I still remember the moment Mika Brzezinski became a star in my eyes. It was years ago on “Morning Joe,” when she visibly recoiled at the fluff piece she was handed to read — something about Paris Hilton that had no place in a hard news segment. Future co-host and husband Joe Scarborough egged her on, knowing full well what Mika was about to do. I saw it. On live television, she tossed the script like yesterday’s garbage. My heart skipped a beat. Here was a journalist with guts, someone who valued integrity over cheap clicks.
When Mika and Joe eventually fell in love and married, I cheered. They were smart, dynamic and refreshingly unfiltered — a duo that seamlessly wove incisive political commentary with pop culture, peppered by Joe’s constant Beatles references. They weren’t just co-hosts; they were a power couple bravely redefining morning news.
Until they went to Mar-A-Lago.
All that love crumbled when they announced, visibly embarrassed and their faces dull with hidden shame, that they had flown to Florida to polish Donald Trump’s apple. A symphony of “What the f–k?” must have rung out, choreographed in unison with Mika’s smug expression after making the announcement (see photo above). She looked like the bold and brazen child who had been caught shoplifting, and slipped the stolen candy into her friend’s pocket
Wow, if that smile could talk! It did. Mika looked into the camera after postulating the question “Why would you do that?” and asked, to no one in particular, “Why wouldn’t we?”
I can think of one reason: Journalistic integrity?
Joe rationalized their visit by mentioning a recent empathetic phone call with Trump, and Mika reminded us they hadn’t seen him in seven years. But the damage was done. Whatever justification they offered was drowned out by the sound of collective disbelief. On social media, the backlash roared, and in journalism classes, this move is likely being dissected as a case study in bad optics. Mika and Joe didn’t just visit Mar-a-Lago — they dulled the sharp edge of their credibility. And what’s worse, they may have done it to save their own skin.
According to CNN, Joe and Mika may have been reacting to the threat of political prosecution. This flies in the face of their stance of shouting truth to power, and heaps new respect on broadcasters, podcasters and journalists who will continue to be critical of regimes around the world without the ability to pose for selfies with those who threaten our liberties. If indeed this is true, Joe and Mika are not only guilty of bad judgement, they are guilty of selling out their MSNBC colleagues who do not have Trump’s private number on speed-dial.
For years, Joe and Mika were voices of reason against the chaos of Trumpism. Mika’s righteous fury over Roe v. Wade was a rallying cry. Joe’s sardonic jabs at MAGA Republicans gave us clarity through the noise. Their incisiveness felt like a shared weapon for those of us who feared Trump’s potential to dismantle democracy. That edge is now blunted.
On Tuesday, the morning after their Trump revelation, as Rev. Al Sharpton and Willie Geist took their places for the news round-up, the tension in the air was palpable. Their expressions said what words couldn’t: disappointment, disapproval and maybe even disbelief. It was the kind of awkward silence that follows a public misstep too big to ignore. It was as if someone at the table farted, and nobody wanted to be the first to mention it.
What’s next for Joe and Mika? An apology might help, but it won’t fix the damage. Every word they utter now will be scrutinized through this lens of betrayal. And that’s what it was, a betrayal of the most callous type. If they had been considering this, how wonderful it would have been for them to bring us into their confidence – ask us our thoughts and explain their reasoning. They would get enough heartfelt responses to drown out the din of gaslighting and virtue signaling. Yet now they’ve lost something invaluable: the trust of their audience. And Mika, let’s not kid ourselves — we all know this was Joe’s idea.
As for me? Will I return to watch “Morning Joe?” I’ll leave them with a Beatles reference that Joe will undoubtedly understand: Tomorrow Never Knows.
