Entries from mikebarnicle
Team of Destiny?

Morning Joe’s Joe Scarborough, Jonathan Lemire and Mike Barnicle talk about the Texas Rangers mashing their way to the World Series in Houston, soundly defeating the Houston Astros 11-4 after piling on eight runs in the first four innings. “Yesterday was a key example of (manager Bruce) Bochy’s importance to the Rangers, Jonathan. In that he goes out and he hooks Max Scherzer off that mound in the third inning. And Scherzer, you could tell, was disturbed about being taken out; but you’re not going to fool with Bruce Bochy,” says Barnicle about the three-time World Series-winning manager who came out of retirement to manage the Rangers.

Happy Birthday, Mike!

Please join with Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and the Morning Joe family to celebrate the “legendary” Mike Barnicle on this special birthday! Share in the memories and well wishes for “one of the greatest columnists of the twentieth century” on his big day. Responds Mike: “At this stage of my life, if I wake up every day, it’s a special day.” Join the celebration here.

Shock around the world

Veteran columnist Mike Barnicle speaks with State Department spokesman Matt Miller about Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s communication with leaders of other Middle Eastern countries since Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel, where the death toll has topped 1,200, including 22 Americans. Miller said the “really brutal” attack “shocked the world” with a “depravity not seen since ISIS.” Watch the segment here.

Biden’s comments on Hamas’ attack on Israel

Tune in for this Morning Joe conversation with Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle and Mika Brzezinski as they discuss President Joe Biden’s public, forceful condemnation of Hamas’ actions as terrorism and his vow to stand with Israel after Hamas’ brutal and deadly weekend massacre on Israel during which Hamas fighters stormed into Israeli towns, killing hundreds and abducting many others. “We saw the President of the United States give perhaps the strongest, firmest outline of who he is—who we are as a nation—in this troubled world that you’re ever going to hear from a president….This was an act of terrorism, an act of barbarism, that we saw over the weekend,” said Barnicle. Watch the segment here.

Patriotism over party

Tune in for this Morning Joe conversation with Joe Scarborough, Jonathan Lemire, Richard Haass and Mike Barnicle as they discuss President Joe Biden’s reelection strategy and message after Biden in a speech in Arizona called his once-and-perhaps-future opponent Donald Trump a direct threat to American democracy in the most forceful condemnation of the former president and the MAGA movement he has delivered since he took office.

“The depth of decadence and danger” of Trump

Listen in on this Morning Joe conversation with Willie Geist, Jen Palmieri, Jonathan Lemire and Mike Barnicle as they discuss former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson writing in an upcoming memoir that Rudy Giuliani groped her backstage while former President Donald Trump rallied supporters to push back against the election certification on Jan. 6, 2021. “This is just one more glaring example of the depth of decadence and danger involved in this (Trump) administration from the (former) president himself on down to the people around him….How many members of the Republican Party have been narcoticized by this behavior over the years, have just gotten so used to it, so familiar with it, that they regard none of it as outrageous or the depth of danger involved in this,” says Barnicle.

Republicans on support for Ukraine

Morning Joe’s Willie Geist and Mike Barnicle sit down with Richard Haass, president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss the faction within the Republican Party that is against American funding of Ukraine’s war against Russia, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky having urged a global front against Russian aggression in a dramatic speech delivered during the UN General Assembly. “It used to be that the Republican Party specifically, Democrats as well, but the Republican Party specifically, would be saying, ‘yes, yes; go get Russia. We’re behind you 100 percent’? Yet now the fracture within the Republican Party leads to a very real possibility that there will be a shutdown or diminution of funding for Ukraine to continue this war,” asks Barnicle. Hear Haass’ response about the shift in the Republican Party on issues of national security and U.S. leadership on the world stage.

GOP infighting

Watch this Morning Joe conversation between veteran columnist Mike Barnicle and veteran U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) about the Republican Party and the current GOP infighting in the House of Representatives over spending bills that threatens a government shutdown. “Have you ever seen a moment in your lifetime in Congress when a specific portion of one political party, a specific portion of the Republican Party, seemingly has been devoted to destroying government?” asks Barnicle.

Professor Hillary Clinton Goes Back to School

ICYMI: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined Morning Joe to discuss her return to the classroom, as along with Keren Yarhi-Milo, dean of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, she will be teaching global decision-making and starting an Institute of Global Politics at Columbia University. Watch her conversation with veteran columnist Mike Barnicle about the need to model respectful disagreement and find “at least a sliver” of common ground with people with different points of view. “These elections coming up in 2024 could not be more important for freedom, for democracy and for the rule of law,” says Clinton. Watch the segment here.

Another Trump dividing line

Tune in for this Morning Joe report and conversation among Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle and NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur about the efforts by GOP House members who support former President Donald Trump to seek using appropriations to block government funding for special prosecutors and counsel investigating Trump. Kapur reports that Republicans are divided on this issue and that Democrats are aggressively pushing back on the “politicization of the criminal justice system.”

Former Gov. Chris Christie

Watch this Morning Joe discussion between veteran columnist Mike Barnicle and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, about how the Republican Party could move away from former President Donald Trump as polls continue to show him maintaining a strong lead in the GOP primary despite facing multiple indictments. “You’ve tried to make the case, and you’re trying to make the case, that you are the guy who can make the case against Joe Biden….How does what’s left of your political party—the remnants of the Republican Party—how do they, how do you, make the case against Joe Biden, when last week, six of the eight candidates for president of the United States standing alongside you on the stage, indicated that they would vote for Trump, even if he were a convicted felon? How do you convince the country that your party is still sane?,” asks Barnicle. Hear Christie’s answer here.

Trump legal turnover

Former U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg joins Morning Joe to talk with Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle and Jonathan Lamire about the federal election case and other cases against former President Donald Trump and the constant turnover within his legal team as he faces four different indictments. Listen to Rosenberg’s response here.

The needs of public education

Watch this Morning Joe conversation between Mike Barnicle and Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) about the need and way in which public education might be improved—a topic that received very little discourse at the first 2024 Republican primary debate that took place in Milwaukee.

Thoughts on the first 2024 Republican primary debate

“This country has suffered great damage—none more so than the injection into the political bloodstream that the election of 2020 was fixed, was rigged,” said veteran columnist Mike Barnicle in this Morning Joe conversation with host Mika Brzezinski following the first 2024 Republican primary debate that took place in Milwaukee, which didn’t feature the current frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, who decided to skip the event. “How do you begin a debate with any of the candidates, Republican or Democrat, without asking them the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question: ‘Was Joseph R. Biden legitimately elected president of the United States, yes or no?’ That way, we know where you’re going to go on continuing this poison that is in the political culture today, and no one asked that.” Watch their review of what Barnicle called “a revealing and depressing performance.”

Barnicle’s 3 questions for former Gov. Christie

Veteran columnist Mike Barnicle has three questions for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, following the first 2024 Republican primary debate. Watch the conversation here.

“Golda”

Gideon Meir, the grandson of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, and director Guy Nattiv, join Morning Joe’s Mike Barnicle to talk about their new film “Golda,” a biopic of the country’s first—and only—female leader. The film focuses on the intensely dramatic and high-stakes responsibilities and decisions that Golda Meir, also known as the “Iron Lady of Israel,” faced during the Yom Kippur War. “She’s a portrait of incredible strength in this film, and her nature comes across in this film, especially with regard to Moshe Dayan, an iconic Israeli hero who takes kind of a reputational hit in this movie, and yet she nurtures him through this crisis on a day-to-day basis,” says Barnicle. Learn more about the film, the casting of Mirren and her long-time connection to Israel.

Trump’s $200,000 bond

““Joyce, in looking at the stipulations laid down in Georgia against the former president, quite a few are similar to stipulations that a court would issue to John Gotti, including the last one, which is ‘the above shall include, but are not limited to, posts on social media or reposts of posts made by another individual on social media’ having to do with intimidation. So, let me ask you: Given the former president’s nature, it seems to many people he will be unable to help himself or prevent himself from crossing the line here. What would be the next step potentially by the Georgia district attorney if he does so?” asks veteran columnist Mike Barnicle of MSNBC legal analyst Joyce Vance during this Morning Joe conversation about a Fulton County judge having set former President Donald Trump’s bond at $200,000 in District Attorney Fani Willis’ election interference case, as the bond agreement includes a “no direct or indirect threat” clause against codefendants or witnesses. Listen to Vance’s response here.

“Velshi Banned Book Club” podcast

MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi joins Morning Joe to talk with Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle and the Rev. Al Sharpton about his new podcast “Velshi Banned Book Club,” which features different authors of banned books to talk about why their work is being targeted and about the literature itself. Watch the segment here.

The 2020 election interference case

Tune in for this Morning Joe conversation with Mika Brzezinski, Mike Barnicle and former U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg about former President Donald Trump’s upcoming court cases, the bond required, and his most request or an April 2026 trial in his 2020 election interference case, saying his attorneys are exaggerating the amount of discovery they need to review in the case. Listen to Rosenberg’s response here. Only on MSNBC.

The cult of Trumpism

“The cult of Trumpism is now verbal,” said veteran columnist Mike Barnicle during this Morning Joe conversation about former President Donald Trump, who has said he will surrender to authorities in Georgia to face accusations of illegally scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. “It’s passed on to people who come up to you and ask the ever-present question, you know, ‘how can people vote for this man? Who are these people?’ And you tell them, ‘I’ll tell you who they are: They’re your neighbors, they’re people you know, they’re people you see each and every day. That’s who they are.’ But he’s there. He’s in our minds; he’s in our bloodstream. It is a sickness. It’s a disease that America is carrying – Trumpitis.” Watch more of the conversation here.