The ratings must be getting worse and staying there for Morning Joe. Maybe they should change the spelling of “morning.” I know how they feel, believe me. Our views are down hellaciously, too, and it’s not because anybody here has gone to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring. There seems to be a profound news depression in this country, after the Democrats’ loss. I get it. We were all so sure that America would not stoop to reelecting the clown prince. And we were all wrong. It’s frightening who was wrong. Ann Selzer, the undisputed Paragon Of Polling, was off by 16 points. That does not happen to her. She’s off by one point, usually. Jon Ralston, the Oracle of Nevada, also blew his perfect track record, predicting Harris would take the Silver State. So if we were wrong, we were wrong en masse. But nobody, and I mean no body, is whitewashing, gaslighting and groveling like Joe and Mika after the fact.
This is a perfect take.
Been in those rooms many times.
The anxiety is palpable, and it’s leading to unforced errors.
— John Collins (@Logically_JC) December 5, 2024
I don’t believe Joe. I don’t think anybody believes Joe. That’s the problem, here. Yes, he was wrong like all the rest of us were. And he’s trying to say that he’s just like the mainstream media in going to Mar-a-Lago. No. That’s not the case. Morning Joe made a decision to turn on Trump (after having been in his camp, 2015-ish) and the show stayed there. The show became a mainstay of left-wing media. The mainstream media has to fact gather. They’re not TV personalities. They’re actual reporters — albeit under the thumb of billionaire owners who dictate policy more than they should.
Then Trump lost, the national convulsion is still happening, the mourning is still taking place. The rest of us are just banding together, with the intention of resisting. We’re shellshocked and weary, but carry on we will. Only Joe and Mika made the strategic blunder of going to kiss the ring at Mar-a-Lago and they have been crucified for it. I don’t think this little gab fest makes it any better. In fact, I think it makes it worse.
As the other journalist said, “the anxiety is palpable.”
I saw a clip of Bob Woodward, in which he was asked whether Joe & Mika should have gone to see Trumpler at Mar-a-Lardo. Bob said “Yes, of course. They’re reporters.” He then said something about reporters need to search out the truth, as further justification. Comments?
They didn’t go there for any journalistic reasons. They didn’t interview him, they didn’t file a report, they went there to beg Trump not to destroy their careers.
Wow, really? Since when does anyone go to visit tRump for the truth? He spews so much lies and nonsense that no one has to go see him to gather that info.
Fear or ‘civility’?
Hah! The fear of them losing their comfortable lives is palpable.
After ALL this time with Mr Trump extant, they like to think ‘civility’ will be reciprocated by him?
They are more stupid than was previously thought possible.
The taste of kissing that particular ring is not easily or quickly washed away, it will linger over them, a miasmic cloak keeping everyone away.
I almost stopped watching the clip more than once but forced myself to listen to the whole thing. Do reporters go and sit down with people they disagree with and even despise? Of course they do. “On background” as he puts it and it can provide valuable insight. There’s nothing all that out of the ordinary about it.
BUT, towards the end Joe revealed something important. In explaining how journalists work he pointed out that most of the times these “background” talks are purely that. For background and wouldn’t take place at all if any actual specific news was reported about what was said. Both the reporters and subjects simply want to get a sense of each other at a given time and be able to talk openly. Fine I get that. What made Joe and Mika’s pilgrimage to kiss the ring different is that they DID choose to talk about having made it! Which begs the question why they would bring it up on air in the first place.
From where I sit they ARE fearful. Of MAGA. Of what Trump who let’s face it has long felt ‘betrayed’ by his former pals will have minions like Patel do. And of course there’s all those MAGA roaming around out there. No, to me it looks like they made a BFD about having gone to see Trump and having a nice sit-down with him was a blatant attempt to curry favor with MAGAs. Both the rank & file and the VIP class as in RWNJ “journalists”, elected officials and possible Trump administration critters that might decide to go after them!
I for one don’t think fear is too strong a word. And their buddy Frum is probably feeling it too. HE might have mentioned during a break he wished he hadn’t made the remark about ‘too drunk for Fox’ and that’s why later Mika tried to make light of it, and Joe ranted for ten minutes this morning.
They could have stuck to their guns after the election but no, they decided to try and start playing both sides of things. And while everyone’s ratings are in the toilet theirs are in more trouble (from what I hear/read) than most non RWNJ outlets, programs. This sure as hell isn’t going to help.
if they are journalists what questions did they ask what were the answers?
In the parables a rich man came to Jesus proclaiming he had kept the commandments and wanted to follow him. Jesus told him it was great he’d kept the commandments…now all he needed to do was sell everything and give it to the poor. The story ends with the rich man sadly walking away…for he was very rich. Joe and Mika walked sadly down to Mara lago to kiss his ass because they are very rich.