborough gettin' one up on me. Folks, it ain't gonna happen.

Not that Morning Joe has gotten under Schultz's skin. Clearly, not at all.