What is up with Joe Scarborough?

[rpannier]

I'll admit I don't live in the states right now. But everytime I see Joe's ugly mug on Crooks and Liars he's blasting some republican, right now it's veep f-you. And he's having a goodtime with Franken while doing it.
But, I've seen him blasted on Media Matters and MoveOn for talking really bizarre positions on issues.
Is he a moderate? Is he just unpredictable? Is he bi-polar? Has he seen the light? I mean what's up with him?

[NewJeffCT]

1. Scarborough is very conservative

But, he is willing to call a Republican on their BS from time to time.

After the first debate in 2004, when every other Republican on the planet was attempting to put some positive spin on Bush's dreadful performance, Scarborough basically came out and said something to the effect of, "I don't know how can you say the President was anything but awful."

[H2O Man]

9. Right.

He was one of the ultra-conservatives in Congress, until some "personal issues" exposed him as a bit of a hypocrit. Unlike many of his ilk, Joe actually grew and learned something from his mistakes. He is still very conservative, but it willing to call his fellow republicans on some of their worst crimes. He was at his best during the first 10 days of the hurricane crisis.

[NewJeffCT]

12. If I'm not mistaken

Scarborough, when in Congress, had criticized Newt Gingrich for being too liberal!

[H2O Man]

13. Joe was convinced

that he had set out on a path that would lead to the presidency in 2000. He believed that he would be the most heroic of the Reagan-inspired youger generation. Another DUer below notes that Joe was actually inspired by RFK, which is fascinating and true. RFK had begun the Bed-Sty project, which was perhaps the most thoughtful type of social investment; it had great appeal to both democrats and fiscal conservative/republicans. More, it held the promise to help people end multi-generation poverty and welfare dependence. Those who have a huge investment in keeping large numbers in poverty -- there is a ton of money to be made on poverty -- knee-capped the general program, though.

So Joe was definitely more aggressively "conservative" in many ways than Newt, some potentially good, and others very bad. He was confrontational, and overconfident that he could win any fight. Self-righteous young man. I am not sure why he wasn't recruited by the solidifying neoconservative movement in the early '90s, in the way Newt was. Many of their theorists had believed in the Bed-Sty type of empowerment for the poor. They certainly dropped that from their agenda.

[stop the bleeding]

15. very interesting indeed, thank you to both of you for shedding light on

this reptile.

[Inland]

16. Many ideological conservatives have low opinions re: Bush.

It's just a question of whether they are going to say so expressly and openly or keep their mouths shut and hope for the best.

Seems to me that anyone with a TV show has an incentive to speak up, if only to fill time and be more interesting than your bushbot. Besides, the bushbot role is played by guests. leaving the host to say something relatively thoughtful.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. I just saw him on Crooks and Liar with Franken and Franken asks

him if he ever shot (or was it killed?) someone. I had a moment where I held my breath wondering how Joe was going to answer. Isn't Scarborough the guy who ended up with a dead girl in his office and, to date, there hasn't been an explanation?

[NewJeffCT]

3. yes, you are correct

Not sure what the deal is there, but it happened around the same time as Gary Condit/Chandra Levy... so, of course, it got no coverage.

[Tesla]

4. I was talkin to someone about that yesterday

She was a married woman also.

Anyone have the story??
I'd love to hear it all!

[Clark2008]

10. You can start here:

http://www.americanpolitics.com/20010808Klausutis.html

[bullimiami]

5. lori klausitis. turned up dead in his office in florida.

suspicious happenings with the medical examiner and handling of case.

scarborough is insane.

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. Boy, they do seem to know to make friends with people who see

dead people as a living.

[FreedomAngel82]

7. Yep

She was pregnant and she was found dead in the office both her and the baby were dead. Nothing ever came out of it.

[FreedomAngel82]

6. He goes around and around

Sometimes he's on the right side of the issue and other times just when you think you're starting to like him he surprises you. I used to be the same way with Tucker Carlson but than I realize what a bafoon Carlson is and now just ignore him. Scarbrough also this past time came to the Robert Kennedy memorial and gave a nice speech about how Bobby inspired him.

[rpannier]

8. I'm glad you brought up tucker

I think I read on C&L that Scarborough got all over Captain Bow-tie over this incident. Captain Bow-tie said something to the effect of, 'I've hunted and no one ever drinks...blah, blah blah"
and Scarborough then asked who he went hunting with cuz all of the guys scarborough knew took along beer with them.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. LOL yeah I saw that

Scarborough looked at Carlson like he was a fool. Like duh. C'mon get real. Is anyone seriously going to buy that line? I'm sure there are some hunters who don't drink (I don't think my cousin and her husband do) when they go hunting but not everyone. :eyes:

[tsuki]

14. Husband hunts, no alcohol, but then, he doesn't consider

shooting barnyard fowl hunting.

[mwb970]

18. He really got Tucker for that one.

"Who do you hunt with, the English Fox Club"?

[Libby2]

17. Sometimes it seems, he is almost human.

[Beelzebud]

20. He is a reed in the wind.