'The guy is just not there': Morning Joe hosts baffled by 'bizarre' Trump rally rant

The co-hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" kicked off Monday morning by expressing bafflement and amusement that Donald Trump went on an extended riff at his Saturday New Jersey rally praising a fictional cannibal.

During an attack on migrants before a crowd of his adoring MAGA fans, the former president segued into honoring Hannibal Lector, the central villain in a series of books by author Thomas Harris, including the bestseller "The Silence of the Lambs."

“Has anyone ever seen ‘The Silence of the Lambs’? The late, great Hannibal Lecter. He’s a wonderful man,” Trump rambled before adding, "“He often times would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? ‘Excuse me, I’m about to have a friend for dinner,’ as this poor doctor walked by. ‘I’m about to have a friend for dinner.’ But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter.”

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After watching the clip, MSNBC co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough seemed stunned.

"Donald Trump over the weekend in New Jersey, of all places, in New Jersey praising a fictional serial killer," Brzezinski began, with Scarborough suggesting, "This is exactly, Mika, this is why the Biden campaign desperately wants to see more bizarre moments like this during trump's rallies."

"I promise you, they're more upset Donald Trump is in trial right now than Donald Trump, because they know when he goes out on the road, people see, the guy is just not there," he added. "He is celebrating a fictional character there who — one of the most grotesque, horrifying people of movie history. "

"By the way, " he continued. "If you're going to a rally like that, why are you cheering that on? What can you be thinking at that rally other than, this doesn't make sense?"

"That is my point," his co-host pointed out. "This is why I disagree with the concern he is in court rather than on the campaign trail. I think when he is on the campaign trail, it is like a cult; they'll agree with anything."

"Less is more, in my opinion," Brzezinski added. "Seeing him in court is seeing him actually having to be accountable."

Watch the video below or at this link.

MSNBC 05 13 2024 06 00 11 youtu.be