What's with Scarborough and Jon Stewart?

[Hamlette]

I don't watch Joe very often but since he follows Olbermann, sometimes I watch the first bit.

Lately I've been watching more because Scarborough sounds sane these days, for a Republican. If the first bit doesn't piss me off, I end up watching more. He hasn't been pissing me off. My son told me some time ago Scarborough wasn't like the other Republican whores but I couldn't watch a whole show without him doing something typically republican (setting up a straw man, taking a cheap shot at a dem). Lately, I've been able to watch the whole show.

Now, my question:

Maybe its luck but it seems every night he shows a clip from Jon Stewart which he shows favorably. He seems to really like Stewart. It seems I heard (saw?) he was on Stewart and Stewart wasn't kind. So, why has he been so fawning of Jon lately?

I've heard him say his kids like Stewart, is he just showing his kids he's hip or is he watching Olbermanns ratings and trying to catch up?

Or, and I wouldn't have said this 6 months ago, maybe he's okay.

[texpatriot2004]

1. I find myself watching him too and *yikes* agreeing with Joe. nm

[EFerrari]

2. Maybe he's just method actor. n/t

[ruggerson]

3. I was just saying this tonight

that I enjoy Joe Scarborough, and yes, I watch most of his show. There are many times I still disagree with him, but he does try to be fair and present both sides of an issue, and more often than not, he vehemently disagrees with the Republican take of the day.

[Kahuna]

26. Me too. When he's good, he's very good. But when he starts

acting like the typical smirking repuke (which is less and less these days) I turn him off. I've said for the longest that he has a great on air personality. (most of the times)

[cboy4]

4. I don't trust Scarborough as far as I can throw him. I think he started

acting moderate when he realized how popular KO is for MSNBC, combined with the fact he knew his party was going down like the titanic.

He runs Stewart clips because he realizes it will be a good draw for his show.

However, if you ask me, he will quickly become the 'ol Joe the second the Republicans appear as though they have a chance to regain power.

[Mr_Spock]

8. Exactly

As I said below, "when the Republicans get their mojo back..."

[Zambero]

5. Ever since his "Is Bush a Moron?" feature a few months back...

I've found Joe for the most part to be quite bearable.

[mitchum]

6. Well, he is a slightly more likable murderer than say Ted Bundy

slightly

[rooboy]

15. Ted Bundy was pretty damn likeable... n/t

[Hamlette]

16. how true, my claim to fame is I went to law school with Bundy n/t

[Mr_Spock]

7. He'll still take the cheap shots from time to time

He kind of took a jab at the global warming crowd with a somewhat snide remark about the criticism of the penguin movie.

He also seems to want to have an affair with Jon - lol - nothing like a lover scorned :rofl: (just kidding)

I think he knows a dead duck when he see it, and Bush is a lame-duck-walking - he will meander his way back to the right when the Republicans get their mojo back - whenever that ends up being.

[Cleita]

9. Because the man fawns.

Stewart didn't let him get out of hand like Bill Maher did. I guess he respects the alpha wolf.

[originalpckelly]

10. I know it's weird...

I have to say I actually *like* watching it.

:crazy:

[Minnesota_Lib]

11. I was thinking about posting something about this earlier. Joe has been...

...using more and more clips of Stewart and Colbert lately. I leave the tube on MSNBC after KO each night and I swear Joe uses clips of the big two at least 3-6 times per show. It seems like he uses a clip in every other story to make some point or other.

I was going to suggest that they change the name of the show to "Scarborough Country featuring Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert." Hell, if it weren't for Comedy Central (along with a few Letterman clips) Joe would only have about 30 minutes of material each night. :)

[texpatriot2004]

12. His show seems more and more similar to Keith's. You think? nt

[calimary]

20. That's because he can read the ratings reports. And he can recognize

a winner when he sees one. It's Olbermann - the highest-rated show on MSNBC and only gaining momentum. I'm guessing Joe doesn't want to be left behind. Besides, I'm sure he's acutely aware of the critically-important lead-in factor, and what a drop-off there is after "Countdown" ends and his show starts. He's trying to keep viewers. He sees what they're tuning in for. And he recognizes what's working now - and what's changed on the national political landscape. He's evidently read the writing on the wall and realizes what it's gonna take to survive now that people like Olbermann and Stewart/Colbert are the darlings of the most desirable demographic groups.

[Kahuna]

27. And as a results his ratings are improving.

nt

[patricia92243]

13. I've got where I watch him too. he's not nearly as bad as I thought he would be. Tucker - never.

I've tried to watch him and finally turned to a cooking show :(

[KharmaTrain]

14. Marketing And Counter Programming...

I'm still no Joey fan...too much of his rabid rhetoric over the bridge for me to totally forgive the intern killer, but I've seen him read the tea leaves and leave the reservation...and dare I say, I find it more refreshing to hear him bore booosh an asshole than almost anyone else. Also I've heard he plays a pretty mean guitar and knows his music...I heard him make a Frank Zappa reference recently...how can you totally detest someone like that? :crazy:

A think what Joey and Dan Abrams are trying to do is counter-program whats on the other channels. Faux has asshat Hannity and CNN has Larry King Dead...not much of a choice for anyone either under the age of 65 or with an IQ over that number. His "Hollywierd" stuff is a bone to the younger viewers...to try to attract many of us who'd rather watch paint dry than the offerings on the other channels at that hour...are jonsing for a TDS or Colbert fix and try to keep some of Olbermann's audience to stick around.

While some of Joey's guests...like pitchfork Pat Buchanan can resort to his old verbal diareah...he also brings on Lawrence O'Donnell, Flavia Kolgan, Arianna Huffington and lets them get their shots in.

Yep, it's an attempt at getting a younger audience, but not in spite of Olbermann, but because of him.

[ConsAreLiars]

17. Trust/watch that chameleon and proven liar? Just because he

seems to be more sane means only that he is a skilled operative. Lipstick on a pig. Don't be fooled. It is like those ads for murderous corporations with sweet violin music. If he had any integrity at all he could confess to the "dead assistant" episode or at least have opposed US genocide in Iraq.

[SoCalDem]

18. dead aide in his office..his sudden decision to resign

(he was a "golden boy", headed for bigger things..but he chucks it all DURING his term..

he resigns suddenly after Lori's found dead.. wife divorces him..

waay too creepy for me.. I don;t like the guy..

and he's got beady little reptilian eyes:puke:

[MazeRat7]

19. Well here is my take...

a) I think he really likes John (or at least likes his ratings)

b) He's a bit pissed at how his conservative party has been hi-jacked by faux-conservatives

c) He's looking to build his own ratings by trying to put out his own personal position (eg one of the few repugs that want to think for themselves).

Its just a guess... but I agree he has taking task with many of his parties policies which I was rather shocked by.

I don't watch very often myself and have yet to see an entire show... but the first 15-20 mins recently have been rather different from what I remember of him in the past.

Go figure :wtf:

For now he has a "interesting" rating in my book like several other true conservatives I've heard lately.. what puzzles me is they are pissed about many of the same things we are (excessive spending, botched war, erosion of privacy, loss of constitutional freedoms...) gezzz its a bizazrro world indeed.

MZr7

[Hamlette]

21. I've long thought we should make those our "wedge issues"

excessive spending, deficit and the nat'l debt, erosion of privacy and loss of constitutional freedom.

Those were conservative issues and I agree with each of them. We take them as our own issues and drive a wedge into the GOP leaving it with the religious nut cases and neocons. (Although I do like the idea of spreading democracy (which is why neocons came from the left and what they got from the left) I don't agree you can do it at the point of a gun.)

[WernhamHogg]

22. I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that Joe uses clips of The Daily Show to fill time on his own show until it is time to show clips of South Park to fill more time on his show! He is starting to remind me of a subsitute teacher: "Someone get the lights! We are gonna watch a movie"!

[Guaranteed]

23. Scarborough was on Colbert- and, I have to admit, the guy

was pretty good. He was funny, quite witty, actually. Made a nasty comment or two, but, he was definitely entertaining. One of the best interviews I'd even seen Stephen do.

[Guaranteed]

25. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1681186#1681226

[malaise]

24. He needs Jon's clips to keep people

watching.