On this past Friday's Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough strongly suggested that Biden should quit the race in the wake of his disastrous debate performance.

But incredibly, Scarborough was AWOL today on the show's next episode. He abandoned the show to Mika Brzezinski, who opened with a lengthy defense of Biden, saying she was not even close to calling on him to drop out, and that he was still "the man for the moment."

Mika claimed that Scarborough was away on a "planned vacation." Riight. With the Democratic Party in a state of panic and the Supreme Court scheduled to rule on presidential immunity, he planned a vacation...and did not cancel. A vacation without his wife. 

If Joe Scarborough were the Macho Man he has often bragged about being, this was the one day he should have been at his TV helm. This raises questions: Is he in trouble with the Bidens? Did he want to let Mika speak without constantly interrupting her? Will he be out all week, while his wife holds down the morning fort? 

Mika repeatedly emphasized that Biden's schedule needs to be "managed," suggesting that he does better during the day than at night. But who is president here? What you can't manage is . . . the rest of the world. You can't send a stern message to Putin, Xi, the mullahs, Kim Jong Un, etc., warning them that all crises must be strictly initiated between 10 am and 4 pm Eastern time. Remember Hillary's famous "3 am phone call" ad when she was running against Obama for the 2008 Dem nomination? If a crisis erupted in the middle of the night now, would Biden's handlers even bother trying to rouse Ol' Joe?

Mika unsubtly proposed "changes maybe even to those around" Biden. Translation: Anita Dunn—there's a bus leaving DC at midnight. Be under it. 

Mika said that "America needs an explanation from Joe Biden and reassurance that the other night was a one-time event and not part of a larger problem." It wasn't a one-time event! There have been countless glaring Biden stumbles. But you and the rest of the liberal media and the Biden handlers have tried to pass them off as deep fakes and cheap fakes. And people with Biden's acuity problems don't get better. There's only one direction for him.

Mika falsely claimed that Biden went into the debate "fresh off" two trips to Europe. To the contrary, for the full week before the debate, Biden's handlers had cleared his calendar, and he was holed up at Camp David for debate prep, presumably with plenty of rest scheduled. What's with the calendar-mangling? 

In her most despicable moment, Mika claimed that Trump's role in overturning Roe is "killing women and babies." To the contrary, the limits on abortions subsequent to the Dobbs decision have saved the lives of countless babies.

Mika misrepresented Scarborough's statement on Friday. She claimed that he had suggested waiting "a few days" before a decision is made on Biden's need to exit. It was just the opposite. As we noted, Scarborough quoted Obama's former campaign aide David Plouffe as suggesting that people wait "three or four days." Scarborough politely took issue with that, saying he respects Plouffe, "but" unless "things change" [i.e., Biden quits] "I fear Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States." 

Mika claimed that at the debate, Biden had been "slowed down by a cold." Biden wasn't someone being slowed by a cold. He was a man whose age and mental infirmities were on unmistakable display. 

Here's the transcript.

MSNBC
Morning Joe
7/1/24
6:00 am EDT

JOE BIDEN [at debate]: Um, dealing with, everything we have to do with, uh, look, if -- we finally beat Medicare.

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: It was bad. He said we, quote, "We beat Medicare." He couldn't seem to land a thought. It was an unmitigated disaster by any measure. 

More than three days after that debate, it is still hard to comprehend what we saw from the president . . . And, yet, the very next day in North Carolina, there was Joe Biden back to form, finding his voice, his winning smile, the vintage sparkle back in his eyes. Two appearances that were as different as, well, night and day!

. . . 

So what was different? A little more sleep? Perhaps it was an event during the day rather at night. On debate night, 90 minutes, starting at 9:00 pm, Joe Biden was fresh off back-to-back trips to Europe .First to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-day and a state dinner with President Macron, and then to Italy for the G7, followed by a flight across 12 time zones to L.A. for a fundraiser with former President Barack Obama.

. . . 

I really question his schedule. It makes me angry that he was moving across the world on four different time zones. It seems to me this is a lack of discipline. 

. . . 

My family and I, as you know, have known this man for decades, and his family as well.  And yes, I know them personally. And I still believe in Joe Biden 

. . . 

Do there need to be changes? Yes! Managing him, management to his schedule. Changes maybe even to those around him. I'll also say America needs an explanation from Joe Biden and reassurance that the other night was a one-time event and not part of a larger problem

. . . 

Let's take a quick moment to look at the current alternative . . . Donald Trump. The man who incited a political coup against our government and who indicates he will not accept the results of the 2024 election if he loses again. The convicted felon who faces three more indictments. The man who was found liable for sexual assault. The man who was found liable for massive fraud. The man who brags about having ended a woman's right to abortion healthcare, a decision that is killing women and babies, and causing immeasurable and preventable agony for women across the country.

. . . 

Now, Joe, our Joe, is off this morning on a planned vacation. On Friday's show, I should clarify, Joe said it may be time for Biden to consider stepping aside. He also said we should wait a few days to see how he responds. We're shoulder to shoulder on that. 

I do agree, Joe Biden has work to do. He has to do better. His team has to do a lot better. I'm just not ready, though, to count Joe Biden out, not even close. 

. . . 

A man slowed down by a cold, versus a man with a cold, vile, and merciless heart. I think in the days and weeks ahead as we move away from this debate, clarity will hopefully set in. 

For me, Joe Biden is still the man for this moment.