On Tuesday's Morning Joe on MSNBC, Joe Scarborough unleashed a tirade about the media's double standard displayed while covering the allegations against the Clintons of using donations for political purposes. He chided the media for bowing down to Bill and Hillary.
The morning's guest was Peter Schweizer, who is making the media rounds promoting his book Clinton Cash. The book, while offering no direct evidence of illegal activity, does suggest troubling patterns in how the money flows through the Clinton camp.
This detail was picked up by co-host Mika Brzezinski, who complained that Schweizer's book only raises questions, not evidence. She had a hard time understanding how this could be interpreted as anything but political and questioned the timing of his book coinciding with Hillary's announcement of her run for the presidency.
"Yes, this book has been in the works for more than a year," Schweizer retorted. "So, I did not, certainly, coordinate this with her launch of her campaign."
As far as providing evidence, Schweizer told Brzezinksi, "I don't think the standard at NBC News or any news organization would be that we only report things when we have evidence of illegality."
Scarborough had heard enough. Finally speaking up, he said, "I don't get this." He then mocked Brzezinski, pounding the desk and saying, "I know you're playing this game -- 'I'm going to be a tough, professional journalist.'" Then the real schooling began:
But Mika -- Bob McDonnell, let's look at what Bob McDonnell did. What Bob McDonnell did pales in comparison to what's in this book. What Bob Menendez did pales in comparison to this book. The Clintons have made $150 million over the past decade because of contacts they made during public service. I will now sit back and let you go ahead and ask those tough questions. I'm just curious, though, why are the Clintons held to a standard that Bob McDonnell's not held to, that Bob Menendez is not held to, that all of these Congressmen that get thrown into jail for going on a -- going to a Redskins game or going on a golf trip, compared to $150 million?
Brzezinski tried to recover by saying it was the Justice Department who held those men accountable, not someone like Peter Schweizer.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," said Scarborough. "Wait, are you saying that newspapers and reporters shouldn't go out and report on this?"
Scarborough wasn't finished:
Because I'll tell you, when Peter Schweizer was talking about Congress insider trading, we had him on the set -- 'Great job! Way to go! You're great! You've called this out!' -- 60 Minutes had him on there, 'Great job!' But it's the Clintons and suddenly, [gasp] 'Oh, my God, let's bow down before Bill and Hillary. Because if we ask the same questions of them that we ask of every other politician, then -- oh, my God -- we have crossed a line.
The clip below via Newsbusters:
