Why ‘Morning Joe’ wasn’t on air Monday following Trump rally shooting

“Morning Joe,” the politically-minded weekday morning show on MSNBC, has been making news of its own lately — even in its absence.

The show, hosted by Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, and his wife, Mika Brzezinski, is said to be a favorite of President Joe Biden. (For some perspective, before he became president it was also a favorite of Donald Trump, who appeared on it regularly.) It’s also a favored landing place for Democratic leaders to float messages during guest appearances.

That’s why it was news when Scarborough, after Biden’s disastrous debate performance, seemed to suggest that Biden should step aside for another candidate, saying if the CEO of a major corporation performed similarly, they would be fired. More recently Scarborough has called for an end to infighting in the Democratic Party over Biden’s candidacy.

With all that’s going on in the world, it was a surprise that “Morning Joe” wasn’t on the air Monday, July 15. It was a huge news day, with the assassination attempt on Trump on Saturday and Monday morning a Florida judge dismissed the classified-documents case against Trump.

But no Joe.

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Where was ‘Morning Joe’ Monday?

In fact, the network says, the attempted assassination story is the reason why.

“Given the gravity and complexity of this unfolding story, NBC News, NBC News NOW and MSNBC have remained in rolling breaking news coverage since Saturday evening,” the network said in a statement. “As we continue to cover this story into the week, the networks will continue to cross-simulcast, alternating between NBC News, NBC News NOW and ‘MSNBC Reports’, so there is one news feed covering this developing situation.”

However, CNN’s Oliver Darcy reported 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.”

A spokesperson for MSNBC denied CNN’s reporting.

When does ‘Morning Joe’ come back?

Some conservatives and MAGA supporters have blamed the media for the heightened political rhetoric, even as they have stoked the flames. MSNBC has been a particular target, with its more-progressive programming and liberal voices. Presumably, its hosts could be trusted not to say anything irresponsible on the air — guests are always a crapshoot — but everything anyone says is under far greater scrutiny right now.

“Morning Joe” is expected to be back on the air Tuesday, July 16.

How to watch ‘Morning Joe’

Weekdays on MSNBC, 3-7 a.m. Arizona time.

Even Fox News and CNN agreeon Biden speech after Trump assassination attempt

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.