Noted and Quoted: MSNBC hosts on congressional leadership, the Florida recount and tensions in the White House

Two midterm candidates -- one who prevailed and one who didn’t -- showing remarkable grace at a time when there’s precious little of it.

Mika Brzezinski on Martha McSally and Dan Crenshaw showing grace in politics today

Running the House of Representatives has nothing to do with ideology. It has everything to do with competence. To borrow a phrase from Michael Dukakis, ‘it’s all about being competent and tough and knowing how to keep your caucus together in very difficult times.’ And Nancy Pelosi is better at that than just about anyone. Certainly better at that than anybody in the Democratic Party right now. So, why get rid of your Alex Cora after a championship season?

Joe Scarborough on congressional leadership

I hear people who I agree with politically blaming the Democratic party's loss of the working class on race. ... I think that's way too convenient and far, anyway, from a complete explanation. One, it leaves the Democratic leadership off the hook; and two, it's saying the majority of Americans working class are hopeless bigots.

Chris Matthews says the Democratic party needs to win back the working class

First ladies in the past have clashed with White House staffers up to and including, famously, the White House chief of staff under President Reagan, who was disfavored by and ultimately axed to please First Lady Nancy Reagan. But a national security job? Melania Trump wants to fire the deputy national security advisor? Is that how we do things?

Rachel Maddow, on the friction between the First Lady's office and Mira Ricardel

I follow this for a living and I’m having a hard time making a sense of it all.

Chris Hayes on the voter recount situation in Florida

Historians will use them as a window into the deeply perverted mind of the president of the United States.

Lawrence O’Donnell on President Trump’s tweetstorms