UPDATE: 4:00 p.m. The co-hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” chatted with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump about everything from his golfing excursions to his debate performance during commercial breaks while filming a town hall last week, according to audio obtained by comedian and radio host Harry Shearer.
Shearer said Sunday on his radio program that the audio was obtained by his staff members for an ongoing “Found Objects” segment. In the clip, host Mika Brzezinski can be heard talking about which questions she should ask Trump. It’s not clear from the audio to whom she is directing her question.
“You don’t want me to do the ones—with deportation?” Brzezinski said.
After some cross-talk, co-host Joe Scarborough said, “We really have to get you some questions.”
“That’s right, nothing too hard Mika,” Trump interjected.
“Okay,” Brzezinski said.
A spokesperson for NBC declined to comment to TPM, but Brzezinski told Huffington Post senior media reporter Michael Calderone that she was talking to her producer.
Just talked to @morningmika, who said she was talking to her producer, not Trump, about deportation question at MSNBC town hall.
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) February 22, 2016
“I am absolutely 100% certain that I did not connect with Donald Trump on any level about the questions I’d be asking him.” — @morningmika
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) February 22, 2016
Trump also can be heard on the audio calling former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) “weak” and talking about his golfing excursions. At one point, Brzezinski refers to a Trump rally during which he brought participants up on stage as a “wow moment.”
The “Morning Joe” hosts have been criticized in recent days for appearing to be too cozy with Trump, a characterization that both the network and Scarborough have strongly contested.
Listen to the audio below around the 21:25 mark:
h/t: Gawker
They had their noses so far up his butt that they couldn’t hear him. But that’s OK, they weren’t going to, anyway.
“Not too hard.” That’s what she said.
…and this is a surprise HOW?!
If she actually said that stuff…she’s done. As she should be.
I hope she’ll lose her job.