Glum is a word that described the reaction on MSNBC to the North Korean summit. With an annoyed tone, the Morning Joe hosts of Tuesday mocked the chances for success in the summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. MSNBC guest Jon Meacham even denied that the summit was “historic.”
Talking to Joe Scarborough, the Time contributing editor whined: “Just because something hasn't happened before, doesn't mean it's historic. That's one thing. I think when you call something historic, it means it has a good chance of having lasting implications. And I think it's very unclear, at least to my layman's eye, that this does that.”
Even other liberal media outlets didn't try this spin. The graphic for CBS This Morning touted a “historic denuclearization deal.” ABC’s Good Morning America saw a “historic summit.” NBC’s Today called the two leaders talking a “historic meeting.”
Also, it should be pointed out to Mr. Meacham that media outlets love to use the word “historic” for liberal accomplishments. ABC hailed Barack Obama’s “historic” Cairo speech. CBS cheered the “historic victory" for ObamaCare.
Scarborough was downright bitter in his reaction to the summit. Reacting to Trump’s effort to push economic possibilities, such as hotels and condos in North Korea, he sarcastically sneered:
We hear that history rhymes.... I mean, you can go from whether you're talking about what happened at the Appomattox Court House or talking about what happened in Versailles during the Paris Peace Accords of 1919 or even Kissinger going to Paris to end the Vietnam War, they talked about beachfront condos. That's the great — that's the great equalizer here between nations.
A partial transcript is below. Click “expand” for more.
Morning Joe
6/12/18
6:18DONALD TRUMP: You could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It's great.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: So, Joe, I think it might be time for some deep historic parallels and perspective on that comment and so many others.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Jonn Meacham, this is just too easy. We hear that history rhymes. Here, it is — it's just the same words used in verse one and verse two where I mean you can go from whether you're talking about what happened at the Appomattox Court House or talking about what happened in Versailles during the Paris Peace Accords of 1919 or even Kissinger going to Paris to end the Vietnam War, they talked about beachfront condos. That's the great — that's the great equalizer here between nations. It is — that — it is Donald Trump still, Donald Trump the real estate developer, and he doesn't realize that this dictator doesn't want beach condos. He wants nuclear weapons. And I don't think he has any plans to go the way of Gaddafi.
JON MEACHAM: Yeah. Remember, George Kennan's great telegram how to lay out the hospitality industry throughout the Soviet Union.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah.
GEORGE MEACHAM: It's a -- Richard actually keeps a copy of that on his desk, I think.
SCARBOROUGH: Yeah.
MEACHAM: Two thoughts. Just because something hasn't happened before, doesn't mean it's historic. That's one thing. I think when you call something historic, it means it has a good chance of having lasting implications. And I think it's very unclear, at least to my layman's eye, that this does that.
