MSNBC chief says he hasn’t decided whether commentator Pat Buchanan will return to network

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

MSNBC’s top executive said Saturday that he hasn’t decided whether conservative commentator and author Pat Buchanan will be allowed back on the network.

Buchanan, a former GOP presidential candidate and a paid MSNBC contributor, hasn’t been on the network since the publication of his book “Suicide of a Superpower” last October. The book has chapters titled “The End of White America” and “The Death of Christian America” and its author argues that the United States is in the “Indian summer of our civilization.”

“When Pat was on his book tour, because of the content of the book, I didn’t think it should be part of the national dialogue much less part of the dialogue on MSNBC,” said MSNBC President Phil Griffin. The minority advocacy group Color of Change has circulated a petition urging MSNBC to fire Buchanan.

... Meanwhile, “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski acknowledged at a news conference Saturday that they considered offers from other networks in recent months, including CBS, which is launching a new morning show on Monday. Former “Morning Joe” producer Chris Licht is producing the new CBS show.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/msnbc-chief-says-he-hasnt-decided-whether-commentator-pat-buchanan-will-return-to-network/2012/01/07/gIQA6bSOhP_story.html

[Lint Head]

1. Hope Joe doesn't leave any dead interns behind.

[47of74]

7. And I know who could take Joe's place.

As for Pat, MSNBC should say two words. One that starts with F and the other with O!

[Cleita]

8. Why is she dressed like some white supremacist's old lady? eom

[47of74]

12. This is one of her photos from her recent trek to Montana...

...and she decided to engage in target shooting.

[Cleita]

13. Oh that's why. n/t

[Tess49]

22. Who is that? nt

[TahitiNut]

27. According to the image's URL ...

Stephanie Miller.

[Tess49]

38. Thanks. I had no idea who that might be. nt

[47of74]

39. Stephanie Miller

On a recent trip to Montana.

[alphafemale]

31. But MOM! You said you wanted a skylight! nt

[alp227]

41. thing is, Steph's radio show is on 9A-12P Eastern, after where Morning Joe is now,

so MSNBC couldn't do a TV simulcast of the radio show like they did with Don Imus until Imus's racist comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team. Maybe MSNBC could play Bill Press's show (which is on 6AM-9AM Eastern) instead.

[rurallib]

49. I would like to see them bring Phil Donohue back

[PatSeg]

60. They gave her a tryout

in that time slot already and she just didn't translate well to television. I used to enjoy her radio show, but I can't see three hours of Stephanie on morning television.

There are a lot of good personalities out there. Thom Hartmann would be my first pick. Maybe teamed up with Laura Flanders.

[Bozita]

2. Go, Joe, go! ... Chris Hayes can fill your time!

[Survivoreesta]

4. Bingo!>

+ I vote no on Buchanan!

[Cleita]

9. Now there's a plan!

I so enjoy his intelligent weekend shows.

[evilhime]

18. Up is

definitely one of the best of the political analysis shows, and next month after Up will be Melissa Harris Perry... make my weekend mornings!

[monmouth]

3. Do you think it's smart of J and M to broadcast that they're considering other offers while

still employed at MSNBC???? I wonder if they know ahead of time their contracts are not going to be renewed because of ratings and this is a save-face ploy. Just a speculation.

[CherokeeDem]

28. Didn' t David Schuster get canned...

for talking to CNN before his contract was up? I know he did a demo tape but doesn't seem any different to me....

[monmouth]

33. I agree, still miss David....n/t

[Viva]

42. You can still find him...

he is working at Current TV covering the primaries and filling in for Keith Olbermann

[monmouth]

53. Thanks Viva. I don't watch Current, by that time I'm ready to go to reg. programming..n/t

[Ikonoklast]

48. Not unheard of for media people to float rumors, negotiate in public, create a buzz...and lie about

potential job offers from competitors.

Lots of times done by their agents.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

[oh08dem]

5. I heard CNN is looking to up

their racist, loudmouth, old guy quota Pat should consider going back.

As for Joe, I'm sure people watching CBS are dying to hear about all the stuff that happened in '94. He should go to another Viacom network: VH1. I'm sure he could provide hours upon hours of commentary on their "I love the 90's" series.

[rocktivity]

6. The last time I laid eyes on Pat, he was telling Rachel Maddow

about how now America was founded and nurtured by "a group of white guys..."


rocktivity

[Riley18]

10. Yes, wasn't that the last time he was on Rachel's show?

[sellitman]

11. Pat can kiss my pasty white.....

If I never see that racist asshole on TV again it would be fine with me.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

34. Pat...

...who?

[City Lights]

14. Change the locks, Phil!

Unka Pat will find something else to do.

[DRoseDARs]

15. “Indian summer of our civilization” OK I cannot for the life of me figure out what the Hell he means

I know what the innocuous meteorological expression "Indian summer" means, and I know he likely has some sort of racist connotation in mind for it, but I cannot figure out the connection he's making between the two. They literally have nothing to do with each other other than "Indian" being antiquated and perhaps a little offensive nowadays. Maybe I'm just not white, fat and racist enough to understand this very strange dog whistle.

Edit: Anyone who answers, relax. I'm not calling you a white, fat racist. It's a dig at Buchanan obviously.

[dsc]

19. Only my guess

but typically Indian summer is followed by the coldest, darkest part of fall and then by winter. I think he is getting at that we are entering a cold, dark period for the nation.

[DRoseDARs]

20. Hmm, I could agree with that actually...

The nation has made such progress in recent decades in equality, so I fully expect there to be a nasty backlash from the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigots like Patty.

[AlbertCat]

30. so I fully expect there to be a nasty backlash from

To be???? (or not to be)

FUTURE tense? Really?

Openly carrying guns to protest a black president? Shutting down & blocking the governing process even if it hurts white people (and everyone else) just so a black president can fail? Offering a bunch of racist nuts as presidential material.
These are past and present events... not future. (tho' they will undoubtedly be future events as well)

[DRoseDARs]

36. Wearing props surrounded by fellow dittoheads and playing dirty politics is NOT what I was talking..

...about and you know it. You're barking up the wrong tree there. That shit is pedestrian and hardly a backlash, it's theatrics. Actual, physical violence on a wider scale a la pre-Civil Rights Act era. The Dominionists, the nuttier Libertarians and their like-minded ilk won't stand idly by and allow themselves to further become irrelevant without a fight.

[EFerrari]

16. Alternate headline: MSNBC still counting the money

before deciding if white supremacist comes back.

[NeonDog]

26. Why the Hell is Buchanan allowed on any decent news program?

[EFerrari]

32. Because the standard isn't decency, it's profitability. That's why. nt

[freshwest]

17. Pat's torch has been passed to Newt and Santorum. His views are in good hands.

[savannah43]

45. Too bad the torch didn't set them all on fire.

Oh, wait. That's Satan's job, isn't it?

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Send him to where he belongs

Faux Snooze!

[patrice]

23. I was surprised by a recent experience of obscene bigotry on the very topics in PB's book.

I was so stunned by the crude intensity of what was said about White Christian America against others that I did not realize until seeing equal themes in this story about Buchanan's book what the likely source of those memes is.

[napi21]

24. I hope Pat is forced to retire. Nobody will miss him! ns

[Rosa Luxemburg]

56. I hope that he retires - he is stale

[NeonDog]

25. GO...Joe...GO AWAY >>>>>

A faux news program that has interviewed Dick Chaney twice and never questioned him about the Great Recession...

[alphafemale]

29. He just now figured out that Pat is a Raving Racist?

Didn't see that 1992 convention speech thing....then I guess.

[DissedByBush]

35. I'm torn

On one hand, it would be nice to get this asswipe off TV.

On the other hand, he can be hilarious to watch.

Maybe it's just a rebranding that's needed, "The Pat Buchanan Comedy Hour"

[onehandle]

37. Keep Mika, Dump Joe, Keep Pat too.

He may be a old-time racist conservative, but he's truthful compared to the teahadists of today.

[savannah43]

44. Ha, ha, ha!

You're so funny, onehandle. Don't worry--Fox News will hire him. They couldn't care less about truth. BTW, there is no such thing as a "racist conservative." Unless you're referring to those who wish to live in the days of slavery. Get yourself a "way back machine" and go.

[eyewall]

40. I still find it hard to believe

that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are still presidential candidates.

A pundit can get away with an amazing level of blatant racism these days, but presidential candidates? That's something entirely new. The airwaves are already a cesspool. We need the FCC to get back in the business of watching the public airwaves for lying news and offensive racist content. Then the republican debates and campaigns would be deemed unfit for broadcast.

My wtf meter has been pegged for over ten years and now things are getting more unbelievable by the day.

[savannah43]

43. Griffin has to think about this?

What's to think about? Whether or not to give that old Nazi an outlet for his venom? What to do, what to do...? Griffin should be forced to explain his indecision.

[flamingdem]

46. That cretin still has pbs

Hope he blows it there

[Endangered Specie]

47. People are suprised that Buchannan wrote a racist "white America" book... theres a reason when Jews

voted for him in 2000 everyone knew it was an accident.

[mwb970]

50. Buchanan is the classic right-wing jerk.

An old white man who refuses to die. Reminds me of cheney. How long will we be stuck with these horrible people? They seem to live forever.

[Wait Wut]

51. Phil Griffin has standards?

Holy shit.

[sarcasmo]

52. One of the many charlatans who needs to shut his pie hole.

[Renew Deal]

54. They should bring him back. DUers love him.

[Canuckistanian]

55. Maybe he'll retire to Argentina or Paraguay

That's where his friends went.

[Vinca]

57. Pat should stay home ironing his sheets.

[patricia92243]

61. Hilarious!

[MrMickeysMom]

58. I think he's got a new gig...

"Cross Burn!" With your host - Pat Buchanan!

[tpsbmam]

59. It speaks volumes about you, Phil Griffin, that you would even consider letting this white

supremacist on air again. Volumes, asshole.