On Tuesday, the anchors of Morning Joe got into a heated discussion concerning the flaws of the media. Both Scarborough and Brzezinski called out the media for not presenting consumers with the facts alone, constantly asking leading questions, and failing to resist weaving their own opinions into discourse.
As the conversation carried on, Brzezinski became frustrated that most of the media are only able to understand and defend the actions of a Democrat like John Lewis, but not a Republican. The co-host explained her confusion: “Why is it that we can explain any Democrat and explain a statement that's maybe untrue or inappropriate, and explain it away, and finally understand and translate for them, and yet we cherry-pick Trump's statements?” Brzezinski resolved that the media in general are able to spin Democrats positively and do the exact opposite with Republicans, making them sound like fascists.
Brzezinski further criticized by saying, “And, it seems to me that we are the ones who need to reset as well. And we need to look at both sides carefully. And you don't ask leading questions about John Lewis and make a speech defending John Lewis when you're asking a question too!” She further insisted, “I saw John Lewis's statement, for John Lewis’ statement. What he said, the words he said. Everyone else is translating for him.”
Following Brzezinski’s declaration of how the media, seemingly including Morning Joe, contrastingly covers Democrats and Republicans, the rest of the show contributors continued to discuss how polarized the nation has become. Brzezinski did a remarkable job of keeping the discussion on point and eventually Scarborough followed her lead by criticizing the actions of the press:
BBC CONTRIBUTOR KATY KAY: “If you want to have this office, which only American really has, which is this incredibly elevated exalted position of the President of the United States. Which is, Elected official, Head of State, Ceremonial Head of State, Commander in Chief, pile it all in there– that demands a certain standard of behavior.”
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BRZEZINSKI: “I agree. That's his job. I'm talking about ours.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Well, and our job, the press' job, probably should have been--- talk about how John Lewis is a hero for our time and is a saint, as Andrew young said.”
BRZEZINSKI: “Absolutely. I can agree with that.”
SCARBOROUGH: “And yet what he said, what he said about Trump being illegitimate because of Russia, was actually not born out by the facts, the objective facts.”
BRZEZINSKI: “And it should not be translated into frustration about voting rights--”
SCARBOROUGH: “And what he said about this being the first time he's ever missed an inauguration, because he sees Donald Trump as illegitimate, is not born out by the facts. So Donald Trump needs to be quiet, but the press needs to do its job. It needs to stop asking leading questions. And it needs to--”
BRZEZINSKI: “And erasing the past when they feel like it.”
SCARBOROUGH: “As I've been saying time and time again, they have to provide proper context. It's something you can– you can read all the papers. They are just miserable at providing proper context. Yesterday's Times interview, "London Times" interview, how that was summarized, it was just – it was preposterous. They cherry-picked. There's a lot of cherry picking going on right now. And the press just needs to do their jobs and stop writing sanctimonious op-eds about what the press should do– this, that, we must– No, just do your--”
BRZEZINSKI: “Best.”
SCARBOROUGH: “Blanking job. And just give people the facts and stop feeling like you are on a crusade. Do your job. Report the facts. Provide context. Provide history. And let the voters decide. Let the people decide. Let your readers decide.”
Initially, the anchors were discussing Trump’s Twitter feuds and Democrats boycotting the upcoming inauguration. The two co-hosts and correspondent Hunt made comparisons to the feelings related to this presidency and how people reacted when George W Bush was elected. The exchange between Hunt and Scarborough was filled with persistent laughter, mainly coming from him, because of how she described a gathering of progressives, she attended in Washington.
HUNT: “I was invited to an off-the-record, kind of happy hour gathering of progressives a few days ago in Washington and I walked into the bar, and you would have thought someone had died. You know, people were walking into this bar hugging each other like they haven't seen each other in months.”
SCARBOROUGH: “That’s how Willie Geist described Manhattan the morning after George W. Bush was elected. He said there were just zombies walking around midtown.”
Hunt continued to further describe the way Democrats have been feeling about Trump’s inauguration:
HUNT: So that, I think, kind of captures how Democrats feel about Donald Trump. It's not – I mean, it is truly apocalyptic. That is how they feel about it.” She went on to say, “I think a lot of them, actually, emotionally don't feel like they want to show up on the day and actually watch it, because it would be too much for them. I mean, that’s how it– That's how it feels here.”
Scarborough responded: “I have some dear friends, really dear friends who have -- this has hit them emotionally and very personally. And a couple, I won't say are suffering depression, but they are really down about this, really concerned about it. And are concerned about what it– it says about this country.”
Brzezinski seemed to empathize with the feeling of depression many Democrats have been having. She explained it was akin to what she had been feeling after Bush was elected president in 2004, but that going to the inauguration really helped her get over it.
Here is the full transcript of the January 17th exchange
7:00AM Segment
KASIE HUNT: I mean, look, the— the feeling right now. I was invited to an off the record, kind of happy hour gathering of Progressives, a few days ago in Washington and I walked into the bar, and you would have thought someone had died. You know, people were walking into this bar hugging each other like they haven't seen each other in months.
JOE SCARBOROUGH That's how — That’s how Willie Geist– That’s how Willie Geist described Manhattan the morning after George W. Bush was elected. He said there were just zombies walking around midtown.
KATY KAY: You don't feel it here in New York nearly as much as you feel it in D.C., by the way.
KASIE HUNT: It’s very–
JOE SCARBOROUGH: You don’t feel it here
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: All the Clinton people bought houses and stuff–
KATY KAY: Oh, it’s really intense.
RICK TYLER: That’s because they had to move.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Yeah– They all have to move.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah! I'm sorry, go ahead, Kasie.
KASIE HUNT: No, I mean, so that, I think, kind of captures how Democrats feel about Donald Trump. It's not – I mean, it is truly apocalyptic. That is how they feel about it. And so–
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah
HUNT: I think a lot of them actually emotionally don't feel like they want to show up on the day and actually watch it because it would be too much for them. I mean, that’s how it– That's how it feels here.
SCARBOROUGH: I have some dear friends, really dear friends who have -- this has hit them emotionally and very personally. And a couple, I won't say are suffering depression but they are -- they are–
BRZEZINSKI: Down.
SCARBOROUGH: They are really--
BRZEZINSKI: Down.
SCARBOROUGH: Really down about this, really concerned about it. And are concerned about what it– it says about this country.
BRZEZINSKI: But I felt that way about Bush getting elected and re-elected, and the inauguration really helped.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, I remember – I remember you being -- telling me time and again, how angry you were.
BRZEZINSKI: At my best friend.
SCARBOROUGH: At George Bush's re-election.
BRZEZINSKI: Yes.
SCARBOROUGH: And it actually caused –
KAY: In 2004?
SCARBOROUGH: And it actually caused a divide between you and your best friend.
BRZEZINSKI: Right, who made a decision at the last minute that I thought was very wrong.
KAY: I think that not tweeting these attacks against people would make an enormous difference at the moment.
SCARBOROUGH: This is a time to reach out.
KAY: I think the sense of depression and anxiety that some people -- are feeling–
BRZEZINSKI: But both sides need to do it.
KAY: That– the whole– Let's take it out of the social media, and I think that could elevate the conversation a little bit.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah, a day of silence.
SCARBOROUGH: But– But– Hold on a second though. I want to push back on your – your suggestion that both sides need to do it. No. When you're president of the United States --
BRZEZINSKI: Yes but–
SCARBOROUGH: When you're President of the United States you let insults pass.
BRZEZINSKI: Well–
SCARBOROUGH: When you're President of the United States, you let congressmen, congresswoman, senators, say snippy things about you. The great ones do! And they let it pass. Barack Obama let so much pass.
BRZEZINSKI: Okay–
RICK TYLER: Except–
BRZEZINSKI: Well there’s a third side.
RICK TYLER: Except– Well–
BRZEZINSKI: And that's the media.
SCARBOROUGH: George W. Bush let so much pass by.
TYLER: I – I agree with that. But let's– Let’s put it all into context, right? So, the pretext to the illegitimacy was Obama's action with Russia. He set up the whole pretext of this is illegitimate by setting it up and then gave Congressman Lewis the pretext– and these others to follow suit to say we're going to boycott the election based on the fact --
SCARBOROUGH: I– I will see your pretext and I will add you a pretext. The pretext to that, goes back five years when Donald Trump actually emerged as a political figure--
TYLER: That's absolutely right.
SCARBOROUGH: By discrediting Barack Obama---
TYLER: And here we are
SCARBOROUGH: And saying that he was an illegitimate president--
TYLER: And this will be his–
SCARBOROUGH: Born in another country–
TYLER: This will be–
BRZEZINSKI: Much worse.
TYLER: And this will be his– this will be his birtherism– issue for the –
KAY: I agree. The onus is on the person who won.
SCARBOROUGH: The onus is always on the person who won.
BRZEZINSKI: I know but
SCARBOROUGH: I talked about it yesterday. You rise above it.
BRZEZINSKI: I wanted to—
SCARBOROUGH: If you're going to be president of the country, then you have to work for that. And that requires turning the other cheek, time and time again.
BRZEZINSKI: Right, well, we have to wrap it up– because I wanted to say something– Kasie, hun, thank you very much!
SCARBOROUGH: Well say something! Say something, Mika!
BRZEZINSKI: Well I will– I’ve been trying– I wanted to flush it out with Yamiche actually. She was explaining John Lewis, I think. I think she was explaining that he's so frustrated about voting rights and other issues that this was his way of expression and she had to go. Why is– Why is it that we can explain any Democrat and explain a statement that's maybe untrue or inappropriate, and explain it away, and finally understand and translate for them, and yet we cherry-pick Trump's statements? That's what I want to know. And I'm not even– I’m not a Trump supporter, so, you know, it's not like -- I just see a real difference here. And, it seems to me that we are the ones who need to reset as well. And we need to look at both sides carefully. And you don't ask leading questions about John Lewis and make a speech defending John Lewis when you're asking a question, too. We– It is all over the place. Read the papers. We– We decipher Democrats and make them sound great and we make Republicans sound like complete -- the word that we won't use. The word that Trump shouldn’t use– you brought up, nobody should use. It's unbelievable. I saw John Lewis's statement, for John Lewis’ statement. What he said, the words he said. Everyone else is translating for him. And on top of it, he missed another inauguration.
TYLER: Right. It’s– It’s how polarized our nation is
BRZEZINSKI: It's not fair. Why are we deciphering for him.
TYLER: Right, because on one side–
BRZEZINSKI: He is an icon, he is a hero.
TYLER: Everybody sees–
BRZEZINSKI: Absolutely! But–
TYLER: No, there’s no question about it. But both can be true. But then everybody takes– gets into their bunker and says we have to defend everything john Lewis says as right.
BRZEZINSKI: Oh– I know! I know!
TYLER: We have to defend everything Donald Trump says as wrong.
KAY: If you want to have this office, which only American really has, which is this incredibly elevated exalted position of the President of the United States. Which is, Elected official, Head of State, Ceremonial Head of State, Commander in Chief, pile it all in there– that demands a certain standard of behavior.
BRZEZINSKI: I agree. That's his job.
KAY: And–
BRZEZINSKI: I'm talking about ours.
SCARBOROUGH: Well and our job, the press' job, probably should have been--- talk about how John Lewis is a hero for our time and is a saint, as Andrew young said.
BRZEZINSKI: Absolutely. I can agree with that
SCARBOROUGH: And yet what he said, what he said about Trump being illegitimate because of Russia, was actually not born out by the facts, the objective facts.
BRZEZINSKI: And it should not be translated into frustration about voting rights--
SCARBOROUGH: And what he said about this being the first time he's ever missed an inauguration, because he sees Donald Trump as illegitimate, is not born out by the facts. So Donald Trump needs to be quiet, but the press needs to do its job. It needs to stop asking leading questions. And it needs to f–
BRZEZINSKI: And erasing the past when they feel like it.
SCARBOROUGH: As I've been saying time and time again, they have to provide proper context. It's something you can– you can read all the papers. They are just miserable at providing proper context. Yesterday's Times interview, "London Times" interview, how that was summarized, it was just – it was preposterous. They cherry-picked. There's a lot of cherry picking going on right now. And the press just needs to do their jobs and stop writing sanctimonious op-eds about what the press should do– this, that, we must– No, just do your --
BRZEZINSKI: Best.
SCARBOROUGH: Blanking job. And just give people the facts and stop feeling like you are on a crusade. Do your job. Report the facts. Provide context. Provide history. And let the voters decide. Let the people decide. Let your readers decide.
BRZEZINSKI: Still ahead on Morning Joe–
SCARBOROUGH: They can’t do it.
BRZEZINSKI: Senator John McCain–
SCARBOROUGH: They can't lift the hammer. They are incapable– they are proving themselves incapable of doing it.
BRZEZINSKI: Well. Well, that's a whole other issue–
