Poll-Panicky Mika Fights With Producer To Lead With 'Binder-Gate'

October 18th, 2012 12:20 PM

Has the latest Gallup poll, showing Mitt Romney with a six-point national lead, panicked the Obama campaign and its MSM cohorts like Mika Brzezinski?  Morning Joe's producer apparently wanted to lead today's show with a discussion of the latest bummer-for-Obama polls.  But Brzezinski admitted to "fighting" with the Morning Joe executive producer Alex Korson, insisting instead on opening with a discussion of the "binder-gate" issue that President Obama was pushing out on the campaign trail yesterday.  

Joe Scarborough laughed off Mika's binder obsession as "ridiculous," saying continued Dem focus on it would lead to a Romney landslide. Even Mark Halperin, whom no one would accuse of being in the Romney reservoir, dismissed the matter as trivial compared to the real issues in this campaign of the economy and jobs.  View the video after the jump.



Watch the Obama camp seemingly on the brink of a breakdown. Note also Brzezinski's brittle reaction when Scarborough reminds viewers that Brzezinski has "worked with the White House" on "women's issues."

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: We have new polls this morning that are very interesting. And I see how Alex has stacked this. And we just started fighting. And Alex doesn't really fight. About this whole binder thing. How is that not a lie? Can we go there, Halperin?

MARK HALPERIN: I'd prefer not to.

BRZEZINSKI: When you say you sought out, and then it turns out that they were brought to you, that's not the truth, correct?


MARK HALPERIN: I just don't think that's what this campaign should be about.

. . .


JOE SCARBOROUGH: That's a ridiculous argument to make. Seriously, the Obama people have the binders, the binders . . . I hope liberals focus on binder-gate throughout the campaign. And if they do, because they have nothing else to talk about, they will find what we found at the MSNBC -- did you see the MSNBC focus group? The women that were saying that they, after the second debate, were turning to Mitt Romney? Keep talking about binders. Mitt Romney's fine . . . Keep talking about binders and Mitt Romney will win in a landslide . . . I think you should explain why you're frustrated. You've worked, obviously, with the White House on some women's issues. You're frustrated, obviously, when you see these polls that show the gap's closing, and you do want to know because you are close to it. And it's been in the press that you've worked on the White House Council for Women.


BRZEZINSKI: I've also written a book on concerns about equal pay. You can mention I've worked with the White House a few times. It means I know a lot about what the White House has done and the comment about binders just like comments about foreign policy or the economy, the comment about binders is representative of something big as it pertains to women.