Former daytime talk show host Maury Povich laughed at former MSNBC host Joy Reid’s suggestion Monday that Senate Democrats “play by the rules” and don’t “play politics” like Republicans.
On the “On Par with Maury Povich” podcast, Povich remarked that if the Democratic Party were to regain control of the Senate after the 2026 midterm elections, they would effectively stop any chance of President Donald Trump appointing another Supreme Court justice, similar to how Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., held up President Barack Obama from appointing a replacement after Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in 2016.
Reid argued otherwise, insisting Democratic politicians were different from Republicans.
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“Democrats do not play politics the way Republicans do,” Reid said.
“Oh come on, Joy, please,” Povich interrupted, snickering at the comment.
“They do not. They do not. Democrats play by the Marquess de Queensberry rules. They’re not rule breakers,” Reid argued.
“You’re trying to tell me if the Democrats take the Senate in 2027 and [Justice Samuel] Alito retires and Trump names a Supreme Court justice, that Democrats are going to have hearings and actually confirm him or her?” Povich asked.
“I think they would,” Reid said.
“Not a chance,” Povich responded.
Povich pointed to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown caused by Senate Democrats protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies despite the party not holding the majority of seats. Reid claimed this was only after Democrats “folded one too many times” on other issues and government shutdowns.
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“Democrats capitulate, and they try to play by the rules. Republicans don’t care about the rules. They rewrite the rules,” Reid said.
Despite her views of the political parties, Reid claimed to Povich that she could “step outside” her partisanship to evaluate candidates.
“I always felt like I had the ability to step outside of my partisanship just as a citizen to make decisions, and, also, as a journalist, I felt like I could step outside of it and evaluate a good person or a good candidate regardless of party,” Reid said.
