Mika Brzezinski apologizes after calling Mike Pompeo 'a wannabe dictator's butt boy' on 'Morning Joe'
Mika Brzezinski is apologizing for her poor “choice of words” on Wednesday’s Morning Joe.
During a segment this morning, the MSNBC host went after Mike Pompeo for his response to the murder of Saudi journalist and Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi, calling the secretary of state a “wannabe dictator’s butt boy.”
Pompeo angered Brzezinski in his appearance on Fox & Friends where he continued to downplay the CIA’s conclusion that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal killing of Khashoggi. (Even the Fox News hosts didn’t seem to buy Pompeo’s assessment of the murder.)
“I understand that Donald Trump doesn’t care,” Brzezinski said on-air. “But why doesn’t Mike Pompeo care right now? Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard, when he appeared on Fox & Friends, is that a patriot speaking? Or a wannabe dictator’s butt boy? I’m dead serious. I’m asking: Are these the words of a patriot?”
It appeared that the network tried — and failed — to edit out Brzezinski’s comment before it aired. In a clip posted to Twitter, you can see that MSNBC did not transcribe her remark in the closed captioning.
.@morningmika just asked if Mike Pompeo is a “wannabe dictator’s butt boy,” as homophobic a term as I’ve heard on national morning television. @MSNBC tried and failed to censor it, and did not transcribe her remark in the closed captioning. #journalism pic.twitter.com/3zK7H8evjh
— G.E. Anderson (@g_e_anderson) December 12, 2018
But the damage was done — Brzezinski’s statement was quickly deemed homophobic and lit up social media.
Imagine the wrath and boycott calls a @FoxNews host would face for making similar gay slurs.https://t.co/7iAxRlgvbX
— Angelo (@angelo100) December 12, 2018
Mika Brzezinski hurls homophobic slur live on air as she refers to Mike Pompeo as a ‘wannabe dictator’s butt boy’ https://t.co/VFh88BnPFi
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) December 12, 2018
I believe Mika Brzezinski just referred to Mike Pompeo as a “wannabe dictator’s buttboy.” 🤨
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) December 12, 2018
This “butt boy” comment could be problematic for Mika. Good news for her is that Colbert made similar comments some dubbed homophobic last year and no reprimand came. Smart money here is apology and no consequences. https://t.co/NSDGdkwnfW
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) December 12, 2018
Did @morningmika just say “Butt Boy” #MSNBC @Morning_Joe A little slow on the bleep button.
— Art Maggot (@ArtMaggot) December 12, 2018
Brzezinski apologized on Twitter for her “SUPER BAD choice of words” after the show.
Totally agree with you -SUPER BAD choice of words .. I should have said “water boy”… like for football teams or something like that.. apologize to @SenatorDurbin too! SO SORRY! https://t.co/zIqsGdK3Tk
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) December 12, 2018
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
