Self-awareness is not Morning Joe's strong suit. On the one hand, today's panel accused President Trump of acting in an immature manner in his handling of yesterday's short-lived meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. On the other, the panelists themselves unleashed at Trump a string of churlish, middle-school worthy insults.
Joe Scarborough claimed Trump "stinks" at deal-making. Mika Brzezinski said the President acted like a "complete idiot." And even the normally level-headed Willie Geist got into the act, referring to Trump as "pathetic." Professor Eddie Glaude Jr. seconded Willie's sentiment, adding that Trump was also "dangerous," surprisingly eliciting a "sure" from Willie.
Guess you could give Joe and company some credit: they did stop short of calling Trump a poopy-head. But seriously, insult in lieu of serious analysis might warm the cockles of the hearts of Morning Joe's liberal viewers. But it does nothing to advance the debate, and can only stoke the determination of Trump fans who might still watch the show.
Note: Scarborough extolled at length Bill Clinton's legislative accomplishments during the period of his impeachment, saying Clinton ranked ahead of Ronald Reagan when it came to legislative success.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
5/23/19
6:02 am EDT
JOE SCARBOROUGH: He's incapable of making a deal. He's just no good at it. He stinks at it . . . Just the worst deal-maker that's ever sat in the Oval Office.
. . .
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Like this whole thing yesterday looked ridiculous. It was like a kids play that was set up by a bunch of bumbling idiots . . . The President set this up, acted like a complete idiot.
. . .
WILLIE GEIST: You know, Eddie, the country's on some level become numb to this circus that we watch every day. But this was an extraordinary day, even by that measure. The word that keeps coming back to my mind is pathetic.
EDDIE GLAUDE JR.: On one level, Willie, you're right: it's pathetic. On another level, it's quite dangerous.
GEIST: Sure.
