Scarborough Goes On Pissy Twitter Rant After Getting Called Out For Pro-Trump Coverage
At this point, it is conventional wisdom that MSNBC’s Morning Joe is a safe space for Donald Trump, and the two hosts have bent over backwards to accommodate the current Republican Presidential frontrunner. Whether it is making sure that he won’t have to deal with tough questions during a ‘town hall,’ allowing him to call in to their show whenever he wants, leaving him voice messages thanking him for a gift or visiting him in his hotel room, the evidence has shown that hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough have used the program to promote The Donald’s campaign.
Following up another broadcast that featured Trump calling in and getting a nice, soft massage from the duo, Scarborough lost his shit after yet another media critic took aim at the over-the-top pro-Trump nature of the show. Jay Rosen took to Twitter on Tuesday to initially comment on a Huffington Post open letter to Trump voters. However, at some point, the conversation veered to Morning Joe’s coverage of the orange-hued billionaire, leading to Rosen saying that he wished Joe and Co. would just own up to their bias.
@HerbScribner I don’t have a problem with @JoeNBC being the Trump-friendly morning show. But when called that, own up to it. He wouldn’t.
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) March 8, 2016
Of course, Scarborough wasn’t going to take this lying down, and went on a Trumpian Twitter rant, claiming that he’s been harder than most on the former reality TV star, pointing to his recent comments about Trump’s KKK non-disavowal.
Jay, do your job and stop shopping around generalities on Twitter. You’re supposed to be better than that. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Asking of Trump’s Muslim ban, “Is this what Germany looked like in 1933?” hardly seems like the Trump friendly pose. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Also compare our Trump Townhall with CNNs. Not a close call on who was “Trump friendly.” https://t.co/E1l04UvjjO https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Maybe you missed where I called his David Duke answer “disqualifying”https://t.co/EyUrfCIw6I https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
I expect lazy generalizations and cherry picking from tweeters. I’d expect more from you. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Find another morning news host 1/compared the Muslim ban to ’33 Germany 2/said his Duke comments were “disqualifying https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
You can’t. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
I’m transparent when it comes to my support. I was going to vote for Jeb & told viewers, as I am with Kasich now. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
I also told viewers in 2012 that I voted for Ron Paul as a protest vote. Despite that, I was tough on him. https://t.co/AGp1sxSKr6
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
We’ve known Donald for a long time, but that relationship won’t effect our coverage (or my vote.) @jayrosen_nyu
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
After that whole little tirade, Rosen responded to Joe’s tweet regarding his and Mika’s long friendship with Trump, claiming that perhaps he’d want to take a different tact.
I’d recommend this argument, Joe: BECAUSE we are friendly confines for Donald, when we get tough with him it stings. https://t.co/BWdaKxv5oe
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) March 8, 2016
Since Joe is a thin-skinned baby, he wouldn’t let it go, and made the claim that he’s been friendlier with Kasich and Bush.
That argument would work better for Jeb or Kasich. I’ve been friends with them for over 20 years. https://t.co/92wvESKRQI
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Admit it. This is just a Trump thing.
I’ve been “friendlier” with Jeb and Kasich but no complaints about that. https://t.co/92wvESKRQI
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Focus. Our SHOW is also as “friendly” to Jeb, Kasich & Bernie. And ANY candidate who wants to call in can. https://t.co/h9s47MehvP
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 8, 2016
Here’s the thing that Joe either fails to understand or is purposely obfuscating. While he may have closer friendships and more in common with Kasich or Jeb, neither man has been on Morning Joe — nor been covered — even a fraction as much as Trump. Also, while Scarborough did have some ‘tough’ words for Trump regarding the KKK and his Muslim ban, it was only a matter of days when Donald was back on, playing footsie with Joe and Mika.
And that whole Trump town hall event being tougher than CNN’s? Sure, OK. The fact is both were essentially infomercials for Donald Trump’s campaign, and both CNN and MSNBC should be embarrassed by them.
You can protest all you want, Joe, but this is now baked in the cake. There’s nothing you can do about it now, other than give a full mea culpa, which we all know you will never do.
