On Tuesday afternoon, White House counselor and former Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway responded on Twitter to suggestions lodged on Monday by Morning Joe co-hosts/lovers Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski that she secretly loathes President Trump.
A day after the MSNBC pundits claimed that she complained about disliking Trump and only taking the gig for the paycheck, Conway began her statement by noting that the one-time Trump fan boy and girl “have become virulent critics of the President and those close to him.”
Conway explained that she’s used to criticism but deemed it “necessary to respond” in this case, stating that “[m]y beliefs, commitments and loyalties are plan to see” so “[t]he notion that I am serving for ‘the money’ or a ‘paycheck’ is absurd.”
“As campaign manager, I made a fraction of what other consultants have made on unsuccessful presidential campaigns. Then I walked away from dozens of opportunities for millions of dollars, and instead walked into the White House. I would do it again,” she added.
Conway concluded that “[i]t is a privilege to assist President Trump in the White House, just as it was during the campaign” and has complete faith in his ability to be a successful President.
Now, what more did the future Mr. and Mrs. Joe Scarborough say that led to this response. Brzezinski offered this out of the blue claim in the 7:00 a.m. hour of Monday’s Morning Joe:
This is a woman, by the way, who came on our show during the campaign and would shill for Trump in — extensive — fashion and then she would get off the air, the camera would be turned off, the microphone would be taken off and she would say ‘bleeech I need to take a shower’ because she disliked her candidate so much.
Scarborough responded that by claiming the Conway compared the job to a “summer in Europe” “just doing this for the money” that she’d be done with soon enough.
The trashing continued on with the other panelists sitting awkwardly nearby:
SCARBOROUGH: And also, I thought it was very interesting after the Access Hollywood tape came out. That's when she started referring to Donald Trump as —
BRZEZINSKI: — her client.
SCARBOROUGH: — my client.
BRZEZINSKI: Okay, what more do you need?
SCARBOROUGH: My client. I’m separating. I don't believe in this guy. He's just my client. It's just a paycheck.
Here’s the full transcript of Conway’s tweet from May 16:
@KellyannePolls
May 15, 2017The hosts of MSNBC’s Morning Joe have become virulent critics of the President and those close to him. Ignoring insults and insinuations is a valuable skill. But when sentiments are attributed to me that are not true, it is necessary to respond
My beliefs, commitments and loyalties are plan to see.
The notion that I am serving for “the money” or a “paycheck” is absurd. As campaign manager, I made a fraction of what other consultants have made on unsuccessful presidential campaigns. Then I walked away from dozens of opportunities for millions of dollars, and instead walked into the White House. I would do it again.
It is a privilege to assist President Trump in the White House, just as it was during the campaign. I know him, I respect him, I believe in him, and I am confident in his capacity to be a transformative and successful President.
Here’s the relevant portion of the transcript from MSNBC’s Morning Joe on May 15:
MSNBC’s Morning Joe
May 15, 2017
7:34 a.m. Eastern
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: This is a woman, by the way, who came on our show during the campaign and would shill for Trump in — extensive — fashion and then she would get off the air, the camera would be turned off, the microphone would be taken off and she would say ‘bleeech I need to take a shower’ because she disliked her candidate so much.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Also said — it was very interesting — also said that this is just — this is just like my summer in Europe. This is just my vacay. I’ll be —
BRZEZINSKI: I'm just doing this for the money.
SCARBOROUGH: — I’m just doing this for the money. I’ll be off this soon. I don’t know that she ever said ‘I’m doing this for the money,’ but this is just my summer vacation, my summer in Europe. And basically, I’m just — I’m gonna get through this.”
BRZEZINSKI: But first I have to take a shower because it feels so dirty to be saying what I'm saying. I guess she's just used to it now.
SCARBOROUGH: And also, I thought it was very interesting after the Access Hollywood tape came out. That's when she started referring to Donald Trump as —
BRZEZINSKI: — her client.
SCARBOROUGH: — my client.
BRZEZINSKI: Okay, what more do you need?
SCARBOROUGH: My client. I’m separating. I don't believe in this guy. He's just my client. It's just a paycheck.
