History of Morning Joe in Timeline

Morning Joe is a daily American news talk show on MSNBC, hosted by Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist. Airing weekdays from 6-10 am ET, the program features panel discussions on current events with recurring and guest commentators. The show experienced a brief hiatus in July 2024 due to the attempted assassination of former President Trump, resuming broadcasts shortly after.

2000: Camp David Summit

The 2000 Camp David Summit was a peace summit hosted by US President Bill Clinton at Camp David. The summit aimed to reach a final agreement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

April 9, 2007: Morning Joe Debuts as a Fill-in Program

On April 9, 2007, Morning Joe premiered as a temporary replacement for the canceled Imus in the Morning. The show featured Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and John Ridley as co-hosts.

April 2007: Morning Joe is Created After Imus in the Morning Cancellation

Following the cancellation of Don Imus' Imus in the Morning in April 2007, Morning Joe was conceived as a replacement. Joe Scarborough, host of Scarborough Country, proposed the concept of a morning show, collaborating with Chris Licht and John Ridley to develop the program.

July 2007: Morning Joe Becomes Permanent Replacement for Imus in the Morning

Morning Joe permanently replaced Imus in the Morning in July 2007, solidifying its position as a fixture in MSNBC's morning lineup, though the official announcement wouldn't be made until October.

January 9, 2008: Chris Matthews Makes Controversial Remarks about Hillary Clinton

On January 9, 2008, following Hillary Clinton's victory in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, Chris Matthews, appearing on Morning Joe, made controversial remarks, suggesting that Clinton's political success was solely due to her husband's infidelity. These comments sparked widespread criticism and were deemed sexist and unfair by numerous media personalities.

January 17, 2008: Matthews Apologizes for Sexist Remarks

Following his controversial remarks about Hillary Clinton on Morning Joe, Chris Matthews issued an apology on January 17, 2008, during an episode of his own MSNBC show, Hardball, addressing the widespread criticism of his previous comments.

November 10, 2008: Scarborough's On-Air Profanity Leads to Seven-Second Delay

On November 10, 2008, Joe Scarborough accidentally swore on live television while reading a story about President-elect Obama's incoming Chief of Staff. This incident led to MSNBC implementing a seven-second delay for "Morning Joe."

December 2008: Morning Joe Launches Radio Version

A radio adaptation of Morning Joe premiered in December 2008, broadcast on WABC in New York City and other Citadel Media stations. Hosted by Scarborough and Brzezinski, "The Joe Scarborough Show" (renamed for legal purposes) rebroadcast key segments from the television program.

December 30, 2008: Zbigniew Brzezinski Criticizes Scarborough's Knowledge of Camp David Summit

During a discussion about the Israel-Palestine crisis on December 30, 2008, Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor, criticized Joe Scarborough's understanding of the 2000 Camp David Summit.

June 1, 2009: "Morning Joe" Partners with Starbucks

"Morning Joe" began a sponsorship deal with Starbucks on June 1, 2009, incorporating the coffee giant's logo into the show's branding.

June 3, 2009: Jon Stewart Mocks Starbucks Sponsorship, Sparking Feud with Scarborough

On June 3, 2009, Jon Stewart, host of "The Daily Show," satirized "Morning Joe's" Starbucks sponsorship, prompting a back-and-forth between Stewart and Scarborough.

July 27, 2009: Willie Geist Debuts "Way Too Early"

Willie Geist, co-host of Morning Joe, launched his own 30-minute show, "Way Too Early," on July 27, 2009. Airing on MSNBC at 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time, it served as a lead-in to Morning Joe.

October 8, 2009: Scarborough and Limbaugh Exchange Barbs Over Obama and Bush

Joe Scarborough and Rush Limbaugh engaged in a public disagreement, with Limbaugh criticizing Scarborough's stance on President Obama and Scarborough accusing Limbaugh of blind loyalty to former President Bush.

2009: Morning Joe Earns Higher Ratings in Key Demographic

In the first quarter of 2009, Morning Joe outperformed CNN's American Morning in the 25-54 age demographic, indicating growing popularity among that viewer segment. However, it maintained a lower overall viewership compared to Fox & Friends.

March 2010: Morning Joe Surpasses Cable News Competitors in Ratings

By March 2010, while still trailing Fox & Friends in ratings, Morning Joe had surpassed other cable news morning shows like American Morning, Morning Express with Robin Meade, and Squawk Box, establishing itself as a strong competitor in the cable news landscape.

April 2010: Morning Joe Radio Version Put on Hiatus

Despite decent ratings, the radio version of Morning Joe, "The Joe Scarborough Show," was put on hold in April 2010. Scarborough expressed intentions to revive the show in a revised three-hour format in the future.

June 29, 2011: Halperin's "Dick" Comment Sparks Controversy

On June 29, 2011, Mark Halperin referred to President Obama as "kind of a dick" on air, leading to an on-air apology and a temporary suspension from MSNBC.

June 30, 2011: Halperin Suspended from MSNBC

Following his controversial remark about President Obama on June 29, 2011, Mark Halperin was temporarily suspended from appearing on MSNBC.

October 2012: Willie Geist Exits "Way Too Early" to Co-Host NBC's Today

Willie Geist left "Way Too Early" in October 2012 to take on a co-hosting role on the third hour of NBC's Today. He would later return as a co-host of Morning Joe.

June 17, 2013: Russell Brand Calls Out "Morning Joe" Hosts During Viral Interview

Russell Brand made headlines on June 17, 2013, when he criticized the "Morning Joe" hosts during a live interview, accusing them of unprofessionalism.

2013: Morning Joe and MSNBC Experience Brief Ratings Dip Behind CNN

Morning Joe consistently ranked second to Fox & Friends in viewership and appealed to a younger demographic, surpassing other cable news rivals like CNN's New Day. However, in 2013, Morning Joe, along with MSNBC, briefly fell behind their CNN counterparts in ratings.

2013: Starbucks Sponsorship of "Morning Joe" Ends

The sponsorship agreement between Starbucks and "Morning Joe" concluded in 2013.

August 8, 2016: "First Look" Replaces "Way Too Early," Becomes "Morning Joe First Look"

On August 8, 2016, MSNBC's existing early morning program, "First Look," expanded into the 5:00 a.m. time slot previously occupied by "Way Too Early." The rebranded show, "Morning Joe First Look," incorporated segments from "Way Too Early" and aimed to provide continuity with Morning Joe.

2016: Chicago's Failed Olympic Bid Sparks Political Debate

The failure of Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics ignited a political debate, with figures like Joe Scarborough and Rush Limbaugh expressing differing views.

2016: "Morning Joe" Hosts Draw Criticism for Support of Trump

The hosts of "Morning Joe" faced backlash for their perceived favorable coverage of then-candidate Donald Trump, with critics accusing them of being too cozy with the future president.

May 4, 2017: Scarborough and Brzezinski Announce Engagement, SNL Parody Follows

On May 4, 2017, an MSNBC spokesperson confirmed the engagement of Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. This news was followed by a Saturday Night Live parody of their on-air dynamic, with Kate McKinnon and Alex Moffat portraying the couple.

May 2017: Morning Joe Achieves Milestone Viewership

May 2017 marked a significant milestone for Morning Joe as it achieved an average of over one million daily viewers for the first time in its history, underscoring its growing popularity and influence.

June 2017: Trump Engages in Public Feud with "Morning Joe" Hosts

In June 2017, President Trump launched a series of personal attacks against Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on Twitter, sparking a public feud and widespread condemnation for the nature of his comments.

November 2018: Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski Marry

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-hosts of Morning Joe, were married in November 2018.

September 2020: "Way Too Early" is Revived with Kasie Hunt

September 2020 saw the revival of "Way Too Early" with Kasie Hunt as the new host. However, Hunt departed for CNN a few months later.

2021: Jonathan Lemire Takes Over as Host of "Way Too Early"

By 2021, Jonathan Lemire became the host of "Way Too Early," taking over the role following Kasie Hunt's departure.

February 2022: Morning Joe Expands to a Fourth Hour

In February 2022, MSNBC revealed its decision to extend Morning Joe by an hour, adding a fourth hour starting on April 4th. This expansion replaced MSNBC Reports with Stephanie Ruhle, as she transitioned to host The 11th Hour.

March 10, 2022: On-Demand Morning Joe Episodes Available on Peacock

On March 10, 2022, MSNBC announced that episodes of Morning Joe, along with other MSNBC shows, would be available for on-demand streaming on the Peacock platform, expanding the show's reach to a new audience.

February 11, 2023: "Morning Joe: Weekend" Premieres

MSNBC introduced "Morning Joe: Weekend" on February 11, 2023. The show, airing every Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. ET, recaps notable moments from the week's episodes of Morning Joe. As of January 13th, the show extended to both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

April 17, 2023: Joe Scarborough to Host Primetime Special

On April 17, 2023, MSNBC announced Joe Scarborough would host a primetime special titled "Joe Scarborough Presents."

April 24, 2023: "Joe Scarborough Presents" Premieres with High-Profile Interviews

Joe Scarborough's primetime special, "Joe Scarborough Presents," premiered on April 24, 2023, temporarily taking over the 8 p.m. slot of "All In with Chris Hayes." Scarborough interviewed prominent figures such as President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

May 8, 2023: Scarborough Hosts Second Primetime Special

Joe Scarborough hosted a second installment of his primetime special on May 8, 2023, featuring interviews with U.S. Senator John Fetterman, Shonda Rhimes, and Tyler Perry.

July 17, 2023: Scarborough Hosts Third Primetime Special

For his third primetime special on July 17, 2023, Joe Scarborough interviewed a cast of notable figures, including Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr.

July 14, 2024: Morning Joe Temporarily Replaced Due to Coverage of Attempted Assassination

During the coverage of the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump, MSNBC replaced Morning Joe with a simulcast of NBC News NOW's morning show, Morning News NOW, on July 14, 2024.

July 15, 2024: Morning Joe Temporarily Pulled Off Air

On July 15, 2024, Morning Joe was temporarily taken off air following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

July 16, 2024: Morning Joe Returns to Air

Morning Joe returned to its regular programming on July 16, 2024, after a brief hiatus due to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.