Morning Joe has been among the most vituperatively anti-Trump shows in television. As NewsBusters has documented over the years, the show's stock in trade has been to vilify Trump as a fascist, a Hitler, and an existential threat to Madisonian democracy.
So it would be a remarkable development if Morning Joe, in the wake of Trump's victory, were to drastically change course and go fair 'n balanced in its treatment of the incoming president.
And yet, on Thursday's episode, that was Morning Joe's stated intention. Joe Scarborough opened the show by noting the compliments it's received from viewers on the "calm and measured" way that the show reported Trump's win (which NewsBusters also noticed in the item the morning after election day).
"Many of you have reached out to us since the election, and though many were disappointed results, you let us know you appreciated our reporting, and the reporting of the results in a calm and measured way," he declared.
This led right into co-host and wife Mika Brzezinski declaring: "We will continue our best efforts to be fair and objective in reporting on the incoming administration."
We'll see about that.
Scarborough noted that the show's sudden devotion to fairness would be put to the test in the case of the nomination of Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. Brzezinski also claimed "it goes without saying" that members of the Trump administration are invited to appear on the show, and she expressed the desire to have a "face-to-face" conversation with Trump himself.
There's nothing "goes without saying" at all about the intention to have members of the Trump administration on the show. For years, Morning Joe has been the exclusive domain of liberal politicians and media members. The only Republicans permitted to breathe the show's rarefied liberal air have been of the tame, Never Trumper, variety.
It will be fascinating to see if members of the Trump administration do appear on Morning Joe, and to observe the kind of treatment they receive.
As for scoring an interview with Trump himself any time soon, don't bet the rent money at Polymarkets on it, Mika!
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC's Morning Joe
11/14/24
6:02 am EasternJOE SCARBOROUGH: Many of you have reached out to us since the election, and though many were disappointed results, you let us know you appreciated our reporting, and the reporting of the results in a calm and measured way.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Yeah. We have been especially thankful for the kind words we received from those who voted for President Trump. And we're going to continue our best efforts to be fair and objective in reporting on the incoming administration.
SCARBOROUGH: Now unfortunately, the next story does involve us personally a bit, but we still give you the facts while remaining objective.
BRZEZINSKI: So here they are. President-Elect Donald Trump has selected Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as Attorney General and lead the Department of Justice.
(....)
6:05 a.m. Eastern
BRZEZINSKI: And now, more on the character of Matt Gaetz and how it connects to this show. Donald Trump began tweeting about widely discredited conspiracy theories about Joe after receiving documents given to Trump by Congressman Gaetz.
(....)
6:07 a.m. Eastern
BRZEZINSKI: It goes without saying that we invite members of the incoming Trump administration to be on our show. And also, we look forward to discussing this issue, and others, face-to-face with President Trump himself.
