You’ll Never Guess Who’s Responsible for the Caustic Tone in Washington
posted at 3:21 pm on February 24, 2010 by Howard Portnoy
[ Cronyism ]
According to a Gallup poll conducted in February, 2009, shortly after Barack Obama’s coronation, a whopping 74 percent of Americans felt the tone and level of civility in Washington were the same or worse than they had been under George W. Bush. That was a year ago, and while I was unable to unearth more recent data on the same topic, you’d have to figure most people nowadays will concede there is a pretty bitter partisan divide.
So who do you think is responsible for that divide? Yo! That’s right — according to Newsbusters, the subject was the focus of a discussion on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” this morning, and all present were in agreement that politically oriented media websites are the culprit.
Besides Joe Scarborough, the panel included Mika Brzezinski, Pat Buchanan, Time‘s Peter Beinart, and NBC’s Savannah Guthrie. A video of the exchange appears below.
Although this seems like an outrageously fatuous claim in light of the show that Reid, Pelosi, and Obama himself have put on this past year, there is a bright side. At least they didn’t blame the mood on George W. Bush.
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Yup. Before the internet age everyone was so civil & polite. Even that 1861-1865 dust up was called the Civil War. Not the Angry and Impolite War.
rbj on February 24, 2010 at 3:32 PM
Who is “Yo?”
Daggett on February 24, 2010 at 3:57 PM
“Yo” is dialect (whose I’m not entirely sure) for “Yours truly.”
Howard Portnoy on February 24, 2010 at 4:05 PM
Ok. I admit it. It is all my fault. Yup. It’s me.
Everyone feel better now?
Good. Now back to business…..
percysunshine on February 24, 2010 at 4:12 PM
I hope they included themselves as responsible for the caustic tone.
Blake on February 24, 2010 at 4:26 PM
I knew MTV Raps would be the downfall of us all.
Abby Adams on February 24, 2010 at 4:34 PM
wow, thank goodness for MESS-NBC.
whoops, I never actually watch it.
not to worry though, I can still smell it from here.
gordo on February 24, 2010 at 6:29 PM
Who watches Morning Joe?
Answer: NOBODY
Why do we have to keep hearing about him and Mika the loon?
Your audience is not the same as MSLSD!
Jayrae on February 24, 2010 at 6:34 PM
Rumor has it that a shake up is going to take place on a certain GE owned morning show. First part is pretty straight forward: name change, they’ve decided to go with “Not your usual morning constitutional” — followed by the flowing feeder reader display of Walk with us while we sit down and discuss the early crap! Second part is not going to be received to well at the beginning by our co-host but it has to be done. A dunce hat will be worn by the one who picks up any of the in studio White House phone calls. The MSNBC executives want to make a special note here regarding the hat; the phone picker upper only has to wear the hat during the short duration of said phone call unless it takes them into a commercial. And finally notwithstanding, if no more ideas come to me, all future male guest of the show will need to swear an oath beforehand that they won’t stare at Mika’s big boobs while answering her questions.
Americannodash on February 24, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Yo Adrian.
Daggett on February 26, 2010 at 12:26 AM
Thank you Mr. Portnoy. The words ‘Outrageously Fatuous’ is the perfect name for the rebranded Morning Schmoe Show. That moniker distills the essence of MSNBC in absolute terms. Send this to Comcast for sure!
el Vaquero on February 26, 2010 at 3:05 AM