News/Political Junkie Tip

pex · 11-25-2008, 10:41 AM

I know this section's primary focus seems to be on entertainment television, but there have to be a few news/political junkies out there. If you haven't already, you really should check out MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

This show really came into its own during this wild political season. It started out as a temporary replacement for Imus in the Morning. The hose, Joe Scarborough, a former GOP Congressman, then pitched a different kind of show to MSNBC. To their credit, they took him up on it. Not only has it become the best morning television news show, it's one of the best political/news shows at any time.

It's perfect for TiVo. The show is 3 hours long with the usual news/weather/business/sports repitition for any morning show. So you can just fast forward through 2:30 of it. However, what makes it so fascinating is that it is that it is completely unscripted (watch Mike Barnicle's hilarious reaction). Guests just come onto the set, chat for a while, then seem to wander off. And the guests are all generally top shelf. The emphasis is more political than most shows, but generally devoid of the posturing and bellowing that dominate the nightly shows on MSNBC and Fox. It also gives NBC a chance to show off their political reporting bench, which far surpasses the other networks (despite Wolf Blitzer's mantra), Russert's death notwithstanding.

It doesn't seem to lean either noticably left or right. The host, Joe Scarborough, is certainly right of center as is his regular guest, the newly huggable Pat Buchanon. His co-host, the sometimes ditzy Mika Brzezinski, is certainly left of center, as is cranky frequent guest Mike Barnicle. The guestlist--the real strength of the show--spans the range. Sidekick Willie Geist keeps pretty quiet about politics, but you get the sense that he has more in common with Joe than Mika. So there's enough for anyone to love or hate.

Anyhow, if you haven't watched it recently, it's worth a quick TiVo. It's a far different show than it was even a year ago.

wmcbrine · 11-25-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pex

newly huggable Pat Buchanon.

Quote:

His co-host, the sometimes ditzy Mika Brzezinski, is certainly left of center,

She doesn't come across that way to me. But maybe I have to see more of her.

balboa dave · 11-25-2008, 08:33 PM

Calling Mika ditzy is a great disservice to her. I'm sure Mika's father, former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski would disagree too. She really is the reason this show runs as well as it does.

FilmCritic3000 · 11-25-2008, 09:25 PM

I too have enjoyed the show. I was TiVoing it nonstop during the election season.

balboa dave · 11-26-2008, 04:41 AM

I think the OP has made an excellent recommendation, but the timing is just a little off, as Scarborough is on vacation this week.

pex · 11-26-2008, 08:02 AM

Yeah, I thought about Joes's vacation after I posted. Still, if anyone is interested, it's worth scheduling a few recordings next week to see if they like it. I usually look at the left hand crawler during the first couple of minutes of each show to see who the guests will be that morning.

"Ditz" is a loaded term--maybe "bubbly" would be better? Don't get me wrong, I like Mika. Her physical attractiveness is sometimes distracting, though, especially when guests go into leer mode. She does seem a little bit out of her depth when the discussions turn political. And it's a weird, almost uncomfortable dynamic when Joe or a guest attempt to bully her in a debate.

That said, one thing really bugs me. When Joe remotely hosts from either DC or Florida--which has been often lately--the show simply doesn't "flow." Since it's not scripted, guests and hosts often talk over each other. This works okay when they are all sitting at the same NY table. But when everyone is trying to sift through the cacophony via earpieces, it all tends to fall apart. I understand Joe has some issues with his young child--perhaps that is why he is spending so much time hosting the show remotely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by balboa dave

I think the OP has made an excellent recommendation, but the timing is just a little off, as Scarborough is on vacation this week.

ElJay · 11-26-2008, 09:39 PM

I'm a political junkie but this show isn't for me. It might be watchable if they replace Mika with a woman who has a spine. I have not seen her do anything that is "left of center" and she doesn't seem to be terribly informed on many issues. From what I can tell she is a massive Sarah Palin fan, so comparing her to her dad doesn't work in this situation. She bristled up big time when McCain accused her of being an Obama supporter during the general election.

It's more interesting than the bore on the broadcast channels, but the dose of right wing blabber is far too strong for me.

FilmCritic3000 · 11-26-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElJay

I'm a political junkie but this show isn't for me. It might be watchable if they replace Mika with a woman who has a spine. I have not seen her do anything that is "left of center" and she doesn't seem to be terribly informed on many issues. From what I can tell she is a massive Sarah Palin fan, so comparing her to her dad doesn't work in this situation. She bristled up big time when McCain accused her of being an Obama supporter during the general election.

It's more interesting than the bore on the broadcast channels, but the dose of right wing blabber is far too strong for me.

For me, I mainly watch it for the insight from people like Chuck Todd et al and some of the guests. I'm not a regular viewer.