Eric Bolling and Charlie Sykes Clash in Tense ‘Morning Joe’ Battle Over the Soul of the GOP

GEIST Trump s actions ░░░░░░░░ total instead of in ░░░░░░░░ piecemeal fashion He writes ░░░░░░░░ part If President Trump ░░░░░░░░ a modus operandi it ░░░░░░░░ the control manipulation and ░░░░░░░░ of information hiding his ░░░░░░░░ returns meeting with Putin ░░░░░░░░ firing the FBI director ░░░░░░░░ him lying habitually undermining ░░░░░░░░ media pitting staff against ░░░░░░░░ other Our constant need ░░░░░░░░ cordon off specific Trump ░░░░░░░░ from others is a ░░░░░░░░ flag waving in the ░░░░░░░░ He continues Leader s ░░░░░░░░ produce credits and debits ░░░░░░░░ those must ultimately be ░░░░░░░░ The problem in the ░░░░░░░░ of the Trump administration ░░░░░░░░ that its moral debits ░░░░░░░░ skyrocketing material and irreparable ░░░░░░░░ is being done to ░░░░░░░░ nation our institutions and ░░░░░░░░ norms as well as ░░░░░░░░ conservatism and the Republican ░░░░░░░░ When the stakes are ░░░░░░░░ itemizing and compartmentalizing may ░░░░░░░░ sensible but given the ░░░░░░░░ of the stakes placing ░░░░░░░░ gold star on the ░░░░░░░░ s occasional successful assignment ░░░░░░░░ unwarranted and unwise The ░░░░░░░░ to hell is paved ░░░░░░░░ a piecemeal situational approach ░░░░░░░░ morality Joe take it ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH All right Eric ░░░░░░░░ ll start with you ░░░░░░░░ minute Do you agree ░░░░░░░░ disagree BOLLING How could ░░░░░░░░ agree with that Joe ░░░░░░░░ mean I read that ░░░░░░░░ I was just blown ░░░░░░░░ You know what the ░░░░░░░░ forgets to mention is ░░░░░░░░ there s a reason ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump is able ░░░░░░░░ appoint a second Supreme ░░░░░░░░ Justice maybe a third ░░░░░░░░ his term who knows ░░░░░░░░ is because he won ░░░░░░░░ The reason why he ░░░░░░░░ is because he was ░░░░░░░░ Trump Don t forget ░░░░░░░░ were 17 conservative very ░░░░░░░░ people men and women ░░░░░░░░ the right side who ░░░░░░░░ to be the nominee ░░░░░░░░ lost to Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ the American people are ░░░░░░░░ The American people really ░░░░░░░░ for Donald Trump to ░░░░░░░░ to be their representative ░░░░░░░░ what has he done ░░░░░░░░ s brought a conservative ░░░░░░░░ Court going forward at ░░░░░░░░ as long as I ░░░░░░░░ probably live maybe our ░░░░░░░░ will probably live I ░░░░░░░░ tell you that s ░░░░░░░░ he is and by ░░░░░░░░ way Weekly Standard Bill ░░░░░░░░ was an anti Trumper ░░░░░░░░ the beginning He was ░░░░░░░░ of the Never Trump ░░░░░░░░ It s no surprise ░░░░░░░░ The Weekly Standard does ░░░░░░░░ but that is damaging ░░░░░░░░ piece is more damaging ░░░░░░░░ the GOP and conservatism ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump ever will ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH Look at that ░░░░░░░░ in time Baba O ░░░░░░░░ that s pretty good ░░░░░░░░ pressure is on you ░░░░░░░░ I forgot how to ░░░░░░░░ this thing Thank you ░░░░░░░░ pressure is on you ░░░░░░░░ Sykes while I try ░░░░░░░░ figure out how to ░░░░░░░░ The Who from continuing ░░░░░░░░ it good Lord SYKES ░░░░░░░░ don t I love ░░░░░░░░ song SCARBOROUGH There s ░░░░░░░░ problem All right Go ░░░░░░░░ Somebody get rid of ░░░░░░░░ song Geez look at ░░░░░░░░ I know how to ░░░░░░░░ it started I just ░░░░░░░░ t know how to ░░░░░░░░ it off All right ░░░░░░░░ you go Go ahead ░░░░░░░░ SYKES Okay Well it ░░░░░░░░ a Faustian bargain and ░░░░░░░░ do appreciate the people ░░░░░░░░ say but Gorsuch The ░░░░░░░░ is what is the ░░░░░░░░ In a Faustian bargain ░░░░░░░░ get a lot of ░░░░░░░░ you like but it ░░░░░░░░ out the price is ░░░░░░░░ more than you expect ░░░░░░░░ problem is that you ░░░░░░░░ Trumpism is making the ░░░░░░░░ movement the Republican Party ░░░░░░░░ is making it dumber ░░░░░░░░ more dishonest more disconnected ░░░░░░░░ reality more extreme I ░░░░░░░░ they re going to ░░░░░░░░ a price The Republican ░░░░░░░░ and the conservative movement ░░░░░░░░ to be more than ░░░░░░░░ cult of personality and ░░░░░░░░ slogan on a hat ░░░░░░░░ I think this is ░░░░░░░░ balancing act How much ░░░░░░░░ you willing to give ░░░░░░░░ How many of your ░░░░░░░░ how many lies are ░░░░░░░░ willing to accept how ░░░░░░░░ outrages are you willing ░░░░░░░░ enable and rationalize What ░░░░░░░░ of behavior are conservatives ░░░░░░░░ to accept GEIST So ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH Eric yeah There ░░░░░░░░ go For me Eric ░░░░░░░░ was when Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ early on in December ░░░░░░░░ about a Muslim ban ░░░░░░░░ that was in December ░░░░░░░░ 2015 It was pretty ░░░░░░░░ and shut for me ░░░░░░░░ you re going to ░░░░░░░░ 1 5 billion people ░░░░░░░░ entering the United States ░░░░░░░░ because of the God ░░░░░░░░ worshiped I can t ░░░░░░░░ a part of that ░░░░░░░░ or that party For ░░░░░░░░ it might have been ░░░░░░░░ For others it might ░░░░░░░░ been when he was ░░░░░░░░ out fascist videos How ░░░░░░░░ you look past that ░░░░░░░░ you are a Republican ░░░░░░░░ Joe as you know ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump the candidate ░░░░░░░░ you call a Muslim ░░░░░░░░ actually put into play ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump the president ░░░░░░░░ a Muslim ban it ░░░░░░░░ moratorium Not a ban ░░░░░░░░ dangerous people coming from ░░░░░░░░ places with failed governments ░░░░░░░░ that changed to the ░░░░░░░░ where maybe it is ░░░░░░░░ little bit more palatable ░░░░░░░░ But Eric BOLLING And ░░░░░░░░ Supreme Court ended up ░░░░░░░░ with it SCARBOROUGH But ░░░░░░░░ BOLLING Yes SCARBOROUGH In ░░░░░░░░ 2015 Donald Trump wasn ░░░░░░░░ talking about seven countries ░░░░░░░░ was talking about all ░░░░░░░░ And my question then ░░░░░░░░ is this what Germany ░░░░░░░░ like in 1932 1933 ░░░░░░░░ Trump if he had ░░░░░░░░ way would have banned ░░░░░░░░ 5 billion people He ░░░░░░░░ t do it for ░░░░░░░░ reasons but wasn t ░░░░░░░░ a time for Republicans ░░░░░░░░ stand up and say ░░░░░░░░ want no part of ░░░░░░░░ guy BOLLING Well they ░░░░░░░░ They had the opportunity ░░░░░░░░ do that Joe in ░░░░░░░░ of 2016 They said ░░░░░░░░ masse We do want ░░░░░░░░ guy and we want ░░░░░░░░ guy to represent us ░░░░░░░░ what ended up in ░░░░░░░░ you talk about the ░░░░░░░░ ban becoming a six ░░░░░░░░ seven country ban that ░░░░░░░░ Obama s own State ░░░░░░░░ put into play he ░░░░░░░░ enforced it And if ░░░░░░░░ has a problem with ░░░░░░░░ then yes for me ░░░░░░░░ a conservative I will ░░░░░░░░ that because it is ░░░░░░░░ the true nature of ░░░░░░░░ America safe the intent ░░░░░░░░ what that legislation would ░░░░░░░░ or that law would ░░░░░░░░ SCARBOROUGH What about Charlottesville ░░░░░░░░ But what we get ░░░░░░░░ I can t defend ░░░░░░░░ I cannot defend Charlottesville ░░░░░░░░ than it was a ░░░░░░░░ in listen I agree ░░░░░░░░ you that was ugly ░░░░░░░░ was ugly what was ░░░░░░░░ on in Charlottesville and ░░░░░░░░ s no time to ░░░░░░░░ up for that SCARBOROUGH ░░░░░░░░ about when he denied ░░░░░░░░ who David Duke was ░░░░░░░░ when he denied knowing ░░░░░░░░ the Ku Klux Klan ░░░░░░░░ done the Sunday before ░░░░░░░░ Tuesday BOLLING He s ░░░░░░░░ a fluffy soft lovable ░░░░░░░░ But guess what The ░░░░░░░░ of the world knows ░░░░░░░░ same thing SCARBOROUGH That ░░░░░░░░ racist though isn t ░░░░░░░░ BOLLING What s that ░░░░░░░░ Isn t that racist ░░░░░░░░ s a difference between ░░░░░░░░ being soft and fluffy ░░░░░░░░ being BOLLING Fair enough ░░░░░░░░ Fair enough To the ░░░░░░░░ population that would look ░░░░░░░░ it is racist SCARBOORUGH ░░░░░░░░ you can t criticize ░░░░░░░░ Ku Klux Klan that ░░░░░░░░ a problem SYKES Can ░░░░░░░░ weigh in on this ░░░░░░░░ Joe you and I ░░░░░░░░ know Donald Trump personally ░░░░░░░░ will tell you unequivalently ░░░░░░░░ man is not racist ░░░░░░░░ is not a racist ░░░░░░░░ know him We can ░░░░░░░░ him with a racist ░░░░░░░░ if we don t ░░░░░░░░ his policy but that ░░░░░░░░ not who the man ░░░░░░░░ When you dig deep ░░░░░░░░ the guy we know ░░░░░░░░ is not racist SYKES ░░░░░░░░ you know part of ░░░░░░░░ is what are you ░░░░░░░░ to accept You know ░░░░░░░░ much of the racism ░░░░░░░░ much of the xenophobia ░░░░░░░░ much of the anti ░░░░░░░░ bias how much of ░░░░░░░░ treatment of women I ░░░░░░░░ when conservatives said character ░░░░░░░░ I remember when conservatives ░░░░░░░░ have united behind you ░░░░░░░░ a hard line on ░░░░░░░░ Russian attack If Barack ░░░░░░░░ had behaved the way ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump behaved last ░░░░░░░░ Eric Bolling s head ░░░░░░░░ have exploded BOLLING I ░░░░░░░░ Barack Obama did lean ░░░░░░░░ and said Don t ░░░░░░░░ when I get my ░░░░░░░░ term I will have ░░░░░░░░ leeway to deal with ░░░░░░░░ SYKES And we criticized ░░░░░░░░ Charlie SYKES Can you ░░░░░░░░ me finish We criticized ░░░░░░░░ It is the reversal ░░░░░░░░ the position It is ░░░░░░░░ reversal of positions on ░░░░░░░░ trade on American leadership ░░░░░░░░ character on corruption Because ░░░░░░░░ cult of personality look ░░░░░░░░ understand that Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ I understand you are ░░░░░░░░ a lot of what ░░░░░░░░ want but the transformation ░░░░░░░░ the conservative movement what ░░░░░░░░ is doing to American ░░░░░░░░ culture that is also ░░░░░░░░ dramatic price that we ░░░░░░░░ paying BOLLING Charlie you ░░░░░░░░ right There is a ░░░░░░░░ conservative movement in town ░░░░░░░░ guess what Get used ░░░░░░░░ it Elections have consequences ░░░░░░░░ Trump is the new ░░░░░░░░ movement SCARBOROUGH Hey hey ░░░░░░░░ at a time one ░░░░░░░░ a time Let s ░░░░░░░░ to Willie with the ░░░░░░░░ question GEIST Charlie I ░░░░░░░░ want to follow up ░░░░░░░░ look at some of ░░░░░░░░ data that we ve ░░░░░░░░ lately The argument you ░░░░░░░░ making and the argument ░░░░░░░░ national Review is making ░░░░░░░░ be compelling to a ░░░░░░░░ of people it is ░░░░░░░░ compelling to Republicans Donald ░░░░░░░░ now is rivaling George ░░░░░░░░ Bush after 9 11 ░░░░░░░░ terms of his popularity ░░░░░░░░ his own party Do ░░░░░░░░ think it will be ░░░░░░░░ to anyone SYKES It ░░░░░░░░ The Weekly Standard Well ░░░░░░░░ there s no question ░░░░░░░░ it but right now ░░░░░░░░ Republican Party is Donald ░░░░░░░░ s party There s ░░░░░░░░ question about it Those ░░░░░░░░ us who are conservative ░░░░░░░░ critics are very much ░░░░░░░░ the wilderness there is ░░░░░░░░ question about it This ░░░░░░░░ a party that has ░░░░░░░░ from being you know ░░░░░░░░ party of ideas to ░░░░░░░░ the party of Fox ░░░░░░░░ And I understand that ░░░░░░░░ is one of the ░░░░░░░░ I m making the ░░░░░░░░ to conservatives you know ░░░░░░░░ are you Are you ░░░░░░░░ to basically take the ░░░░░░░░ that you want but ░░░░░░░░ least draw a line ░░░░░░░░ say we re not ░░░░░░░░ With every passing week ░░░░░░░░ s going to become ░░░░░░░░ for Republicans to say ░░░░░░░░ know we re not ░░░░░░░░ the other way on ░░░░░░░░ harassment and sexual misconduct ░░░░░░░░ are not the party ░░░░░░░░ looks the other way ░░░░░░░░ racist dog whistles We ░░░░░░░░ not the other party ░░░░░░░░ accepts this kind of ░░░░░░░░ or the appeasement of ░░░░░░░░ Russians because with every ░░░░░░░░ week that in fact ░░░░░░░░ who they are and ░░░░░░░░ is a real long ░░░░░░░░ existential danger to the ░░░░░░░░ Party and conservative movement ░░░░░░░░ You know it s ░░░░░░░░ a real existential danger ░░░░░░░░ the Republican Party and ░░░░░░░░ new conservative movement low ░░░░░░░░ for African Americans low ░░░░░░░░ for women Across the ░░░░░░░░ record lows Business attitude ░░░░░░░░ forward is positive And ░░░░░░░░ s not forget one ░░░░░░░░ Charlie It is not ░░░░░░░░ the Supreme Court Justices ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump the Republican ░░░░░░░░ won who no one ░░░░░░░░ could beat Hillary won ░░░░░░░░ putting in place it ░░░░░░░░ all of the federal ░░░░░░░░ as well If you ░░░░░░░░ a conservative you have ░░░░░░░░ at least say I ░░░░░░░░ what he s doing ░░░░░░░░ the federal judge and ░░░░░░░░ Court level or guess ░░░░░░░░ you re not conservative ░░░░░░░░ All right guys Thank ░░░░░░░░ so much Round two ░░░░░░░░ really appreciate it Sorry ░░░░░░░░ our sort of The ░░░░░░░░ on the loop but ░░░░░░░░ ll get it Willie ░░░░░░░░ will get it together ░░░░░░░░ the third segment of ░░░░░░░░ versus Bolling We ll ░░░░░░░░ that one the Thrilla ░░░░░░░░ Manila and we ll ░░░░░░░░ it right So thank ░░░░░░░░ guys...”