Inside Biden's obsession with "Morning Joe"

[Woody]

Source: https://www.axios.com/2024/02/02/biden-obsession-morning-joe-msnbc-media

When White House aides appear on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," they're often booked between 7 and 7:40 a.m. ET. That's so they'll reach one crucial and loyal viewer: President Biden.

Zoom in: The president often calls co-host Joe Scarborough — a former Republican congressman who's now a harsh critic of Donald Trump — to get Scarborough's take on issues and sometimes vent about media coverage, according to people familiar with the relationship.

During the day, Biden has long asked his staff whether they saw a story, a poll, or a segment that had been on the show. He's included show regulars in off-the-record conversations with policy experts

Biden pays particular attention to — and has consulted with — "Morning Joe" regulars such as longtime reporter Mike Barnicle, foreign policy expert Richard Haass and historian Jon Meacham, who has assisted on several Biden speeches.

Between the lines: Because Biden watches "Morning Joe" so often, most of his top aides watch or track the show to anticipate potential questions from him.

Biden is a big cable news consumer: If "Morning Joe" is his favorite show, his second favorite is probably "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN each Sunday.

Aides say Biden respects these voices on cable TV, and loves when they applaud his actions.

[President Johnson]

I'd much rather have the president being "obsessed" with Joe Scarborough than Tucker Carlson.

[Zohran "The Sword of Islam" Mamdani]

[South Dakota Democrat]

Source: https://www.axios.com/2024/02/02/biden-obsession-morning-joe-msnbc-media

When White House aides appear on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," they're often booked between 7 and 7:40 a.m. ET. That's so they'll reach one crucial and loyal viewer: President Biden.

Zoom in: The president often calls co-host Joe Scarborough — a former Republican congressman who's now a harsh critic of Donald Trump — to get Scarborough's take on issues and sometimes vent about media coverage, according to people familiar with the relationship.

During the day, Biden has long asked his staff whether they saw a story, a poll, or a segment that had been on the show. He's included show regulars in off-the-record conversations with policy experts

Biden pays particular attention to — and has consulted with — "Morning Joe" regulars such as longtime reporter Mike Barnicle, foreign policy expert Richard Haass and historian Jon Meacham, who has assisted on several Biden speeches.

Between the lines: Because Biden watches "Morning Joe" so often, most of his top aides watch or track the show to anticipate potential questions from him.

Biden is a big cable news consumer: If "Morning Joe" is his favorite show, his second favorite is probably "Fareed Zakaria GPS" on CNN each Sunday.

Aides say Biden respects these voices on cable TV, and loves when they applaud his actions.

You should be obsessed with leaving for a year.

[certified hummus supporter 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

I mean, I would be kinda obsessed if there was a show named after me as well

[emailking]

Scarborough's probably a good person from the other side, or formerly from the other side, whom he can bounce ideas off and get quality feedback.

[Blow by blow, the passion dies]

Better than my obsession with King Tamar

[Cyrusman]

Basically Bidens version of Tucker.

Trump would call Tucker all the time for his opinion.

[Santander]

It really is the perfect storm:

- Biden loves living in the past and remembers when Morning Joe was the show to watch for DC insiders
- Joe and Mika have such incurable TDS that they will fawn over anything Biden does
- Biden calling Scarborough reinforces Morning Joe's pro-Biden hackery
- Scarborough's support makes Biden think he's getting the cross-party support he craves so much even if Scarborough hasn't said anything conservative in almost 8 years

At least Fareed is decent.

[Comrade Funk]

Well yeah. Biden is a MSNBC boomer. That's their main audience. Watching MSNBC turns brains into mush