David Frum: MSNBC's 'Efforts to Appease' Trump by Apologizing for His Joke About Pete Hegsesth's Drinking Are 'Very Omin

[Eugene]

Source: The Wrap

David Frum Says MSNBC’s ‘Efforts to Appease’ Trump by Apologizing for His Joke About Pete Hegsesth’s Drinking Are ‘Very Ominous’

Wed, December 4, 2024 at 8:28 PM EST·4 min read

Political commentator David Frum joined MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Wednesday to discuss allegations of heavy drinking against Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth. Frum introduced the story with a joke about Fox News, which then prompted MSNBC to issue an apology. In a written response in the Atlantic, Frum warned such an act is “a very ominous thing” ahead of Trump’s return to the White House.

NBC published a report Tuesday that revealed former colleagues of Hegseth’s at Fox News were deeply concerned about his drinking habits. Two people interviewed said they smelled alcohol on Hegseth before he went on the air, with one person noting that they noticed the smell as recently as November.

-snip-

When Frum began the segment Wednesday, he joked, “If you’re too drunk for Fox News, you’re very, very drunk indeed.” During the commercial break that followed, he wrote in the Atlantic, a producer “objected to my comments about Fox and warned me not to repeat them.” The topic didn’t come back up and Frum departed the set.

-snip-

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/news/david-frum-says-msnbc-efforts-012852181.html

________________________________________________

Frum's response in The Atlantic:
Appeasement in the Age of Trump

Alternate link: https://archive.ph/MH0im

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Scarborough just addressed this

He said that the reason they told Frum to tone it down wasn't out of fear, it was out of concern for Hegseth's alcoholism (they felt Frum's comments were "mean-spirited" because alcoholism is a disease).

[Scrivener7]

2. Scarborough is a quisling. Don't look at what he says, look at what he does. This is appeasement.

Which is his habit.

[Botany]

3. So saith the man who just flew to Florida to kiss Trump's ass out of fear of Trump.

Joe and Mika are part of the problem and are dead to me now.

[Eugene]

4. Will Trump's mental stability fall out of bounds next?

We can't be mean to the sanity-challenged persons in charge of the country's nukes, can we?

[PuraVidaDreamin]

8. tRump ass kissing is also a disease

And boy did Joe and Mika fall off the wagon.

[Mike 03]

5. Why I think it might be true

The last two afternoons/evenings I've waded back into listening to MSNBC--Nicole, Joy, Chris Hayes, Lawrence. It is not like they have lightened up on Trump. And I am far from an MSNBC apologist (if you could see the letters I've written to them over the last 8 months...).

In no way, shape or form have are they pulling punches Trump that I can tell. Best of all, I don't think I've heard a single word about the Hunter pardon. You can quibble with what certain guests say with respect to the Monday morning quarterbacking about the election. Mostly they are focused on cabinet nominations and current state legislation that suppresses voting, anti-trans, etc... Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Timothy Snyder were on yesterday.

To be fair, this notion that MSNBC has become a Trump appeaser just isn't factually accurate, at least for the afternoon/evening. (I can't speak to The 11th Hour, Morning Joe and that really stinky stretch in the late morning and early afternoon, which I don't listen to).

Just trying to be fair about this. Now, Morning Joe may be another matter. That is another show I don't listen to.

[Scrivener7]

6. I think if they replaced Scarborough, lots of people would come back.

[Dennis Donovan]

7. I took a break from MSNBC (all TV news, actually)

...after the election because it was making me too sad. I started watching MSNBC again this week, including MJ, because I really don't want the channel to fail. Being spun off by Comcast has put it in a precarious position and, frankly it's the only MSM / TV news I can stomach.

[ms liberty]

10. It's a different channel from 4 pm to midnight. The appeasers are on from 4 am to 4 pm.

I used to watch MJ and would check in throughout the day, but it has always been more center/right during the daytime.

When I start watching news again, MSNBC will be 4 pm and after only. Nicole, Chris Hayes, Joy, Rachel, and Lawrence. I'm just not ready yet. I've also had a ton of real life happening so I haven't had time for it, either.

[doc03]

9. I just quit watching any news since the election.

I am sick of hearing about Trump, the only news I want to hear is he is gone one way or the other. I just check out the posts on DU.