Via Radio Equalizer and the NYT, against all odds, MSNBC finds a way to get even better.

With “PoliticsNation,” MSNBC is trying to strengthen its ratings at 6 p.m., a crucial hour that helps to set up the channel’s prime-time lineup. Mr. Sharpton has been guest-hosting at 6 p.m. since the end of June.

In a statement, Mr. Sharpton referenced MSNBC’s slogan, “lean forward.”

“I am very happy and honored to join the MSNBC team as we collectively try to get America to ‘Lean Forward,’ ” he said. “It is a natural extension of my life work and growth. We all learn from our pain and stand up from our stumbling and one must either learn to lean forward or fall backwards. I’m glad they have given me the opportunity to continue my forward lean.”

Via Breitbart TV, in case you missed it a few weeks ago, here he is leaning so far forward that he ends up landing on his face. I like to think this was the clip that landed him the gig. Incidentally, go have a look at MSNBC’s daily line-up from 3 p.m. onward. On Fox you get news (and not with a right-wing slant either) from Shep at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., more news at 6 p.m. from Bret Baier, and then soft partisanship from Greta at 10 p.m. to balance out the more red-meat stuff. On MSNBC, it’s hardcore partisanship from mid-afternoon to late night starting with a guy at 3 p.m. who’s known to have shrinks on to muse aloud about whether tea partiers are psychotic. The only semi-exception to the rule is Dylan Ratigan, and when he’s in the mood, he can demagogue with the best of ’em. It’s almost quaint that Inside Cable News is chastising the network tonight for making their “Breaking News” chyrons obviously politically slanted. Why keep up the pretense when you’re in the middle of a nine-hour bloc of programming on how evil the right is? The good reverend will fit right in.