Does Mika drive anyone else crazy?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

I think she has a typical female communication problem when among very assertive men (i.e Joe). She does not have the ability to express herself assertively and effectively so she resorts to constant
background chatter. It is very annoying to me. She needs to learn assertiveness techniques and only speak when she has something to say. I noticed that Rachel Maddow is excellent at this.

I don't know what Mika's background is - if it is a lack of knowledge, or just lack of self confidence - but she is a total drain on the show. I wish they would get a female with more depth and knowledge to represent the left.

[Oceansaway]

1. they need to replace dead intern Joe....

he's the REAL problem....jmo...

[NDambi]

3. Joe just sucks period..lol..

[NDambi]

2. Yes!! I thought it was just me..the giggling is annoying....she's much

better when she's on her own after Morning Joe!

Btw, I love Rachel. Wish they'd give her, her own show.

[Hieronymus]

34. Rachel will eventually get her own show .. no doubt.

[SoFlaJet]

4. yes my wife...she can't watch or listen to her

it seems like she tries too hard doesn't it?

[0007]

5. Anyone that had to work with Joe Scarabough must get many kudos.

I'll take Mika and Rachel Maddow any day for their supreme intelligence over pure stupidity.

Perhaps you should throw your hat in the ring young lady? Or just move to FAUX News.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. I like her. WHO IS MIKA?

She always out clases Joe (dead intern) big stupid mouth.

MIKA REFUSED TO REPORT THE PARIS HILTON STUPID STORY.

Her quietness just serves to put his idiocy into perspective.

He blathers on and on and on, whining and whinging, and she is cool.
Give her time.

WHO IS MIKA?

Her background, her brother works for Obama campaign.

Mika Emilie Leonia Brzezinski (born May 2, 1967) is a television news journalist at MSNBC. Brzezinski is co-host of MSNBC's weekday morning program, Morning Joe. In addition to providing regular commentary, she also reads the news headlines for the program. Brzezinski also anchors the 9am ET hour of MSNBC Live. Additionally she reports for NBC Nightly News, and serves as alternating news anchor on Weekend Today. Previously, she was a CBS News anchor and correspondent.

Early life
Brzezinski was born in New York City, the daughter of foreign policy expert and former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski and sculptor Emilie Anna Benes. Her father was then teaching at Columbia University, but the family moved to McLean, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., in late 1976, when Zbigniew was named National Security Advisor by newly-elected President Jimmy Carter.

Brzezinski attended The Madeira School during her high-school years. She graduated in 1989 from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she majored in English, after transferring in from Georgetown University as a junior. Since 1993, Brzezinski has been married to TV news reporter James Hoffer, now of WABC TV/WABC-DT.<1> They have two children.

...
Paris Hilton Story
On June 26, 2007, near the beginning of Morning Joe, Brzezinski refused to read a report about Paris Hilton's release from jail. One hour later during another news break segment, her producer Andy Jones again pushed the story as the lead, ranking it over Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana's break with President Bush on the Iraq war, which Brzezinski considered more important. After several sarcastic remarks from host Joe Scarborough, she attempted to light the story's script on fire on the air, but in safety of the newsroom, she was physically prevented from doing so by co-host Willie Geist. She then tore up the script, and one hour later, got up and ran another copy of the script through a paper shredder retrieved from Dan Abrams's office.<2> The incident was quickly popularized on the Internet, and in the days that followed Brzezinski received large quantities of fan mail supporting her on-air protest as a commentary on the tension between 'hard news' and 'entertainment news.'<3><4>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mika_Brzezinski

[gabby garcia]

8. i dig her too!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

16. Well, I applaud her for the PH thing. Maybe she does have redeeming

qualities - but how would you know from listening? all she does is make inaudible constant chatter. If it's all Joe's fault for being a pompous loudmouth ass - then why don't they (1) talk to him about letting her speak, (2) Talk to her about her problem with communications? or (3) tell her to go somewhere else where all her redeeming qualities can be heard.

[JoFerret]

7. Stop watching

.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. nothing else to watch for politics. I switch back and forth with C-SPAN

[Marie26]

9. I like her

But she lets Scarborough intimidate her. It's tough, I guess, since it's his show.

[Tennessee Gal]

10. The longer I watch, the more disappointed I am in her.

She is intelligent, but makes herself look like a dumb blonde.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. Yes, your right - almost like she puts on this flirty act - I have nothing

against her personally - but I haven't noticed much intelligence there - like
any real command of the facts - not like Rachel has.

[KoKo]

13. She started off strongly on the show...but Producers seem to have wanted the duo to be

like the old Regis and Kathie Lee. It seemed after the first couple of months she was prompted to be giggly and school girlish and play the submissive "wife" who has to fight to get a word in while her overbearing, know it all husband, hogs the conversation.

It's all an act and another example of how MSNBC/GE seems to like to portray it's female anchors. Only Andrea Mitchell seems to be able to have "presence" and that's probably because Greenspan did so many favors for GE and the Markets that they have to give her some leeway.

I find I can barely watch that show...because of the giggling and cleavage and the rest she does. But, if I'm desperate for a Political fix...I end up watching some of it and then need a shower after...:-(

[Laura PourMeADrink]

22. You are SO right ! I seem to remember it wasn't like that when the

show started. But, I have heard that producers encourage that "sexual" tension constantly
on these types of shows.

I know I am in the minority here but I always watched Imus every morning. Aside from the BS - it was a very good political show. I felt lost when that was gone.

If you notice the female politicos, the ones that get respect, like Andrea, are the ones who only speak when they have something to say. One thing about her is that it is kind of difficult to tell who she supports - which I guess is a sign of a good journalist. You can also tell she has inside connections and good sources.

Guess I need to get a life, huh. :)

[ellacott]

44. That's it!! I couldn't put my finger on it.

Regis and Kathy Lee is the perfect example.

I also remember her being more intelligent. I believe she has the ability to outshine Joe. I believe she's intelligent but has been dumbed down for Joe. I don't think Joe is that smart and not really able to get into the substance on many issues.

[K Gardner]

30. Agree and concur with everything in this sub-thread.. have noticed the same things and it is

disappointing and very annoying.

[livetohike]

11. Mika is the only reason that I watch Morning Joe

Joe isn't assertive. He's an ass. It is "his show" afterall, so I think she has to be careful not to upstage him too much. It's a fine line to walk.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. And that constant background chatter of hers - all those inaudible

comments under her breath doesn't drive you crazy?

[livetohike]

23. I know what you mean, but it makes me laugh

I think they should get rid of Joe and let Mika have the show. :-)

[Texas Hill Country]

15. she seems snarky to me... but, i just ignore her. Rachel is very likable.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Yep. It's like you wouldn't even miss her if she wasn't there. I am

really loving Rachel. She's got command of the facts and she is a very
good debater. She held her own against the Clinton spinner the other
night.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

24. she's not really snarky, give her time, read what I posted up thread about her

she's down to earth, a true liberal, soft spoken and has integrity.

She flat out refused to "report" the Paris Hilton story on "Morning Joe"

[Texas Hill Country]

27. that's admirable, but I have seen her only once or twice and both times she seemed really annoyed

[slor]

19. I like her...

I agree, she seems meek at times, but I seem to remember that the meekness appeared following her making a stand on some issue, cannot remember what, and that maybe her making a stand was followed by her being reprimanded. I could be totally wrong, of course, but that is the impression I felt.

[monmouth]

20. That's why I listen Imus in the morning. I don't have to look at him but

the show is quite good, sometimes quite to the right, but I can live with that, it's expected. Also, pretty funny. Can't stand to even look at Joe, TV off for the day until Keith. Get my news at DU...

[Roxy66]

21. Wouldnt it be great to see Rachel take on Joe every morning...

He'd shit a brick every morning

[Bigleaf]

42. Fuck, he'd probably start calling in sick and a few months later just retire. She'd eat him

up and spit him out. Not a fair fight. A fun one to watch, but she's way out of his league.

[SaveAmerica]

25. Try to find a clip of her asking Wilson did HRC really want to 'go there' with the misspeaking

thing against Obama (bringing it up over and over, twisting it around, airing the misrepresentation over and over) after she told the Bosnia tale 3 or 4 times. She came back at him strongly, didn't back down, looked right in the camera (he was being interviewed over the phone) and took him to task. He sounded like he really doesn't believe the lines he had to say over and over again. Scarborough interrupted her with the 'will Hillary have Bush's crimes investigated when she's prez' question. She did a great job of stopping Wilson's repetition of the same lame thoughts over and over again. I think this is the real Mika and the one that is usually seen is what she was hired as. Does that make sense? I was most impressed and surprised with it, she should speak up like this more often.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. Yes, saw that. She did put it to him. Unfortunately, he came back

with a good response - which was indefensible - that HRC blunder was about herself - not about a
whole group of people. I don't know what I would have said to that, though. I think basically
Obama got caught thinking out loud - very unfortunate. Problem is, he can't really take it
back and he can't re-engineer it. He basically got caught saying what was really on his
mind - something you could tell your friends in private. He just forgot that the whole
world could eventually hear him. For her, same thing, she basically got caught in a full-fledged
exageration (at best).

[Debi]

47. But the story wasn't just about Clinton (unless the 'sniper' was now aiming for her!)

and Wolfson's spin (that Mika let him get away with) is now 'out there' that while Obama was putting Penn. residents down in his comments (how he felt in his heart) it's okay that Clinton told a little white lie that didn't hurt anyones feelings. He creates a comparison that the MSM will now use in their conversations about the candidates (Clinton's little white lie vs. Obama's heart felt put down).

[K Gardner]

31. I saw that and wondered if she really IS that intimidated by Scarborough.. and I wonder what

goes on behind the scenes that we haven't seen. He is openly hostile and bullying and belittling to her on camera. She's obviously been told not to "talk back" to him. But her personality has definitely changed, not for the better.

I hate Scarborough. He scares me.

[Marie26]

41. It's a good microcosm

for the political debate as a whole. That show sort of shows how conservatives got so powerful in the first place. Scarborough is an idiot, but he is a loud, obnoxious, bullying, self-righteous one who makes his voice heard. Meanwhile the "liberal" Mika is trying to be reasonable & civil & gets walked all over. He somehow manages to belittle her often, sort of undermining her own opinions. And the end result is the sad, muffled Mika & a conservative host who can expound on his obnoxious opinions all day long. Mika, it's a dsyfunctional relationship! Get out while you still can! Maddow & Olbermann are exceptions to this general rule - they manage to be liberal yet still forceful w/their opinions & unintimidated by the conservative loudmouths.

[K Gardner]

50. Very excellent analogy, and I agree.

[Debi]

46. Wolfson, and yes saw that and listened as he tried to spin it as

Clinton's story about herself and not other people (so she was the only one who the 'sniper' was firing at???)

[closeupready]

26. I've always liked her, actually.

She's a lot like Lara Logan, IMO - beauty AND brains, and journalistic integrity.

[K Gardner]

29. I haven't watched in a long time, but had the TV on this morning while getting ready and was shocked

to see how timid she'd become. I noticed the "yeah, mmm, hmmm", little eye movements, fidgeting.. she seemed intimidated and uncomfortable and, sorry to say, totally overrun by the two "men" on the show who seemed to delight in making fun of her and intimidating her. She reminded me of one of the people on the QVC Shopping Network who just sort of nods her head and agrees, then looks awkwardly into the camera.

It was disturbing.

[Beacool]

32. Is she a "typical white woman"???

:rofl:

[zulchzulu]

33. It is the worst news show on TV and I include Fox News garbage

Mika is a whiner who makes fun of that goofy other dude and Joe is a friggin' jock that should be rattling off scores on ESPN...he knows jackshit about politics and Mika is just as inane.

What pixelwaste...

[angie_love]

35. Yeah she really is freakin annoying. She "hmmm's" and "yeah's" her way through a conversation

Its annoying.

[noel711]

36. I've stopped watching...

We usta watch Imus, and when 'Morning JOe' started,
we thought it had possibilities.
Mika was to be the intelligent part of the team,
But no more.

It is unwatchable. JOe is a bigot and and big mouth.
Mika, who refused to report on Paris HIlton,
is now flirty, dumb and feeds this racist machine.

No more waste of time. Classical music for me.

[dancingme]

37. the "Freddie Ballgame" stuff drives me nuts

I can't reach for the remote fast enough when I hear the way Joe expects her to gush over "Freddie Ballgame" as if George Clooney was going to walk on the set and sit next to her.

[SoCalDem]

38. She's the "blonde chick"... that's her "job"..

When she was on the overnight CBS show, she was not like this, but her new job on Morning Joe requires her to play a role.. It's not "Morning Mika"...and she's just doing what she's being paid to do..

When she takes over for the 4th hour, alone, she's a different person..

I think people will tire of Joe...especially after the election..

Who knows what will happen then..

[my3boyz]

39. She is spineless...It is hard to watch. Then she takes up for Joe

when someone says that his analysis is biased towards Hillary because he wants her to stay in. Pathetic! Might as well have him do the show alone if no one is going to challenge him.

[BeyondGeography]

40. She started out strong but Joe bullied her into submission

now she's just holding down a job. I can't watch it anymore.

[Debi]

43. Their banter and talking over each other and on air spats are all planned out

They repeat them at the top of each hour during the show.

Morning Joe is not spontaneous morning television any more than Regis and Kelly or the Today show.

I like Mika and Joe and Willy. But I don't believe everything they say/do.

It's a show. It is not hard-hitting journalism.

[snooper2]

45. That bullshit smile..

is the only thing that pisses me of...

As a "Sr. Advisor" to Hillary INC., I expect the shit she spews out of her mouth...

[Cass]

48. I don't watch the show because she grates on my nerves.

I don't perceive her as being unintelligent or insecure, rather I see her as somewhat full of herself and too quick to throw a snide remark to her colleagues. Her background chatter is annoying and the interrupting is rude IMO; comes off as a "look at me" syndrome which gets old fast. She's not my cup of tea.

There's no morning show on that I care for - they all pretty much annoy the heck out of me these days - but I think it may have something to do with the fact that I am a bit of a grump before my morning coffee has fully kicked in. :hangover:

Interesting post - I thought I was the only one who disliked her.

[City Lights]

49. Maybe her problem isn't with very assertive men, but rather with men

who've threatened to backhand her. :mad:

I like Mika and would like to see someone else co-host the morning slot.

I refuse to watch Joe Scar. M$NBC needs to clean house of scumbags like Joe and Pat Buchanan.

From the January 30 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe:

HARWOOD: I think, Joe -- I know you were holding back, but I think that Charlie Crist endorsement might have had even more juice than a Scarborough endorsement. What do you think?

BRZEZINSKI: I think so.

SCARBOROUGH: I, actually -- I don't endorse anybody because, as you know, I'm a journalist. However, there's no doubt, there are two things --

BRZEZINSKI: (laughing)

HARWOOD: I get it.

SCARBOROUGH: --that hurt -- Mika, don't make me backhand you. Mika is --

BRZEZINSKI: Oh, lord.

SCARBOROUGH: -- in a very bad way this morning because she's a big McCain fan, her brother works for McCain, so she's very excited.

BRZEZINSKI: Well, I'm happy for my brother.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801300002

A video of the exchange is available through the link.

[Blue_Roses]

51. Rachel is good at this, in fact when she and Joe go toe to toe

she smacks him down and he can't stand it. :rofl: He's a total jerk IMO and he runs like hot and cold water. Never know his moods.

And yes, I agree with you about Mika. I was thinking the same thing. She's very intimidated by him.