Mika Brzezinski Throws Cold Water on Ron DeSantis’s GOP Debate Prospects: He Needs to ‘Get a Personality’

“HE NEEDS TO BE NICE.”

In an exchange that reads like an Aaron Sorkin screwball comedy, MSNBC’s Morning Joe co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough offered up some analysis of the upcoming GOP presidential debate that soon devolved into a lashing of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Now that former President Donald Trump is out of the picture, choosing to skip the debate in favor of a sit-down with Tucker Carlson, Morning Joe welcomed guest Matt Lewis, senior columnist at The Daily Beast, to see who could have the best showing at the debate. As the candidate most often in second place, the conversation turned to DeSantis — and then it turned to DeSantis’ personality. And Brzezinski’s apparent disdain for the Florida governor was suddenly impossible to conceal:

Lewis: I don’t want to say close the deal, but how about open the deal, too? To make himself a viable alternative. Can he do it? I am skeptical, but the ball’s in his court.

Scarborough: Yeah, the ball’s in his court.

Brzezinski: I mean, he’s going to have to, I don’t know, between now and tomorrow night, get a personality. I’m serious.

Scarborough: Well, I mean, you know, there’s a lot to be said–

Brzezinski: I’m not joking at all.

Scarborough: Blocking and tackling. I would say–

Brzezinski: He’s kind of rude.

Scarborough: I’d say actually talk about issues that actually matter to mainstream Republicans.

Brzezinski: Be kind.

Scarborough: Yeah. Try not to…

Brzezinski: Try not to yell at people, and be rude. Try not to focus on these really, really, really wedge issues in the state of Florida that don’t mean anything to the rest of the country. Try to explain your six-week abortion ban. I mean, well, if Ron DeSantis is the next guy that’s… We got a… We’ve got a long way to go.

Scarborough: I mean, I don’t think Ron will be coming to you for debate prep.

Brzezinski: Fortunately for him.

Scarborough: Fortunately for him, in an Iowa Republican debate.

Brzezinski: HE NEEDS TO BE NICE.

Scarborough: Be nice. That’s a good place to start.

Watch the video above via MSNBC.