MSNBC

Harry Smith Cites Scripture to Rebuke Republicans on Refugees
By Mark Finkelstein | November 21, 2015 | 12:17 PM EST

I turned on MSNBC this morning in the admittedly masochistic hope of seeing Melissa Harris-Perry, only to find Harry Smith--of all people--hosting continuing coverage of the Paris attacks and related issues.

After running clips of Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and Mike Huckabee questioning the admittance into the US of Syrian refugees, Smith immediately displayed on screen and read the passage of Matthew 25 that begins "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat . . . I was a stranger and you invited me in," etc.  Smith then turned to the Rev. Jacqui Lewis, pastor of the hyper-liberal Middle Collegiate Church in NYC's East Village, and asked this hyper-leading question: "is this as important a piece of the New Testament as exists?" Surprise! Lewis agreed that it "absolutely" is.

Chris Matthews: NRA Wants Terrorists to Have Guns
By Ken Shepherd | November 20, 2015 | 12:36 PM EST

During an interview with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) regarding his efforts to ensure New York City remains safe during heightened security in the wake of ISIS terrorist attacks, MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews insisted "the NRA is nondiscriminatory when it comes to who gets guns. They're for everybody getting them, including terrorists."

Mohyeldin: 'Important to Emphasize We Don't Know Identity' of Mali Gunmen
By Mark Finkelstein | November 20, 2015 | 7:22 AM EST

Joe Scarborough opened today's Morning Joe with coverage of the unfolding terror attack in Mali, and promptly turned to Ayman Mohyeldin for a report.

The very first words out of Mohyeldin's mouth were "it's important to emphasize we still don't know the identity of these gunmen who have taken the hotel hostage." Great point, Ayman. I mean, sure, they were yelling Allah Akhbar, and released hostages who could recite passages from the Koran. But can anyone prove they're not a bunch of Yale frat boys on early Spring Break wearing hideously inappropriate Halloween costumes? Or perhaps some insufficiently sensitive Mizzou administrators invading the safe space of the hotel guests? 

O'Donnell Rips Cruz for Response to Obama Criticism on Refugees; ‘Predictable, Childish Bluster’
By Curtis Houck | November 19, 2015 | 7:02 AM EST

Roughly 30 minutes after (perhaps appropriately) ripping into the media for their labeling of ISIS terrorist Abdelhamid Abaaoud the “mastermind” of Friday’s Islamic terrorist attacks in Paris, MSNBC’s Last Word host Lawrence O’Donnell struck out against Republican Senator Ted Cruz (Tex.) for engaging in “predictable, childish bluster” by responding to President Obama’s denouncement of his stance on Syrian refugees.

Muscular Matthews? Chris Calls Obama Terror Response 'Dainty'
By Mark Finkelstein | November 18, 2015 | 9:35 PM EST

I took some flak awhile back for saying that--his liberalism notwithstanding--Chris Matthews had a patriotic streak.

More evidence for that notion on this evening's Hardball, as Matthews twice derided President Obama's response to ISIS as "dainty," and kvetched that "I don't see us doing anything."

 

Scarborough Questions President’s Mudslinging, Ignatius Says Governors Are Worse
By Michael McKinney | November 18, 2015 | 11:27 AM EST

Morning Joe on Wednesday discussed the recent remarks by President Obama on Republicans who are “afraid of orphans and widows.” When the discussion turned to David Ignatius for commentary, he gave a defense of Obama. Scarborough would press Ignatius with on using "the widows and orphans" to antagonize Republican governors. While Ignatius conceded there is always room to correct the words used, he thought the President was on point.

Margaret Carlson: Maybe Potential Terrorists Will Americanize and Not Carry Out Plots
By Mark Finkelstein | November 18, 2015 | 9:29 AM EST

There's been a lot of arrant nonsense spoken since the Paris attacks, but Margaret Carlson's might just take the cake . . . 

On today's Morning Joe, Bloomberg columnist Carlson suggested that because the US is better than Europe at assimilation, potential terrorists sneaking into our country might not carry out their plots. Said Carlson: "maybe they become Americanized, maybe the anger goes away. Maybe what they snuck in to do they're not going to do because we do have an acceptance of these people." Great point, Margaret.  If only we'd had a little longer to hug it out with the 9/11 terrorists.

NBC's Richard Engel Doubts Paris Attacks Will Bring U.S., Others Together to Stop ISIS
By Curtis Houck | November 18, 2015 | 7:17 AM EST

In a welcome change of pace for MSNBC programming on Tuesday night, liberal primetime host Rachel Maddow was given the night off in favor of NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, who anchored the network’s 9:00 p.m. Eastern coverage of the Paris Islamic terror attacks and closed with a brief but astute commentary on how it’s doubtful that Paris will change the global ISIS strategy.

Halperin: Kerry 'Tired' When Speaking of 'Legitimacy' of Charlie Hebdo Attack
By Mark Finkelstein | November 18, 2015 | 7:09 AM EST

Suggestion for John Kerry: if traveling makes you so tired that you say things undermining the war against radical Islamic terrorism, do us all a favor—stay home on Nantucket and conduct your diplomacy by Skype . . . 

On today's Morning Joe, here's how Mark Halperin explained Kerry's despicable statement about the "legitimacy" and "rationale" of the Charlie Hebdo attacks: "Secretary Kerry has a history when he's tired in particular after he hurtles around the world of speaking imprecisely." Was Kerry speaking "imprecisely"—or did he let the truth slip of precisely how he and President Obama really feel?

MSNBC's Matthews Ignores John Kerry Seeing 'Rationale' In Charlie Hebdo Terror Attack
By Ken Shepherd | November 17, 2015 | 8:50 PM EST

As Politico reported earlier today, Secretary of State John Kerry seemed to see a "rationale" in the deadly terrorist attacks on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper office back in January, unlike target pattern in Friday's coordinated terror strikes in Paris. Reporter Eliza Collins posted her story at 4:14 p.m. Eastern, about 3 hours prior to MSNBC's Hardball went live on the air. That's plenty of time to work the stunning gaffe into the broadcast. But, alas, host Chris Matthews failed to do so.

Huckabee Blows Up Chuck Todd's Claim US Better at Assimilation
By Mark Finkelstein | November 17, 2015 | 7:26 PM EST

Mike Huckabee might be down in the polls, but he's still up to throwing a good political punch. 

On this evening's MTP Daily, Chuck Todd suggested, by way of advocating the admission of Syrian refugees, that the US is better than Europe at "assimilation." Retorted Huckabee, speaking of one of the Boston bombers, "he really assimilated, until he blew up the Boston Marathon with a pressure cooker." Boom!

Mika Brzezinski: There Is Vetting Despite No Records to Verify
By Michael McKinney | November 17, 2015 | 1:56 PM EST

Morning Joe featured on Tuesday, an interview with Congressman Peter King. Early into the segment, Mika Brzezinski began a war of words with Congressman King. After Brzezinski introduced the topic, King stated, “I'm extremely concerned because what the President is telling us is not true.” Brzezinski interrupted the Congressman, saying that “there is vetting,” and arguing that he was wrong. What followed was a tense segment where the Morning Joe crew questioned King on his statements and his argument’s credibility.