The Official Mike Barnicle Website

Trump’s “self-inflicted wound”

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:51:17 +0000

“He’s the victim of a huge self-inflicted wound. He went from being a charming maître d’—that’s who he was, whomever he met, wherever he met them….He always had a compliment for you. No matter who you were, he’d make it up. He’d make you feel better. Smiling, seemingly always happy; but underneath that—pssshhew! This what we have today,” says veteran columnist Mike Barnicle during this Morning Joe conversation with Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist and Donny Deutsch about President Donald Trump’s claim that he doesn’t call people names or mock people, despite his long history of using insulting nicknames for political opponents, members of the media, and others. Watch this discussion of the two contrasting sides of Trump’s personality—from the delightful, personable figure they knew before politics to the combative persona he has embraced as president.

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The happiness disconnect

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 21:44:31 +0000

Social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt joins Morning Joe to revisit his influential book “The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom,” which explores what ancient philosophical teachings and modern psychology reveal about happiness, human relationships and living a meaningful life. The conversation turns to how technology is reshaping human connection and what we risk losing as face-to-face interactions give way to digital communication. “One of the losses that you never hear talked about is eye contact, and eye contact leads to conversation, and it seems to have been a disappearing facet of our behavior,” observes veteran columnist Mike Barnicle. Hear Haidt break down the importance of real-world interactions and why meaningful human connection matters more than ever.

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Are You Better Off?

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:58:38 +0000

With the midterm elections just weeks away, are your elected officials paying attention to the issues that matter most to you? “You have no frame of reference for how the average person in your district or your state lives,” says Mike Barnicle on Morning Joe, questioning whether lawmakers understand the everyday challenges facing their constituents. The conversation comes as new Fox News polling shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating at 36%, with just 18% of voters saying their families are better off financially than two years ago.

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POTUS press secretary history

Mike Barnicle — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:40:16 +0000

With President Donald Trump naming Katie Zacharia as his new White House press secretary, tune in to this Morning Joe conversation as Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Jonathan Lemire and Mike Barnicle reflect on some of the most memorable people to hold the job—from Bill Moyers and Tony Snow to Jen Psaki, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Karoline Leavitt. Watch the conversation and join the discussion.

The post POTUS press secretary history first appeared on The Official Mike Barnicle Website.

Happy Birthday Mike!

Mike Barnicle — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:40:36 +0000

Tune in as Jonathan Lemire wishes Mike Barnicle a very happy birthday from his Morning Joe family!

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Rahm Emanuel: I kicked myself in the butt

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:11:11 +0000

Tune in to this Morning Joe conversation as former Chicago mayor and U.S. ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel shares what he learned during a recent visit to Louisiana, where he toured schools to examine the state’s nationally recognized gains in student achievement. “One thing that is not mentioned a whole lot in any of the campaigns—that you sort of half listened to—is a very important issue to many people: Their children and their education,” says veteran columnist Mike Barnicle. Hear Emanuel explain how consistency in teacher training, curriculum and accountability has contributed to Louisiana’s educational progress—and why he “kicked myself in the butt for not having done this in Chicago.”

The post Rahm Emanuel: I kicked myself in the butt first appeared on The Official Mike Barnicle Website.

Michael Douglas breaks free

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:06:51 +0000

“Reading the book, it struck me it’s not a Hollywood memoir. You know, it’s a story about several different lives, yours principally, and all of the things that you went through with your father, the relationship with your father, the difficulties with your son, and straightening that out to a certain point; and your cancer, where you thought you were going to die. In writing this book, was there an element of ‘I’m free now, I’m free to do this?’” asks veteran columnist Mike Barnicle of Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas, who joined Morning Joe to discuss his new memoir, “One Helluva Ride.” Hear Douglas talk about that freedom he was afforded.

The post Michael Douglas breaks free first appeared on The Official Mike Barnicle Website.

Postseason Predictions

Mike Barnicle — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:30:42 +0000

Watch this Morning Joe conversation as Willie Geist, Jonathan Lemire, John Heilemann and Mike Barnicle break down the latest MLB postseason action—from the San Diego Padres staving off elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers taking control of their series against the Atlanta Braves to the New York Yankees’ uphill battle against the Tampa Bay Rays to keep their season alive. “I think Tampa Bay comes out of the American League as the American League champions, and it’s Brewers versus Tampa Bay,” says Barnicle as he predicts the 2026 World Series matchup. What’s your prediction?

The post Postseason Predictions first appeared on The Official Mike Barnicle Website.

Trump: No Rush on Iran

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:55:58 +0000

Watch this Morning Joe conversation with TIME senior political correspondent Eric Cortellessa who joins the panel to discuss his wide-ranging, 75-minute interview with President Donald Trump at the White House. “Eric, did he speak at all about the issue of this ongoing war with Iran and the negotiators—Witkoff and Kushner—and the fact that nothing seems to ever get done here?” asks veteran columnist Mike Barnicle. Hear Cortellessa breakdown Trump’s comment that there isn’t “any rush” to end the war with Iran.

The post Trump: No Rush on Iran first appeared on The Official Mike Barnicle Website.

It’s the economy, stupid

Mike Barnicle — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:53:22 +0000

Join the Morning Joe panel conversation about a new AP-NORC poll showing that just 17 percent of Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s handling of the cost of living and only 26 percent approve of his handling of the economy overall, with the midterm elections one month away. “The big driver in this election is anger—anger at what’s going on around them, anger because they know what’s going on around them. Gas and groceries are their existence and every time you see the president of the United States, more often than not, he’s surrounded by billionaires. That’s his crowd. That’s where he goes,” says Mike Barnicle.

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