Stand By Your Man

"Morning Joe's" Willie Geist did not read this NYT letter to the editor in the segment "News You Can't Use":

Defending Joe Scarborough

To the Editor:

I was disappointed to read “Gov. Paterson’s Performance” (editorial, May 9), which characterized Joe Scarborough as a “leader in the Republican attack squad.”

My television and radio co-host has spent the last five years being equally tough on Republican and Democratic leaders in Washington. Joe was one of the first TV reporters to criticize the Bush White House during Hurricane Katrina. And while others were writing of a permanent Republican majority, Joe was predicting the collapse of the G.O.P. because of its reckless economic policies.

On our TV and radio programs, and also in his latest book, Joe urges his party to be more moderate in temperament and more accepting of dissent from leaders like former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.

Joe’s evenhanded approach angers harsh ideologues on both sides. Last week, he was attacked by right-wing hosts for being too open-minded, and now by your liberal editorial page.

This liberal thinks The New York Times should follow Joe Scarborough’s example of speaking truth to power — regardless of which party is in power.

Mika Brzezinski
New York, May 11, 2009