Get it? Donald Trump is like mobster Don Corleone in The Godfather because he kinda quoted a line from the classic gangster movie. Twice (so far) on Thursday, MSNBC played a clip of Marlon Brando saying, “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.” This was to introduce discussions of the President.
Why? Because Trump said of the possibility of re-entering TPP: “Unless they offer us a deal that we cannot refuse, I would not go back into TPP.” Not quite the line, but close enough for MSNBC hosts apparently. Co-host Willie Geist opened Morning Joe with both the clip from the film and Trump. He marveled, “Going right to The Godfather this morning.”
Later in the morning, MSNBC Live co-host Stephanie Ruhle played a clip of Brando and then of Trump. After both, Ruhle conceded:
That of course was President Trump yesterday in Palm Beach with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. No, not intentionally reciting a line from The Godfather. But he was simply talking trade.
Not intentionally? So what’s the point then? Ruhle rarely makes any effort to hide her disdain for Republicans. In March, she mocked new economic adviser Larry Kudlow for saying he has faith in “God’s will.”
In February, a CNN analyst saw Trump as a “mafia boss gone bad.”
A partial transcript from MSNBC Live is below:
MSNBC Live
4/19/18
9:41am ETClip from The Godfather
MARLON BRANDO: I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
DONALD TRUMP: Unless they offer us a deal that we cannot refuse, I would not go back into TPP.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Okay. Time for money, power, politics. That of course was President Trump yesterday in Palm Beach with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. No, not intentionally reciting a line from The Godfather. But he was simply talking trade. The U.S. and Japan have agreed to start talks on free, fair and reciprocal trade deals. While Prime Minister Abe announced this new agreement he was not able to get exemptions for the steel and aluminum tariffs that President Trump imposed back in March.So let's discuss. Tim Phillip, the president of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group funded by the Koch brothers. And Eli Stokols back with me. When it comes to TPP, on the campaign trail, President Trump said it's a rape of the American people. He railed against it. He said there's no way I'll go back in. Larry Kudlow is now in the house. Larry likes TPP or that idea. President Trump a week ago said maybe. And then he goes back and says “I would only enter TPP if they gave me an offer I couldn't refuse.” Okay. The president's stick ain't that big. Other countries don't trust him. They're not going to offer him something he can't refuse.
