Article Highlights:
– MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ hosts visited President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, causing a stir.
– Critics accuse Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski of hypocrisy and cozying up to Trump as ‘access journalists.’
– Scarborough and Brzezinski’s critics comprise a broad spectrum from Democratic strategists to conservative news correspondents.
A Controversial Visit to Trump
Morning Joe hosts on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, recently paid a visit to President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence. The two hosts, who have previously faced criticism for being ‘too close’ to Trump, called the visit an attempt to mend political divisions. Critics, however, challenged their approach, referring to it as showing undue deference to Trump.
Widening Rifts and Rekindling Criticisms
The controversial meeting, which took place only a few weeks before Trump’s slated return to the White House, engendered widespread condemnation. Their visit to Trump, a companion turn political adversary, fanned old flames, mostly surrounding Scarborough and Brzezinski’s friendship with Trump when he ran for President in 2015. The duo attracted disapproval due to their reportedly comfortable relationship with Trump during his presidential campaign, which allegedly clashed with their responsibilities as neutral journalists.
Criticisms Pour in from Various Quarters
Bipartisan critics accused Scarborough and Brzezinski of hypocrisy for seeming to seek a rekindling of ties with Trump, a political figure they have often criticized. Democrat strategist Keith Edwards forecasted more positive Trump coverage from the hosts. He cautioned people to not be surprised if the Morning Joe co-hosts support a third term for Trump, despite their previous disapproval of Trump’s actions and policies.
Conservative Byron York, a renowned journalist, echoed this displeasure. He candidly pointed out the seeming disconnection between the harsh criticism the hosts directed at Trump and their decision to visit him so soon after his controversial rally.
The Hot Debate of Access Journalism
The Morning Joe hosts’ perceived preference for gaining access to high-profile individuals over journalistic integrity triggered backlash from fellow journalists. They condemned this stance as ‘access journalism’, a practice widely criticized for compromising journalistic ethics.
Jeff Jarvis, a journalism professor, expressed discontent about this perceived ‘return to normal’ for Scarborough and Brzezinski. Similarly, journalist Helen Kennedy shared that she discontinued watching the Morning Joe show in 2016, and this latest incident hasn’t motivated her to revert.
Public Figures React to Morning Joe’s Actions
Noteworthy individuals from various disciplines also weighed in on the controversy. Dean Obeidallah, a radio host, referred to the visit as a ‘surrender’, urging people to stand up against Trump. Body language expert, Dr. Jack Brown, subtly compared Trump to infamous Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, using the Morning Joe host’s visit as the underlined context.
Political humorist Paul Leigh also chimed in by sharing an image of no longer available ‘Morning Joe’ host costumes from a Halloween shop. With a succinct comment, Leigh suggested that the hosts had ‘sold out’ through this visit, aligning with others in pointing out hypocrisy.
In Summary
The controversial visit of Morning Joe hosts to Trump has triggered a significant outcry. The co-hosts defend their actions as an attempt to bridge political divides, but critics view this as a deviation from their responsibilities as neutral journalists. The criticism, spanning from political strategists to fellow journalists, prompts a reflection on the role and responsibilities of the media during divisive political times.