Viewers tuning into MSNBC on Monday morning expecting to hear the co-hosts and panel on "Morning Joe" about the attempt on Donald Trump's life on Saturday were instead presented with NBC News instead after the network put one of their most popular shows on pause.
According to CNN media analyst Oliver Darcy, the brass at NBC bumped the show hosted by Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist over fears that the diverse panel might say something untoward on the opinion-heavy show.
As Darcy wrote, "The progressive news network confirmed the decision to preempt its influential and top-rated morning show after a CNN inquiry Sunday evening. The network said the show will resume airing Tuesday.," adding, "The decision by MSNBC to leave one of its most recognizable programs on the sidelines amid a seismic politics-driven news cycle, with the Republican National Convention getting underway in the wake of the Saturday shooting at Trump’s campaign rally, is certain to raise eyebrows."
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According to the CNN report, "A person familiar with the matter told CNN that 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. Given the breaking news nature of the story, the person said, it made more sense to continue airing rolling breaking news coverage in the fraught political moment."
The show and it's hosts have long been targeted by the former president, with Trump recently posting video of a heckler accosting Scarborough in public on his Truth Social platform.
On X, some commenters were furious with the network for canceling Monday's show, with one writing, "wtf @MSNBC @Morning_Joe. I don’t want to see continuing coverage with Anna Cabrera. I want to see Morning Joe. I turned it off."
Armando NDK, a frequent Trump critic, wrote, "Wait MSNBC preempted Morning Joe for more blather? The event has been over for more than a day. It doesn’t require 24 hour coverage. It’s not a hostage crisis ffs."
Criticizing the substitute coverage, Dr. Teresa White wrote, "This @MSNBC news, replacing @Morning_Joe is absolute garbage. It's lie after lie. Not one 'reporter' has asked about trump's gunshot wound. No medical reports. Zilch. They still report of a donation to Dems. Also a lie. That was a different man."
MSNBC contributor Roland Martin was also dismayed, writing, "I’m stunned. @MSNBC leadership has pulled their flagship morning show @Morning_Joe today, on the first day of the @GOP convention. I’m sure
@JoeNBC @morningmika and their crew is stunned by this decision. It’s totally perplexing to me. So are they pulling all primetime shows too?"
"Why? Does upper management not trust the hosts to make appropriate comments? Kay Tur was on yesterday? Why? I understand calming things down, but removing the best hosts during an historical event? Won’t be watching," commenter Denise added.
You can read more from CNN here.
