Has there ever been anything this diabolical in the history of American politics? A former President trying to kill the political career of the sitting President? Of his own party! One that was his own Vice President!?
And yet, that is exactly what is happening, according to Morning Joe.
Joe Scarborough led it off:
"The Biden campaign, and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate [the dumping of Biden.]"
Can you imagine Biden's white-hot fury if he believes that his former boss, someone who is supposedly like family to him, is leading the effort to push him out?
Then it was Willie Geist's turn:
"[Politico's] Playbook is reporting this morning that George Clooney gave former President Obama a heads-up about the op-ed he was going to post in the New York Times. President Obama reportedly, according to Playbook, didn't object."
Mika Brzezinski took it a huge step further. Not merely did Obama not "object" to Clooney's op-ed, which called on Biden to drop out, in, reality it was Obama's column! As Mika put it, "this wasn't George Clooney."
At first, Mika played it coy as to just who it was if it wasn't Clooney. Scarborough put it to her, asking, "you think Barack Obama put him up to this?"
Mika finally gave it up:
"I, I think that Barack Obama has a lot of influence. And I think that, there's, uh, there's a lot there."
Et tu, Barack?
Talk about internecine conflict. A civil war within that Democrat party. This is totally epic. The stuff of a far-fetched conspiracy movie. And in the role of George Clooney -- George Clooney?
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
7/11/24
6:32 am EDTJOE SCARBOROUGH: I will say one thing that we do have to underline here just so viewers can follow. What's going on behind the scenes is, the Biden campaign, and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate this.
And if Joe Biden believes that, that's not going to get him out of the race any faster. Any time David Axelrod attacks him, David Axelrod ensures that Joe Biden will dig himself in another day.
. . .
WILLIE GEIST: Playbook is reporting this morning that George Clooney gave former President Obama a heads-up about the op-ed he was going to post in the New York Times. President Obama reportedly, according to Playbook, didn't object.
. . .
SCARBOROUGH: I love Matt Damon, but, but, but, you know, George Clooney! I mean, I mean, oh brother, where art thou, Willie?
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I did like that movie.
SCARBOROUGH: Fantastic Mr. Fox.
MIKA: And I don't like movies.
SCARBOROUGH: Fantastic Mr. Fox. My children and I have seen Fantastic Mr. Fox more than any other movie in the history of mankind. So I cannot diss George Clooney if I actually ever want to watch that with my kids again.
MIKA: This wasn't George Clooney.
SCARBOROUGH: But, but, well -- what do you mean?
MIKA: It just wasn't. Come on.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, who do you think it was? Matt Damon?
MIKA: It wasn't Matt Damon. It wasn't Julia Roberts either.
SCARBOROUGH: Who do you think it was?
MIKA: Um-m-m . . .
SCARBOROUGH: You can say the name. You don't know, it's not Voldemort
MIKA: Uh-h-h [laughs.]
SCARBOROUGH: Are you saying, you think Barack Obama put him up to this?
MIKA: I, I think that Barack Obama has a lot of influence. And I think that, there's, uh, there's a lot there.