Scarborough on Giuliani: "America's Mayor ... will endorse John McCain"

Summary: On Morning Joe and MSNBC Live, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski referred to Rudy Giuliani as "America's Mayor," in the context of Giuliani's departure from the presidential race and reported endorsement of Sen. John McCain. Media figures have repeatedly touted Giuliani's reputation as "America's Mayor" since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, despite criticism over his actions before and after the attacks.

On the January 30 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, co-host Joe Scarborough continued to refer to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as "America's Mayor," this time in the context of Giuliani's departure from the 2008 presidential race and reported endorsement of Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) presidential bid. Co-host Mika Brzezinski also used the term "America's Mayor" to describe Giuliani.

Media figures have repeatedly touted Giuliani's reputation as "America's Mayor" since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, despite criticism over his actions before and after the attacks. Media Matters for America recently released a video compilation of references to Giuliani as "America's Mayor" by Fox News anchors, correspondents, and contributors.

From the January 30 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

SCARBOROUGH: Of course, last night, John McCain, a decisive victory. I would say five points is a decisive victory.

BRZEZINSKI: That would be decisive. And it looked close, you know, going through the night, it looked like it could be close, but then here we go.

SCARBOROUGH: All the exit polls showed -- and we get these exit polls before you, the teeming masses, have any idea who's going to win. We know who's going to win, and we go in the back room and laugh --

BRZEZINSKI: Yes.

SCARBOROUGH: -- that we know something you don't know. Well, the exit polls were telling us actually that last night was too close to call, McCain by one percentage point -- had no idea which way it was going to break. But John McCain, a five-point win.

BRZEZINSKI: Yes.

SCARBOROUGH: And I'll tell you what, the county that was the most interesting county: Miami-Dade.

BRZEZINSKI: Yeah?

SCARBOROUGH: The southern-most, most populous county. Mitt Romney got absolutely trounced there.

BRZEZINSKI: Gosh.

SCARBOROUGH: It was John McCain that carried it away. Now, look at this picture.

BRZEZINSKI: Let me see.

SCARBOROUGH: I've learned something about New Yorkers. Here you have a picture of the winner and a picture of the loser.

BRZEZINSKI: Ohh.

SCARBOROUGH: And the picture of the loser, Rudy Giuliani --

BRZEZINSKI: He has a sad face on.

SCARBOROUGH: He's got his sad face on, and you see the frown there. But what's so interesting is, since it became obvious last night that Rudy Giuliani was going to get out of this race, all the New Yorkers that have been kicking him for the past year -- you know, you start kicking him a little too much and they stop, because, you know, he's a fellow New Yorker. And, you know, they stop and they get a little upset, and they're, "You know, he was America's Mayor."

BRZEZINSKI: Now they feel sorry for him?

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, well, you told me you felt a little sorry for him.

BRZEZINSKI: Well, I just didn't like the sad-face picture. I just thought -- you know, I don't know. But it's interesting, because as we sit here in New York City, which is, of course, Rudy Giuliani's stomping ground.

SCARBOROUGH: We're at Maxie's.

BRZEZINSKI: At Maxie's, which is a fabulous place.

SCARBOROUGH: Boy, this is -- right around the corner from 30 Rock, which is where we always come and smoke outside.

BRZEZINSKI: But we should mention that America's Mayor is going to be endorsing --

SCARBOROUGH: He's going to be endorsing this guy.

BRZEZINSKI: -- the now-front-runner.

SCARBOROUGH: John McCain.

From the 9 a.m. ET hour of the January 30 edition of MSNBC Live:

SCARBOROUGH: After a bad showing in Florida last night, Rudy Giuliani aides say America's Mayor will be leaving the race, and he will endorse John McCain this afternoon in California.

BRZEZINSKI: Hmm, things are heating up.

SCARBOROUGH: Yeah, they are.

BRZEZINSKI: Let's bring in David Lombino, city editor for The New York Sun. First of all, America's Mayor dropping out --

SCARBOROUGH: What happened?

BRZEZINSKI: -- are you surprised at this point? I mean, you write this -- you write in a paper that probably has focused on him over the years.

—A.J.W.