The left-leaning MSNBC pulled its talk show “Morning Joe” on Monday, reportedly citing concerns that a radical anti-Trump guest might make inappropriate comments in the wake of the weekend’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, staunch supporters of Joe Biden, were expected to return to their hosting roles on Tuesday despite big political news and the start of the Republican National Convention on Monday night.
MSNBC aired breaking news on Monday morning rather than risk making any statements that would negatively impact its show or network. A source familiar with the matter told CNN on monday.
An NBCUniversal spokesperson denied CNN’s report.
“Given the severity and complexity of this incident, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC are continuing to broadcast breaking news coverage from Saturday night,” a spokesperson told The Post on Monday.
NBC Universal News Group president Cesar Conde made the decision to cancel the show on Monday morning in collaboration with MSNBC President Rashida Jones, Scarborough and Brzezinski, sources told CNN.
Scarborough did not respond to a request for comment.
“From JFK to January 6th, political violence has scarred the American landscape. Republican and Democratic politicians alike have been victims and this violence has caused immeasurable damage to America. I’m glad President Trump is safe,” the former Florida congressman posted on X on Sunday.
Scarborough also wrote, “Our family is praying this morning for President Trump, those injured yesterday, and the loved ones of the Americans who tragically died. May God have mercy on them and save us all from violent political rhetoric.” [sic] It stifles debate and puts public servants at risk.”
“We should also pray for Gabby Giffords, Steve Scalise and Paul Pelosi, all of whom continue to suffer from the wounds inflicted by political violence.”
The comments came after the progressive MSNBC morning show host called on nervous Democrats to support Biden after his dismal debate performance.
Brzezinski began her show last Monday with a 15-minute monologue defending the sitting president.
She criticized Trump’s challenge to the presidential election, saying the choice between Biden and Trump was “a battle between one terrible night and a decade of destruction to our core beliefs, our democratic values and, of course, our Constitution.”
MSNBC’s decision to drop “Morning Joe” shocked political commentators, with some conservatives saying network executives didn’t trust one of the network’s most-watched shows to cover a tense situation sensitively.
“The fact that the Morning Joe network itself can’t trust its flagship brand not to spew reckless, inflammatory crap during breaking news tells you everything you need to know about the credibility of the MSNBC lineup,” said the veteran Republican consultant. Fox News Digital.
OutKick founder Clay Travis added: “Damn, if any of my bosses did this I would quit.”
Meanwhile, Trump called for unity following a near-fatal assassination attempt on him shortly after the start of a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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“At this moment, it is more important than ever that we come together, show our true character as Americans, stay strong and resolute, and do not let evil win,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Biden also called for a calmer political rhetoric when he addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday.
Many other Republicans have blamed the violence, in which 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot the former president from a nearby rooftop while he was speaking on a campaign rally, on scathing comments made about Trump by Democratic lawmakers.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) was the victim of a gunman who opened fire on the Republican congressional baseball team in 2017. After the attack, Scalise was left in critical condition with broken bones and internal bleeding.
“For weeks, Democratic leaders have been stoking absurd hysteria that the reelection of Donald Trump would mean the end of American democracy,” Scalise said in a statement. “Clearly, we have seen far-left lunatics act on violent rhetoric in the past, and this inflammatory rhetoric must stop.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) accused Democrats of trying to “kill President Trump.” Post to X.
