Nobody summed up the funereal mood of MSNBC’s inauguration coverage on Monday quite like Rachel Maddow, the star anchor and de facto TV therapist for liberals who cannot bring themselves to believe that Donald Trump is, once again, the president.
“How is this happening?” she asked.
Her co-host Joy Reid had bemoaned “the takeover of the United States by a base mentality of greed and corruption.” The anchor Nicolle Wallace lamented “all the grifting.” And Ms. Maddow, having glimpsed Kristi Noem, Mr. Trump’s pick to run homeland security, next to Tim Cook, the Apple chief executive, in the V.I.P. section, seemed at a loss.
“Why,” she asked, “are people with tons of money up on the dais with cabinet nominees and family members?”
Over on Fox News, the atmosphere felt different. The hosts narrated the proceedings like happy commentators at a parade.
“The next vehicle that will come up is called the Beast, and that’s the one that takes the president around,” said Dana Perino. “Very secure vehicle, as you can imagine.”
Larry Kudlow, a Fox host who served as Mr. Trump’s chief economic adviser in his first term, referred to the transfer of power as a “spiritual moment.” And the anchor Bill Hemmer sounded in awe of the star of the show.
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