Morning Joe Episode Summary – January 3, 2025
Hosts: Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, along with Willie Geist
Guests: Eugene Robinson, Ali Vitale, Richard Haass, Jesse Kirsch, Pablo Torre
Release Date: January 3, 2025
I. New Year’s Day Terror Attack in New Orleans
A. Details of the Attack On New Year's Day, a tragic terrorist attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, New Orleans. A 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas drove a pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 individuals and injuring dozens more. The attacker was killed in a subsequent shootout with police. The FBI identified him as a US citizen inspired by ISIS, who had posted five videos on Facebook leading up to the attack. In these videos, he initially expressed intentions to harm his family and friends but shifted focus to what he termed a "war between the believers and the disbelievers."
B. Investigation Findings The investigation revealed that the suspect had planted explosive devices in blue coolers at two locations in the French Quarter hours before the vehicular attack. President Biden addressed these developments, stating:
“The FBI briefed me that as of now, no information, we have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack. They've established that the attacker was the same person who planted the explosives in those ice coolers in two nearby locations...” [04:01]
C. President Biden’s Address President Biden emphasized that the attack appeared to be the work of a lone individual with no broader conspiracy:
“They assess he had a remote detonator in his vehicle to set off those two ice chests.” [04:01]
II. Political Reactions and Fallout
A. Trump and Republicans' Response Former President Donald Trump and his allies have been critical of the Biden administration, falsely attributing the New Orleans attack to inadequate border security. Although Trump hasn’t directly addressed the attack post-event, he criticized Democrats for "open door, open border policies," asserting they have fueled radical Islamic terrorism. House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed similar sentiments during a Fox News interview:
“The New Orleans attack had something to do with the border.” [09:53]
B. House Speaker Mike Johnson's Speaker Election Challenges As the 119th Congress convenes, Speaker Mike Johnson faces opposition from a faction of far-right Republicans. These holdouts are dissatisfied with government spending and Johnson's handling of the recent government funding crisis. The election dynamics are tense, with Johnson needing to secure at least 217 votes to be elected Speaker.
C. Notable Quotes:
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Eugene Robinson:
“The Biden administration has been completely derelict in its duty...” [09:53] -
Richard Haass:
“There are some real issues here. There's the question of the, you know, the local defense preparations or the lack of them...” [10:16] -
Mike Johnson:
“They're making demands and past as prologue shows, they're right to do that...” [16:17] -
Eugene Robinson on Speaker Johnson's Viability:
“Mike Johnson, let's be clear yet again. This terrorist suspect was born in Texas, U.S. citizen...” [10:40]
III. Other National and International News
A. Montenegro’s Gun Ownership Ban Consideration
Montenegro is contemplating a complete ban on gun ownership following a shooting on New Year's Day that resulted in 12 fatalities. President of Montenegro emphasized the need to prevent dangerous individuals from accessing weapons.
B. Federal Court Decision on FCC’s Authority
A federal court has ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lacks the authority to oversee wireless and broadband services, a decision stemming from concerns over potential favoritism in website selection by companies.
C. New York City Mayor’s Residence Break-In
A man broke into Mayor Eric Adams' official residence, Gracie Mansion, stealing a Christmas ornament. The suspect was captured on surveillance video and filmed his intrusion using a cell phone.
D. South Korea’s Standoff with Impeached President
Authorities in South Korea engaged in a five-hour standoff with the security team of the impeached president while attempting to execute an arrest warrant. The president declared martial law last month, complicating the legal proceedings.
E. Ukrainian President Zelensky’s Optimism Regarding Trump’s Presidency
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed optimism that Donald Trump's presidency could lead to an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, citing Trump's unpredictability as a potential advantage against Russian aggressions.
IV. Judicial Confirmations
A. President Biden Celebrates Judicial Achievements President Biden highlighted the confirmation of 235 judges, surpassing the 234 confirmed under former President Trump. This includes one Supreme Court justice. Biden emphasized the diversity and impartiality of his judicial nominees:
“These judges will be independent, they'll be fair, and they'll be impartial and they'll respect the rule of law...” [48:17]
B. Reactions and Criticism Republican leaders, including Mike Johnson, criticized the honors bestowed upon bipartisan figures like Liz Cheney, labeling them as partisan and not representative of their states.
“Liz Cheney does not represent Wyoming anymore. Because of that, Trump backed [her] primary challenger to push her out for investigating an attack on the Capitol.” [30:44]
V. Presidential Citizens Medal Awards
A. Award Ceremony Highlights President Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Congressman Bennie Thompson and former Congresswoman Liz Cheney for their bipartisan investigation into the January 6th insurrection. The ceremony was met with standing ovations for both honorees.
“Our democracy begins and ends with the duties of citizenship. That's our work for the ages.” [29:16]
B. Political Reactions Republicans, particularly those aligned with Trump, vehemently opposed the awards, viewing Cheney’s recognition as a partisan gesture.
VI. Sports Segment
A. College Football Playoffs Notre Dame delivered a stunning upset against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Fighting Irish scored 17 points in just 54 seconds of game time, overcoming Georgia's initial lead.
Quotes and Analysis:
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Eugene Robinson:
“Notre Dame is this. There's always been like a Dallas Cowboys dynamic here...” [35:54] -
Richard Haass:
“If it's Notre Dame against Ohio State as it looks, hard to complain.” [38:54]
B. NFL Updates The episode covered various NFL topics, including notable Pro Bowl snubs like Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield. Additionally, significant regular-season games impacting playoff seedings were discussed, highlighting the intense competition between teams like the Lions and Vikings.
VII. Upcoming Segments
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International Politics:
Discussion on Ukrainian President Zelensky’s views on Trump's potential impact on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. -
Sports Previews:
Analysis of upcoming College Football Playoff semifinal matchups and NFL game highlights. -
Political Strategy:
Interviews with Democratic strategists James Carville and former Governor Terry McAuliffe on the state of the Democratic Party and strategies for the upcoming elections.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
-
President Joe Biden:
“They assess he had a remote detonator in his vehicle to set off those two ice chests.” [04:01] -
Eugene Robinson:
“The Biden administration has been completely derelict in its duty...” [09:53] -
Richard Haass:
“There are some real issues here. There's the question of the, you know, the local defense preparations or the lack of them...” [10:16] -
Mike Johnson:
“They're making demands and past as prologue shows, they're right to do that...” [16:17] -
President Joe Biden at Medal Ceremony:
“These judges will be independent, they'll be fair, and they'll be impartial and they'll respect the rule of law...” [48:17]
This comprehensive summary captures the essential discussions, insights, and conclusions from the January 3, 2025 episode of Morning Joe. From the tragic events in New Orleans to the intricate political maneuverings in Washington, and notable developments in sports, the episode provided a thorough analysis of the day's most significant stories.