Joe Scarborough clashes with wife Mika Brzezinski over Democrats ‘whining’ amid govt shutdown

WASHINGTON, DC: It was barely 7 am on 'Morning Joe', but things were already tense between Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

The MSNBC power couple clashed live on-air Wednesday, October 1, over who’s to blame for Democrats’ latest mess.

Joe Scarborough says Dems are dropping the ball, Mika Brzezinski fires back

Scarborough, 62, blasted his own party for fumbling the looming government shutdown. He said that Democrats have failed to stop it because of “a lack of talent.”

Former Hillary Clinton comms chief Jennifer Palmieri had just admitted that Democrats need to “stop complaining,” when Brzezinski, 58, jumped in to defend the party.

“I also just don’t understand why we’re blaming the Democrats for Republicans lying at the highest level of office,” she shot back. “They have the biggest megaphone. They have TV networks that repeat the lies and say things on those networks with no consequence. And the things they say are violent. OK? So they’re not only repeating the lies, but adding to this coarseness. And there’s no consequence to it. And we’re blaming the Democrats? We’re blaming the Democrats for this. What exactly are the Democrats supposed to do?”

Scarborough responded, “They’re supposed to fight back!”

Things unraveled from there. The pair talked over each other, with MSNBC veteran Chris Matthews sitting in as the guest.

“They’re supposed to know,” Scarborough pressed.

“And lie as well? Know what exactly?” Brzezinski fumed, referencing a post from the President a day earlier claiming Democrats wanted to give healthcare to undocumented immigrants. That claim was later echoed by Speaker Mike Johnson and VP JD Vance.

“No!” Scarborough shot back. “Bill Clinton just completely abused and used Republicans every government shutdown. I know. I was there. He was smart enough politically to do it. Barack Obama knew how to always get the best of Republicans. All right?”

Scarborough added, “We’re not blaming Democrats for Republicans lies. We’re saying the Democrats at some point have to figure out how to answer those lies. And that’s not whining. The whining comes from Democratic leaders that still don’t have an answer to Republican lies 10 years into Donald Trump’s terms.”

Jennifer Palmieri chimes in on Washington drama

Mika Brzezinski punted to Jennifer Palmieri at this point, asking how Democrats can claw back.

“One of the biggest problems Democrats have [is] in fighting," Palmieri insisted. "People have believed for years and years and years, ever since Obamacare was enacted, that illegal immigrants are getting benefits under that. This is now a time to air it and say that is not true. You all just spent about 10 minutes saying that’s not true. Great. More people think that’s not true. When [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries is on television, he says, ‘That’s not true. It is false.’ That’s a good fight to have, I think, in terms of where this shutdown ends.”

As Scarborough and Brzezinski were going at it on air, Senate Republicans were plotting another round of votes designed to tempt Democrats into crossing the aisle. The vote was locked in for Wednesday evening.

By then, the US government had already begun the shutdown process early Wednesday morning. Democrats quickly blamed Trump and the GOP, accusing Republicans of refusing to protect millions of Americans’ healthcare.

They’re demanding that an extension of Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act be baked into the funding bill. But like Palmieri said, the infighting hasn’t helped. Back in March, House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer cut a deal with Republicans without squeezing out any concessions, leaving Democrats grumbling ever since.

It's worth noting that the GOP holds a 53–47 majority and needs seven Democrats to flip for a resolution. Until then, Washington’s in gridlock.