Joe Scarborough knows his MSNBC audience. He knows Democrats are depressed at their status in the minority and need some "Up With People" encouragement.
His opening of Friday's Morning Joe was one long, self-indulgent spurt of schadenfreude over Republican struggles with liberals at town halls and rocky stock-market rides.
Scarborough opened with an extended clip of Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards being booed and jeered at a townhall meeting in Asheville -- the North Carolina equivalent of Berkeley/Portland. Bet on a lot of MSNBC fans in that crowd.
Scarborough delighted in the Edwards distress. He should have praised Edwards for it. The Republican didn't need to hold a town hall in Asheville. Despite the uber-liberal city being in his district, Edwards won his latest election by a comfortable 13+ points. Edwards let the audience know he would be taking and answering their questions as they came out of the box, advising them that they wouldn't like many of his answers. Edwards was even-tempered throughout, never responding in kind to the jeers and taunts.
So Scarborough could have hailed Edwards for venturing into the liberal lion's den and maintaining his cool and good manners. But instead, he gloated over Edwards telling the crowd that they will have the right "at the next election to cast your vote based on what you hear coming from me now."
"Yes, they will," said a smirking Scarborough [see screencap.] He seemed to be suggesting that Edwards would lose once the libs of Asheville get the chance to vote their wrath in 2026. Wanna bet, Joe?
Scarborough said that Republican town halls have turned contentious "over the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal force, to Elon Musk, to DOGE." Wait a second, Joe. Aren't you the oft self-described "small-government conservative?" Shouldn't you be applauding these efforts? Did you imagine that shrinking the massive deep state would come without pushback from the entrenched forces?
Scarborough proceeded to revel over the stock market's woes, saying that Trump's threat of high tariffs on goods from the European Union "sent stocks even lower yesterday." Imagine Joe's joy if the market suffered a 1929-style crash!
Finally, Scarborough noted that "Vladimir Putin has said 'no' to a ceasefire proposal from the US and Ukraine."
Such a happy day for the Trump-hating Scarborough. You don't have to believe in karma to envision that before long, Scarborough will be obliged to grin out of the other side of his gob.
Note: At the end of his spiel, explaining Mika's absence, Scarborough trotted out his tired line about Mika being "in the south of France." As if she's the elitist in the couple. Hang in there, Joe. Before long, you'll recommence your summering on Nantucket.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
3/14/25
6:00 am ETREPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CHUCK EDWARDS: I have supported, even as a state senator, the fact that we should abolish the U.S. Department of Education [audience boos.] The decisions need to be made back on the state level.
And I believe that the president is very supportive of Ukraine [loud boos.]
Like him or not, Elon Musk has brought a lot of really smart people to DOGE [boos.]
You should also know that those employees and folks that serve with DOGE have gone through the same exact security screens as everyone else [jeers.]
The questions are coming out of the box one at a time. I'm answering those for you. You're not going to like a lot of them.
And you, and you certainly will have the right in the next election to cast your vote based off of what you hear coming from me now.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Yes, they will, and that's how democracy works [grinning] every two years. And right now, fascinating dynamics.
That was another Republican town hall meeting that turned contentious over the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to the federal force, to Elon Musk, to DOGE. This time, it happened in Asheville, North Carolina, where Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards found himself on the receiving end of fury from constituents. It's happening whenever Republicans dare to hold town hall meetings.
Meanwhile, the president continues what's been an erratic trade policy, threatening sky-high tariffs on goods from the European Union, a threat that sent stocks even lower yesterday.
Also, Vladimir Putin has said no to a cease-fire proposal from the U.S. and Ukraine. Now, some Senate Republicans want President Trump to get tougher on the dictator.
Good morning. It's Friday, this Morning Joe. It's March the 14th, we have, of course, Mika, as she often does on weekends. She's in the south of France. I think Willie's windsurfing in Mozambique.
