The Mirror

Joe Scarborough Calls Bulls**t On CNN Media Writer

Betsy Rothstein Gossip blogger
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MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough ripped into a few ex-Politico reporters Wednesday night after he went on Hugh Hewitt‘s radio program and didn’t initially quash the notion that he’d accept a VP offer from Donald Trump.

Scarborough previously had a blog on Politico. It’s no longer listed under “Blogs, Columns and Cartoons.”

First he went after NYT‘s Alex Burns for being a dense retweeter. In several tweets Scarborough denied any interest in being Trump’s running mate. They apparently sailed right over Burns’ head.

Scarborough: “You RT a tweet saying I’m open to something AFTER I say 5 times in tweets that I’m not? Interesting.”

Burns: “Didn’t see your response.”

Next up on the chopping block: CNN media scribe Dylan Byers, who reported on CNN host Brian Stelter‘s newsletter that “NBC News insiders” have long thought Scarborough favored Trump. CNN’s headline: “MSNCB’s Joe Scarborough and radio host toy with Trump VP possibility.” Stelter added an editor’s note to the story, saying, “This gets my vote for the most tantalizing story of the day.” (Really, Stelter that gets you tantalized?)

Byers reported, “For NBC News insiders, it raised questions about what they interpret as Scarborough’s favoritism toward the Republican frontrunner. Scarborough has made no secret of the fact that he’s close to Trump, and often speaks favorably about him on “Morning Joe.”

Hewitt appeared on CNN on Don Lemon’s program in the 10 p.m. hour Wednesday night. He discussed his conversation with Scarborough about his possible VP aspirations, further fueling the fire that “Morning Joe” host just might do it.

All of which irked Scarborough.

“I HAVE RULED IT OUT REPEATEDLY,” the MSNBC host shouted in all-caps on Twitter. “Nice distortion CNN.”

He then spilled about a presumably off-the-record or background conversation he had with Byers.

“I told Byers the story was so wrong that I refused to deny it on the record so not to lend credence to it,” Scarborough continued on Twitter. “I told him repeatedly off the record it was false, that it’s never been discussed let alone though of. As far as his ‘NBC insiders,’ anyone suggesting I’ve ever expressed the remotest interest is a liar.”

(Hmmm…but wouldn’t denying it on the record make the situation clearer especially if the idea being floated was totally absurd?)

Scarborough not only blasted the ex-Politico‘s for insisting that he had a desire to be VP. He also kicked Byers in the teeth for being “bought” by CNN. (Pssst…What kind of a**hole would possibly take a job for more money? What kind of a journalist would threaten to bolt if the network wouldn’t up her pay and then start a whole campaign around it called “Know Your Worth”? Could it be that blonde woman who sits next to Scarborough every morning?)

As cable news observers know, tension between CNN and MSNBC can cut thick, especially with the fierce competition between CNN’s “New Day” and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“It’s really bullshit that CNN buys media ‘reporters’ that then lie about reporters on competing networks,” snapped Scarborough, directly referring to Byers. “A pattern.”

Byers, who is based in LA, is one in a long line of Politico reporters who have migrated to CNN since last summer.

He came aboard in the fall.

Don’t expect he and Scarborough to patch things up anytime soon.