As the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett progress this week, the increasingly agitated co-hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe have chosen to distract themselves with something they’re more comfortable with: COVID-19 gossip. Turning a blind eye to the historic events taking place on Capitol Hill this week, co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski mocked Republicans as "clowns" who are a part of a "macho death cult."
Although they have entertained themselves this way for weeks, the MSNBC stars are now so desperate to avoid the actual news that they are willing to discuss conspiracy theories.
The co-hosts played a clip of White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows walking Monday through a rather spacious hallway in the Capitol, where he stopped to talk with reporters, including CNN’s Kristin Wilson. After backing away from Wilson to ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines, Meadows removed his mask to address her questions and/or comments, but she cried out in disapproval, prompting Meadows to say: “Well, I’m more than 10 feet away. I’m not—well, I’m not gonna talk through a mask.”
At the end of the clip, Brzezinski rushed to share her feelings first:
Okay, so here’s the problem. He refuses to talk through a mask, and people who are covering this story, they already know that several White House correspondents have contracted the coronavirus and others are in quarantine because they were exposed. They're just trying to do their jobs safely, and this clown, if I may, is playing games with masks. On top of the fact that we had Mike Lee in the hearing who was diagnosed positive with coronavirus, am I correct? Sitting in the hearing with no mask.
Brzezinski was referring to Utah Senator Mike Lee, who tested positive for COVID-19 on October 1, but was present for the Barrett confirmation hearings Monday. However, Lee was cleared by a physician to cease isolation, according to current CDC guidelines. Brzezinski either chose to ignore this fact, or was unaware of it. Either way, Scarborough agreed with her, but with no mask on his face, he suggested that it could be something more sinister:
What is surprising is that people like Mike Lee would be that inconsiderate, and that reckless, with the lives of people around him. That Mark Meadows would be that inconsiderate, and reckless, with the lives of people around them. When -- I really -- I can't imagine being part of a macho death cult that Mark Meadows obviously feels he needs to be a part of, that Mike Lee feels he needs to be a part of. Where you're that inconsiderate to other people. If I'm talking to reporters and they ask me for their own safety for me to keep on a mask, I keep on a mask.
Give me a break. According to Scarborough’s logic, the macho death cult must include not only every Republican on Capitol Hill, but the congressional doctors as well, not to mention all of MSNBC’s reporters and anchors who don’t wear masks.
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Read the transcript below:
Morning Joe
10/13/20
6:13:05 AM
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Let's take a look at that Mark Meadows situation because reporters wanted to get information from him, that’s what they do, but he refused. Take a look, and look at why.
MARK MEADOWS [ON MONDAY]: I can tell you what, let me do this. Let me pull this away. [Pulls microphone away from reporters]
KRISTIN WILSON [CNN REPORTER]: Yep, pull away.
MEADOWS: And then, that way I can take this off to talk. [Removes mask]
WILSON: Ohhh!
MEADOWS: Well I’m more than 10 feet away. I’m not… well, I’m not gonna talk through a mask.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: What- what is that—
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Okay, so here’s the problem. He refuses to talk through a mask, and people who are covering this story, they already know that several White House correspondents have contracted the coronavirus and others are in quarantine because they were exposed. They're just trying to do their jobs safely, and this clown, if I may, is playing games with masks. On top of the fact that we had Mike Lee in the hearing who was diagnosed positive with coronavirus, am I correct? Sitting in the hearing with no mask. This is beyond insanity, and I just wonder, are there members of this campaign Joe, are there members in the White House, whoever is left, whoever is not in quarantine, or who has tested positive for the coronavirus, who has half a brain, who can tell Donald Trump, ‘when people are dying, you are losing’?
SCARBOROUGH: No, no he hasn’t listened. Uh, and we're not surprised. What is surprising is that people like Mike Lee would be that inconsiderate, and that reckless, with the lives of people around him. That Mark Meadows would be that inconsiderate, and reckless, with the lives of people around them. When -- I really -- I can't imagine being part of a macho death cult that Mark Meadows obviously feels he needs to be a part of, that Mike Lee feels he needs to be a part of. Where you're that inconsiderate to other people. If I'm talking to reporters and they ask me for their own safety for me to keep on a mask, I keep on a mask.
BRZEZINSKI: Of course.
SCARBOROUGH: I keep on a mask. Who would not do that? It's- it’s really remarkable and, Willie, you look at, you know, who can tell Donald Trump that this is insanity? Nobody. But who should be telling—
BRZEZINSKI: Hmm.
SCARBOROUGH: -these Republicans who are trying to be macho by putting other people's lives in danger… Who can tell them that this is wrong-headed?
