The hosts of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” find it easier to criticize Hillary Clinton when she’s not around to defend herself.
The Democratic front-runner joined Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski Friday morning by phone to discuss her campaign, and to take questions from the panel’s guests.
But rather than press Clinton on lingering questions regarding her ongoing email scandal, or the recent interest shown in the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct that have been brought against former President Bill Clinton, the “Morning Joe” hosts tossed her softballs, giving her room to monologue about her strengths as a candidate.
They asked, for example, what lessons Clinton learned from her presidential bid in 2008; they asked her to lay out her plan to increase workers’ wages; they also asked Clinton to explain “what, clearly, is the message of [her] campaign.”
Clinton had comfortable, prepared answers for all of these questions, and was given plenty of time to respond.
Friday’s patty-cake interview stands in sharp contrast to the months of criticism “Morning Joe” has heaped on the Democratic front-runner. From Clinton’s State Department email scandal, to her attacks on primary rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to even the tone of her campaign ads, “Morning Joe” hasn’t exactly been kind to the former first lady’s 2016 presidential bid.
In August, Brzezinski was not at all impressed with Clinton’s dismissive handling of questions regarding her use of a private email server when she worked at the State Department.
“I wish that some of these politicians would stop thinking the American people are so stupid,” Brzezinski said at the time.
That same month, Scarborough accused Clinton’s team of “spinning lies every single day” as they attempted to address concerns over her private server scandal. He also said Clinton was a “phony” for her attempts to convince voters that she had a softer, authentic side.
In September, the “Morning Joe” hosts and their guests did a live-reading of select Clinton emails that had been released by the State Department, mocking both the former secretary of state and her staffers.
Also in the same month, Scarborough called Clinton’s address before a “Women for Hillary” event “horrific.”
In October, the “Morning Joe” crew raked Clinton over the coals after she accused Sanders of launching “sexist” attacks when he said she was “shouting” about gun control.
“Well, let me just say that’s pathetic,” said Scarborough. “That’s just absolutely pathetic.”
“That was pathetic,” Brzezinski agreed, referring to Clinton’s charge.
In November, Scarborough blasted Clinton’s invoking of September 11 during a Democratic presidential debate when she was asked to explain why she has accepted so many donations from Wall Street.
“It is, quite frankly, Hillary Clinton at her very worst,” Scarborough said.
“Could you imagine if a Republican said it?” Brzezinski laughed.
In December, “Morning Joe” was beside itself over a Clinton ad, saying that it was “too terrible to describe in the English language.”
That same month, Brzezinski accused Clinton of being a prima donna, and said she has a high maintenance attitude when it comes to doing morning shows.
“Hillary … shows up when she wants to, who shows up when she feels like it, and only when a red carpet has been rolled out, and everything has been negotiated and pre-planned,” she said. “And everyone can say, they don’t do that — they do.”
In January, Scarborough asked if it’s fair “in the age of Bill Cosby” to resurrect the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct that have been brought against Clinton’s husband.
Later, in that same month, he accused Hillary Clinton of “flip-flopping” on a number of issues, particularly on the topic of income inequality.
“Morning Joe” has been so critical of Clinton in the past, that Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., actually confronted them about this in October, accusing them of being “unfair and not balanced.”
On Friday, Brzezinski told Clinton that she would vote for her if she won the Democratic nomination.
