The fourth episode of CBS’s Murphy Brown reboot was rather uneventful, at least compared to the first few. Most of the storyline was devoted to a Steve Bannon-like character who has written a book about, essentially, the MAGA agenda. Murphy is being pressured by the network to interview the guy for the ratings it would bring her Murphy in the Morning show.
In "Three Shirts to the Wind," Murphy (Candice Bergen) is pushing back, though, on granting air time to Ed Shannon (David Costabile) because we all know that only liberal agendas are worthy of being heard, especially on Murphy’s cable network, a thinly veiled CNN. She goes about talking to all her co-workers and all agree with her – no interview should be granted. It is noteworthy that the word used by all of them to describe Shannon is "Nazi." It’s a parody of liberal groupthink, though, no doubt, unintended.
After Murphy announces on her show that she will not be conducting an interview with Ed Shannon, she heads over to Phil’s Bar and Grill. Lo and behold, who should be there waiting for her but Shannon. As the two rivals are sitting at the bar together discussing the possibility of an interview, all the usual tropes are heard. Murphy refers to immigration, for example, and after Shannon points out that his Irish ancestors came to America legally says, “Yeah, well, so would everybody else if you didn't put up so many roadblocks to citizenship.” Roadblocks? Border security and a legal, orderly process are referred to as “many roadblocks,” apparently.
She calls Shannon’s agenda “ugly." Leftists hate the MAGA agenda, to be sure. Anyone sticking up for considering the best interests of America over a globalist agenda is ugly, I guess. After Murphy sings the praises of Canada’s far-left prime minister, Shannon calls him “a globalist cuck” and that is when Murphy pounces.
Murphy launches into what she does best, delivering a condescending diatribe to Ed Shannon and labeling him a dinosaur scared of “losing your place at the table.”
Murphy: I just got what's going on. Underneath all that clothing is an old white guy who's scared of losing his place at the table. You and your friends, you're all dinosaurs.
Ed: What the hell are you talking about?
Murphy: This is your last gasp, your last chance to prevent progress from happening, and the good people -- let's call them single-shirts... ...they're going to stamp out your hatred and bigotry, and they will replace you. You will end up an exhibit in a museum, standing in your country-club diorama with a gin and tonic in one hand and your putter in the other... ...A sad, sad, sad, sad dinosaur who went extinct. What a waste of time.
Ed: Talk about going extinct. I should've known all I'd get from you were the rantings of a woman way, way, way, way past her prime.
Murphy: You know, of everything you've ever said, that is the most predictable. Oh, and you better hurry. Jurassic Park closes in an hour.
See, the old conservative white men (and women) are holding back progress. Conservative white people are racist and hateful in Murphy’s liberal media world, except for her and her friends, of course. As I said, it was pretty standard stuff from the book of liberal talking points.
Murphy Brown considers herself someone who takes the journalistic high road, yet doesn’t want to air opinions quite different than her own. I’m old enough to remember when journalists reported both sides of an argument and let the audience decide for themselves. Calling those desiring a strong America at home and abroad hardly makes anyone a bad guy.
