MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” went off the rails Tuesday morning after host Mika Brzezinski launched into a preemptive defensive of the show interviewing Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
At the end of the broadcast, when the guests and hosts take turns saying what they learned from the show, Brzezinski went on a long-winded defense of Trump calling into the show.
“I learned that Donald Trump is going to call in again tomorrow and before you – just hold the phone, everybody! – calm yourself down, OK?” she began.
“Because before you get all upset, understand that he’s accessible and we keep trying to ask him the tough questions and get answers out of him and if Hillary Clinton, John Kasich want to call back in, Marco Rubio wants to pick up the phone…” Brzezinski said.
But her co-host Joe Scarborough jumped in to caution, “Mika…Mika….”
Brzezinski continued undetered. “Lift the hammer and give us a call. If Ted Cruz wants to call us at any moment during our show, we will put them on and keep them on so that they can say anything they want and answer questions,” she said.
“Mika, Mika….Alright, Mika. Mika, Mika….” Scarborough kept saying over Brzezinski.
“We would love to hear from them,” she finished.
“Mika! Stop reading Twitter! Stop reading Twitter!” Scarborough barked at his co-host.
“Oh, I’m not,” she responded.
“Stop it!” Scarborough yelled again.
“It’s the voices in my head,” Brzezinski joked.
But Scarborough went in again.
“Just stop!” he said. “Listen, here’s the deal, and yes, you do have voices in your head, there’s no doubt about that. Also, when Kasich said that everybody out there said that they really like you, Mika is a really nice person, they need to spend more time with you.”
The exchange made for an awkward on-airscene with the show’s guests. It wasn’t the first time the “Morning Joe” hosts have gone over the top in their efforts to deflect criticism they’re too chummy with Trump.
Last month, Scarborough launched into a lengthy rant on the show about how the hosts have been asking Trump the “tough questions” since the beginning.
Watch the exchange, captured by TPM:
