MSNBC decided to pull Morning Joe from the air on Monday morning after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump Saturday due to fears that a panelist might make an offensive remark about the shooting.
According to CNN, “the decision was made to avoid a scenario in which one of the show’s stable of two dozen-plus guests might make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to assail the program and network as a whole.” MSNBC decided to air continued breaking news coverage instead.
This is a stunning implicit admission that Morning Joe has become one of the worst platforms for apocalyptic political rhetoric amid calls for unity on both the Left and the Right. For example, a guest on the show recently compared Republicans to “Confederate traitors,” while host Joe Scarborough has said that Trump is an “immediate threat” who could end the United States.
MSNBC’s troubles go far beyond just one show, however. One MSNBC writer wrote that “Donald Trump has truly earned comparisons to Adolf Hitler,” host Joy Reid has argued that Republicans are “pro-rape” and “pro-child marriage,” and Rachel Maddow has attacked NBC for hiring former RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel as a contributor, comparing her to a “mobster” and a “pickpocket.”
MSNBC previously had to make a similar decision when it canceled terrorist sympathizer Mehdi Hasan’s show after he repeatedly defended Hamas and antisemites such as far-left Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). Before working at the network, Hasan had worked for Al Jazeera, which is a Qatari-backed propaganda outlet.
In the aftermath of Trump’s near-murder, there has been introspection across the spectrum about the use of divisive language in politics. The decision to keep ‘Morning Joe’ off the air is a recognition that MSNBC has been a major part of the problem, but it is not enough. The show is expected to return on Tuesday morning and will likely revert to its typical mindless discourse in a matter of days.
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One network changing its schedule for one day will do little to reverse the years of calling Trump a fascist, comparing him to Adolf Hitler, saying that Republicans are a “basket of deplorables,” and arguing that the 2024 election could decide the fate of democracy itself. No one besides the unhinged gunman himself is responsible for his actions, but the political climate that has been created by the media and politicians has certainly raised the temperature.
Depolarization starts with recognizing its roots, such as providing toxic voices with large platforms.