Morning Joe: All Episodes Talk

[Crashcourse]

Alert to @oakville:  Mika was wearing her Unitarian Scarf today!   

[oakville]

3 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Alert to @oakville:  Mika was wearing her Unitarian Scarf today!   

LOL! I am glad you recommended my daily Mika scarf watch !

[oakville]

4 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Alert to @oakville:  Mika was wearing her Unitarian Scarf today!   

I really want to recap the shows since the invasion of Ukraine began. It is a historic event & tragedy. I grew up in the 1980s and am freaked out about a possible World War3.

I would like to know what Mika & Joe & the other panelists  saying about these events.

Hopefully, I will get some time this evening.

[Lowcountry snark]

Today Mika's flair is the Technicolor DreamScarf.  It is no more a bizarre affectation than if Joe one day just started wearing the fingerless gloves Judd Nelson wore in The Breakfast Club or if Barnicle began wearing Carmen Miranda's tutti frutti hat.  Just show up, wear a different one every day, never mention it.  Talk straight faced to the FBI guy about nukes and back channel strategies.  "What gloves?  These?  Oh these are just my gloves."

[neona2]

oh they were actually on today! I thought they wouldn't be, my bad.

Joe & Mika in Florida, Wille in the.... bluescape. Still holding out for spring in there to come soon and the end of the unnecessary depressing-ass seasonal chromo-terrorism, heh. 

unpopular opinion, but I am here for the unitarian scarves.

I like all things that are weird and interesting and unusual and an actual individual choice ---> it always strikes me that in many ways people in news are fighting the same battle, they wanna disassociate their vocation from the amoral propganda f-ery going on on other networks ---> also women in the arts want to promote the positive thoughtful and kind aspects disassociated from the sexist shit going on elsewhere. for me there's a parallel there in that nuances matter and there's an internal dividing line informed by human kindness.

so scarves if they are chosen as an aspect of individual creativity & meaningful symbolism? I am here for it. it's the things they do that are kinda erasing individual self-expression that makes me a lil nervous, idk, it's hard to explain 🥴

I like this Clint Watts board thingy, it's helpful

The Admiral looking sharp this morning, hello! Here for this badass gray suit!! Also he has a photo of the queen on his wall (not Katty Kay, the other one)

our boy High-lemann is in Poland!!

Slava Vararchuk!!! they played his song, I f-ing cried

[oakville]

Morning Joe ratings soar to over 1.119M as viewers get excited about Mika's new fashion choices.

https://www.mediaite.com/daily-ratings/cable-news-ratings-wednesday-march-2-cnn-beats-msnbc-in-prime-time-fox-remains-dominant/

[chick binewski]

On 2/24/2022 at 5:33 PM, plumbago blues said:

Well, she's proving that she knows her value as the offspring of a foreign policy expert and the sister of an ambassador. Again aligning herself as being in their league...by association.  I heard a hint of "cry read" when I clicked by and didn't bother to stay. Her turtleneck/sweater combo didn't impress me today. Must have been a hard night.

 

1 hour ago, neona2 said:

I like this Clint Watts board thingy, it's helpful

The Admiral looking sharp this morning, hello! Here for this badass gray suit!! Also he has a photo of the queen on his wall (not Katty Kay, the other one)

our boy High-lemann is in Poland!!

Last week the cry-read took on distinct top notes of shreik-reporting so I had to click away frequently.

Granted, my political science background is non-existent but the repeated reverence for the Brzezinski family (well, the dudes) has become so weird to the point of being unprofessional. I don't mind Heilemann and certainly his discussion with Mark is something we want to hear about, but the 'omg Mika always told us her brother was brilliant and sure enough her brother said the most brilliant insightful thing and idk if it's accurate at all but the way he made a declarative statement was just amazeballs' was too much.

*ok I may be sensitive bc while there may be something to the notion that Putin wants a grand return to an empire gone long before his birth, the fact is he's a modern terrorist with modern weapons and modern methods to cause panic and destruction and I don't think some of these chuckleheads are taking the threat of WWIII seriously.

p.s. if anyone else is a trashbox fatalist like me there may be a Brzezinski blind item in this week's CDAN (Spoiler alert: dad totally hid documentation about JFK's assassin)

[oakville]

1 hour ago, chick binewski said:

 

p.s. if anyone else is a trashbox fatalist like me there may be a Brzezinski blind item in this week's CDAN (Spoiler alert: dad totally hid documentation about JFK's assassin)

Can you post a link to this website ?

 

[dubbel zout]

This is better suited to Small Talk, please.

[oakville]

Friday mini recap. Mika is wearing a blue & yellow scarf which are the color of the Ukranian flag

Joe's hair is extra poofy.

Secret agent Clint Watt get to play with a magic tv wall. The Russians almost blew up a nuclear  power plant.

The Russians are trying to take control of the power plants to control

Good explanation by Clint.

The areas under Russian control will be filled with thousands of insurgents.

This is a very serious discussion & informative.

[oakville]

Putin is isolated from his ministers. Putin looks like Dolby the elf from Harry Potter.

[oakville]

Joe spoke to senior officials from previous administrations. Joe said they told him that the USA should call Putin's bluff.

Joe said Putin has more power than other Soviet leaders had during the Politburo era.

[oakville]

Admiral Stavridis has the board game Risk as a backdrop in his office . I loved playing this game when I was younger.

[oakville]

Noah Rothman has a new haircut & beard.

[oakville]

James Acton is a new guest. He is worried about a meltdown of a nuclear reactor.

Stavridis thinks that there will be a long term insurgency.

[oakville]

Stavridis said the Ukranian retreat will make it harder for the Russians to keep their supply lines open. They can't feed or fuel their trucks & tanks.

Joe said Putin should study Napoleon. Joe said Putin doesn't understand his history.

[oakville]

Willie said that Switzerland & Sweden are helping Ukraine.

Noah said that Germany has switched its position on Russia.

Noah is worrid about Pptin ihaving no way out to survive because he miscalculated that they would be happy to be invaded by rRussia.

[oakville]

Recap continued.

Joe said US administrations since W Bush have tried to negotiate with Putin. Joe mocked W for saying that the USA could do business with Putin. Joe made fun of Obama for saying he would have flexibility after the 2012election. Jo aid Trump was worse than the others because he tried to blackmail Zelensky by holding up aid to Ukraine & trying to dismantle NATO.

Joe said it was wrong to underestimate Putin. Joe said he is committing War Crimes.

Joe said he was right about Putin. Joe wants Putin to have an off ramp to end the war.

Joe wants tougher sanctions on Putin.

Joe is mad at people who don't want sanctions against Russia.

Mika said the USA has to stop depending on Russian oil. It's 3% of US imports.

Joe  said his Trump supporting friends are delusional. Joe mocked Trump for calling Putin a genius.

 

[oakville]

I must say that I was impressed with the level of serious discussion that the show is having  about the war in Ukraine. Mika is being much more mature than usual. Joe is providing good analyis & made the point that many administrations have had trouble dealing with President Putin. It's going to take a while to get through recaps of these episodes.

[Lowcountry snark]

This was Mika reading an article by General Barry McCaffrey this morning, "Scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf, scarf.   Scarf scarf scarf scarf.   Scarf scarf scarfity scarf.    Scarf, scarf, thumbholes.  Thank you VERY VERY MUCH General McCaffery."

[Kemper]

I know there is much symbolism in displaying the Ukrainian colors; and I am here for it. But when a news anchor feels the need to tell viewers that she/he is wearing the Ukrainian colors —- that is making it about the anchor. Sorry to be such a petty excuse for womanhood; I is what I is.

[oakville]

3 hours ago, Lowcountry snark said:

This was Mika reading an article by General Barry McCaffrey this morning, "Scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf, scarf.   Scarf scarf scarf scarf.   Scarf scarf scarfity scarf.    Scarf, scarf, thumbholes.  Thank you VERY VERY MUCH General McCaffery."

I thought Mika was going to Abu Dhabi.

[Kemper]

Was Hillary Clinton on this morning with Mika? I something on Mediaite; I think the interview might in Mika’s “Fabulous Women Who Have Done Important Things” wheelhouse. I thought Hillary was on a week or two ago; and that is probably what the story was referencing.

[plumbago blues]

9 hours ago, Lowcountry snark said:

"Scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf scarf, scarf.   Scarf scarf scarf scarf.   Scarf scarf scarfity scarf.    Scarf, scarf, thumbholes.

Hilarious! At one time the thumbholes used to be the final straw in determining my negative opinion of her fashion "statements" but today they would be a pleasant reprieve from the overdone LOOKATMEINTHISSUPPORTIVESCARF situation. I only clicked by once and just saw the usual draping over the shoulder look...then I saw that Mediaite picture and OMG! I remember back in the late 70's we used to make scarves into halter tops...maybe she'll try that tomorrow.

I haven't heard anything about her role in the Abu Dhabi thing...it seems to be going on per Forbes but no word on her involvement. Not that I'm looking too hard.

She is being her usual opportunistic self with the Polish thing...look at my brother, look at my family heritage, etc. I totally get the connection but that's all it is, a connection and doesn't really involve her directly. I've complained about that in the past, I know. And, of course, I have nothing but praise for Poland for it's acceptance and help but that was the country's decision, not the Brzi's. On a lighter note, my husband went to the range last week with his best buddy, who emigrated from Ukraine 20 years ago and still has close family there...my husband tried to cheer him up by putting Putin's pictures on the targets. Made him smile. 😉

[jacourt]

Is Mika handed her script as she sits at the desk?  Does she not preread it?  Two mistakes before she said good morning!  Stumbling and bumbling.  My kids at school with reading problems read more fluently. 

[Lowcountry snark]

No scarf this morning.
No thumbholes that I can see.
But, we are re-introduced to yesterday's giant pot of sunflowers that is RIGHT ON HER NOTEPAD.  There's like a 2 gallon vase with 4 or so sunflowers right on her right wrist.  She is going to knock it over.  Two days in a row.  Not in the middle of the table, but right on top of Mika.  Would only be slightly more odd if it was on her head, or on her wrist as a corsage.
Her wrist isn't broken.  She's not wearing a cast or bandage.  It's not hiding anything obvious.
 

[jacourt]

Lowcountry I was also thinking she should just tie the freakin flower pot on her head. At least then her head would have a purpose.  

[Kemper]

Here goes. Trying to type on the wee iPhone keys and trying to proof the wee words; usually a fail. And embarrassment when seeing results after posting.  But.

Thanks to Mediaite I finally got to see the sunflowers! Are they the national flower of Ukraine? That might explain things. A prop! The pic showed the flowers sort of right in front of her. Kind of like she was wearing one of those grandma “bedazzled, appliquéd” sweatshirts. I know from whence I speak on those. plumbago b … I remember doing the scarf-into-halter top!

[Crashcourse]

I'm glad I didn't watch because sunflowers scare the hell out of me.  

[oakville]

Mini recap.

The show started with the President of Ukraine giving a speech at the UK parliament.
He got a standing ovation. Katty Kay said he want more than applause.

Mika is speaking with confidence.

It is Day 14 & Mika & Joe are sitting together.

The sunflowers at the table  refer to the viral clip of the Ukrainian lady who told a Russian soldier that he should put sunflower seeds in his pocket  because when he gets killed & buried , the seeds will grow into Sunflowers.

Mika is wearing a black turtleneck & Joe is wearing a power blue suit.

Russians are still bombing Mariupol.

Russia is trying to surround Kyiv.

[neona2]

The 8am hour today had some really interesting conversations about military off-ramps, and then Mika asked if there are strategic ways to reach the Russian people to get some true information out there.  

And then some random dude on the panel said their whole strategy should be that… relatives in Ukraine should tell their relatives in Russia the truth during *family phone calls*…? And the message will totally come across because McDonald’s is closed??

And then Michael Steele (whom I usually love) chimed in that relatives in Russia speaking to relatives in Ukraine is gonna be the new “Free Radio Europe”

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!

Literally screaming at my tee-vee. THIS IS NOT 1950.

These people need *technical support* not freakin radios under floorboards

They need free, easily accessible internet independent of the Russian state – I’m not a tech person obviously so don’t ask me how but omg that’s basic if these tech dudes can send up spaceships for no reason, then fix this shit for the love of humanity, put a magical internet dome up there or something ffs

They need some easy, free, accessible access to some VPN software or whatever that they can bypass geographical restrictions blocking access to information

Russian dissidents need free and easy access to privacy software and ways to protect themselves and their identities and easy methods to delete when accessing information so that if they wanna read shit and express themselves online and spread accurate information to other Russians, they don’t get caught and imprisoned and tortured

Joe is always going on and on about great achievements ---> this information war is where to put actual resources in if you are serious about fighting for a free world. At some point some human in charge is gonna have to be serious about inhabiting and understanding and interpreting teh internetz, and what it means for politics in different parts of the world, even though it’s scary af. 🥴

And whatever crazy meddling shit the Russians did on twitter etc during the election, why can’t something similarish be done (ethically) in return on Telegram etc??? just sayin.

Another point I was gonna make is that at some point they interrupted MJ broadcast to like a report by Sky News?? And tbh I was like wtf why are they interrupting MJ for this - buuuut actually this Sky news lady Alex Crawford was f-ing engaging and impressive. Totally confused why she was suddenly there in the middle of an MSNBC show, but she traveled to Ukraine and was wholly engaged and brave and calm, so actually I kinda like her.

She was interviewing refugees and at one point an elderly lady stopped her and gave her a flower for international women’s day!!! and said, don’t be sad…be safe, be positive!!!

---> Yes, this. always, this. I’ve been trying to communicate this about a universe that is actually still alive.

This world is so damn small. Guaranteed in some train station somewhere, are some Ukrainians sitting and watching Msnbc on some shaky questionable livestream, that’s just how the information universe works now, especially in times of crisis.

And so you can express grief in the right way when the right time comes.

But you don’t wear black for people who haven’t died yet.

Not yet. And what matters is that for as long as these people are still alive, and can physically *see you*, you show them light, colors, life, compassion.

You give *them* flowers, like in the same way that if you’re a random scared-ass Sky News journalist out there they give *you* flowers. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by neona2

[plumbago blues]

1 hour ago, oakville said:

It is Day 14 & Mika & Joe are sitting together.

Weird with these two...they come OUT of the bunker during wartime.

I must say in reaction to the props and styling...Subtlety is not Mika's strong suit. The Ukraine crisis provides enough drama, Meeks.

[neona2]

sorry for the yelling above 🥴

It's just that I find this thing they're communicating that this is already lost and everything is over and it's the new cold war etc so incredibly sad

[jacourt]

Somebody please give Mika an Emmy. Posing like a so proud person then reacting to hearing that this is the second fall of Russia  she slumps her shoulders and sighs. 

[Lowcountry snark]

Good grief.  Now the flower pot is wearing a scarf.
So brave, Mika.
You have the courage and imagination to make an empty gesture, but while in Poland you did fuck all to learn more about this conflict.

[jacourt]

The discussion this morning was very informative.  I wish I could have stayed to hear more. All the guests are calm and realistic.  No high drama or theatrics.  Lots of knowledge and background.  

[jacourt]

Last week her one note was nuclear Armageddon Now its getting info to the Russians.  I see her at home sitting on a couch with a martini wailing about the situation.  It all seems like a performancoe.  Like shes the kid at the table who has been told be on your best behavior this famous person is here.  Still trying to be daddys good little girl.  I'm sorry, she just brings out the worst in me, sorry for the bad attitude.  

[may flowers]

Two things that struck me as I watch:

- Should a purported news show so readily demonstrate it’s taken a side like they are through the scarves and the sunflowers? Yes, supporting the Ukrainians is right and important, but as news people shouldn’t they let the facts bear that out?  Oh, right, it’s Joe and Mika. 
 

- Doesn’t Mika listen to the words she reads? Today she talked about “getting to the hearts of the Russian people” just minutes after reporting on the disinformation being spread in Russia and how the media, including social media, is under Putin’s total control. She truly is performing for her base. 
 

 It’s the weirdest show  

 

[Kemper]

Bringing Meeka’s father and her heritage into the conversation again. Jacourt - you are so right 😏 ….Meeka seems to bring out the worst in a few of us. With the terrible story we are watching unfold, props for attention are the last thing needed. Meeka just seems so awkward; it is uncomfortable to watch her. And infuriating.

[plumbago blues]

55 minutes ago, may flowers said:

 It’s the weirdest show

This sums up what I was coming to say. So many of you have already noted the infuriating things presented this morning. The sunflower vase wearing a scarf was irritation #1, followed by Mika's not so stealth move of dragging out the blue and yellow flowered shirt to wear. What was most incredible to me was their programming choice: I tuned in at 6 Central time and saw the carefully curated desk/hostess narrating a piece about the VP arriving in Poland...Hey, looky there, kids...it's Mark Brz greeting her! (Big surprise.) I immediately went to other news channels and found that CNN, Fox, and Fox Business were airing the live press conference with the Polish president and our VP. Maybe it's just me, but when this kind of event is airing, my choice is that programming, not the 100th time Joe and Katty and Ignatious are tsk tsking over the situation, while Mika gazes at the monitor. 

[Kemper]

I tuned to CNN and saw the VP speaking live; then to MJ to see analysts and sidekicks pontificating. Will take further comment to Small Talk.

[SG429]

3 hours ago, plumbago blues said:

I immediately went to other news channels and found that CNN, Fox, and Fox Business were airing the live press conference with the Polish president and our VP.

I wonder what the TODAY Show was doing at that time. MJ just can't compete with the others on this type of news. TODAY is still run by NBC News, is still a major cash cow for NBC and will always have first dibs on news breaking in the morning. MJ can't do anything that might move eyeballs away from TODAY. Their "non-traditional" morning format isn't so much counter-programming as it is a necessity.

[Rickster]

4 hours ago, SG429 said:

I wonder what the TODAY Show was doing at that time. MJ just can't compete with the others on this type of news. TODAY is still run by NBC News, is still a major cash cow for NBC and will always have first dibs on news breaking in the morning. MJ can't do anything that might move eyeballs away from TODAY. Their "non-traditional" morning format isn't so much counter-programming as it is a necessity.

Don’t know what time the press conference was, but we had TODAY on in the background from 7-9 and I’m pretty sure there was no press conference on.

[Lowcountry snark]

Mika is truly a stoic, dignified political news professional.
This morning she's wearing a yellow and blue Ukraine ball cap with a picture of Calvin peeing on Russia.  She's got yellow and blue face paint on, and is wearing a Ukrainian national team football jersey, with of course a scarf made out of sunflowers.
Subtle.  Dignified.  Impartial.

[neona2]

for me, I don't give a shit what the actual motivation is for supporting Ukraine through symbolism like scarves and flowers, what matters is reception.

Maybe you guys think it's nonsense, but I believe in light, and colors and symbolism and tbh the only thing that matters is that it is *seen* by the people who are fighting for their lives and to whom it's a lifeline, and to whom it actually matters.

it's such a small-ass world and that the message of love and support is *seen* by the people to whom it's directed is the only thing that matters.

----> if nobody believes me that they see this, watch this brave activist in Kyiv explain to Nicolle that they do - he literally says his 13-year-old kid accidentally watched Tucker Carlson! So the same kid probably also stumbles upon clips from MSNBC ---> believe me, this stuff matters. The world is so damn small right now

 

[Kemper]

Neona, I agree with the need to show the world that we are with the Ukrainians during this catastrophic time. And how much it must matter to them that they are not being forgotten.

 What infuriates me is when a reporter, journalist, pundit, celebrity, athlete, etc. so obviously grabs onto a tragedy by putting themselves front and center for attention. And that is what Meeka, just in my opinion, is doing with all these props. Someone…a friend, colleague, her husband (for God’s sake) should pull her aside and clue her in. This goes beyond my distaste for her; it is craven. Those clerical robes and scarves are especially insulting. Again, only my opinion.

[neona2]

I missed yesterday morning so caught up on some details from teh Friday 6 a.m. hour today --->

I actually just noticed Richard Engel (still in Kyiv!!) is appearing on some sort of rooftop (or livefeed backdrop) and in his backdrop is what I think is Kyiv's St Michael's Monastery ----> with teh golden domes!!

Looking at it I was wondering if it's a recent reconstruction bc it has this post-WW2 shiny rebuilt baroque vibe you get in places like eg Munich ---> I looked it up and sure enough it *is* a reconstruction.

But it turns out, it wasn't destroyed due to WW2 bombing.

No - it was *intentionally demolished* by Stalin, in 1936, because of course he did. 

----> in 1936 it looked like this 

 

Then in the 1990s it was rebuilt by the Ukrainians, because of course they did. 

 

and now it's in danger again 😭

how many times is it necessary to terrorize a proud & ancient culture before realizing it always, always rebuilds itself????

 

[jacourt]

Everyday I think about the man that Nicolle interviews. I am so relieved every time he is on to know he is ok. He is amazing. 

[neona2]

oh man why can't they give Richard Engel some sort of protective headgear???

Watching his MJ segment now and worried about all that floating debris 🥴

keeping these brave-ass journalists in my prayers, but no unnecessary risks to your beautiful selves plz!!! aaaaaagggggggggggh  

[neona2]

Joe said today that Putin is probably afraid of "ending up in a cell in the Hague next to  Milošević 🥴 ---->  well, no, because Sloba is very, very dead Joe, and has been for a long-ass time, thank f-ing god.

I just....for sure WW2 is indelibly ingrained into the memory of a lot of elderly people, but man oh man, if you wanna bring up collective European trauma, or specifically Eastern European trauma, it's not not all from WW2. 🥴 

on another random note, kinda surprised no one has drawn a parallel from all of this to the Finnish Winter War? it's like every historical parallel that doesn't involve Churchill is somehow shrouded in fog, even though actually there are more interesting comparisons, idk

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by neona2