Blogs and Stories
Joe Scarborough Can Save the GOP
He is also damning on the subject of our new president, and scoffs contemptuously at Mr. Obama’s claim to being the “candidate of real change.” His Brobdingnagian spending, his acquiescence to congressional earmarks (which he condemned so loudly on the campaign trail), his acceptance of Fannie Mae money while a senator—all this marks him, Mr. Scarborough avers, as nothing more than a “candidate of the status quo.”
This censure is in no way ad hominem. One truly senses that Scarborough, who went out of his way as a congressman to befriend such lefty firebrands as Ron Dellums and Maxine Waters, doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.
He is, simply, scared to death of where this country is headed fiscally, and it has nothing to do with ideology, which he appears to abjure. It’s the math, stupid.
America faces unfunded Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid entitlement liabilities in the coming years amounting to $80 trillion. He (rather neatly) insists on spelling that out, as “$80,000,000,000,000.00.”
This is an inexorable freight train headed at us. And, points out, Mr. Obama is not doing anything about it, for the reason that Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn’t want it on the table. In fact, few politicians want to talk about it. But it is coming at us. If nothing is done, it could be the end of the American experiment. If that sounds hysterical, look at the math yourself.
“Our Army is stretched thin,” he writes, and our bank accounts are emptied.”
He has, by the way, a rather shrewd, and almost mischievously un-“conservative” take on how the U.S. should pursue certain aspects of its foreign policy:
“Since it is in the best interest of the United States to refrain from nation-exhausting wars, conservative leaders should direct all those who wish to advance humanitarian missions through military troops to take their cause to the United Nations. Americans may decide to play a proportional role in assisting those facing genocide or famine, but our role must be limited and in concert with 150 other nation-states… Washington politicians should leave international moral crusades and global social work to the United Nations and Angelina Jolie.”
The U.N.! You won’t find that in the “conservative” playbook.
This is a lively, likeable and important book. It’s also downright frightening, which, coming from someone of such sunny disposition, somehow makes it all the more so. Why is this man smiling? (As we used to say at Esquire magazine.)
When Mr. Scarborough started out in TV after leaving Congress, he writes that he tried to be someone he wasn’t, snarling and snapping at his opponents. His wife Susan would meet him at home with her arms crossed and frowning. “Try to be more like Tim Russert,” she said. He’s taken her advice.
So, my fellow Republicans—rejoice! We have a face! Now let’s get to work.
Christopher Buckley’s books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and the founder and editor-in-chief of Forbes FYI.








chris, I agree with you. Republicans must listen to what Joe is saying; if they continue listening to People like Rush the Republicans will be the "new" Wig Party. Once I finish your book, I will pick up Joe's new book.
Joe Scarborough is a bag of wind on a high horse.
amen brother.
Joe is a good man - but he flops in the wind.
Thanks, love when I get validated, but I am a sister. Thanks again.
Amen and then some. How disappointing that you, Mr.Buckley, fail to perceive what so many posters here see so clearly:: that Joe Scarborough is a self-enchanted blowhard who is rude to guests (apparently not you) and that he gets favorable press because the founder of this site and the Huffpo founder are both eager for airtime on his dumbed down show.
Truly, it is a pathetic sight: Mike Barnacle, Mika, Willie all agreeing with the Bully day after day while the Bully disses some guests and makes an aggressive fool of himself with others...if Joe is what the Republicans need, the country won't need the Republicans.
cbeen...
okay--Amen, sistah!
When Joe gets on his high horse, his ears (and mind) close and he treats all others with differing opinions like ignorant children. He becomes a grumpy, arrogant old man sitting on the porch yelling at kids to get off his lawn.
As for foreign policy experience, Joe has none. Let the UN handle things? That is ignorant. The UN can only handle paper pushing and occasionally, almost by mistake, it saves a few lives here and there. Passing the buck to the UN is the same as doing nothing, which is what I believe Joe's intent really would be in all too many cases.
"When Joe gets on his high horse, his ears (and mind) close and he treats all others with differing opinions like ignorant children. He becomes a grumpy, arrogant old man"
--------------------------------------
Wow, that is the most PERFECT description of Joe Scarborough I have ever heard. Spot on!
Doucheborough ain't saving anybody ...
Except Starbucks ....
Good one!
He is a total extremist. There is video, USA TODAY, of Scar in Boulder protesting an abortion clinic.
Not to mention his work as the defense attorney for the killer of an abortion doctor in FL/ 1993!
You have that Right as our all Florida Republicans especially Jeb Bush
and Charlie Crist. Two Right Wingers who have driven Florida off a cliff.
Joe is the same kind of idiolog as they are....the only ideas are keeping the wealthy from paying taxes and cutting services to the poor. The Republicans REJECTED UNEMPPLYMENT FUNDS from Obama.
People are voting with their feet and leaving Florida by the thousands every day
You know, I agree with you- I used to like him a couple years back- he seemed like he remembered you could retain your civility even if you disagreed with someone. I was distressed to see that he became a yelling, rude typical "Fox-like personality" as time went on. I hope he's flopped back to being a reasonable person...but from the look of some of these posts, maybe not....
I always love your Articles Mr. Buckley, but in this case it seems like you think fiscal responsibility will be enough to reinvigorate a party that still has unpopular social views and is mistrusted by the American people. Still, good article.
Here from Wiki, "Scarborough supported a number of pro-life positions while in Congress including legislation that made it a crime to harm a fetus during the commission of other crimes."
So Joe can please the base but how about all the other voters meaning the majority. Also, I would have concerns that he was part of the 1990's GOP machine that has gone down in a blaze.
Interestingly, if one reads comments posted as C Whitman's Republican Leadership blog you get the sage advice from those who do more than talk for a living. There are alot of military responders who really want the GOP to step back from the social issues. These folks have the front line view to suffering - we should contemplate and respect their opinions well above that of those who sit safely within the confines Washington DC or a room with a mic and a keyboard.
I could be wrong, but I don't think Buckley was implying that Joe should run for office again, just that compared with the ugly rhetoric of Limbaugh and Cheney, Scarborough is one of the few rational voices for the GOP. He may not be Mr. Intellect, but I do agree that Joe is a moderate and tempored spokesman for the party. That's something the GOP could use a little more of.
JAces, We need new role models that aren't constrained by the social con litmus test. No matter what way you slice it - Joe is more of the failing same. THe GOP needs a new voice to surface, one of charisma, reason full of futuristic ideas. Maybe someone from the hinterlands of the North East - that would make me happy.
C, I agree with you on that one. Let me know when such a person surfaces!
agreed--i rarely agreed with his father, and, on politics, i rarely agree with the son.
but, i always look forward to reading him.
why do even the smartest people on the right, like Mr. Buckley, always conflate social security and medicare liabilities? anyone who can read knows that medicare is in trouble in less than a decade, while social security is ok for 30 years or more?
Obama will fix medicare by fixing healthcare generally.
You have to be kidding Chris, you are kidding, aren't you....?
What's Joe gonna do....? Sell me a Pontiac....?
Sometimes I wonder if one of the qualifications for being a conservative is being a moron.... No offense, but I find it offensive that you would try to sell Morning Joe to my mother, your are behaving like a tele-marketer selling AAA Lehman paper.
Best regards,
Econolicious
WON'T FLY PAST MY MOM EITHER. She labels him a snot. That is how she sees him.
She quit him over his rudeness with guests that many have already outlined here....as it is the way he is....consistently. She would like to hear the answers to the querries he has asked his guests in full before he opens his yap.
He is not a good listener.
Sorry, I don't buy it. After seeing him on Morning Joe, it does not match the person you speak of here. What I see on Morning Joe is an idiot and I say that because if I know the facts and someone like Joe doesn't - he's an idiot.
Sorry love but there is no President Scarborough in the future.
allonfla great comment on the truth seem by all sane people about this Idiot. What frustrates me is how does the media like MSNBC even keep this show on - why Imus would be a better show. Scarborough masters in being stupid on each show and the media keeps him and people like another Idiot Tucker Carlson employed - it must be that the media has time slots that needs to fill and will take anyone regardless of qualification to act as a Journalist.
This must be a result of the liberal media, right?
Curious - what's your definition on an idiot? Someone that has a different opinion than you?
Amen. Joe shows that you can be a true republican and conservative without coming across as an egotistical insufferable ass, which is something that the others haven't figured out.
LOLOLOLOL. "Egotistical Insufferable Ass"....I thought that was Joe Scarborough's middle name.
Nope - you've confused it with yours.
No it's "closet extremist defense attorney for abortion doctor killer".
But Joe is a egotistical inunsfferable ass--ask some of the people who have appeared n his morning fiasco!. As Democrat I hope he will become the new face of the Republican Party--and thereby the final nail in their coffin
You can watch the clip on youtube of Mika's father saying Joe's understanding of the Israel/Palenstine conflict was "stunningly superficial" and it was almost "embarrassing to discuss the topic with him" Google "stunningly superficial and Joe Scarborough" and the youtube clip will come up.
I wonder if the GOP is really a political party or just a social conservatives (gay bashers, bigots, racists and misogynists) seeking elected office. Let's face it -the Iraq war was a religious war in George W. Bush's mind. Rumsfield manipulated Bush by playing the religion card time and time again with Bush.
Though I don't agree with Joe on most issues, I will say that it is refreshing to have a show where everyone is NOT screaming at one another. I find the hosts and guests to have "lively" discussions without resorting to the "mindless hostility" you see constantly on FOX. And I do agree, that though I disagree with Mr. Scarborough on the issues, I do see that his approach to expressing his views is at least a lot more tempered than the "hysterical" and "mean spirited" rantings of Palin, Cheney, Gingrich and Limbaugh. At least for me, Scarborough does represent what I see as the "loyal opposition".
AlwaysOptimistic
How sad it is that we live in a time where we find it "refreshing" that the show's guests aren't screaming at one another. Scarborough gets no points from me on that score because it's really represents the bare minimum of civility.
You mean like "Hardball?"
"...without resorting to the "mindless hostility" ????
Really? I usually watch until Joe gets so out of control that he starts screaming at Mika or a guest because they don't agree with him.Happens EVERYDAY without fail.
Swing and a miss, Mr Buckley. You usually write great articles, but this isn't one of them. This article is an insult to my intellegence. Joe Scarborough is no different than the usual intellectual lightweights in the Republican Party. He bashes President Obama every chance he gets, offers no new ideas, always talks about "getting back to Conservative Values", invokes Ronald Reagan every 10 minutes, and his BFF on Morning Joe is....Pat Buchanon.
What makes him so different from the rest of the Republican crowd?
If he is the "new face" of the Republican Party, then God help them. They need someone in the mold of Jack Kemp to save them. Joe Scarborough is more in the mold of Newt Gingrich(only a bit more polished for television) or the other 1990s Republican relics.
I'll give you a mulligan on this artice Mr Buckley.
Yes, God help them. Buckley is smart and well read, he doesn't seem to have a chip on his shoulder and his best pick is Scarborough. That does say something about the Republicans and their spokespeople. Unfortunately.
Scarborough's face is certainly more pleasant than those of the rest of the GOP cabal of Rush, Newt or Cheney, but most mornings he lacks the intellectual heft to counter his hand-picked Colmes, Mika Brzezinski.
At best, Scarborough comes across as a clean-cut, uninformed ideologue. Hardly the stature to build a movement around.
What about that murder of Lori Klausutis that Joe was tied to in 2001? Does that help the GOP?
Klausutis death wasn't described as a murder, and the drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne didn't get in Kennedy's way.
Yes, but there were and are many very suspicious facts.
I think Edward Kennedy has paid his dues. He was not elected president which he could very well have been, had he not been protected from the normal and just consequences of his actions; and was returned to the Senate where he grew up and has since served this country admirably; better than he could have done in prison. A lesson to be learned in this life for more than Ted Kennedy.
Are you talking about Joe's defense of the abortion doctor murderer in Florida and how he won the Congressional seat from and incumbent republican?
Yes, but did you know that the coroner who said her death was from a heart attack was kicked out of town and had to move out of the state because of other botched up autopsies. The woman was young in fabulous shape and had a heart attack? I suppose it could happen but how did she get a blunt trauma to her head from a heart attack. Oh, supposedly she had a heart attack and fell and hit her head. Yeah right!!! Why suspiciously did Joe's first wife divorce him very shortly thereafter. The thug party paid off everyone to shut up about it.
Oh yes, Kopechne killed Kennedy's run for the WH. Scarborough knows this and I would be surprised to see him actually run for anything. That said, he has the lowest ratings on morning cable news for good reason. When he show up sober, he is a rude, uninformed bully. He may not consider himself racist but his upbringing comes through despite his denial. The sexism, he doesn't even try to hide. Since writing the book and beginning the sales tour, he has tried to tone down his closed minded ideology as it depletes the book's legitimacy. If you can't attract viewers, how successful are you going to be with voters?
A healthy 21 year old runner, falls down and gashes her head open in his office. Sounds pretty suspicious to me and why was the story squelched.
I presume you also have some revelatory information about what actually happened on 9/11.
it wouldn't matter, your mind is closed.
I agree. Interesting how that story was squelched and 6 months later Joe's wife had sued him for divorce. Her parents are literally scared to death to talk about it.
As an admirer of William Buckley I heard that you were adopted. Now, after reading your article on AM JOE I now realize you were left in a paper bag on Mr. Buckley's front door.
Amen brother. What happened to Mr. Buckley's kid? Shame.
That explains it! I've always wondered why Christopher exhibits a modicum of humanity. He doesn't have a single toxic Buckley gene. Good to know.
I would have never guessed you watched MSNBC.
If we have to choose someone from that show, I pick Mika. She may be a flaming liberal, but at least she is better looking than Obama.
If Mika can be described as "a flaming liberal," then that means the "middle" of the spectrum has shifted very far right of center over the last 30 years.
And, judging from this response, I guess it'd be fair to assume that, for you, the "message" isn't nearly as important to you as how good looking its messenger is.
i.e. "its messenger is" should've read "its messenger looks."
Given the banality of most of the messages coming from our media today, I ought to at least get to enjoy the messenger.
Mika is simply Joe's lapdog.
I'm still looking for the intelligent, independent journalist she was purported to be.
i don't know that scarborough wants to get back into politics, per se.
i can say he runs the most intelligent weekday morning show -- not that his competition is particularly stiff.
as a liberal, i may not agree with him very often, but i appreciate his earnest, ideological approach to discussing issues -- and his openness to talking to people who disagree with him. he's a bit blustery, but he encourages mika brzezinski to make fun of him for it, and she does. mercilessly.
someone above likens her to alan colmes. that's ridiculous! the woman is fierce.
Mika is fierce?? What show have you been watching. She is an embarrassment to all female journalists. Joe rolls right over her and all she comes back with is mealy mouth little comments, mostly under her breath like she's afraid to talk out loud.
Thank you! Well said. She could be so much more but needs to grow a spine.
Mika is a bimbo. She really likes Sarah Palin. She finally found someone more ignorant that she.
You have GOT to be kidding! She is an embarrassment as daughter of such an intellect. She just sits their and smile and tries to edge a few words in, or kicking him under the table when he gets too far off message. She is totally week and is like his little sidekick. She should really assert herself or she will completely lose credibility.
I would be more impressed with Buckley's comments on the Federal deficit if he would note why Obama is increasing the deficit: We are in a severe recession and stimulus spending is necessary to get us out of it. Obama realizes and has said many times that the deficit is a critical problem, but right now is not the time to cut spending. Of course Buckley might believe that the great stimulus spending of WWII had nothing to do with the sudden end of the Great Depression and that stimulus spending will not affect this recession. If so, Buckley should explicitly say those events were nothing but a coincidence and not causally related. A failure to mention the rationale behind Obama's actions implies that Obama is like just fiscally irresponsible Republicans of the last eight years. This omission intellectually dishonest.
Thank you. This needed to be pointed out. How Buckley thinks this fact can be avoided in a serious discussion is unbelievable.
Exactly. I was scrolling through the responses looking for someone, ANYONE, to address this obvious omission in Buckley's argument. This is such a big hole in the typical GOP talking points. Thank you for summing it all up quite nicely.
I have mixed feelings about Scarborough but if he can be an antidote to Limbaugh, then more power to him.
Looking forward to the first female vice president then. Unless Barnicle's visual resemblance to Cheney gets him the job.
Unfortunately, I don't think Joe is interested in getting back into politics. He does have the best show on MSNBC - the most "fair and balanced" of all the talking heads.
Scarborough has the lowest ratings on MSNBC.
Another old white man? great idea
That is a very racist comment.
Nope it's a fact. he's old and white.
After looking it up he's 46 he's not old I apologize for that.
at what point did white men such as myself become unsuitable to higher office? have any other rights been revoked that i don't know of? more power to flyoverland
actually u fail to qualify the statement fully. its "old white men" not white men in general. "old white men" refers to people who have been in politics for at least 20 years and are over the age of 50. they are relics of the previous generation and their views are not held by the current generation that is coming into its own. not a single person is saying white men are unsuitable for higher office, they are saying just the ones who are in the political lime light at the moment are
As an old white man I have to say:
"We have met the enemy and he is us." -Walt Kelly
http://www.igopogo.com/images/Wehavemet01.jpg
Joe Scarborough is completely devoid of an original thought, and does nothing but make snide and sarcastic remarks about anyone who doesn't agree with his "conservative" philosophy. Like many other Republicans these days, he's trying his best to throw W under the bus by claiming he was never a "true conservative". This despite the fact that he supported Bush in both of his presidential races.
He likes to claim that his philosophy is based in reality, but nothing about his approach takes into account the problems facing this nation. Just like every other knee-jerk Republican, all of his answers revolve around tax cuts and smaller government. If Buckley's answer to the Republican parties woes is another smart ass, overweight white man then this country should be in good hands for years to come.
I'm with u. Is it really all that illuminating to say that Bush was not a conservative when that is the new GOP meme? Even Cantor has said that consistently and no one views him as a visionary voice. Compared to the fringe, Joe is moderate on social issues and the environment. But is that really groundbreaking? Hardly. The two senators from Maine are far more progressive across the board. Both Jon Huntsman and Arnold are far more progressive when it comes to the environment and social issues. Crist is also good on the environment. And when it comes to Health Care, is Joe better than Grassley? As for torture and national security, Joe is a Cheny apologist in the vein of Hannity and Rush. He ignores all accounts that questions the efficacy of torture, convenietly ingorning the public comments of Gates, Petraeus, Graham, Mccain and the FBI. And much like Newt, he sure likes to make the Carter analogy when it comes to Obama.
I agree. He comes across as a more palatable version of Tucker Carlson. (And that's only owing to the occasional and grudging nod to reason and lucidity he sprinkles in here and there during his show).
Good points. For a party that has such a religious base- they are snide bordering on contempt. That's the problem with sanctimonious religious people- they love throwing out the name of Jesus- standing on goodness, decency and fairness but in practice Jesus's principles just don't suit their agenda. Even Mike Huckabee can be quite snide. As I have said in other comments- religion is just a smokescreen for very severe social beliefs and a double standard that they do not apply to themselves. Since Micheal Steele want to bring hip hop to the GOP maybe they can rename themselves the HOP- Hypercritical Old Party!
Every since Buckley said Chris Mathews is the smartest man he's ever met, I've been suspect of his judgement.
Actually, Matthews is a pretty smart guy and a fair analyst when he can keep his partisanship under control. Unfortunately, sometime early this century he developed full on Bush Derangement Syndrome, and it's been followed by full on Obama Love (actually, that's too weak a description -- I seriously believe he would cheat on his wife with Obama if given the chance). I personally blame the hair dye he's been using.
You know your party is in deep, deep trouble when someone as vapid and incurious as Joe Scarborough is trotted out as your best hope. I say go for it.
You are probably right. It is pretty bad when he looks good, but it is true! Compared to the likes of Steele, Palin, Cheney, O'Reilly, Hannity, Boehner, Cantor... he looks like a winner! Pretty said but such is the state of the Groaning Old Party
He is not nice to Mika. Usually a very good sign of a flawed person. Not to mention the dead women in his office.
Nonsense. They are good friends. They like to raz (ras?) each other quite a bit on air, is all. She gives as good as she gets.
Are you kidding? Joe treats Mika like a stupid child. In his defense, she is annoying and comes across as even more vapid than him. She seems to lack independent thought and simply agrees with everything Joe says. People CLAIM that she is a liberal but I seriously doubt that she even knows what that word means. I bet other female journalists are embarrassed by her, she gives them a bad image.
I guess conservatives like Joe STILL believe that a woman's place is by his side, looking pretty, and saying nothing important.
She is totally weak and an embarrassment to female journalists. She really needs to sharpen her sword. She is quite charming and could be so much more. He dad was sharp as a tack, seems the apple fell far from the tree?
I think she will look at her place in the show years from now and have some serious regrets about how she came off and see a lot of woulda shoulda coulda
Mr. Buckley, After reading ur column, I'm wondering if u have ever watched the show outside of ur own recent appearance. Or better yet, if u will, in a day or two, be the 100th person in a role to be invited on Morning Joe and "debate" the host about his own book. Perhaps the fine producers of the show will be more creative this time and use ur impending appearance as an excuse to plug Joe's book or his radio show every 10 minutes instead of every 15.
As for the substance of ur argument, I assume that most reasonable people would not begrudge an honest if heated political debate over fiscal or foreign policy. Unfortunately, ur claim that part of Joe's charm rests with the absence of his ad hominem attacks on either Obama or those on the opposite aisle is contradicted on a nearly daily basis (see his recent take on Pelosi or the Obama-Cheney "debate.") Yes, Joe is not in the league of Hannity or Rush when it comes to a willful suspension of objectivity but is that really the standard by which we are now judging the conservative movement? If ur less shrill than Hannity, Rush or Newt u are a voice or reason? If u are less clownish than Glenn Beck u are a serious public intellectual?
Related point:
Why is it Republicans can leave their political post and immediately get television shows?
Though I, in a sense, agree about Scarborough, I fail to see the fairness in allowing Republican politicians to get nationally broadcast televisions shows to promote their points of view without parity for Democratic politicians.
Funny... my liberal girfriends and I -- all writers, professors, yoga teachers, you know, typical lefties -- play this drinking game where you have to pick a conservative/Repuglican that you would **** if you were stuck in a red state nuclear disaster, or whatever. Hey, it's harder than you think! Anyway, Joe is one of the FEW names that ever gets mentioned. We agree he's sort of like that slightly dim but really fun golf team guy you dated in secret in college 'cause you didn't want the rest of the newspaper staff to know you were shtupping an athlete. Just thought I would share.
perfect.
Very funny. I agree it is pretty spot on. Shame is that Buckley just MAY be right. He might be the best the GOP has to offer.
Nice. We preferred them, just dumb, not psycho activists who personally defend killers of abortion doctors - gotta draw the line, even for humanity!
You girls are truly desperate! If Scarborough is the really fun guy, you need to get out more. Read up on how well a narcissist performs, you might want to reconsider.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.