MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough rejects liberal meltdown for meeting with Trump: ‘Massive disconnect’

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough responded to social media criticism Tuesday of his meeting with President-elect Donald Trump and said there was a “massive disconnect” between social media and real life.

“Yesterday, I saw for the first time what a massive disconnect there was between social media and the real world, because we were inundated with calls from people all day, literally all over the world, all very positive, very supportive, ‘I I understand what you did, etc,” Scarborough said.

Scarborough, along with his wife and host Mika Brzezinski, revealed Monday that they met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday.

“But every now and then I’d get a text or a call from someone saying, ‘Oh, man, I hope you’re okay,'” Scarborough added Tuesday, referring to the criticism the pair received on social media.

“We’re all going to do the best we can and we’re all working toward a better America,” Scarborough said.

Brzezinksi added, “Take it day by day, folks.”

Brzezinksi explained Monday that the hosts wanted to reopen communications with the president-elect, despite being some of his biggest critics in the media.

“Joe and I realized it’s time to do something different, and that starts not just talking about Donald Trump, but with him,” she said.

“Make no mistake,” Scarborough added. “We are not here to defend or normalize Donald Trump. We’re here to report on it and hopefully provide you with insights that will better equip us all to understand these deeply troubling times.”

“The View” co-hosts Ana Navarro and Sunny Hostin were critical of the meeting on Monday after Hostin suggested the pair were not real journalists.

“I think there are a lot of people who are probably looking at what Joe and Mika did and see it as opportunistic. There are people who change their stripes, or maybe spots, I should say, today, depending on who is in power and what benefits. I don’t know that this is what they are doing, and for me, it is a situation that will be determined, because now is the transition, “said Navarro.

“We don’t know what he will do as president. We don’t know what they will do if he abuses his power as president. So, you know, everybody has to live with their decision. Everyone should look at themselves in the mirror. I’m fine,” she added.

Hostin said she didn’t think it was necessary to go and “kiss his ring” to be able to properly cover Trump.

“I don’t think you have to sit for 90 minutes at Mar-a-Lago and kiss his ring to be able to tell the truth and be able to cover a story,” she said. “So maybe they are not journalists in the true sense. Maybe they’re saying they’re opinion journalists, but we have to remember that Trump is the guy who ushered in the age of fake news.”