It was a not-so-merry message.
Former Republican Congressman David Jolly ripped Democrats on MSNBC Friday — specifically the network’s “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski — for giving President-elect Donald Trump “parity to traditional American values.”
Jolly took issue with Scarborough and Brezinski, who came under fire after meeting with Trump, 78, at his palatial Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida two weeks ago.
“Don’t just say we’re going to give equity to Donald Trump, which some people are doing in the Democratic Party, in media, among the electorate,” Jolly pontificated on “Deadline: White House,” according to a clip shared by Mediaite.
“They’re saying, ‘I just give up. We’re going to give him equity. We’re going to give him parity to traditional American values,’” Jolly continued.
“No, that’s absolutely wrong. You can’t do that. Forgive me for saying this. You can’t go to Mar-a-Lago. You can’t do it,” Jolly said in an overt repudiation of the “Morning Joe” hosts’ attempt to mend fences after being harsh critics of the twice-elected Trump.
“That’s going to get me in trouble,” he added.
Jolly went on to assert that resistance politics were the only way forward for Democrats who “know” they are “right” but simply lost the presidential election.
“The only answer is to double down in holding Donald Trump and his allies accountable and double down on trying to present a democracy that represents all people, even in a losing environment,” he insisted.
The married Scarborough and Brzezinski had a personal sit-down with The Don at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month after years of unending and oftentimes deranged criticisms of the once and future president.
The pair were roundly criticized — including by Donald Trump Jr. — for appearing to “kiss the ring,” and their ratings fell even deeper into the tank after word reached MSNBC viewers.
However, the “Morning Joe” hosts stood firm and presented their actions as a necessary step forward for the sake of public discourse.
“Five years of political warfare has deeply divided Washington and the country. We have been as clear as we now how in expressing our deep concerns about President Trump’s actions and words in the coarsening of public debate,” Brzezinski said after their visit.
“But for nearly 80 million Americans, election denialism, public trials, Jan. 6 were not as important as the issues that moved them to send Donald Trump back to the White House with their vote,” she continued.
“Joe and I realize it’s time to do something different and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him.”
Viewership has dropped off a cliff for not only “Morning Joe” but all of left-leaning MSNBC since Trump’s historic win — with even the network’s most popular “Rachel Maddow Show” losing 40% of its audience.
Jolly is a regular MSNBC guest who served as a Republican representative in the House for Florida’s 13th District from 2014 to 2017. He lost his seat to Democrat Charlie Crist in 2016.
