Obama, goner? Joe Scarborough seems to think so. Here's what the MSNBC host had to say on today's "Morning Joe":
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Yesterday, way too late in the afternoon, I did an hour on "Super Tuesday" [MSNBC's weekly Election 2008 special] and was interviewing A.B. Stoddard, journalist of "The Hill," and I asked her about Barack Obama, was he going to step forward? And she gave a great answer, and she said what a lot of people are not saying right now, she said, "you know what, Joe? He just doesn't have it in him."
View video here.
SCARBOROUGH: And I don't think he does. I don't think he has it in him to attack Hillary. I don't think he has it in him to speak in soundbites. I don't think he has it in him to do the sort of things you have to do day in and day out to energize people on campaign trails. Mike Barnicle said he's been to see Barack Obama and was excited about Barack Obama. But he says the guy, everybody goes there, they're excited, they listen to him, and then they all just sort of walk away. He says it looks like the guy is playing for 2012 or 2016, that he just is not igniting.
Panelists Willie Geist and Mika Brzezinski didn't dispute Joe's analysis.
WILLIE GEIST: Well, it's something we talked about yesterday. He put himself out there as someone who was going to go after Hillary last night, and we said, OK, we're all waiting. You've set the bar, what's it going to be? And he did, but it's not, maybe, what a lot of people are hoping for. So if that's him going after Hillary, it's not going to fire people up very much.MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I think at this point, something would have to derail her, and I don't see that happening. I may be wrong.
My take: I think Joe is onto something. Barack Obama's candidacy may go down in political annals as a textbook case of sizzle over steak. Obama enjoyed tremendously positive MSM coverage when he first burst onto the presidential scene, and American voters, certainly Dem primary voters, seemed very open to considering him as a serious alternative to Hillary. But he has failed to deliver on the political promise of his stunning debut.
I also share Scarborough's positive assessment of A.B. Stoddard of "The Hill." I've caught quite a bit of Stoddard over the months, but yesterday in particular heard her at length during the day on MSNBC. No one would mistake her for a closet conservative, but I find her smart, insightful and mature.
Note: Michelle Malkin observes that while Obama has been hitting the church circuit, "there is none of the anti-religious alarmism that regularly infuses the ominous coverage of Republicans and the 'Religious Right.'”
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Mark you must be one of the 13 viewers watching Scarborugh
October 31, 2007 - 08:17 ET by Pasco ConservativeMSNBC doesn't count as a news source. You could fit all of that channel's viewers in a large phone booth.
SOS
Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any
man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
-Unknown
I don't think that's quite
October 31, 2007 - 08:22 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI don't think that's quite fair. Yes, they're dwarfed in the ratings by FNC, but I find they have lively political coverage, and attract many A-list guests. For example, Joe has twice had Hillary on. Now, it's true he gave her kid-gloves treatment, but even so it made for interesting viewing.
Sorry Mark I don't buy that argument.
October 31, 2007 - 08:41 ET by Pasco ConservativeHow can "what I learned today" and reading newspapers on air be exciting?
Scarborough is a RINO.
His sidekicks are Democrat Party operatives.
Mika's father helped form Jimmy Carter's failed foreign policy and discredited Presidency. Remember the "Misery Index" implimented by Carter? Proof of his failed term in office. Mika is a biased news reader with no personality.
And Willy well, he's just an echo chamber for Joe.
Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any
man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
-Unknown
Paleo, as you know, the
October 31, 2007 - 08:47 ET by Mark FinkelsteinPaleo, as you know, the mission of NB is to expose liberal media bias. There's plenty of it at Morning Joe, as you've pointed out, and I report on it regularly here.
Agreed you do a good job of exposing these libs.
October 31, 2007 - 08:52 ET by Pasco ConservativeMy point is that MSNBC is the Air America of cable. MSNBC has as many viewers as Air America has listeners.
Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any
man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
-Unknown
Unknown
October 31, 2007 - 10:56 ET by lkoturUnknown is Winston Churchill
I thought it was Churchill
October 31, 2007 - 11:46 ET by Pasco ConservativeI thought it was Churchill too and had it accredited to him but was informed otherwise.
Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any
man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.
-Unknown
My take: I think Joe is
October 31, 2007 - 08:47 ET by motherbeltMy take: I think Joe is onto something. Barack Obama's candidacy
may go down in political annals as a textbook case of sizzle over steak. Mark Finkelstein
I agree with that assessment. And would add, regarding his longevity in this campain: Obama= Flash in the Pan.
I think I'm going to
October 31, 2007 - 11:13 ET by BruzillaI think I'm going to disagree with you there. I've seen quite a few of Obama's stump speeches on CSPAN, and I think this guy is going to beat Hillary. When he's asked a question, he gives a direct answer... something Hillary can't do. When the questioner disagrees with him, he doesn't change his opinion to placate... another thing Hillary can't do. He rarely attacks Bush, or Republicans, and mainly stays focused on how to fix things in the future... something that's seemingly impossible for Hillary to do. Lastly, he's very "in touch" with the crowds, and never leaves the hall until he's shaken hands with everyone, where Hillary's events are all staged and she stays remote except to selected big-time fundraisers. When I look at the fact that Obama is beating Hillary in fundraising from individuals, and beating her from all sources as of late, I see him gaining a lot of momentum while she's losing it.
The media may have already given her the nomination, but I would bet the voters are going to give it to Obama.
A Dem Quaqmire named Hillary
October 31, 2007 - 11:58 ET by acumenBut you're thinking rationally Bruzilla.
he gives a direct answer...
he doesn't change his opinion to placate...
He rarely attacks Bush, or Republicans...
Yes, all good qualities. But not DNC (think Howard Dean) qualities or most of the demedia qualities or Clinton machine qualities (oxymoron) all of which control who will be the next Democrat(ic) presidential candidate. The argument could be made that the prior two groups are one in the same with the latter. Let's be honest, good qualities are anathema to the above Democrat(ic) machine. After all, which other Dem candidate would still be the front-runner after having to return over 1.3 million dollars (more than all the other Dem candidates nationally combined) in illegal campaign contributions since July? Powerful mojo from the Dem machine and certainly puts a question mark after Dems selecting a candidate based on "quality".
Current Democrat(ic) "qualities" that do matter? It's a woman's turn to be President. Which woman? Bill's girl Hill. It's a twofer - you get the one, you get the other one - and the Clinton controlled Dem machine still adores their Bill. Obama had a chance going in but the Dem machine proved to be a more powerful voice than the millions of Barack supporters. Sound familiar?
"He just doesn't have it in him." - A. B. Stoddard
Or the Clinton Machine has it in for him?
Why Obama
October 31, 2007 - 11:08 ET by Gat New YorkSupporters of Obama and the media have all been reading into him what they want to see rather than what he is all about. It is more about collective guilt on the part of the left and the MSM than it is about who he actually is.
He is a bright man but has a complete lack of experience and a lack of political skill. I am not even sure he will ever be capable enough in future years.
Your statements seem more of
October 31, 2007 - 11:18 ET by BruzillaYour statements seem more of an echo of what's being pushed through the MSM rather than observed learning. Have you sat through any of his speeches? Have you listened to his methods for connecting with crowds, or how he uses the "we need to fix this ourselves" angle? This guy is just as politically skillfull as Hillary, and in a lot of ways better.
I have listened to his
October 31, 2007 - 11:22 ET by Gat New YorkI have listened to his speeches and do not agree about his skill level. If he were that skillful he would have made that conection with people and not be dropping in the polls versus Hillary.
I caught a lot of the show
October 31, 2007 - 11:22 ET by bigtimerI caught a lot of the show this morning just to see how they would spin the whole debate.
Obama is a goner....that is obvious, he is out of his league, he cannot debate whatsoever, he acts timid, too timid to be a leader of this country.
What bothered me was Joe's references to discrimination about Obama not making it with the Reagan dems like in Ohio he used as one example...this has nothing to do with race and I am sick to death of hearing this....he is a lousy inexperienced timid leftist.
As to A.B. Stoddard I too have watched her since she has appeared on the television screen, I saw her on Matthews yesterday afternoon too, granted she is smart, and mature...as far as insightful goes, she is insightful alright, with the dem talking points...I cannot stand her myself...but thats just me.
What does Pole Joe Hide in His Hair???
October 31, 2007 - 12:54 ET by Lame CherryWowser, is Pole Joe hiding stripper panties in his hair or what is going on with that female 60's hairdo!
He is starting to look like arch enemy of Saturday Night Live's coneheads, the boneheads. Last time I saw a head start looking like it was growing bigger than the body was on Teddy Kennedy a few years ago.
Maybe liberalism does that to a guys head................
Oh and of course Obama is toast, I posted here yesterday that liberals only got him into the race to pretend black voters had a seat at the table........he did his service now and it is back to the shanty for sell out Obama.
As I said, if Obama would get real Christian values and some experience working for someone like Rumsfeld or Cheney.....he could be a real star in the GOP. He just needs a father figure to make a man out of him.
So Obama is toast, Hillary is being leveraged hard in even Timmy Russert feels protected enough from blackmail by the Gore crowd to take swipes at her...........it is Halloween, so is it not time for the Great Gorekin to rise from the pumpkin rain forest and visit all idiot little liberals with a treat he is about to get into the race.........if they beg him.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
Political Skill != Speechmaking
October 31, 2007 - 13:03 ET by sixlbs9oz[In programming lingo, '!=' means 'does not equal']
Sure, Obama may be able to make a speech, but I don't equate that with political skill. That includes aspects like generating positive buzz for one's own campaign while killing MSM airtime (stories, interviews, etc.) for others' campaigns. Things like what someone else mentioned, speaking in sound bytes (that does have something to do with speeches, but can also be a clip spoken into a mic while walking from the motorcade to an appearance).
There's a lot to political skill, and the Clintons have proven their mettle in that regard. Shrillary has an uphill road to climb because of her manner-- Bill is much more personable, really to a fault-- but the machine still exists. How they defused the Paula Jones scandal was brilliant. It doesn't hurt when the MSM cooperates, but it was a very skillful handling of a difficult situation. It just seemed to evaporate.
On another topic, but related to the OP, note how Kerry really became the front runner after Iowa, I believe. He was NOT considered the front-runner until then. People in IA seemed to think that Dean was unelectable (lacking gravitas or sanity or whatever). Obama is, IIRC, only 2 points behind in IA. If he wins an early primary-- really his only hope-- he will gain some serious momentum.
All this 2007 stuff is just jostling for primary position, but the super-long campaign, well, you can thank Mr. McCain and Mr. Feingold for that. 2008 is what counts. This is a marathon, not a sprint, as they say.