Where is Willie Geist when we need him? Thomas Roberts—who has replaced Brian Schachtman as Way Too Early host—is seemingly also taking over much of Geist's turf as Morning Joe sidekick.
And whereas Geist was, at least in the MSNBC context, a voice of affable equanimity, Roberts is an unabashed liberal advocate. Witness today's Morning Joe. Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski questioned the character of Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer. Joe and Mika wondered how, after assertedly writing in her personal diary that Chris Christie's corrupt nature "literally brings tears to my eyes," Zimmer could then take to Twitter to paradoxically proclaim that she was "very glad" that Christie was governor and that he has "done a great job for NJ & Hoboken." Rising to the defense of the Dem mayor, Roberts accused Joe and Mika of "eviscerating" Zimmer, whom Roberts described as a "whistle-blower." View the video after the jump.
does anyone think that what Morning Joe needs is one more liberal voice?
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: U.S. attorneys are reviewing Mayor Zimmer's diary as a part of the investigation and this is what she wrote in her diary, she says, you know, when she was let down by the Lieutenant Governor: "I thought he was honest. I thought he was moral, I thought he was something different. This week, I find out his cut from the same corrupt cloth that I've been fighting the last four years. I am so disappointed it literally brings tears to my eyes."
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Now when was that?
BRZEZINSKI: So this is when she was approached in the parking lot by --
--
SCARBOROUGH: When was that, though?
MARK HALPERIN: Last summer, I think?
SCARBOROUGH: This is what I don't understand. If that's the case, why is she tweeting out what a great guy -- I'm just saying, if somebody shook me down like that, I wouldn't be tweeting out later--tell me, I don't know if I have the time frame right, I wouldn't be tweeting out later what a great guy he is and that I've got a great partnership with him and how he's great for Jersey. Do I have the time frame wrong? Hold on a second: I need an answer here. Do I have the time frame wrong?
HALPERIN: You have it right but I don't find that crazy.
SCARBOROUGH: What, that she's tweeting out what a great guy he is and what a great partnership they have?
HALPERIN: She wasn't going public. I'm not sure
SCARBOROUGH: If you were so let down and you call him, quote, corrupt.
HALPERIN: In her private diary.
SCARBOROUGH: In her private diary. Why are you saying he is a great guy publicly? That's letting your own people down. That's lying to your own people.
THOMAS ROBERTS: She's trying to get relief aid for her own people. Keeping a public face as the relationship is still --
SCARBOROUGH: I'm sorry, if this is corrupt, no, no, wait a second. If somebody tried to shake me down and I'm in public office I go to the state attorney or I go to the U.S. Attorney. If I really believe I've been shaken down and somebody is treating me corrupt, then I go in their face and I say, listen, give me the money now.
BRZEZINSKI: That's right.
SCARBOROUGH: And if you don't give me the money --
BRZEZINSKI: I'm going public.
SCARBOROUGH: I'm going public with what your Lieutenant Governor said in the office and we'll have an investigation here.
HALPERIN: You're made of sterner stuff.
SCARBOROUGH: No, no. She's on the radio saying what a great guy he is? I'm saying, he's either a corrupt thug that she's saying he is.
BRZEZINSKI: Or the Lieutenant Governor is.
SCARBOROUGH: Or the Lieutenant governor is, and the administration is, or he's a great guy. And if she's willing to go public and vouch for something that is corrupt, an administration that is corrupt, what does that say about her character? She can't have it both ways.
ROBERTS: Well you're eviscerating her now as a whistle-blower.
BRZEZINSKI: We're not eviscerating her; we're asking questions.
ROBERTS: Well, you're questioning her credibility.
SCARBOROUGH: We're not eviscerating her! You've been sitting here putting a halo over her.
ROBERTS: I'm not putting --
SCARBOROUGH: Everybody all weekend's been putting a halo over her. And I bring up one question about timing and I didn't even know this story.
