In the last recent months, credible media have begun treating Joe Scarborough as a serious thinker with something to say. He’s penning op-eds in The New York Times and The Washington Post and appearing on Sunday news (not a high standard, but he’s there).
Most recently he engaged in an infamous exchange with Paul Krugman on the Charlie Rose show where, as if hosting the Tim Matthews Memorial Wanna-Be Gottcha’ Competition, he went after Krugman in an unusual and nearly hostile exchange. (Rose usually keeps that sort of argument from developing because his audience isn’t into it. But he didn’t that night.)
I watch Morning Joe if I watch morning TV (hey, it’s a step up from Honey Boo Boo, so give me credit for that). What I’ve seen, regularly, is the Scarborough routine wherein he instantly adopts as his own whatever his guest has just said. He does this almost every day. And heads around the table nod. Irksome.
And now this escalation, so I ask: what outside entity is creating this new persona. Who is crafting – maybe for network TV, maybe for politics yet again – the 2013 edition of Joe Scarborough? Because I don’t think he’s steering that ship.
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
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I watch his show too (until my husband comes down and says “how can you watch that asshole?). But only because when I don’t, that’s the day everybody is talking about what he says. The guests are often high quality. Joe is a bully. And Mica? What a putz. Get a backbone lady.
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Elyse, I think her designated ‘role’ on the show is to play the stern Mommy too reign in those boys-will-be-boys when they get too raucous. It really pisses me off . . .
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Me too!
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And he actually thinks if he repeats himself, or rattles off a string of related comments, it makes it authoritative. The two of them set my teeth on edge. I’ve switched to the local news on Fox in the morning. Catch the national news at night. What makes Mica a TV host? I’d like to see Rachel and Mica in the same room discussing politics. OMG
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Scarborough can say in 500 words what it takes someone else to say in 50 words – and probaby better too. A blowhard for sure.
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Moe I also watch “Morning Joe”. The reasons are, one I get to hear what the Republicans are thinking. Scarborough will either himself or with guests from the right keep me updated. Also there are many guests on this show that reflects the left, even though Joe does his best to talk over them. Remember we have to know what the enemy is thinking so we can plan our campaigns.
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Totally agree John, that’s one reason I watch as well. By the way, if you’re not familiar with it, I recommend the MSNBC show on Sat and Sun mornings – UP with Chris Hayes. He has knowledgable guests, not the usual cast of characters. It’s always very informative.
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Perhaps MSNBC has replaced him with an android (robot, not a smart-phone).
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Or a hologram bruce!!!
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