Morning Joe: All Episodes Talk

[tres bien]

Poor Kelly O'Donnell. She is the unfortunate beneficiary of being WH correspondent and having to report the spoon fed BS without choking on it.

Stephanie Rhule is the smartest person on the first half hour this morning. She has all the economic facts that are useful. 

Is this how Congress works when the country is in,  (in the words of the administration),  a war footing? The Secretary of the Treasury has a private luncheon with just the members of his party? If that's the protocol,  it should be changed ASAP

Today Willie is wearing  his Hospital and Medical Expert hat.

Edited March 18, 2020 by tres bien

[xaxat]

Mika: "We will continue covering this developing story that seems to change by the hour."

Me: "Except eight am."

[teddysmom]

13 hours ago, oakville said:

Didn’t Mika’s dad totally f- up talks with Iran and the ultimate hostage crisis?

Carter Admin worked behind the scenes diligently to get them out, even okaying the operation as portrayed in the movie "Argo" which got a few of the US State Dept employees out of the Canadian Ambassador's home, the ones who weren't taken hostage. Quite a bit of that was fictionalized for dramatic effect, the final scenes at the airport, etc. but it was really the work of Carter that got them and the other hostages out, not Reagan.  Reagan just announced it. Carter never said much til years later, so his not taking credit was part of keeping it quiet as they didn't want to expose CIA operatives who had been involved. 

https://www.vox.com/2016/1/25/10826056/reagan-iran-hostage-negotiation

If you watch these closing credits to the 2 minute mark, Carter was interviewed about the operation.  

Mods: Hope this is okay it's all fact based, no opinion. If not I'll delete. thx

Edited March 18, 2020 by teddysmom

[oakville]

Joe wants Bernie to go back to the Senate & work on bills.

[oakville]

Kelly O Donnell told Joe that he knows from his time in Congress about the FDA restrictions on using foreign tests from the WHO.

Does Joe really believe that you could get 300 million people tested in a week ?

[teddysmom]

15 minutes ago, oakville said:

Kelly O Donnell told Joe that he knows from his time in Congress about the FDA restrictions on using foreign tests from the WHO.

Does Joe really believe that you could get 300 million people tested in a week ?

I had it on when Joe was screaming at Kelly and then at the end he complimented her. I imagined Mika scribbling furiously, "YOU BETTER APOLOGIZE TO HER RIGHT NOW!!"

He sounded like an asshole (big surprise).

What in God's name is it Joe & Mika are so hysterical about? 

Mika was tweeting yesterday about how hospitals better get their acts together and get separate departments or facilities set up for testing.

I replied "so you think hospitals have military triage tents just lying around? You don't think they're desperate to figure out how to keep people isolated?" 

What a fucking moron. 

[plumbago blues]

44 minutes ago, teddysmom said:

I imagined Mika scribbling furiously, "YOU BETTER APOLOGIZE TO HER RIGHT NOW!!"

You forgot the end of her demand: "BECAUSE I NEED A FRESH FACE IN MY KYV HAREM."

[nittany cougar]

Covid-19 cases have accelerated.  Dr. Deborah Birx said the cases will continue to increase through next week.  NYC has more than 1000 cases.  

Joe is upset that there is not more testing.  Joe has the resources to get tested if he wants.  

Jonathan Lemire is back.  He said there is a crisis in the medical supplies.  The president is marshaling resources to get increased production in the private sector.

Mika blames the president for a shortage of face masks. She said we could have acted in December.  We could have hoarded supplies according to Mika. She is rolling her eyes and making faces and doing  her crisis voice.  Great professional news demeanor, Mika.  

If only Mika had gone to medical school, she could have been a brilliant doctor, I'm sure.  

Steve Rattner said we are like Italy in our response.

Edited March 19, 2020 by nittanycougar

[Chloesmom]

Is it just me or does anyone else want to reach through the screen and do something about Ratner's tie?  Yikes that print could trigger a medical episode.

eta:  Ok, just saw Joe's choice of neckwear/bib . . . good grief you need a yardstick to measure that thing.  Please tell me wide ties are not coming back . . . 😞

Edited March 19, 2020 by Chloesmom

[tres bien]

Thirty minutes in and I'm seasick from being on the SS Doom and Gloom.  Captain Hook is at the helm.

[tres bien]

Jesus Joe.  Your nonstop screaming "who's in charge?" is crazy. You answered your own question. 

Pass the Dramamine. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by tres bien

[Eliot]

I find Mika’s Dramatic News Reader voice particularly unbearable during these times. Especially when she still stumbles over every other word.

[oakville]

2 hours ago, Chloesmom said:

Is it just me or does anyone else want to reach through the screen and do something about Ratner's tie?  Yikes that print could trigger a medical episode.

eta:  Ok, just saw Joe's choice of neckwear/bib . . . good grief you need a yardstick to measure that thing.  Please tell me wide ties are not coming back . . . 😞

I like Willie's tie.

Mika & Joe should wear surgical masks & hospital gowns during the broadcasts to scare the viewers.

[Ladyrain]

Because i am freaking out at the news and don't want to comment on it, I will stick to the superficial.
Mika's longer hair makes her look 10 years younger.   If she would get rid of they  platinum (white!) color, it would be more like 15.   That light pink top she's wearing today looks beautiful on her.  

Joe's hair has developed a second wave behind the first one.   His head looks like a tsunami this morning.   The tie 😳.   Oh dear, let's hope it's not a trend.

Mika has no clue on how to at least pretend to calm the masses.    Her somber scared face and dramatic stumbling teleprompter readings are adding to the dress of my already shredded nerves.

 

[oakville]

Mika & Joe are not being realistic about this crisis. I don't recall them sounding the alarm in December about this virus.

[oakville]

Joe said he spoke to medical professionals. They told him the number of cases was 10 times the reported amount.

 

[cased]

2 hours ago, Chloesmom said:

 

eta:  Ok, just saw Joe's choice of neckwear/bib . . . good grief you need a yardstick to measure that thing.  Please tell me wide ties are not coming back . . . 😞

Joe used to wear thin ties until a couple of years ago, then suddenly he switched to wide ties. Mika’s influence perhaps?

[plumbago blues]

57 minutes ago, cased said:

oe used to wear thin ties until a couple of years ago, then suddenly he switched to wide ties. Mika’s influence perhaps?

OMG that thing was massive! I wonder if Mika talked Bamba with the chain saw down from the rotten tree and put her to work cutting up her old flirty dresses and making ties? Joe might as well have worn one of the Unitarian scarves. Mika's hair is getting longer and does look nice; I wonder if it's a choice or a consequence of not being able to jet to NYC for the usual cut and color...perhaps we'll see the dark roots soon.

[oakville]

Joe wants everybody to get a test.

Senator Shumer is a mensch. He wants a Marshall Plan for the USA.

33 minutes ago, plumbago blues said:

OMG that thing was massive! I wonder if Mika talked Bamba with the chain saw down from the rotten tree and put her to work cutting up her old flirty dresses and making ties? Joe might as well have worn one of the Unitarian scarves. Mika's hair is getting longer and does look nice; I wonder if it's a choice or a consequence of not being able to jet to NYC for the usual cut and color...perhaps we'll see the dark roots soon.

I suspect that Mika's mom is complaining to Mika about the virus, so this accounts for mika getting frustrated. I bet Bamba found Mika's report cards from high school & is remindeing her of her poor grades.

[oakville]

It was nice to see Secret Agent Clint back on the show. He warned viewers about misinformation on the internet.

Joe complained about the NY Times praising the "Chinese Model" at virus containment.

Joe said the virus probably started with people eating food from contaminated bats purchased at wet markets.

Joe said the virus started in China & that the government covered up the spreading of the virus & that whistle blowers were killed.

Joe is mad that the Chinese should be given credit for containing the virus that was started in China.

Willie is mad at Trump because he is using the term "Chinese virus" .

Willie forgot that viruses are often named for the locations where they started, such as the Ebola River, the Zika forest in Uganda & Lyme Connecticut.

 

[teddysmom]

32 minutes ago, oakville said:

Joe said the virus probably started with people eating food from contaminated bats purchased at wet markets.

Joe is actually correct on this.  Most of these viruses come from bats for some reason. I heard a story about it on NPR back before the US outbreak.  

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

Joe might as well have worn one of the Unitarian scarves

HEE!!  We only need to start worrying if he starts sporting one of those long solid red ties (you know--the ones that make your hands look bigger).

Quote

Joe is actually correct on this.  Most of these viruses come from bats for some reason. 

Really??? My Boss was telling me about some Outbreak movie 15 years or so ago starring Gwyneth Paltrow where they started a massive outbreak when some bat poop dripped into someone's food, and I rolled my eyes (secretly, as I always do with her...)

[tres bien]

1 hour ago, oakville said:

It was nice to see Secret Agent Clint back on the show. He warned viewers about misinformation on the internet.

Joe complained about the NY Times praising the "Chinese Model" at virus containment.

Joe said the virus probably started with people eating food from contaminated bats purchased at wet markets.

Joe said the virus started in China & that the government covered up the spreading of the virus & that whistle blowers were killed.

Joe is mad that the Chinese should be given credit for containing the virus that was started in China.

Willie is mad at Trump because he is using the term "Chinese virus" .

Willie forgot that viruses are often named for the locations where they started, such as the Ebola River, the Zika forest in Uganda & Lyme Connecticut.

 

There's a big difference in naming an infectious disease after a river, a forest, or similar . I don't think a city i.e. Lyme, invokes the same feelings of negativity.

It's a whole other purpose to use it as a slur against the ethnicity of the people of a country. 

If a virus starts in Israel,  will it be called it the Jew flu?

Edited March 19, 2020 by tres bien

[oakville]

34 minutes ago, teddysmom said:

Joe is actually correct on this.  Most of these viruses come from bats for some reason. I heard a story about it on NPR back before the US outbreak.  

Mika's book on her eating disorder from a few years ago discussed the down sides of eating unhealthy food like bat soup.

Mika used to tell the story of her mom picking up dead deer from the highway in northern Virginia. She used to cut the carcasses in the bath tub & freeze the meat for special dinners with her family.

[oakville]

10 minutes ago, WhineandCheez said:

HEE!!  We only need to start worrying if he starts sporting one of those long solid red ties (you know--the ones that make your hands look bigger).

Really??? My Boss was telling me about some Outbreak movie 15 years or so ago starring Gwyneth Paltrow where they started a massive outbreak when some bat poop dripped into someone's food, and I rolled my eyes (secretly, as I always do with her...)

The movie was called Contagion from 2011. Gwyneth was patient zero after eating the bat poop in a pig. Gwyneth's death in the movie  received a standing ovation from crowds in theaters.

It's a great movie & the plot resembles what is happening with the Coronavirus.

[teddysmom]

1 hour ago, WhineandCheez said:

Really??? My Boss was telling me about some Outbreak movie 15 years or so ago starring Gwyneth Paltrow where they started a massive outbreak when some bat poop dripped into someone's food, and I rolled my eyes (secretly, as I always do with her...)

Yep. And that's what happened in Contagion, the film. The food they served at a big conference she attended in Hong Kong or somewhere in Asia was contaminated with bat feces, she came home to US and died.  

The Outbreak film was with Dustin Hoffman & Cuba Gooding Jr, that was caused by a monkey that Patrick Dempsey illegally smuggled into US. 

 

 

52 minutes ago, oakville said:

Gwyneth's death in the movie  received a standing ovation from crowds in theaters.

As it should.  And now she's taking revenge by telling all of us to shove porcelain eggs in our hoohahs.  And to buy $5,000 pizza ovens. 

53 minutes ago, oakville said:

the plot resembles what is happening with the Coronavirus.

But werent' those deaths more like Ebola?  It seemed they were more violent and fast.  We better move this to Small Talk.  🙂

[scrb]

5 hours ago, teddysmom said:

Joe is actually correct on this.  Most of these viruses come from bats for some reason. I heard a story about it on NPR back before the US outbreak.  

The theory is that bats infected some intermediary animal and the animal to human infection came from this intermediary animal.  In the case of SARS it was a civet cat.  For this one, the suspect is pangolin.

Bats harbor a lot of corona viruses.

 

[nittany cougar]

Mika is hosting the show by herself.  Joe has something better to do today. 

Mika said hospital workers are wearing used masks and goggles from Home Depot.  They showed a bunch of random people in masks. 

Does Mika think that her frantic tone is helpful or informative?  i can't even stand to listen to her.  Calm down, Mika.  Take a Xanax.  This is serious, but the constant panic tone is not useful for the viewers. She must be real fun when there are problems at the office. 

Joe serves a good purpose, which you don't realize until he's gone. 

Eugene Robinson is on the show for the first time in a while.

Willie had heard from his doctor buddies.  He said they are panicked.  

Edited March 20, 2020 by nittanycougar

[xaxat]

6 minutes ago, nittanycougar said:

Joe has something better to do today. 

Stocking up on ramen and bottled water. Have to get ready for the lock down. Oh, and calling foreign leaders.

Mika is freaking out.

[Ladyrain]

4 minutes ago, nittanycougar said:

Does Mika think that her frantic tone is helpful or informative?  i can't even stand to listen to her.  Calm down, Mika.  Take a Xanax. 

This!   And my mind keeps returning to 2016 when Joe and Meeks had DT on via phone calls nearly every day, yucking it up like besties, as if  the whole presidential election was one big sit-com.   And now she's desperately clutching her pearls, wringing her hands, having a meltdown.  She needs to calm the hell down or take herself off the air. 

[nittany cougar]

2 minutes ago, xaxat said:

Stocking up on ramen and bottled water. Have to get ready for the lock down. Oh, and calling foreign leaders.

Mika is freaking out.

The tone sends my blood pressure up.  I feel for those on the set.

I do appreciate that John Meacham is on. He is always calm, and I love listening to him talk. He has the most interesting lectures on history. 

[xaxat]

Kacie Hunt looks a lot younger with the longer hair.

[Kemper]

Meeka is terrible at this.  Turrible.

[Eliot]

33 minutes ago, Kemper said:

Meeka is terrible at this.  Turrible.

Oh my god, get a grip, woman. Be a professional, FFS. This is NOT helpful.

Wow, Meacham has finally snapped. He just said “These are the wages of a country that wasn’t serious about who they chose to lead.” He is rarely anything other than dispassionate.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Eliot

[merriebreeze]

Is it really pronounced "pro-poo-bli-ca"?  (Hans' pronunciation) I thought it's more "pub" than "poob"

[Ladyrain]

4 hours ago, Eliot said:

Wow, Meacham has finally snapped. He just said “These are the wages of a country that wasn’t serious about who they chose to lead.” He is rarely anything other than dispassionate.

When I heard him say that, my head snapped around.  Same thoughts as you have.   And I thought he put it as delicately has humanly possible.   That took restraint.  

Edited March 20, 2020 by Ladyrain

[oakville]

Mika is too emotional to continue hosting this show.

She wants the White house lights to be turned on.

Hans told her that the White House told NBC to reduce their own camera lights that were shining on the building.

[teddysmom]

I've been saying this all along about Mika's screeching.  She is SO unprofessional. 

I really don't care for any of the anchors being so over the top. I realize they want to make people pay attention but here's the deal, people are either going to go along with the rules and guidelines now, or they're the dumb ass kids in FL.  

Mika and her lot aren't going to change anyone's behavior. In fact when they over react, it tends to make viewers think, Good lord they're making it worse than it is. 

Which doesn't help. 

[Landsnark]

I think she asked DeBlasio to tell us all how terrible and frightening this is and how much worse it will actually be in reality.
Scare us, Mike!  I need you to be hysterically over the top.

It's not the time for hyperbole, you dunce.
Did they show footage of those wildly moronic 20 somethings on spring break in Florida?  Did they have anyone from Florida on the show to explain why the state is open?  Did they talk about the Senators who expected the pandemic and traded stocks on that foreknowledge?

[teddysmom]

2 minutes ago, Landsnark said:

It's not the time for hyperbole, you dunce.
Did they show footage of those wildly moronic 20 somethings on spring break in Florida?  Did they have anyone from Florida on the show to explain why the state is open?  Did they talk about the Senators who expected the pandemic and traded stocks on that foreknowledge?

Yeah why wasn't that being discussed? 

Did they have Steph Ruhle on?  She actually tweeted "shouldn't this be wrong or something".

I responded "Insider trading is illegal. You should know that". 

JFC on a cracker.  What is wrong with these people??!  She covers the stock market & financial news. 

[Kemper]

After today's performance, the network should start to ease Meeka out of her chair.  She was worse than anything I have observed on Fox News.  When Tucker Carlson is way more professional than an MSNBC "anchor" .... there is a problem.  Her ego is off the charts (she is apparently untouchable thanks to her husband); I was half asleep and had a sinus headache this morning; I swear, after the first 5 minutes, my gums and teeth were hurting.  

Sweet Jesus, I just can't stand her; she is incapable of running a show on her own.  She needs to take some time off and maybe take a Xanax.  Or two.

[teddysmom]

She'll probably lose her fucking mind when she reads this: 

Condolences to the NBC Family. 

[tres bien]

1 hour ago, Landsnark said:

I think she asked DeBlasio to tell us all how terrible and frightening this is and how much worse it will actually be in reality.
Scare us, Mike!  I need you to be hysterically over the top.

It's not the time for hyperbole, you dunce.
Did they show footage of those wildly moronic 20 somethings on spring break in Florida?  Did they have anyone from Florida on the show to explain why the state is open?  Did they talk about the Senators who expected the pandemic and traded stocks on that foreknowledge?

I'm living with those wildly moronic spring breakers here in FL  It's not just 20 somethings.  I just came back from the grocery store and a mom with two young teenagers was at the bakery counter telling the employee about their wonderful vacation. 

The only person to question the state was Senator (former governor) Rick Scott on CNN yesterday. He said "close the beaches ". Which would at least be a start. 

 

[plumbago blues]

I actually tried to watch this morning and missed the mention of Joe being gone. Thought I could tolerate Mika's rising level of hysteria...thinking Joe was taking a pee break...but I just had to bail; fumbling the words, that high, almost squeaky and quivering voice. OMG. She needs to self quarantine right off the show. In fact, the show itself should shut down til this state of immediate panic is over. The hosts aren't capable of providing useful insight and the usual cadre of guests must be exhausted knowing they'll have to carry the show. Thank goodness I have a dvr full of pleasant cooking and nature shows.

[teddysmom]

32 minutes ago, plumbago blues said:

Thank goodness I have a dvr full of pleasant cooking and nature shows.

Yeah I barely watch 5-10 minutes any more. Every morning I have something dvr'd from the night before.  Most are tension filled dramas, but at least they feature highly talented actors and well written stories, not Morning Stupidity with Douche & Screech. 

[nittany cougar]

The top storyline is that there are nearly 35,000 cases of coronavirus.

Mika is upset that there are no COVID tests.  Nothing is happening according to her. Honestly Mika looks checked out, like she's on her own planet.

I am a federal employee in Wash DC and I have been directed to stay at home for an indefinite period.  So things have changed here in Wash DC.  

It took Mika about 8 minutes  in to do her cry voice. 

Jonathan Lemire is on the show. Joe ranted at Lemire that Trump's briefings are frustrating.  Lemire seems short-tempered today. 

Joe claimed to know how to eradicate Covid.  He says we could eradicate it with more testing.  

Edited March 23, 2020 by nittanycougar

[tres bien]

Joe's opening was positively incoherent. 

I was all in with his FL rant. The mayor of my small SW FL city (a Republican) has definitely done some good things and more than the governor but I wish he would shut the city down like other mayors. 

I'm still waiting for  Meacham to invoke Herbert Hoover rather than FDR. But an excellent shout out to Andrew Cuomo. 

[xaxat]

After the discussion about Rand Paul, I'm beginning to understand why his neighbor beat his ass a couple of years ago.

Libertarian Party chairman (very rough paraphrase) The president should lead by example.

Me: Talk to your Libertarian buddy Rand Paul.

Edited March 23, 2020 by xaxat

[oakville]

Mika is too angry & distraught to continue hosting the show.

She is stumbling over words like masks. She called it maxs.

Joe is trying to analyze this crisis as a communication & tone issue for Trump. It's not working.

Joe doesn't understand that testing people is only part of the problem.

[oakville]

Joe said more than 2 million Americans could die from the virus.