Scarborough: Palin Is To Blame For GOP Failure In Capturing Senate
MSNBC's Joe Scarborough blames Sarah Palin for the GOP's failure to capture the Senate because of her efforts in drafting candidates who were defeated in Delaware and Nevada.
"But for Sarah Palin, the Republican Party would control the Senate right now," the former Florida congressman stated on ABC's "The View" Thursday.
"She's not a national ticket," he added when the conversation turned to her possible 2012 Presidential run. "Who thinks seriously that she can get 51 percent?"
Scarborough was frank with his words on the hit daytime show, discussing Sarah Palin, colleague Keith Olbermann's suspension, and why he thinks his "Morning Joe" program is a success. He praised his own show for its "transparency," that the audience knows the political views of each of the hosts.
"People know I was a Republican congressman. People know that Mika is center-left, that her father worked for the Carter administration. And I think that actually instructs people," he bragged. The MSNBC anchor added that he thinks total neutrality in a journalist is a "total sham."
"I want to know what your views are if you're reporting on a story," Scarborough claimed, priding himself for his willingness to both defend and criticize the GOP. He certainly exercised the "critical" side on Thursday, hitting Sarah Palin as a cultural phenomenon but not a political figure, and predicting that she wouldn't be able to beat Obama in 2012.
Yet back in 2006, Scarborough's liberal MSNBC colleague Andrea Mitchell called his bluff for being overly a pro-Democratic bias to his coverage. He lauded himself for being critical of the GOP, in order to cast himself as a down-the-middle pundit. But Mitchell remarked that "I think Joe has been too pro-Democrat, myself."
A transcript of the segment, which aired on November 11 at 11:38 a.m. EDT, is as follows:
SHERRI SHEPHERD: What about Sarah Palin – the thing about Sarah Palin, she has been very, Sarah Palin has been very influential in getting folks in, everybody was watching her. What do you think she's got planned for 2012?
JOE SCARBOROUGH: A congressman said, and I think he's right – that but for Sarah Palin, the Republican Party would control the Senate right now. Sarah Palin got involved in Delaware with disastrous results.
SHERRI SHEPHERD: Nevada --
SCARBOROUGH: Sarah Palin got involved in Nevada, she got involved in Alaska. And it went well in some states in the deep South, but it didn't – she's not a national ticket, and people are distracted by the fact that she draws a lot of attention. But in the end, maybe she wins Iowa, but then she goes to New Hampshire and loses.
JOY BEHAR: Why can't they control her a little bit? They can't.
SCARBOROUGH: Why can't anybody control you, baby?
BEHAR: I'm not running. Nobody can control me.
SCARBOROUGH: No, seriously, it's –
BEHAR: I'm not running for anything.
SCARBOROUGH: Who thinks, really –
BEHAR: Except my life.
SCARBOROUGH: Who thinks seriously that she can get 51 percent? She's selling a lot of books, she's got a lot of people watching her on TV, but right now she's a cultural figure now, she's not a political figure.
BEHAR: Don't you think, though, that the fact that she keeps her hat in the ring as a potential candidate keeps her making more money, selling more books, doing more shows – if she says "I'm out of the race completely," noone would be as interested in her, right?
(...)
BARBARA WALTERS: Can I – can I ask you about something that just happened last week? And that is your colleague Keith Olbermann who was suspended for a short period of time, because he made campaign contributions. It also came out that you had made campaign contributions, you did it to the Democratic candidates. Supposedly, you asked permission and he didn't. What do you feel about this whole line of, what, journalists? Are you a journalist, or are you a pundit -- what's your opinion on this whole thing?
SCARBOROUGH: I don't know what I am. I'm still trying to figure it out.
WALTERS: You know what I'm talking about, though –
SCARBOROUGH: I know what you're talking about. Again, that's going to be up to the front office to figure out what they want to do. It's a fascinating conversation, because the rules have changed over the past 10-15 years, and as far as me giving contributions, I did. Gave it to a longtime friend, and I got permission first.
HASSELBECK: Does it matter at all, I mean your history, former congressman in Florida -- I mean does that kind of factor in to how they would define you at all?
SCARBOROUGH: No, I don't think so, and since we started this show, Mika and I realized very early on -- we would be stupid to contribute to anybody politically, because we have Republicans on, we have Democrats on, and if I contributed to a federal candidate, any federal candidate –
WALTERS: But that's your choice, you and Mika. That's not because NBC said you can't –
SCARBOROUGH: We would have to ask for permission now, too, but I would never ask for permission, because in this case – like let's say I was going to interview Nancy Pelosi, if I contribute to any Republican across the country, I'm working against Nancy Pelosi's interest.
(Crosstalk)
BEHAR: It's either right or wrong, whether they give you permission or not.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, I mean there are guidelines and they're not guidelines.
(...)
SCARBOROUGH: But I think the thing that works on our show is that we're transparent. People know I was a Republican congressman. People know that Mika is center-left, that her father worked for the Carter administration. And I think that actually instructs people, and they come on the show – when I criticize Republicans, it is a Republican criticizing his own party. When I say Barack Obama's doing something right, it's the same thing. And so the transparency's good. And Barbara, I – again, I want to know what your views are if you're reporting on a story. I want to know – and I'll tell you the one thing that I do think is a total sham, and I know you've heard it all the time too – journalists will say, "Well, you know, I'm an independent, I don't register," or "I don't vote," or "I'm an independent." I hear that all the time. I'm like, "please."
HASSELBECK: It's a lie.
SCARBOROUGH: Please. Maybe you don't, but I want to know what your worldview is.
WALTERS: Well but then you should say that people from the New York Times and the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal should give you their political affiliations. I'm not sure that's –
(...)
So I would just like to say that – I think "Morning Joe" – I think you're doing everything right, I think Mika's doing everything right, and we are always delighted to have you here, and I'm not kidding, that's true.
- Matt Hadro's blog
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Comments
EPIC Fail
Submitted by 10ksnooker on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 6:27pm.
Tries to fix stupid with really dumb.
These people going after
Submitted by MidAmerica on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 6:32pm.
These people going after Palin are a little shallow in their analysis. Why was there a Republican wave? Answer: enthusiasm. Who brought on this enthusiasm, the RNC or Sarah and the Tea Partiers? That answer is obvious. Sarah didn't cost the Republicans the senate. She helped set off a tidal wave that allowed the Republicans to get all that they did. The voters were voting for change and there were candidates mixed into the usual mix of run of the mill Republicans that set off a tsunami of voters supporting the Republicans.
Joe is clueless.
With a Dem VP, didnt they need 4 more wins?
Submitted by merly1 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:35pm.
Isnt that right? And there is no guarantee a Lowden or Castle wins anyway. Joe has been pretty stupid lately--end of story.
What I love about this
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 6:51pm.
Is that the Tea Parties and their candidates are like a multi-headed Hydra and the media can't figure out who to attack. Sarah Palin has become the easy target for a lazy and ill-informed media that does not want to understand what is happening politically and culturally. The sleeping giant awakened and they don't know what to do about it.
New talking point?
Submitted by Red Jeep on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 6:54pm.
First Mark McKinnon today and now Joe.
I don't remember Sarah personally picking the candidates She endorsed them but so what?
Another day, another Sarah Paln story for the Libs to obsess about.
Joe Doesn't Get It
Submitted by Yeti on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 6:55pm.
Joe doesn't get whats happening in the country right now. Joe...We are in the beginning stages of a true conservative ascendancy. The voters voted against RINO's because they were sick and tired of them stopping the conservative agenda. While you sit there at your little desk and throw hissy fits, normal Americans are voting against Democrats and RINO's. You have already been left behind and you don't understand what is going on with this ascendancy. Instead of attacking it, why not try learning about it and getting on board? No? I didn't think so. Sit Down! Shut Up! and let us normal folks fix your mess.
Scarborough
Submitted by Herbster on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:00pm.
The show should be called, "Morning Joke." Scarborough shows us the intellect of a turnip accompanied by Mike - who is not a moron - but a PRACTICING moron - the rest of the cast is 100% forgettable. They have the same, tired liberal retreads on as "Guests" to ensure that the show remains totally predictable. Typical format for a show...Bash Palin, have Joe tell us how wonderful he is, bash Palin, Mika numbles some inanity, bash Palin, Time Magazine editor shows the latest Time cover to the audience of twelve that watches the show, bash Palin, and on and on.. I believe this show ranks fifth among three morning shows. Even CNN beats this dog. Of course, Fox eats this show for breakfast.
The people of Florida should be thrilled that they are no longer represented in Congress by this nincompoop.
You Forgot The Text Messages to Mika
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:38pm.
Somewhere in agenda comes Mika gets text message of talking points from the White House Communications Office OR from John Podesta at Media Matters.
Morning Joe..
Submitted by Jer on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 11:15pm.
It's an excellent morning show--true ideological diversity. What NewsBusters again didn't report--as usual-was Scarborough's ripping into Pelosi and the Democrats. Even Mika agreed.
This doesn't fit the NB narrative though, so they omit it, to make it appear that Democrats are rarely criticized on the program. But they are--every day.
Jer
So, just so long as ol' Joe
Submitted by Chris Norman on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 12:04am.
So, just so long as ol' Joe gets a few shots in against the Democrats, what he - using his increasingly threadbare cover as a former Republican congressman - says against conservatives and Republicans is unworthy for notation and discussion?
No, it is worthy of notation
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 12:27am.
No, it is worthy of notation and discussion. What I believe is inappropriate is to only consider noteworthy his criticisms of Republicans while completely ignoring--with rare exception--his equal (I would contend far greater and more frequent)--criticisms of Democrats.
NB's mssion of course is to expose liberal bias, and to establish such bias on the part of MSNBC is like shooting fish in a barrel. I believe the contributor/bloggers are so focused on fulfilling that objective they simply turn a blind eye to any evidence to the contrary. The operative premise has become that the network is completely, undeviatingly, and irredeemably liberal and thus the compilation of evidence to that end rejects the notion that Morning Joe is actually providing a fair amount of political balance for three hours every morning.
If all I knew about Scarborough were based on what I read about him at NewsBusters, I too would logically conclude that he has abandoned virtually all of his formerly-held conservative priciples. But, having watched lengthy segments of his show on most mornings, I know that to be untrue.
Jer
But he has got a
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 12:51am.
But he has got a wart!!
Burn him anyway!! Burn him!! Burn him!!
Jer, you answered your own
Submitted by Chris Norman on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:02am.
Jer, you answered your own criticism. If it's NBs mission to document liberal bias, why would the occasions of Scarborough criticizing Democrats be noted here? It's not like that innoculates him from his sudden attacks on his former allies. I think it's depressingly interesting watching a former conservative being influenced by his environment. Scarborough's steady drift to the left is undeniable. His attacks on the GOP and conservattives have been from the Left but he claims to be still a conservative. He's like Kathleen Parker using old conservative credentials to give himself legtimacy while using liberal arguments. Besides, NB has noted here occasions when someone they have critized for being obnoxious in their liberalism makes a comment we can agree with - for instance - Jack Cafferty.
I understand your point of view, Chris.
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:03am.
I understand your point of view, Chris. And I think there is a natural tendency to adapt to one's environment--as determined by the network/employer and the presumptive political leanings of the audience. I won't pretend that Joe isn't guilty of doing that to a degree. However, it is reflected more by a shift in attitude as opposed to a policy transformation--at least in my opinion.
But, as is frequently said, this is one of those things about which we'll just have to agree to disagree.
Jer
Jer, if Scarborough would
Submitted by Chris Norman on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:13am.
Jer, if Scarborough would explain the reasoning behind some of his changes I would try to understand where he is coming from. But, his swings back and forth are politically incoherent. His views don't add up to any understandable principled rationale. They seem to be calculated to be "balanced" or to show he's no longer "one of those conservatives" to his new co-workers and audience. I find that to be worse than anything.
Jer
Submitted by Denny Crane on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:57am.
Joe is an establishment Republican. Of course he will toe the party line sometimes. What he won't do is stand up for the conservatives and the conservative principles.
"Lib free or die"
We Are The 53%
Denny...
Submitted by Jer on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 2:09am.
I agree in part and disagree in part.
He is not shy about criticizing conservatives, and I'm sure that rankles other conservatives--meaning most everybody at NB. But I disagree that he will not stand up for conservative principles. I've witnessed his doing exactly that on numerous occasions. Virtually every day...it just doesn't get mentioned here.
Jer
Jer
Submitted by Denny Crane on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 2:30am.
Like it's been said before. Why praise him for doing his job.
I guess I should have said, He stands for conservative principles UNLESS it goes against the establishment.
"Lib free or die"
We Are The 53%
Palin DID NOT endorse Angle
Submitted by RefudiateObama2012 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:03pm.
Palin DID NOT endorse Angle until after the primary. She DID NOT endorse Buck.
Doug Brady slices and dices these idiots who keep trying to sell the idea that Palin cost the GOP the senate.
An outstanding debunking of the mythology
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:53pm.
Just finished reading Doug Brady's debunking of the "Palin cost the GOP the Senate" MYTH- excellent analysis! Well worth reading- perhaps, Joe Scarborough could read it, since it's not too many words.
I seem to remember the GOP
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:08pm.
I seem to remember the GOP elite really miffed at the thought the DE people preffered O'Donnal and Angle was an up an comer before Palin and the TEA party endorsed them. The people wabnted someone fresh and new because teh old was getting stale on the shelf. In fact Nevada was a lock until the TEA party. Overall the GOP did well due to teh TEA party support and if the GOP forgets in the next two years we will remind them.
And Scarbourough is right he used to be GOP, just like Bloomburg and Christ and Spector and a host of otehrs used to be GOP.
This may be a stupid question, but...
Submitted by 3strikes on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:14pm.
How many candidates were elected because of Joe Scarborough? What did Joe contribute to the Republican victory in the House and the 6 seat pickup in the Senate?
Oh wait, I know the answer... His contribution was to excoriate anyone for being critical of Obama.
Where the blame goes
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:15pm.
If I were to lay any sort of blame on a person regarding the senate, it's Rove. More than one person, it'll include Cornyn too.
Granted, consider the states that we had hopes for senate republican candidates, delaware, conneticut, nevada, california. All largely liberal or with a bunch of so-called independents.
I'm sure Joke would have preferred to see Castle in place, along with Crist, so we know what kind of GOP he wants.
Wake up and smell the joe, Joe. Or better yet, just stay in bed in your fantasy dream land.
-Jon
Little Joe is Jealous of Sarah!
Submitted by gruyere cheese on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:27pm.
Why do these bubble heads from MesSNBC have to self promote their shows?
Little Joe should learn from Sarah....don't try so hard man, just go with the flow and if you are good at what you do everything else will fall into place. That is why they hate Sarah, she does not need to kiss &S*S* to have a presence...is that simple. She is just being Sarah!
Game
Submitted by vote24 on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:36pm.
It's just a game. The MFM can never admit that Palin was a HUGE plus to the conservative cause, both in turnout and seats won. Perhaps if others had joined in it would have been better....Joe. They are trying oh so very hard to make it seem like the Democrats did not have their sas handed to them in the mid-terms. But who really believes this anymore. Only the most uninformed and misinformed voters ( minorities, college students, goonions,and the media itself).
Thank God!
Submitted by almostacowboy on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:37pm.
I thought it was going to be Bush's fault.
Joe's assuming of course.....
Submitted by Prester John on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:41pm.
....that having some sort of 51-49 advantage in the Senate is some great achievement and if you see politics as nothing more than a football game it is. The problem is of course that it isn't just a football game.
While I would've loved seeing Reid and Murray gone, with a slim GOP majority we'd have the situation where Obama, like Clinton, could've blamed any failure to solve anything over the next two years on the GOP.
With Reid and the Dems in charge of the Senate (remember, most American's don't know and don't care that nothing important gets done without 60 votes), the American people will see the Dems still in charge of 2/3's of the elected part of government and blame it for failing to solve anything, which is not a bad thing going into 2012.
I am no great fan of Sarah and think she should stay with the fund raising and keeping the Tea Party movement engaged, but I do enjoy immensely the fact that the just the mention of her name drives the MSM and our liberal friends totally insane.
Heh.
"The Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies"
www.campaignforliberty.com
Given a choice
Submitted by RichieBABY on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:44pm.
With me living on a fixed income, due to my retirement, if given the choice of Winning the Power Ball for a cool 225 MIL, or Sarah Palin being elected President, I would choose Sarah Palin becoming President to witness the sucides from the Far Left, MSNBC, and the MSM.
The Windbag
Submitted by Marsh on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:53pm.
Joe acts like he's the MSNBC Oracle of Delphi but he's just a pompous windbag.
He's been slamming the Repubs since the beginning of the year saying they had nowhere to go because they had no message. Only the obvious coming onslaught made him grudgingly change his tune, and then he'd only give up an estimate of 40 seats for the Repubs.
They won the House because of Palin and the tea party but he left out that small point because it doesn't fit his middle of the road/Palin will destroy the GOP theories.
Palin defenders....
Submitted by rubberneck on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 8:32pm.
...are simply handing Obama 4 more years. She will never win in a general election, cause she has zero talent. Granted she says things that keep her persona going, but she quit her job as governor and is doing reality TV. That's gonna be a perfect setup to undercut her qualifications. Don't bring Reagan into it (cause she has), cause that is a joke.
Joe speaks the truth...Palin only hurt republicans.
Reality TV? Then don't miss Obama on MythBusters
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 8:38pm.
Next month I think.
"Cause she has zero
Submitted by bkeyser on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 8:41pm.
"Cause she has zero talent."
Huh?
From the shoulders up.
Submitted by rubberneck on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:21am.
From the shoulders up.
Your not funny as a comic,
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 11:23am.
Your not funny as a comic, dont quit your day job. Palin for President 2012.
Hey Jo ke
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 9:31pm.
It really doesn't matter what crap you spin/excrete. We won and your emperor has gotten his nuts cut off. Hope you enjoy the image as much as I do.
YOU LOST, GET USED TO IT! AND THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING!
A "majority" reliant on the
Submitted by fitzfong on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 9:38pm.
A "majority" reliant on the likes of Mike Castle, Mark Kirk and Lisa Murkowski to make up the difference is NOT a majority. As much as big government Republican morons like Morning Joke (of dead secretary fame) carry on about the benefit of the Party being in the majority, they completely miss the point (whether that be through dishonesty or lack of intelligence is up for debate). What good is having a Republican Party in the majority if those who are credited with bringing that majority vote for Cap and Trade (like Mike Casshole and Mark Jirk did) and just about every other leftist wet dream? Sorry, but not having to tolerate Mike Castle as an ignorant, self-absorbed, back-stabbing Senator is no big loss. Morning Joke isn't competing with test patterns for lowest ratings because its host is a genius, is it?
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
"Scarborough was frank with
Submitted by Chris Norman on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:01pm.
"Scarborough was frank with his words on...why he thinks his "Morning Joe" program is a success." "A success" - compared to what exactly - the farm report?Why bother
Submitted by Richard B. on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:03pm.
One more good reason why I do not watch TV. When this show is on, it would be a good time to turn the TV off and same some of our precious energy; excellent way to go green.
Battle tested warrior
Submitted by the struggler on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:04pm.
Boy,isn't Joe the Brave Conservative Warrior.Go on The View and bash Sarah Palin with the rest of the harpies.You showed them.
As if yesterdays guest
Submitted by Boudin on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:09pm.
Didnt do the same routine.
Sarah goes around helping conservatives, and Joe bashes them. And moron Joe thinks Sarah is bad for the GOP. I got news for you Joe, without Sarah and the Tea Party, there is NO GOP.
GOP incompetence cost them the Senate
Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:15pm.
If the candidates preferred by the GOP elites failed to win primaries in Delaware and Nevada, then its because those preferred candidates ran weak campaigns. Why didn't the GOP rescue them? If the GOP gave Tea Party enthusiasm an opening to flex its muscle, it's the GOP's own fault.
Let's also remember that it was those same GOP na-bobs who's "wisdom" cost the GOP control of the Senate in 2006, and control of the White House in 2008.
I think the longer that the GOP is ruled by the likes of Rove, McConnell, et al, the more likely that it will lose much of its gains in 2012.
Your 100% right here
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 1:08am.
The GOP really has no "ground game" without the Tea Party or so it seems. I think that the losses in the senate and gubernatorial elections were due to the ground game being weak.
There are good things and bad things about not having one head to a movement/organization. It makes targeting and taking out the Tea Party harder, but also it makes coordination of efforts much more difficult.
These areas need be addressed and the holes tightened up for 2012.
Liberals are whistling past the graveyard
Submitted by metaphorsbwithu on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:18pm.
FLASH!
TEA Party Patriots issued a great bag whuppin' to the left but the media are trying to diminish their accomplishments and minimize what was a humiliating defeat suffered by the left ... because we didn't send them to bed without supper too.
When you have to brag about electing a liberal in a blue state like Delaware, or California, or re-electing Harry Reid with the SEIU purple shirts dragging people to the polls, you have reached rock bottom.
No, all you liberal pundits, we didn't win them all. If the Republicans HAD won the Senate, you'd be pushing the storyline that TEA Partiers will push "moderate" Republicans across the aisle.
If close to 800 Democrats booted from office nationwide doesn't open your eyes nothing will.
i just think it is hilarious that palin bashing from
Submitted by porpoiseboy on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 10:17pm.
the uber-libs has gotten so pathetic that in essence they are now saying that they also deserved to get their butts handed to them in the senate too, and nothing except sarah kept that from happening. so doesn't that mean she is really their hero? sarah palin....the savior of the democratic party. sniff! sniff!...that's beautiful man.
ecclesiastes 10:2 the heart of the wise man inclines towards the right, while the heart of the fool goes towards the left.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left
The best social program is a JOB...ronald reagan
Sarah Palin and volcanos
Submitted by Richard B. on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 9:19am.
Yes, and Sarah Palin caused the volcano to erupt in Indonesia when Hussein O. was visiting the country.
I knew it had to be so, I
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Fri, 11/12/2010 - 11:27am.
I knew it had to be so, I just knew it.