Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:08 pm
Even though MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough has been hammering Fox News and talk radio over the last couple of days for fear mongering with Obama’s speech to students, FNC still touted Scarborough today as potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate. However, Scarborough has shown no interest in running for president.
Here is the video courtesy of Media Matters:
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FNC contributor Steven Hayes said, “Joe Scarborough would be another. Somebody who I think certainly a very good talker, he’s very articulate. He can make a case and make it well, so they are looking for somebody who might balance President Obama in that respect.”
Why is Fox News trying to kiss up to Scarborough? Are they trying to play nice so that he will stop kicking their teeth in with criticism of the right wing everyday on his show? Maybe, but it is strange that FNC would single out a Republican who has been a very vocal critic of the kind of fear that they have been engaging in.
Scarborough has even taken to using his Twitter page to criticize his party’s direction. Yesterday he posted, “Dear GOP, argue the issues and avoid the insults…or just shut up. Enough with the conspiracy theories. Shouldn’t our beliefs be enough” He also posted, “GOP leaders in my home state are accusing the POTUS of trying to “indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda.” Seriously?”
People forget that Scarborough walked away from his House seat, and to me he doesn’t have the look of a guy who wants back in. He has found a home on MSNBC in the morning. It is a safe assumption that it would take a lot to get him to leave his current cushy gig. I also believe that Scarborough is too moderate for the current GOP. I don’t think he could get nominated, even if he did run.
What really jumped out at me about that Fox News piece is that they chose to tout two people who aren’t even in politics right now. That is a very strong indictment of the current potential Republican presidential candidates. Sarah Palin has completely imploded, and Mitt Romney is the Mormon who can’t be nominated. FNC seems desperate for someone to come out of the background and save the Republican Party.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
