After MSNBC host Joe Scarborough publicly apologized for tweeting an out-of-context quote that Vice President Mike Pence intended as a joke, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) dunked on him in a series of exchanges that promptly derailed into accusations that the “Morning Joe” co-host dedicated two years to chasing anti-Trump stories “like a teenage girl throwing her panties at the latest boy band.”
It started with a clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live.
On Friday morning, pollster Matt McDermott tweeted a segment from Kimmel’s show — about Vice President Mike Pence delivering boxes of PPE as a publicity stunt — but also added his own caption: “Mike Pence caught on hot mic delivering empty boxes of PPE for a PR stunt.”
The tweet has since been labeled as “manipulated media,” and the full video actually showed Pence making a joke about wanting to carry empty boxes “just for the camera” after delivering the real boxes of equipment.
Mike Pence caught on hot mic delivering empty boxes of PPE for a PR stunt. pic.twitter.com/IduvGhiPwj
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) May 8, 2020
Scarborough, apparently not knowing the story was fake, posted the “just for the camera” quote in an effort to dunk on the Trump administration.
Enter Cruz.
“Hmm. When you’re on the defensive for being dishonest & corrupt, perhaps best not to forward fraudulent stories from Jimmy Kimmel (that he’s admitted were false)? You are claiming to be a journalist after all,” Cruz told Scarborough.
Hmm. When you’re on the defensive for being dishonest & corrupt, perhaps best not to forward fraudulent stories from Jimmy Kimmel (that he’s admitted were false)? You are claiming to be a journalist, after all…. https://t.co/tYsgKJGxpR
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 8, 2020
Although Scarborough deleted the tweet and apologized about an hour later, it’s unclear if he got Cruz’s original message, because he proceeded to bash the senator about his association with Trump despite the bitter 2016 primary season.
I guess Twitter is a full time job. I apologize to Mike Pence for retweeting a tweet that had been disproved. I’m deleting now.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 8, 2020
“Ted, when I make a mistake, I admit it. You remain mired in shame because you kowtow to a man who called your wife ugly and said your daddy assassinated JFK. Me messing up a tweet or two will never erase the shame you carry every day of your life,” Scarborough told Cruz.
Ted, when I make a mistake I admit it. You remain mired in shame because you kowtow to a man who called your wife ugly and said your daddy assassinated JFK. Me messing up a tweet or two will never erase the shame you carry every day of your life. https://t.co/eJa4qWzqA2
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 8, 2020
After Scarborough accused Cruz of having been “mired in shame,” Cruz told the MSNBC host who he thought should really be the one feeling ashamed.
“Joe, you chased after Trump for 2 years like a teenage girl throwing her panties at the latest boy band; now you pretend to be this indignant paragon of virtue outraged at everything he says & does. All to get invited to DC cocktail parties & thrill the 13 people watching MSNBC,” said Cruz.
Joe, you chased after Trump for 2 years like a teenage girl throwing her panties at the latest boy band; now you pretend to be this indignant paragon of virtue outraged at everything he says & does. All to get invited to DC cocktail parties & thrill the 13 people watching MSNBC. https://t.co/XG9P0Bwrbp
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 8, 2020
Scarborough responded at-length, including an accusation Cruz sold his soul to Trump.
Ted, Trump called your wife ugly and said your dad killed JFK. The difference between you and me is the closer Trump got to power, the more I criticized him. The closer Trump got to power, the more you sold your soul to him. You even sold out your own father’s name for Trump. https://t.co/jx83IE6JQ4
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 8, 2020
PS. I don’t do cocktail parties. I went to University of Alabama and University of Florida. You’re a Harvard and Princeton boy who spends your life around lobbyists and billionaires. You can cut out the man-of-the-people BS. Nobody believes anything you say.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 8, 2020
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