Morning Joe: All Episodes Talk

[oakville]

4 hours ago, Clare said:

I wonder if part of the reason that Joe and Mika went public is because they knew her father was close to the end?  I see those funeral pictures and if they were not already public it would have been a lot more obvious then it already was.

Excellent point. Dr Z's last tweet was around the same time that Mika & Joe's engagement announcement.

[suomi]

11 hours ago, Clare said:

I wonder if part of the reason that Joe and Mika went public is because they knew her father was close to the end?  I see those funeral pictures and if they were not already public it would have been a lot more obvious then it already was.

There's that, and also the Big Blow-up. What happened just prior to the engagement? Joe romped on her with a nasty teeth-gritted slam toward the end of a show and it was obvious that she was torqued when she tore off her earpiece as they faded out, and then she was absent for the rest of the week. Come Monday, she was back and we learned that they became engaged in the south of France over the weekend!

Since then she's been trying on the new persona of Mrs Morning Joe with, one would assume, more equal footing on the show. But she is not comfortable doing that because He is not comfortable with it. She has always spoken in clichés and slogans and it's worse now. She wobbles like a new-born colt, starting off fairly well expressing a thought or opinion but trailing off when she can't find the words she wants to use. Then she subsides for awhile and is next heard chirping slogans and memes. Word salad, chirping, word salad, chirping. According to her book, she wanted to be at the TV studio or on the road when she was home and wanted to be home when she was at the studio or on the road. I give her credit for being honest enough to admit that she fell down a full flight of stairs with her infant daughter in her arms because she had over-burdened herself and created a frantic lifestyle. It seems like someone who has had such a hunger for this career, with 25(?) years in broadcasting and 10 years on this show, would organize her thoughts and express herself better and be able to respectably hold her own during discussions. She doesn't know her value.

Edited June 11, 2017 by suomi
commas

[oakville]

On 6/11/2017 at 1:18 AM, suomi said:

There's that, and also the Big Blow-up. What happened just prior to the engagement? Joe romped on her with a nasty teeth-gritted slam toward the end of a show and it was obvious that she was torqued when she tore off her earpiece as they faded out, and then she was absent for the rest of the week. Come Monday, she was back and we learned that they became engaged in the south of France over the weekend!

Since then she's been trying on the new persona of Mrs Morning Joe with, one would assume, more equal footing on the show. But she is not comfortable doing that because He is not comfortable with it. She has always spoken in clichés and slogans and it's worse now. She wobbles like a new-born colt, starting off fairly well expressing a thought or opinion but trailing off when she can't find the words she wants to use. Then she subsides for awhile and is next heard chirping slogans and memes. Word salad, chirping, word salad, chirping. According to her book, she wanted to be at the TV studio or on the road when she was home and wanted to be home when she was at the studio or on the road. I give her credit for being honest enough to admit that she fell down a full flight of stairs with her infant daughter in her arms because she had over-burdened herself and created a frantic lifestyle. It seems like someone who has had such a hunger for this career, with 25(?) years in broadcasting and 10 years on this show, would organize her thoughts and express herself better and be able to respectably hold her own during discussions. She doesn't know her value.

Excellent Analysis!. The show's dynamic has changed with Mrs Morning Joe. Joe has become more hostile towards Trump with daily personal insults. 

 

Moday Recap: Joe is wearing a navy blue sweater. Mika is wearing At 6: 04 am, Mika started repeating everything Joe was saying about Lindsay Graham offering advice to Trump. Joe said it will be very difficult to prove that Trump colluded with the Russians. Joe said Trump should stop tweeting about the investigation.

Cackles is on the set. They discussed France. Joe said Macro is most important French politician of his time. He has won the Presidency & has a strong majority in Parliament. Joe forgot to mention that yesterday is round 1 results. There is a second round next week. Cackles was happy that Macron has a friend like Merkel.

Joe was mad that he pays 89% in taxes in Connecticut. Joe wants tax cuts.

Joe spoke to key Conservatives outside of Washington & NY. He said they believe there a witch hunt against Trump. They want to bring Trump down. Joe said the beltway elite loves the story.

Edited June 12, 2017 by oakville
tax not ta cuts

[Landsnark]

So in back to back segments, Joe compares Trump's illegal business dealings and unwillingness to disclose financials to as being as almost bad as the Clintons.  Because of course they are equal.  And relevant.  Speeches, you see.
And then, he says, "And for the first time, the French are not following, the French are leading."  Keep it classy, asshole.
Someone woke up Monday with a seriously chapped ass.   Because he's a bloviating ass, Joe is now arguing the opposite of what he argued on Friday.

[oakville]

Cackles & Joe went off the rails on a rant about NATO. According to Cackles, the other NATO countries saved the USA after 9/11 & fought with the USA in Afghanistan. Bellowing Joe said that NATO  was created to save the USA after WW2. Cackles is mixed up. Yes, Article 5 was involved, but the USA did spend the most money & sent the most troops to fight in Afghanistan. The USA has provided military & financial support to the other NATO countries since WW2 to prevent the Russians from invading Western Europe.

Rick Tyler said there are very high paying jobs in Indiana as a result of Nafta & TV set would cost $5,000 without NAFTA. That makes no sense. Most electronics are made in Asia not Mexico. There are manufacturing jobs that have moved to Mexico as a result of Nafta.

 

Joe is ranting about the Paris Accords. It helps the USA because you only have to volunatarily agree to emissions reductions.

[oakville]

Joe now is back to blaming Bannon for Trump's failures. Joe is now telling a story about his college professor giving him a scholarship . The professor was not a fan of Reagan. Joe was heartbroken. Joe is now singing Lee Greenwood's song. Mika said Joe was wrong. I suspect the 2 had a lot to drink this weekend at Dr Z's after funeral party

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

Joe is wearing a navy blue sweater. 

I'm looking and him wondering why he's wearing a sweater and shirt combo in 90+ weather?  Mika is wearing Nantucket-chic.  Looks nice.  Still do not like her hair--it's like ever since I saw the clip of her with it longer and honey blonde, you can't go back to the severe platinum.  Sometimes I think that 90% of what she does now is the intros and going out into break voice-overs.

Maryland and ___ (another state) are suing Trump for taking away business from their convention center?  good times!!

[oakville]

5 minutes ago, WhineandCheez said:

I'm looking and him wondering why he's wearing a sweater and shirt combo in 90+ weather?  Mika is wearing Nantucket-chic.  Looks nice.  Still do not like her hair--it's like ever since I saw the clip of her with it longer and honey blonde, you can't go back to the severe platinum.  Sometimes I think that 90% of what she does now is the intros and going out into break voice-overs.

Maryland and ___ (another state) are suing Trump for taking away business from their convention center?  good times!!

Joe wore this sweater last summer in the middle of heat waves. The studio must be very chilly.

Recap continued. Mika & Joe were giggling about something when the show came back from commercial break. Joe wanted longer breaks so he continue to chat with Mika.

Jeremy Peters is upset at fake news which vindicates Trump.

Kasie ! came on to discuss Sessions testifying tomorrow before a private committee. Joe wants to know why he was meeting with so many Russians off the record when he joined the Trump campaign.

[oakville]

Haas is warning about a war between Iran & Saudi Arabia.Joe is mad at Quatar for funding Hezbollah & the Muslim Brotherhood. Haas said they have 11K US troops in Quatar. Joe said Quatar should stop doing this. Joe said Trump should not use twitter to attack countries.

Mika is mad at Joe for saying the USA is resilient will survive Trump. Mika told Joe to stop with Resiliency Blah Blah!. The country is doomed under President Trump Joe smiled weakly.

The dynamics between these two keeps me watching. Mika & Joe are the unintentionally funniest couple on Cable TV.

Mika said she will stop being shrill & over the top when discussing Trump.

Joe is mumbling about the Beatle Tapes with Phil Spector. Mika is doing voiceovers for the Apprentice. Are there tapes?

[Mumbles]

It's sweet how Cackles is still carrying water for the Bush 43 administration, explaining away the Valerie Plame exposure as "unintentional" and saying it was all just about "someone" (who she didn't bother to name, as if Cheney's top adviser was just a little peon) not being forthcoming in an investigation. No Cackles, it was all about a bunch of goons who spent 7 years trying to scare the American public about mushroom clouds but cynically throwing around the name of a CIA analyst to get back at her husband.

Naomi Klein is great and deserves better than being thrown on at 8:56am.

Bless Rosa DeLauro's heart but if she thinks the Democrats are all thrilled with Jon Ossoff she's deluded. (Her husband is centrist pollster Stan Greenberg so she's not going to be unbiased here.)

[izabella]

3 hours ago, oakville said:

Joe was mad that he pays 89% in taxes in Connecticut. Joe wants tax cuts.

Well, considering that the highest tax bracket in Connecticut, for those earning income over $1M per year, is only 6.99%, I'm not sure how he gets to that ridiculous 89%.  Did he explain that lie?

[oakville]

13 minutes ago, izabella said:

Well, considering that the highest tax bracket in Connecticut, for those earning income over $1M per year, is only 6.99%, I'm not sure how he gets to that ridiculous 89%.  Did he explain that lie?

Joe said he pays high income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes . I agree that 89% is too high.

[oakville]

Towards the end of the second hour, Mika & Joe had a guest  on to discuss Trump violating the emoluments clause of the constitution. Trump Hotels are making too much money from foreign governments.

Joe went on a long rant against Hillary & Bill Clinton for taking money for the foundation & being corrupt. Joe is furious at Bill for doubling his speaking fee after Hillary became SOS.

Joe said Trump won the election by focusing on the Clinton corruption.

Mika piped in & said she was complaining about Clinton corruption in real time. She said she was the only Democrat to complain about Hillary's sleazy practices.

Joe blamed Hillary for showing Trump how he can be as corrupt as her & get away with it because it is hard to prove quid pro cro.

Kasie & Kornacki didn't say anything during Mika & Joe's rant. Joe called Trump & Clinton sleazy on both sides.

Joe said Stephanopoulos bragged that that donating to the Clinton Foundation buys access. He gave money to the Foundation to get interviews.

Edited June 12, 2017 by oakville

[izabella]

9 minutes ago, oakville said:

Joe said he pays high income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes . I agree that 89% is too high.

Maybe he should move to Kansas, then.  Brownback has done an awesome job of bankrupting the state through tax cuts to the rich that were supposed to be that amazing "trickle down economics" that were going to lead to all kinds of fabulous investments that were going to create jobs and make Kansas financially stable. 

[Mumbles]

If you had actually watched the show, you would have been able to tell that Scarborough was exaggerating about the 89% for comic effect. He snickered after he said it. It's not a funny joke, but it was meant as one.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Mumbles

[izabella]

26 minutes ago, Mumbles said:

If you had actually watched the show, you would have been able to tell that Scarborough was exaggerating about the 89% for comic effect. He snickered after he said it. It's not a funny joke, but it was meant as one.

I'm not able to watch until evenings, but I like oakville's recaps because it lets me know what I'm in for!  Tonight, I'm prepared to be outraged that he's joking but some will think he's serious and he, and all those other poor rich people need more tax cuts. 

[oakville]

27 minutes ago, Mumbles said:

If you had actually watched the show, you would have been able to tell that Scarborough was exaggerating about the 89% for comic effect. He snickered after he said it. It's not a funny joke, but it was meant as one.

Very True!. He has been complaining about Connecticut's high taxes for years. He went ballistic last year when GE pulled out of Conn due to high corporate taxes. The rate is not 89% but I think Conn's taxes are higher than the US average.

 

Very interesting discussion around 8 40 am. congresswoman de Lauro came on to plug her new book. Sh wants Democrats to have  big tent. She is willing to support pro life Democrats but wants to focus on economic issues. Joe went on a long rant about Democrats not allowing Cultural Conservative to run in Southern States. Joe wants more pro life Democrats in Congress. She supported David Bonyer.

 

Kornacki said Ossof is leading in Georgia. Tyler said it's a wealthy district, so they could go Democrats. Country Club GOP is not the same as Trump Working Class GOP.

Joe said Democrats could win back Congress if they allow Pro Life Democrats to run in the South.

 

Charlie Sykes is furious at Wisconsinite GOP for enabling Trump. He wants old fashioned Conservative values. He is very cranky at the GOP for choosing power over principles.

Mika said there is a split in the Democrat party between the Sanders/Warren wing & Cocktail Elite Clinton democrats.

I am amused watching Joe & Sykes discuss French politics. Joe said Macron is the most important leader in a 100 years. Joe forgot about Charles De Gaulle.

Joe is bragging about knowing Jeff Immelt personally who is quitting GE.

Joe is now ranting about GE leaving Fairfield Conn.

The Congresswomen was wearing a flashy yellow jacket & 1 of Mika's colorful scarves. She was nice. I like new guests

She wants a social safety net. She blasted Newt Gingrich for cutting the safety net. Joe was elected to destroy the safety net.

[teddysmom]

Quote

If you had actually watched the show, you would have been able to tell that Scarborough was exaggerating about the 89% for comic effect. He snickered after he said it. It's not a funny joke, but it was meant as one.

Considering  Joe's comic abilities are non existent, it's can be hard to tell when he's "joking".  Esp. if your'e a new viewer or not familiar with Joe and his never ending "poor me" routine. 

If he hates paying the taxes in CT,  here's a suggestion: sell the house, break up with Mika, and go live in a van down by the river. 

[oakville]

34 minutes ago, teddysmom said:

Considering  Joe's comic abilities are non existent, it's can be hard to tell when he's "joking".  Esp. if your'e a new viewer or not familiar with Joe and his never ending "poor me" routine. 

If he hates paying the taxes in CT,  here's a suggestion: sell the house, break up with Mika, and go live in a van down by the river. 

IIRC Mika lives in Bronxville NY . Joe lives in New Canaan Conn. They own an appt in Manhattan. Mika's kids are in college. Joe's kids from his second marriage  are still young, so I think Mika will move to Conn. Does Connecticut allow people to raise Chickens at home? Mika likes her chickens.

[Mumbles]

Quote

Joe said Democrats could win back Congress if they allow Pro Life Democrats to run in the South.

 

He's obsessed with this and brings it up a lot.  I just don't see pro-life Democrats being suppressed. Bob Casey does fine. Congressman Steven Lynch from Massachusetts has been reelected for years. They probably wouldn't work in a nationwide election (although Tim Kaine has a horrible record on pro-choice issues) but the fact is, they deliver for their constituents on other matters. I'd say a pro-life Dem has a better shot of success than a pro-choice Republican.

[oakville]

7 minutes ago, Mumbles said:

He's obsessed with this and brings it up a lot.  I just don't see pro-life Democrats being suppressed. Bob Casey does fine. Congressman Steven Lynch from Massachusetts has been reelected for years. They probably wouldn't work in a nationwide election (although Tim Kaine has a horrible record on pro-choice issues) but the fact is, they deliver for their constituents on other matters. I'd say a pro-life Dem has a better shot of success than a pro-choice Republican.

Joe has been a strong defender of pro life causes in his legal career. Joe went ballistic a few weeks ago on the show when Tom Perez announced that pro life Democrats are o longer welcome in the party.

https://www.villagevoice.com/2009/06/02/barrett-why-dont-msnbcers-question-morning-joe-about-abortion-doc-killings/

[MulletorHater]

4 hours ago, oakville said:

Joe now is back to blaming Bannon for Trump's failures. 

Oh, for the love of...!  At what point does the 70-year-old man-child in the alt-White House step up to the plate and state that the buck stops with him?  The same inept, inexperienced 70-year-old man-child that Joe had no problem shilling for and propping ostensibly for ratings over the course of several months.  Joe, just stop it.  While I do believe that Bannon is proof positive that evil walks this earth in all forms, it didn't bother Drumpf to have a white nationalist sitting in the alt-White House and whispering in his ear.  Drumpf knew exactly what he was doing and knew that he owed Bannon and his Breitbart-reading supporters big time.

Also, color me shocked when the panel actually managed to discuss Theresa May's ever-growing problems in Britain, as well as Macron's stepping into the leadership role for the West--especially on a show that has become all-Drumpf all the time.  I have to admit that I was actually shocked also that they discussed Drumpf's postponing/canceling his London debut, his unpopularity (along with Mrs. May's) there, and the massive protests that were promised to take place (especially the "Rump for Trump" protests).

[scrb]

1 hour ago, oakville said:

IIRC Mika lives in Bronxville NY . Joe lives in New Canaan Conn. They own an appt in Manhattan. Mika's kids are in college. Joe's kids from his second marriage  are still young, so I think Mika will move to Conn. Does Connecticut allow people to raise Chickens at home? Mika likes her chickens.

Will she like them when they come home to roost?

[teddysmom]

Quote

s Connecticut allow people to raise Chickens at home? Mika likes her chickens.

Most places allow chickens up to a certain number, unless there is a restriction in the HOA covenants. As long as she isn't running a farm per se. 

Hell, they let Joe move in, what's worse, a few chickens or Joe Scarborough? 

[stormy]

Joe got to get his dig against President Obama in, but sadly had to do it by dragging Dr. Z into the criticism.

[rcc]

6 minutes ago, stormy said:

Joe got to get his dig against President Obama in, but sadly had to do it by dragging Dr. Z into the criticism.

Oh no! What did he say and what did Mika do when he said it?

[stormy]

It was basically that President Obama was weak on foreign policy and the US did not lead.  And that Dr. Z criticized him.

I just thought that was a cheap shot.  Mika was mum.

[ButterQueen]

I'm quietly sitting at my table for one as someone who enjoys Joe's sense of humor....especially his movie references.  I actually loved his show before Mika came onboard.  She is not a good fit for this job, as her timing is so off most days.  

[oakville]

7 minutes ago, ButterQueen said:

I'm quietly sitting at my table for one as someone who enjoys Joe's sense of humor....especially his movie references.  I actually loved his show before Mika came onboard.  She is not a good fit for this job, as her timing is so off most days.  

Joe also likes to do music references. he was talking about the Beatles & Spector taking their tapes. Luckily, the soccer segment has been cut. This segment had Bennet come on the show & ramble about some team in the British  Premier League. Mika & the rest of the panel had nothing to say during these segments.

[Mumbles]

Quote

Luckily, the soccer segment has been cut. This segment had Bennet come on the show & ramble about some team in the British  Premier League. Mika & the rest of the panel had nothing to say during these segments.

Agreed, it was awful. It was a veiled attempt to boost Liverpool Football Club, owned by the same billionaire creep who owns the Boston Red Sox (and friend to the Barnicles and Jack Welch, and thus someone Joe et al would toady to.) Joe is Twitter buddies with the owner's wife.

Edited June 12, 2017 by Mumbles

[navelgazer]

The anti-Clinton bloviating this morning was more of the false equivalency that is a staple of the RWNJ universe -- the Dems and the Pugs are the same bad things, a pox on both of their houses.  It's 100% wrong, but who cares about truth or facts, right?

[Landsnark]

And not only was the anti-Clinton attack a false equivalency, it came from NO. WHERE.  Sparked by nothing.   Nothing on-set, anyway.   I think he gets abused by RWNJ idiots who have his ear, and comes to take their perspective... meaning, I think he probably vacationed with RWNJ policy wonks over the past few days, especially since he was seriously rubbing elbows with heavy hitting wonks due to his FIL's funeral.  And come Monday morning, he needed to represent.  So he reminded us all he's biased in favor of conservatism and bent facts to underscore that.
Digging the flimsy spines on all the panelists who let him equate Trump w/the Clintons.

[Mumbles]

The discussion on the Clintons was in the context of the emoluments clause and on point. The mainstream media such as the Washington Post have asked whether the Clintons violated the clause. And the discussion and mention was very brief.

An argument that such a discussion is irrelevant would have some legs, if the Clintons had indicated that they plan to retire from public office. But they have not, and as long as there's a possibility that Hillary Clinton may be a candidate for public office, the lawfulness of her actions is relevant.

[Landsnark]

1 hour ago, Mumbles said:

the lawfulness of her actions is relevant.

If only she had ever been investigated.  Because, yeah.

[Mumbles]

44 minutes ago, Landsnark said:

If only she had ever been investigated.  Because, yeah.

The treatment of national security emails were investigated and it was determined she was highly reckless. But her possible violations of the emoluments clause was not investigated to our knowledge. Trump has reneged on his promise to investigate and prosecute her, but hey, he's always changing his mind. In any event it is a proper topic for this show to discuss the topic.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Mumbles

[oakville]

5 hours ago, Mumbles said:

Agreed, it was awful. It was a veiled attempt to boost Liverpool Football Club, owned by the same billionaire creep who owns the Boston Red Sox (and friend to the Barnicles and Jack Welch, and thus someone Joe et al would toady to.) Joe is Twitter buddies with the owner's wife.

I never knew that. Thanks!. It makes sense now.

[oakville]

Tuesday recap. The show started with clips of Trump's cabinet members praising Trump. It was hillarious. Then, Barnicle & Harold Ford Jr, praised Joe, sarcastically.

Joe is wearing a new navy suit. Mika is wearing all black. Joe said he & Mika realized that they were getting too personal in their insults of Trump. They would try to do more reporting. Two seconds later, they started bashing Trump for being unAmerican. Joe hates Yes Men who are afraid to disagree. Joe said he always liked people who disagreed with him.

Joe brought Julie Pace on who was promoted. Joe played a game with her about how many major bills Trump had passed. The answer is zero. Joe mocked Trump compared to FDR.

Joe's hair is puffier than ususal.  Mika is hilarious with her compliments of Joe today. She called him insightful & licked her lips. She was cooing at Joe.

Edited June 13, 2017 by oakville

[Landsnark]

I think she was mocking him teasingly when she said "that was so insightful," because he was calling House and Senate members "stupid" repeatedly.

[oakville]

Joe is back to using the late Dr Z to criticize Obama for leading from behind.

The new segment is called will Amrica survive Trump. Joe is upset that Bush invaded Afghanistan & Iraq. Obama was weak &led America from behind  now Trump

[Mumbles]

Quote

Mika is hilarious with her compliments of Joe today. She called him insightful & licked her lips. She was cooing at Joe.

Yeah they were all goofing on the video of the sycophants in the cabinet. Everyone was complimenting each other in over the top ways.

I loled when after the discussion of the emoluments clause, Joe said to Dead-Eyed Harold Ford, wow imagine if we were constitutional law professors. Uh, try passing the bar exam first, Harold.

The stats about how badly the AHCA will effect rural and poor voters was astounding and emphasized what a poor campaign the Dems ran. Those ads with the teenage girls staring at themselves in the mirror were a great idea instead of, say, policy ads.

[Landsnark]

You've got to admit, it's pretty funny when they go around the table and pretend to fawn at Joe as they come out of the video package of Trump's obsequious cabinet humiliating themselves.

[novhappy]

I like the new set. It's definitely fresher  than the cliched American flags waving  behind Joe. That always made me think he was running for office. Also, Mika looks amazing today. 

[oakville]

1 hour ago, Landsnark said:

You've got to admit, it's pretty funny when they go around the table and pretend to fawn at Joe as they come out of the video package of Trump's obsequious cabinet humiliating themselves.

I laughed at it too. However, there have been shows where the panel have been fawning all over Joe in a serious manner.

 

Futhetmore, Joe has shouted at people who disagree with him. 

[Eliot]

IMO, Joe was dead wrong in his assessment of Trump's violation of the emoluments clause.

From everything I've read, the AGs bringing the lawsuit don't have to prove that Trump profited *more* from foreign money after becoming president. They just have to prove that he continued to derive financial benefit from his dealings with foreign governments that create conflicts of interest.

[scrb]

4 hours ago, Mumbles said:

Yeah they were all goofing on the video of the sycophants in the cabinet. Everyone was complimenting each other in over the top ways.

I loled when after the discussion of the emoluments clause, Joe said to Dead-Eyed Harold Ford, wow imagine if we were constitutional law professors. Uh, try passing the bar exam first, Harold.

The stats about how badly the AHCA will effect rural and poor voters was astounding and emphasized what a poor campaign the Dems ran. Those ads with the teenage girls staring at themselves in the mirror were a great idea instead of, say, policy ads.

Read an article about Trump voters in this one small town.  I think it was in Georgia.  They will vote Republican no matter what, even though they get ACA subsidies or got enrolled in Medicaid because of the ACA.  It's more about partisan identification -- they said they can't imagine not voting Republican, even though their congressman voted for the AHCA.

It's not so much about policies but how certain voters identify themselves.  One of them said the only "news" she gets is from the emails sent out by her Republican congressman.

6 hours ago, oakville said:

Tuesday recap. The show started with clips of Trump's cabinet members praising Trump. It was hillarious. Then, Barnicle & Harold Ford Jr, praised Joe, sarcastically.

Heard that it wasn't so much the cabinet members trying to suck up so much as Trump or someone else inviting them to give praise, right then and there.

[Mumbles]

Quote

Heard that it wasn't so much the cabinet members trying to suck up so much as Trump or someone else inviting them to give praise, right then and there.

It was mostly that, but some cabinet secretaries were more willing to go along than others - Ross and Chao come to mind as among the more sycophantic. As Joe pointed out several times, Mattis looked the most ill-at-ease and invoked the defense of the country as the source of his pride.

[Ladyrain]

On 6/11/2017 at 1:18 AM, suomi said:

There's that, and also the Big Blow-up. What happened just prior to the engagement? Joe romped on her with a nasty teeth-gritted slam toward the end of a show and it was obvious that she was torqued when she tore off her earpiece as they faded out, and then she was absent for the rest of the week. Come Monday, she was back and we learned that they became engaged in the south of France over the weekend!

Since then she's been trying on the new persona of Mrs Morning Joe with, one would assume, more equal footing on the show. But she is not comfortable doing that because He is not comfortable with it. She has always spoken in clichés and slogans and it's worse now. She wobbles like a new-born colt, starting off fairly well expressing a thought or opinion but trailing off when she can't find the words she wants to use. Then she subsides for awhile and is next heard chirping slogans and memes. Word salad, chirping, word salad, chirping. According to her book, she wanted to be at the TV studio or on the road when she was home and wanted to be home when she was at the studio or on the road. I give her credit for being honest enough to admit that she fell down a full flight of stairs with her infant daughter in her arms because she had over-burdened herself and created a frantic lifestyle. It seems like someone who has had such a hunger for this career, with 25(?) years in broadcasting and 10 years on this show, would organize her thoughts and express herself better and be able to respectably hold her own during discussions. She doesn't know her value.

Well, I know your worth, and it's awesome!  What a fabulous post.  There's more insight and articulation in those two paragraphs that I've heard Meek-a utter in years.  She's completely cowed by that beady-eyed bully and I can't even imagine what goes on when the cameras are off. 

[EarlGreyTea]

On 6/12/2017 at 4:24 PM, navelgazer said:

The anti-Clinton bloviating this morning was more of the false equivalency that is a staple of the RWNJ universe -- the Dems and the Pugs are the same bad things, a pox on both of their houses.  It's 100% wrong, but who cares about truth or facts, right?

Makes me think that the assertion that Repubs are flailing now is because they don't have the double act of the boogeymen Obama and Clinton to rail against is right on.

I am also sick of Joe calling Trump a lifelong Democrat. Sure bud, but DEMS weren't the ones who actually put his ass in office, you self-important bloviator. And while I enjoy Joe's constant railing against Trump now, it's a bit rich of him to constantly criticize Republican reps and senators for not speaking out against him, when we know damn well if Joe was still in office, he'd be falling right in line as well. It's only because he's out of office with nothing to lose that he is being so critical. Hell, it took Trump calling out Joe and Mika's asses personally to finally get them to go negative on him.

Edited June 14, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[ButterQueen]

"I don't remember"

"I don't recall"

"I don't know"

 

The above montage, entitled "Total Recall" cracked me up.  ??

[suomi]

Kasie ! Hunt fleshed out the story behind television crews being kicked out of Senate hallways. The Rules Committee newsflashed reporters yesterday morning and No One would take credit/blame for the "verbal directive." Kasie ! reminded us that these impromptu interviews are a decades-long precedent. (The Capitol has its own rules.) This directive was quietly rescinded later in the day following a lot of "nothing to see here" after it backfired, big time. Someone (David Ignatius?) said "Not that long ago the most dangerous place in DC was between a Congressperson and a TV camera."

Weasels.

ETA so as not to be a rumor monger: Interviews wouldn't have been Totally Banned by the directive, per se, but subject to pre-approval by each Senator's staff AND the Rules Committee - which was not the same thing as banning reporters. ::: wink wink :::

Edited June 14, 2017 by suomi