‘Morning Joe’: Mika Abruptly Shuts Down Joe as He Clashes With Guest Over Biden
A week after clashing with regular Morning Joe panelist Michael Steele, Joe Scarborough again got into a heated debate with a guest on Wednesday’s (January 15) episode, leading to co-host Mika Brzezinski interrupting him and throwing to a commercial break.
This most recent back-and-forth involved Financial Times columnist and Morning Joe regular Ed Luce, whom Scarborough described as “a very good friend.” The pair debated President Joe Biden‘s final days in office and his cognitive capabilities, with Scarborough arguing that Biden still seemed up for the role when he interviewed him from the White House.
“Did he occasionally jumble a few words or a few names? Yes,” Scarborough said, per RawStory.com. “But he corrected those as well. So after two, two and a half, three hours of it with him in the White House, going all over the White House, I did not see that.”
Luce responded that that wasn’t the reaction of foreign leaders he spoke with, adding, “I think that people, you know, who are getting older and have waning energy and vitality can go in and out. They can have strong moments; they can have weak moments.”
He noted that the “key thing” was “the debate last June occurred several days after Biden had been traveling and wasn’t considered to be shocking by a lot of the people I know in various circles around the White House, that that was the performance that reflected Biden’s mental powers at the time. So I think the American public had it right.”
Scarborough cut Luce off, saying, “I’m sorry, wait, wait, I’ve got to interrupt you again. And, again, you and I are very good friends, but I’ve got to stop you right there. I’ve had in-depth conversations with people in the White House before, during, and after who are still trying to figure out what happened that night.”
The pair were referencing the 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Donald Trump that was held on June 27, 2024, on CNN. Biden faced criticism for his performance, where he jumbled his words and appeared to lose his train of thought. This led directly to his decision to withdraw from the presidential race just a month later.
“Joe, I’m not making stuff up here,” Luce replied. “I talk to people who know Biden as well, and I can assure you, I had many conversations over the previous couple of years about his declining energy, his declining memory, his increasingly short daily schedule to accommodate his declining memory and energy. So, you know, I’m not pulling this out of thin air.”
A frustrated Scarborough again interjected, saying, “No! We’re not saying that.”
However, before he could continue, Brzezinksi cut the conversation short. “Let me interrupt again,” she said. “We’re going to keep you here and continue this conversation after a quick break because I think one of the answers is that two things can be true at the same time, but let’s take a quick break.”
On Friday’s (January 10) episode of Morning Joe, Scarborough and Steele got into it after the latter challenged the argument that people should “be civil” to Trump as he prepares to return to the White House.
Morning Joe, Weekdays, 6a/5c, MSNBC
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G
Get rid of Mika and Joe. Love Willie and Jonathan. They should do the morning show. Mornings with Willie and Jonathan. Like the sound of that.
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R
Why isn't Jonathan Lemire hosting the nine o' clock hour of Morning Joe solo? Joe Scarborough seems to suck the oxygen out of the air at this time too.
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P
Joe Scarborough and Mika are having a hard time realizing that because their constant 'gaslighting' about Biden's mental acuity has allowed Donald Trump to return.
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G
I think Joe is getting senile.
He bloviates, he interrupts, he goes into rants while we wait for him to get his words together. This morning he did it a couple of times until I have to just fast forward past him. Jonathan and Willie should take over.
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O
Please get rid of Joe and Mika. They are not believable anymore!
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C
Joe and Mika played a significant role in normalizing Trump in 2016. They always deny their role in Trump's rise and return, but their guests and regular viewers remember and recognize Joe and Mika's roles in Trump's political run.
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R
I'd get more useful, truthful and sincere information watching The Howdy Doody Show than I would from watching this rubbish.
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C
I think that MSNBC should get rid of the ring kissers, Mika and Joe and hire Jim Acosta to replace them! A whole bunch of us would turn on that morning slot again!
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B
Did anyone recognize that President Trump did not place his name on the Bible?
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B
His hand on the Bibie?
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O
I have been trying to find out morning joes viewership. Neilsen rates about 700 shows but no morning joe. They note that networks can ask to not have a particular show monitored. MSNBCmust be hiding truely awful ratings.
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O
And Doody, like biden , was a democrat!
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R
Low ratings will bring about the demise of MSNBC and CNN. Without high ratings, advertisers will not pay top dollar for a spot and without money no on air. Lots of unemployment coming to like-mindless Republican haters.
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B
I just read AP and watch PBS News Hour.
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