‘Morning Joe’ Panelist ‘Cooks’ Scarborough for Kissing-Up to Trump at Mar-a-Lago
The Morning Joe panel descended into chaos Friday after an argument about being “civil” with President-elect Donald Trump erupted.
The MSNBC show’s panelists were discussing Trump’s friendly chinwag with Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter’s funeral Thursday when host Joe Scarborough said it is important to keep lines of communication open with ex-presidents. He was perhaps referring to his own November meeting at Mar-a-Lago with his wife and co-host, Mika Brzezinski. They were once friends with Trump but became prominent critics.
Political commentator and ex-RNC chair Michael Steele continually tried to make a point on the matter while Scarborough interrupted him. Steele then asked for a chance to respond, with Scarborough saying: “Tell us something we don’t know.”
“I’m going to tell you something you seem to forget,” Steele said calmly, before suggesting that the panel are bending the knee to the incoming White House chief. “Everyone is looking at this from a one-way perspective, how we need to approach Donald Trump. How the hell is he approaching us?!”
He continued: “You may not like it but I’m going to make it and the reality of it is, I take your civility argument, you like to say 78 million people voted for Donald Trump. Well, 82 million people voted for Joe Biden and he didn’t get that civility that you’re talking about from Donald Trump in those four years.”
Steele said the expectation is that “we all have to be civil to Donald Trump,” before adding, “I’m prepared to be civil,” only for Scarborough to interrupt him again, this time with: “Nobody said that.”
“You did!” Steele shot back. Scarborough then continued to talk over Steele, claiming: “I didn’t say everybody has to stay civil.”
“But the reality is, no, you are using the term civil, I’m using your term, you put civility on the table,” Steele responded, with Scarborough visibly agitated.
Finally able to speak freely, Steele concluded: “But, Joe, I’m just saying my main point is, everybody is looking at this from a one-way perspective; how we need to approach Donald Trump. How is he approaching us? The man wants to lock up citizens, the man wants to turn the government against them, how are we supposed to respond to that? Are we supposed to be civil?”
On X, commentators sided heavily with Steele. “Thank you Michael Steele - putting them in their place,” one user wrote. Another added: “Michael Steele and Joe Scarborough goin at it this morning on Morning Joe. Damn good conversation. I’m with Michael Steele on this one.”
A third said Scarborough was “condescending,” with a fourth adding: “Damn!!!! @MichaelSteele COOKED @JoeNBC and Mika. Keep swinging Michael!”
