OPINION:
President Donald Trump sent out a mocking tweet against MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, calling it a “dead show” that’s dying in the ratings. And shortly after, show co-host Joe Scarborough ripped back, in essence, Oh, yeah?
And thus, the long-running match of Trump v. Scarborough entered its — what, 80th? 90th? — next publicly watched round.
But this one is a clear winner for the president.
First, Trump: “Wow, @foxandfriends is blowing away the competition in the morning ratings. Morning Joe is a dead show with very few people watching and sadly, Fake News CNN is also doing poorly. Too much hate and inaccurately reported stories — to predictable!”
That was after CNN’s senior White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, was verbally accosted at Trump’s Tampa rally with catcalls of “CNN sucks!” during his live broadcast. Oh well; so goes the consequences of putting out a product the public doesn’t like.
Or, as the White House via press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders put it: “While we support freedom of the press, we also support freedom of speech. Those things go hand in hand.”
True ’dat, as they say — kind of as Trump suggested, too, in his in-your-face tweet at MSNBC and “Morning Joe” about the outlet’s failing ratings.
On that, Scarborough hit back.
“If it’s true nobody is watching us anymore,” Scarborough said, The Hill reported, “we do know based on your staff members that we have at least one viewer every morning, and we thank you Donald.”
Really? That’s the story that Scarborough’s sticking by here? The one that goes, “Haha on you — we’ve got one viewer?”
Apparently.
“We can always count on you,” Scarborough went on. “How are you doing? Get some sleep, Get some sleep. We’re sad for you. [Trump’s] not doing well.”
Hmm. OK. But gotta say — this round goes to the Donald.
When mocked for low ratings and zero viewership, the proper response, the one that wins the argument, is not the one that goes: Nu-huh, I’ve got at least one viewer.
It really only underscores the point Trump was making.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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