The cast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” had quite a morning on Thursday. In an appearance to promote his new book, “The Quotable Rogue: The Ideals of Sarah Palin in Her Own Words,” The Daily Caller’s own Matt Lewis said that Palin was “arguably” the most significant woman of the 21st century.
That statement caught the attention of show co-host Willie Geist, who asked Lewis to elaborate. But after panelist Mark Halperin called President Barack Obama a “dick,” a remark which he later apologized for, co-host Mika Brzezinski determined she would level the playing field and liken former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s fame to that of Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton, leading to a back-and-forth between Brzezinski and show host Joe Scarborough.
Transcript as follows:
GEIST: You said a minute ago, Matt, she’s the most significant woman of the 21st century. I can just hear our viewers screaming at their TVs. What about Hillary Clinton? Do you really think she’s the most significant, more so than Hillary Clinton?
BRZEZINSKI: I can’t, I can’t –
LEWIS: I said arguably, and I think you could make a case for Nancy Pelosi, as well, by the way, and Hillary Clinton and I’m sure some others. But I think you could make a good case for Palin because of the way — look at the Tea Party movement, which she was sort of at the forefront of. I think you could make a good case that Sarah Palin was in fact the most significant woman in terms of driving the debate, and certainly in terms of media coverage Sarah Palin has dominated it.
BRZEZINSKI: Yeah, but so does Paris Hilton, but that doesn’t mean they’re significant.
SCARBOROUGH: Hold on one second, don’t — let me stop right here. Don’t compare her to Paris Hilton.
BRZEZINSKI: I didn’t. I’m just saying —
SCARBOROUGH: You said so is Paris Hilton. You put her in the same category.
BRZEZINSKI: No. I’m saying there are people who get media coverage that maybe shouldn’t?
SCARBOROUGH: She’s one of two women — hold on a second, Matt.
LEWIS: The death panel comment is —
SCARBOROUGH: Hold on, hold on, hold on. Okay, let’s put it in perspective. I’m tired of her. People ask, “Why do we bring her up.” They’ll ask, “Why are we talking about her here.” You talk about Paris Hilton. I think that feeds into that narrative. Here’s the bottom line: She is one of the two only women who have ever been nominated for vice president of the United States of America. That ain’t nothing. It’s just like Dan Quayle for four years after he was vice president —
BRZEZINSKI: Okay, you’re going to have to let me respond.
SCARBOROUGH: — garnered more attention than that. That is why she remains significant.
BRZEZINSKI: No. I’m going to tell you there already was one and given the women that we have on the global landscape today, like Hillary Clinton, I mean, my lord. I’m sorry.
SCARBOROUGH: She’s in the top 10. I’m not saying she’s the most significant. You compared her to Paris Hilton.
BRZEZINSKI: No. I compared his statement about media coverage to Paris Hilton, okay? So, you know, you can jump on that like some of the —