This could be a first: Al Sharpton criticized for being insufficiently inflammatory; faulted for not shooting from the hip.
At the opening of today's "Morning Joe," host Joe Scarborough panned the Rev's "O'Reilly Factor" performance last evening, in which the normally obstreperous one was relatively subdued on the subject of his host's comments on Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem. Scarborough later escalated his criticism, calling O'Reilly a "moron," and accusing him of making "racist" comments.
View video here.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Al Sharpton went on Bill O'Reilly's show last night, and apparently said very little.WILLIE GEIST: Well, to be honest, I didn't see him last night, but from what I read he said "I'm going to wait and listen to the tape. It sounds bad on paper, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt."
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: It sounds bad on tape, too.
SCARBOROUGH: It does; it sounds bad on tape. You know what else sounds bad? I wonder if Al Sharpton waited three or four days until after the Don Imus dust-up. [Imitating an imaginary Sharpton] "And you know what, I really haven't had time to listen to the [Imus] tape, I'm gonna wait." Come on: what's going on here? He's giving O'Reilly a break. All he has to do is take about ten seconds and listen to what Bill O'Reilly said.
A bit later, Joe feigned great indifference when Geist mentioned that O'Reilly had proclaimed NBC's coverage of the flap fair.
GEIST [shown giving the thumbs up for the good news]: It looks for the moment like NBC is on his good list.
BRZEZINSKI: Wow!
GEIST: He laid out the people who should be attacked and who should be ashamed, and he said actually, you know what? NBC and the "Today" show were fair about it. So --
SCARBOROUGH [shown in mock exultation]: Really? Hey! So we're off the enemies list! Boy, that makes me [affecting an exaggeratedly deadpan expression and tone of voice] so, so hap-py. Yeah. What-ev-u-h-h-h.
Got that, Rev? Joe wants you to stop being so reticent: lose the shrinking violet act!
Update 07:25 A.M. | Scarborough sharpened his attack in a subsequent segment. Joe rolled the tape of the O'Reilly Factor exchange between Bill and Al, at the end of which O'Reilly made reference to having picked up the tab for the pair's dinner at Sylvia's.
SCARBOROUGH: What a moron! "[Imitating O'Reilly] I picked up the tab and now I'm getting attacked so it's alright for me to make racist comments as long as I go to a Harlem restaurant and pick up the tabs."
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.



GEIST [shown giving the thumbs up for the good news]: It looks for the moment like NBC is on his good list.













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Don't feed the fraud
September 27, 2007 - 07:16 ET by Tim GrahamA real conservative would fault O'Reilly first and foremost for buying dinner for that lying, unrepentant Tawana-fraud-pushing Sharpton.
There is nothing in it for
September 27, 2007 - 07:17 ET by nicksmith112There is nothing in it for Al to trash Bill O.
Unfortunately Bill O gives Al too much airtime with a large audience whenever Al needs to trash Whitey.
Personally I can't change the channel fast enough when I see Al or Jessie.
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Good point Tim. I have not
September 27, 2007 - 07:38 ET by jcrapes4Good point Tim. I have not watched PMSNBC or CNN during this news nonstory. Seriously though this story saddens a little. Instead of trying to improve their products MS and CNN would rather the low road by taking quotes out of context just for ratings in attempt to dethrone Bill.
}}---> A Goldwater moment
September 27, 2007 - 07:36 ET by Cool ArrowWatch it Scarbrough. Better yet, go on with your own bad self. Slap Al around all you want. I'm not his protector.
Here's a little clue for you Mr. Joe, You're not his protector either.
If Sharpton is a man deserving dignity, why must you tell him he needs to get his self back on the plantation to keep that dignity.
African Americans won't fall for your patronizing, condescending, pandering much longer. They're tired of your doting and feigned praise as you lead their youth down poverty road.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Come on: what's going on
September 27, 2007 - 07:44 ET by motherbeltCome on: what's going on here? He's giving O'Reilly a break.
Well, well, well. Is Scarborough accusing Sharpton of not being black enough??? An "authentic" black man would be after O'Reilly's head?
}}---> That's how I see it MB
September 27, 2007 - 07:50 ET by Cool ArrowRight now Morning Joe and Kinky Friedman are trashing Sharpton.
In their present forum they claim Jena Louisiana has nothing to do with Civil Rights.
Interesting.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
Is Al then a "Happy
September 27, 2007 - 07:50 ET by nicksmith112Is Al then a "Happy Negro"?
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Scarborough
September 27, 2007 - 07:51 ET by allanfYears ago Jack Benny and George Burns had a "feud". But that was comedy. It helped the ratings.
Scarborough is tragedy. A man whose political principles are for sale.
}}---> One small caveat, allanf
September 27, 2007 - 07:57 ET by Cool ArrowThe only time a man is really forced to keep his word is when nobody else will take it.
"All he has to do is take
September 27, 2007 - 07:55 ET by Free Thinker"All he has to do is take about ten seconds and listen to what Bill O'Reilly said."
Well, there is Joe's problem, he has not listened to the whole discussion and is taking a small quote out of a larger context. I would guess it is MSNBC's plan to try and blow this up because they are getting destroyed in ratings, but their hosts look like fools when they don't know what they are talking about. I think if Joe were to listen to more then a 10 second clip given to him by his network he would see why Sharpton (who is as big a race monger as there is) is defending o-Reilly for speaking out against racism.
Truth = Nothing
September 27, 2007 - 07:59 ET by Long Island PeteWhen you have made up your mind, the truth means nothing. These loons never even listened to the whole audio. They went ahead and believed the cut and paste version.
"SCARBOROUGH: What a moron!
September 27, 2007 - 08:12 ET by ckc1227"SCARBOROUGH: What a moron! "[Imitating O'Reilly] I picked up the tab and now I'm getting attacked so it's alright for me to make racist comments as long as I go to a Harlem restaurant and pick up the tabs."
So now BOR can't even joke around with Rev. Al at the end of a segment, is that about it, Joe-no-ratings? Seriously, who is the real moron here, other than Menopausal Mika that is?
On the bright side, at least we have one less idiot in Congress since Joe left.
I wonder when the last time
September 27, 2007 - 08:27 ET by AntiMediaI wonder when the last time Scarbough and Brzeningni were in Harlem. They don't look like they have many black friends. Joe and his Editors at Media Matters are a joke.
}}---> What do you mean AntiMedia?
September 27, 2007 - 08:29 ET by Cool ArrowThey never have their meals with the help.
Palpable patronizing condescension.
~LYDSEXICS UNTIE!~
LOL!
September 27, 2007 - 08:43 ET by AntiMediaLOL!
"All he has to do is take
September 27, 2007 - 08:33 ET by xfast"All he has to do is take about ten seconds and listen to what Bill O'Reilly said."
Exactly. All Sharpton needs to do is listen to 10 seconds of the radio show and ignore the basis of the conversation and the context of the statements, then he will be able to ignorantly react to 10 seconds instead of a whole interview, just like the morons at MSNBC, CNN, etc.
Ratings
September 27, 2007 - 08:39 ET by ricklailHow many people actually watch this clown compared to O'Reilly?
A bona fide and certified member of the beer guzzling, NASCAR watching middle class.
Scarborough has sold out to NBC
September 27, 2007 - 09:18 ET by RJHe slavers over anything any NBC talking head says. Chris Matthews, Keith Olberdork, Tim Russert....he has them on his show and bows down, pretending they're all wonderfully intelligent sages.
Yet,this pathetic sellout still refers to himself as a "Republican" and a "conservative."
I was upset when O`Reilly
September 27, 2007 - 10:27 ET by chessplayerI was upset when O`Reilly kept telling Sharpton he picked up the tab for Sharpton`s meal. Did he really think that would get Sharpton to take his side? And now Jesse Jackson is supposed to be on the show tonight. O`Reilly has slammed Jackson and Sharpton for years. He`s out of his mind if he now thinks they will take his side on this. I think this is starting to really get to him and he`s getting desperate. Sharpton and Jackson will rip him to pieces.
Morning Joe has taken taken
September 28, 2007 - 07:29 ET by PicnicMorning Joe has taken taken a sharp turn to the left over the past several months. Mika has apparently been promoted to co-host status and Joe is increasingly marching to the MSNBC liberal bias beat. The show is a train wreck. Joe needs to get rid of Mika. She is condescending, arrogant, and not very intelligent or analytical in her comments. And the lip licking, coffee drinking, eye-rolling, etc. has no place when a "journalist" is reading the news.
The latest useful idiot of
September 27, 2007 - 10:34 ET by nythatesusaThe latest useful idiot of the American Left.
Fairness Doctrine For Academia.
Sharpton
September 27, 2007 - 12:06 ET by iveseenitallI've tried to warn O'Reilly about Sharpton a number of times in mail to him. He ignornes me.When Sharpy now turns on him, maybe he'll get it. NEVER, NEVER trust a "liberal" is not just my tag line. I mean it.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
P.S. As for that Joe on CNN, what can you say? The guy's a traitor to his party and a first-class hypocrite. YUK!