Mark Halperin 'Threatened' MSNBC Chief Phil Griffin for Nixing His Comeback

[HipChick]

Disgraced political pundit Mark Halperin was very unhappy when MSNBC brass nixed his attempt to repair his career through a possible collaboration with the stars of Morning Joe. So he picked up the phone and called network chief Phil Griffin.

It did not go well.


Multiple sources tell The Daily Beast that the conversation earlier this year became acrimonious, with Halperin dishing up vague threats against his former boss.MSNBC declined to comment on the episode. But MSNBC insiders said Griffin was furious about the conversation and wouldn’t likely take Halperin’s calls in the future. The hostile exchange was a sign of Halperin’s frustration that his dream of returning to the punditry business—almost two years after numerous women came forward with stories of sexual misconduct—has been thwarted at each turn.
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And then when Halperin’s pals Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski sought to collaborate with him on an online-only MSNBC broadcast analyzing the 2018 midterm elections, network brass shut down the entire plan. The failed scheme caused consternation within the building—“Everybody was going ‘WTF!,’” one MSNBC insider told The Daily Beast—and ultimately led to Halperin’s hostile call with Griffin.

Not only has Halperin’s career revival been curbed by his own ex-employer, it’s been poorly received by the public at large.

[Cracklin Charlie]

1. What was it Halperin called President Obama?

He’s kinda nasty.

[HipChick]

3. Yep...that was him..

Never liked Halperin even before that...

[rsdsharp]

5. Trying to be formal, here

I think he called Obama a "Richard."

[qazplm135]

2. a decent person

would simply go into retirement and not want to be back in the public eye.

[JaneQPublic]

4. Halperin is a scum-bucket.

Not just for sexually assaulting staffers and calling Obama a "dick" (for which MSNBC temporarily suspended him) and apparently having anger management issues even when pleading with superiors to get his job back, but for being a petulant right-wing toady who will gladly twist the facts to defend his beloved GOP.

And shame on Mika & Joe for defending him.

[Gothmog]

12. Agreed-

Scum bucket is a good description for this asshole

[50 Shades Of Blue]

6. Joe & Mika sure have great taste.

[UTUSN]

17. Starting with EACH OTHER!1

[Moostache]

7. I still remember him for June 30, 2011...

To steal from Lethal Weapon 2:
"Who is the dickhead now?"

[HipChick]

8. Lol! Love this!...

[gratuitous]

9. Griffin "wouldn't likely take Halperin's calls in the future"

Never say never. Just come up with a better idea, Mark. Phil Griffin will help rehabilitate you. Your voice must have a national platform as a vital contributor to the scene!

[Gothmog]

10. Halperin does not belong on TV

I am very glad that MSNBC will not put this asshole back on TV

[OnDoutside]

11. Normally I believe in people being rehabilitated, even murderers can do so, but clearly Halperin has

learnt nothing. He's still the smarmy, violent asshole we remember.

[hlthe2b]

15. There is no lack of RW smarmy, condescending pundits--Noah Rothman immediately comes to mind.

but, I guess he's not likely to be caught up in a female sexual harassment scandal, so apparently he's now a Morning "SCHMOE" regular.

[OnDoutside]

20. Don't get me started on Rothman !!!

[CommonSenseMom]

13. Saw him once

at the Boca Raton broadcast of Morning Joe when the 2012 debate was happening at Lynn U. I went very early (pre-dawn) to get a good spot to watch them. All the others, Joe, Mika, Willy, Michael Steele, etc., came out into the crowd outside and talked to us, shook hands, were very nice. Halperin later had to walk through the crowd to get inside for his slotted time & he was so rude to everyone. Wouldn't smile, wouldn't wave - practically sneered at the Morning Joe fans. Can't say it surprised me then, and the news about him since hasn't either. He came across as a real dickhead.

[hlthe2b]

14. Arrogance where only humility can succeed. He surely is not too smart, is he?

[Ilsa]

16. I thought Mika would have shunned this idea.

I'm disappointed that she didn't. I don't even want to think about what Joe Scab was considering.

[hlthe2b]

18. I have little doubt Joe has always sympathized with Halperin's situation...

and I would also suspect he does so because he may have engaged in similar behavior himself--just a suspicion, mind you. Mika, for all her protestations, seems to "go along to get along" far too often.

[aaaaaa5a]

19. I thought Mika was about empowering and helping women?

This is the same woman who joined Joe Scarborough in fawning all over Trump during the 2016 elections. They didn’t turn against him until the crazy man kicked them to the curb. Now we all watch their show and are supposed to forget the hours of great, free, unchallenged publicity they gave Trump during the campaign.

This is just another example of Mika and Morning Joe playing us to be fools.

Sure, Mika is all for helping women as long as she can sell a book on it. But when it comes time to work with creeps... she’s all for it if it will help her ratings.

Mark Halperin not only harassed women in the workplace, but also called Obama a d—ck on live TV.

MSNBC was right to nix the idea.

[HipChick]

21. Seems selective at times..