The set of “Morning Joe” opened up Wednesday with some mockery of President Trump’s very public argument with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer the previous day.
On set, co-host Mika Brzezinski rubbed in some extra salt in case the president was watching, by contrasting his personal character unfavorably to that of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
“This is the type of wretched behavior that led to the Democratic landslide last month. There is no upside for Trump or his minions after that,” she said. “Instead, Mr. Trump embarrassed himself. He weakened Republican’s hand in the budget talks and drove a wedge between himself and the Senate Republicans whose support he will need if he is impeached by the house.”
“Contrast the buffoon we saw yesterday with the quiet heroism and professional of Robert Mueller, whose valor as a marine has been the through-line of his entire career,” Brzezinski added.
Also on hand, Joe Scarborough went into a lengthy explainer lauding Mueller’s Vietnam service — a war Donald Trump skipped out on as a young man as a result of “bone spurs.”
“Robert Mueller volunteered for the Marines after Princeton, but get this. He was at first ruled medically unfit,” said Scarborough, while also noting the former FBI director won a bronze star for his valor at Mutter’s Ridge. “Instead of saying that he had bad feet, bad knees, he spent the next year rehabbing his injured knees … so he could go to Vietnam.”
On Tuesday, Joe, Mika and all Americans got a look at what divided government in Washington will look like after Trump met with “Chuck and Nancy” in the Oval Office. As Vice President Mike Pence sat in frozen silence, Trump, Pelosi and Schumer traded barbs over federal funding for his wall along the Mexican border.
If left unresolved, the issue could result in a government shutdown. While Pelosi warned there would be consequences for a “Trump shutdown,” the real estate magnate ultimate embraced the term.
“If we don’t get what we want, one way or the other … I will shut down the government, absolutely,” Trump said. “I am proud to shut down the government for border security.”