Mark Halperin's Redemption Tour Isn't Exactly Smooth Sailing

Game Change author Mark Halperin’s post-MeToo redemption tour has gotten off to a rough start. For instance, he reportedly alienated the head of MSNBC after he pitched a fit in a phone conversation about whether he could collaborate with the hosts of Morning Joe.

Two years after he was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment, including at least three instances of rubbing his clothed penis on somebody, Halperin has been jockeying for a return to political punditry. In August, he announced a book deal—How to Beat Trump: America’s Top Political Strategists on What It Will Take, coming in November from publisher Judith Regan, just in time for the 2020 election cycle to really pop off.

But apparently he really wants to get back into cable news, for some reason, and the Daily Beast just reported that one important door is likely to remain closed. The Beast said that earlier this year, Halperin (formerly of MBNBC) got frustrated when the network leadership shot down the idea of his working with the hosts of Morning Joe as part of his comeback. So he called his old boss, Phil Griffin, and according to the Daily Beast, it went very, very badly:

Multiple sources tell The Daily Beast that the conversation earlier this year became acrimonious, with Halperin dishing up vague threats against his former boss.

MSNBC declined to comment on the episode. But MSNBC insiders said Griffin was furious about the conversation and wouldn’t likely take Halperin’s calls in the future.

The hostile exchange was a sign of Halperin’s frustration that his dream of returning to the punditry business—almost two years after numerous women came forward with stories of sexual misconduct—has been thwarted at each turn.

Fun to think of all the people who never get a shot at Halperin’s type of job in the first place, for reasons far, far different than alleged sexual misconduct.