When it comes to trashing Donald Trump, Joe Scarborough normally does Morning Joe's heavy lifting. Mika Brzezinski is usually content to pitch in with various muttered sidekick utterances.
But with Scarborough having today off, Mika stepped into the breach, launching some bombs of her own in the direction of Trump, and Republicans at large, in reaction to Trump's statement that "A Massive [electoral] Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
Mika reserved her harshest criticism for Republicans who have refused to condemn Trump's statement. She said that no one can call themselves a Republican, or even an American, unless they unequivocally condemn Trump now.
Using language that some might call sexist, Mika called on Republicans to "man up." Does that include Republican women?
Brzezinski ultimately told Republicans that Trump is "making complete fools of you and everything you stand for."
Never Trumper Charlie Sykes seconded Mika's take, saying, among other things:
"On Tuesday we had a federal jury find the Oath Keepers leaders guilty of seditious conspiracy. Four days later, the former President of the United States says seditious conspiracy? -- hold my beer. I'm actually going to put out a call to terminate the Constitution."
It's amazing how MSNBC thinks Republicans will take their advice on anything.
The substance of Mika's condemnation of Trump was very much in line with what Scarborough's been saying for years. But her style was markedly different. Whereas Joe goes in for screaming and table-pounding, Mika, as seen in the screencap, repeatedly got choked up as she delivered her jeremiad.
Note: in a muted acknowledgment that she and Scarborough are former Trump fans, Mika said that it took everybody, "including us," too long to realize "how bad" Trump is.
On Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski telling Republicans that Donald Trump is "making complete fools of you" was sponsored in part by Dish and Lincoln.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
12/5/22
6:06 am ETMIKA BRZEZINSKI: There is no one who can call themselves a Republican. There is no one who can call themselves a conservative. Quite frankly, there's no one who can call themselves an American, and still support Donald Trump. It's pretty simple. And Republicans, you know this, you're in a corner. He's put you in there. You are squished into that corner. The question is, are you going to man up and step out.
Donald Trump has now told us, Charlie Sykes, that he's a traitor to the U.S. Constitution. He's a traitor to America. Okay? In his words. I don't think there's any other way to put it. I don't know what else you need. I don't know what middle ground there is, and any answer to any question about this, but an unequivocal rejection of Donald Trump.
And we've watched our values get flouted, mocked, over the past several weeks even, throughout his entire presidency, but come on!, what more do you need? But who are you, because you're not a Republican, not you, Charlie, but people like Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan, and Elise Stefanik, and other leaders in this party who can't claim to actually, and even Mike Pence can't really come close to saying it. He's getting closer, God bless him, better late than never. But the Constitution of the United States of America, he stated he wants to terminate the United States Constitution. This is dumb.
CHARLIE SYKES: He put it in writing. This is the extraordinary -- I feel like we're in some sort of an insane alternative reality simulation here. I mean, in the last two weeks, you've had Donald Trump pledge solidarity for the January 6th rioters. He has dinner with an actual neo-Nazi and a notorious anti-semite who is a fan of Adolph Hitler. And then he calls for terminating all the laws, including the articles of the Constitution.
And the Republican party, you know, the fact that they cannot draw the line here is really extraordinary, although perhaps not new. It is as if Donald Trump has gone full troll. How far can he push this? How much can he get them to swallow? You know, on Tuesday we had a federal jury find the Oath Keepers leaders guilty of seditious conspiracy. Four days later, the former President of the United States says seditious conspiracy? -- hold my beer. I'm actually going to put out a call to terminate the Constitution so I can be restored. And Republicans [audio interrupted.]
MIKA: Oops, lost Charlie there. We'll get his audio back. But bottom line is it's not just what he can get Republicans to swallow. He's making complete fools of you and everything you stand for and everything you've ever worked for in your life.
. . .
He hasn't "become." This is who he is. This is who he's always been. And it took everybody and, you know, ourselves included, to really realize how bad this was. We realized early on in his presidency, but it was too damn late. Are we going to do this again? The question is for Republican leaders, are you going to face that this is who he is or are you going to continue to walk with him?
Because you, right now, stand between possibly our country and our democracy becoming irreparably damaged, or not!
