Max Blumenthal just ate Morning Joe for Breakfast

[wowimthere]

Catch it! It was beautiful!

[SteppingRazor]

1. I caught that this morning, and I really thought Blumenthal could've done better.

He never should have let Joe counter the "Enemy of Humanity" example with his "both sides do it" excuse, followed by taking the "evilmonger" and "unAmerican" lines of Reid and Pelosi completely out of context.

[elleng]

2. I agree that he might have done better,

but that could only have occurred if joe had let hime respond, which he didn't do.

PS, I've not seen the show for quite a while, but saw it today and noted what appeared to be Mika's irritation at Joe for interrupting everyone, and not paying attention to their own schedule or decorum. Nothing stupid about that.

[SteppingRazor]

4. Certainly true that Joe didn't give him time to respond...

of course, that's probably because Joe knew he'd get eviscerated if he let him.

[CTyankee]

6. Another problem was that he hadn't read the NY Times story that Joe referenced, about the

tax break for businesses for job creation that Joe said "economists" had wanted in the stimulus bill all along. It was ONE economist who was quoted saying that in the story. Also, Joe didn't tell the whole story. The major reason it wasn't included in the original stimulus was that at the time it was feared that businesses would game the system to get the tax break and not add workers or lengthen hours of current workers.

The other side of this, also in the NYT article, was the argument that businesses add workers when the demand for their product increases, not just to get a tax break because extra workers DO cost them something, even with the break. So the whole premise can be attacked as suspect...

Max thought he was there just to pump up his book's sales which is fine but he should have realized that Joe would go for his usual bullying tactics and try to talk over him. He should have laughed and said "Boy, Joe, this sure is a conversation you're having with yourself!"

[otohara]

3. For Those of Us in the Western States

who are still in bed when MJ crew is on, please provide more information.

[CTyankee]

8. Here's the Huff Post story and video of the conversation on MJ.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/07/joe-scarborough-grows-exa_n_312471.html

Let me know what you think!

[otohara]

15. They Keep Trying to Justify Because of Bush

and how we hated him and we were just as mean. They don't see the difference, or won't admit we were on the right side of history when it came to the lies spewed about Iraq so we could go occupy and steal their oil, and how he gave away the bank to the wealthiest and bankrupting our country.

I thought after Obama was elected, things would be different, they wouldn't be so blatant in their hatred, of the black man in The White House.

At least the rest of the world is happy with us - but you know, the right-wing is pooh-poohing that too.

[Cha]

19. They're always trying to justify something

..that's all they do. Create destruction and whine about it later.

I knew it would bad from the limpbaugh types after Obama got in and that's all any of them are.

[CTyankee]

5. The problem is that Blumenthal let Joe bully him. When Joe starts doing this

there's only one thing you can do: Mock him! Lean back in the chair and say "I'll tell you what, Joe. AFter you speak in a complete sentence I get to make a complete sentence. What a concept! How about it?" Then, big smile. If he keeps up, you turn to the others at the table and say, "Would anyone else like to hear about my book?" and completely ignore Joe. Try to engage Mika or Barnicle just to show that you're done with Joe. Shut him out of your focus entirely.

[uponit7771]

9. You a shrink? I'll use this....it's pretty good

[CTyankee]

14. Naw, I've just lived long enough to know how to handle a bully.

Joe was counting on Max to be cowed and he was. Max is young and seems like a really nice guy. I also noticed that Mika seemed embarrassed by Joe's outburst (prolly cuz he does it to her so often). So Mika might have wanted to have more a conversation instead of a Joe-rant.

[TheKentuckian]

18. He didn't respond as you suggest but he certainly didn't get bullied

He stood up and gave no ground. In my book that's about the opposite of being bullied. Winning the fight doesn't mean you didn't stand up.

[wowimthere]

7. I saw it this way... Blumenthal is rather reserved but his points were salient

He frustrated Joe. He frustrated him to the point that Joe became speechless. Sure Joe cut him off but only one person got ticked and Max got in the most important angles. The Iraq war under the Radical Right! The spending spree during the GOP run amok branches of government!

[scheming daemons]

10. Blumenthal is on the correct side in the argument, but he came off looking like an ass...

...and probably caused more viewers to be AGAINST what he had to say than FOR it, because of the way he presented himself.


You won't woo people to your side when you act like a pompous prick.

[xultar]

21. My thought exactly. Max came of looking silly and sounding annoying.

I was wondering what DUers thought about that mess.

I think Max made us look bad. Can we get some pundits with ass kickin shoes on please?

[uponit7771]

11. Blumenthal should've tied MAINSTREAM reThugs to the extreme rights. Apologizing to Limbaugh

..., echoing Palin, being around the so called "small government" conservatives and then making him explain RayGun, Bush1 and Bush2

[Zen Democrat]

12. I though Scarborough came off looking BAAAAAD -- condescending and pompous just for starters.

Followed by shallow, obnoxious and rude. I really can't take bullying in the morning -- so don't watch the show but do see the videos from time to time. Scarborough is just plain messed up.

[valerief]

13. It was good. Max kept his cool. Nothing irritates Schmoe more than that! nt

[vaberella]

16. Does anyone have a video?! n/t

[CTyankee]

17. See my post #8 with the link to the HuffPost story and video!

Let me know what YOU think...

[vaberella]

20. Thank you for the link and I just saw the vid.

Took a while considering I was waiting for upload.

In any event, it was an interesting debate. There seemed to be a lot of tit for tat in the discussion and overall I don't think there was a win-win situation. I don't think Blumenthal was able to pwn Scarborough as some have proclaimed. It seemed more like a stalemate where I was. However, what I have noticed with any discussion in regards to Republican blame or Democrat blame the discussion always gets watered down to a well I can find it here so I don't know what you're critiquing there. The discussion basically dies off similarly to the way any discussion on racism ends...with an eventual blame on rappers using a bastardized version of the *N* word and there goes the topic of actions.


I think Blumenthal would have been better off if he focused entirely on the fact Republican's don't want to play ball on anything. Rather than throwing out the name calling and/or various mistruths spread. He should focus on how the extreme right (irrespective of religion) have taken the party hostage and we have various strategies in place where Senators are in effect working against the people by spreading misinformation in order to supply fodder for the idiotic constituents who have issues with Obama (for whatever reason).


So all in all it was more of a stalemate and nothing special. They both came across weak and unfortunately Blumenthal's position was weakened by a poor argument structure. However, I like that he was able to hold his own and I was surprised by how Scarborough held himself from being a 2 year old---since at times he can get as bad as O'Rielly.

[CTyankee]

23. I just felt Blumenthal was weak on the NY Times story where he should have been strong.

He obviously hadn't read it or digested it or he could have contested Joe right on that one thing. He kinda used weak examples and didn't really defend against Joe's use of Pelosi and Reid's quotes--he should have had responses for those right away. What we were seeing was what the Left should soldier up against with the Republicans. We need people who will fight against THESE arguments, not the ones we've been using which I believe the American people have moved beyond.

The public is now in a different place than where it was in August 2009. We have to catch up...repukes like MJ are on the march...believe me...

[Doremus]

22. We need more truth telling like this. Take no prisoners.

He did very well.

[vaberella]

25. What truth telling? They did the same thing from each corner. n/t

[jenmito]

24. I couldn't stand when Joe tried to dismiss or minimize Max's points by

trying to say "the left" does the same things (and Max didn't rebut his false examples) and by talking soooo slowly that I had to speed up my tv to 1.3x speed and it was STILL slow.

[butterfly77]

26. Yes,he sure gave it to Bush2

Scar can't take it because he needs to explain to us and everyone else how the world works and politics. He can't take it when someone fights back and tells him like it is. Thank you Blumenthal for making my day.

I also enjoyed the Morning that Ed was on an Scar was angry but tried to pretend as though he wasn't and Ed knew it and just keep on smiling, as I watched the anger building then Scar cut off the conversation because he knew his anger was rising and Ed was not going to back down from his point...

[butterfly77]

27. K&R!!!