UPDATE: Josh Hart at The National Ledger just snubbed us in his article. Where’s the love, Josh? (h/t Eric Cumbee)
_____________________
It appears that our 30 second clip of MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough asking if Mrs. Thompson “works the pole” has been popping-up all over the blogosphere in the last 24 hours. 
As of 10 a.m., the video had nearly 15,000 views on YouTube, and at least as many opinions.
A number of people, including a Scarborough spokesman, have said our clip was taken “out of context.” The problem for MSNBC is that context is irrelevant. Any way you spin this comment, Joe Scarborough still comes off as vulgar and entirely out of line. There is no context in which to place that comment that makes him look like anything other than a fool.
So, with that said, here’s the buzz from around the echo-chamber:
- Video of MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough bantering on the cable news network Friday about whether Fred Thompson’s wife “works the pole” is sparking criticism of Scarborough from the right, left and in between.
…
The South Carolina politics blog Palmetto Scoop, which other bloggers are crediting for picking up on Scarborough’s comment, says this could be another “Imus moment” for MSNBC. (That would be a reference to Don Imus.)
["MSNBC's Scarborough under fire for remark about Thompson's wife" - USA Today] - So, NBC hires a “diversity leader” and trades Don Imus in for former GOP congressman Joe Scarborough–who at some point used to be a conservative and then absorbed the MSNBC Kool-Aid into his bloodstream. Scarborough’s idea of incisive radio commentary and enlightened comedy: joking with CQ’s Craig Crawford about whether Sen. Fred Thompson’s wife “works the pole.” You know, the stripper pole. Listen to them cackle (video via The Palmetto Scoop). I suppose it’s an improvement that they didn’t say anything about Mrs. Thompson’s hair… ["Still dissing women at MSNBC" - Michelle Malkin]
- Where is the conservative outrage? Where is it? Where is Mitt Romney condemning Joe Scarborough? Where is Rudy Giuliani condemning Joe Scarborough? Where is John McCain condemning Joe Scarborough? Where is Hugh Hewitt condemning Joe Scarborough? And what of Craig Crawford diminishing the reputation of Congressional Quarterly with on air fantasties and perversions about Republican candidates’ wives?
…
Somehow, because Jeri Thompson is very attractive, MSNBC and the lefties have decided she’s fair game, from posting pictures of her online with crass comments to implying she is a stripper.
When will the right express outrage and demand that the wives of candidates not be smeared?
By the way, MSNBC’s phone number is (201) 583-5000. You can reach Congressional Quarterly at (202) 419-8500.
["Joe Scarborough's Don Imus Moment. Where Is GOP Outrage?" - RedState] - Conservative blogs are abuzz with a controversial remark MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough made on his Friday “Morning Joe” program about Jeri Thompson, the wife of former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), who is mulling over a White House bid. ["MSNBC's Scarborough: 'Do You Think' Mrs. Fred Thompson 'Works the Pole'?" - NewsBusters]
- Works the pole? As a former MSNBCer — as well as a former colleague of Craig Crawford at the Hotline, and yes, as another conservative blogger supporting Fred Thompson – I have to once again ask the “Don Imus” question: Does anyone at MSNBC watch its own programming? Either way, Scarborough has to follow Imus out the door.
The reputation of this once great news network — and its corporate owners – I proudly worked for gets covered with more and more slop every time they let their hosts get away with saying these incredible things. This time, NBC should do the right thing and fire Scarborough on its own — before outsiders tell it to.
["Joe's Gotta Go" - Extreme Mortman] - Anyone who has watched Scarborough for any length of time knows that Scarborough can be an ass. What we didn’t know was that he could also be tacky enough to attack someone’s wife in the most personal of terms. Thompson’s wife is beautiful, but that doesn’t make her a whore or a stripper. Perhaps it speaks to Scarborough’s view of women that he immediately associates one with the other.
The counterbuzz around Thompson has started to center on his supposed “trophy wife”, as if he somehow should be blamed for dating beautiful women after his divorce. Thompson remained single for several years before marrying his current wife; he had also dated country singer Lorrie Morgan for a while as well. It’s hardly a scandal, it hardly makes Jeri Thompson a homewrecker or a whore, and it hardly qualifies as unusual.
This is nothing more than character assassination, and especially egregious as it targets someone who isn’t even a political player. Scarborough should be ashamed of himself.
["Scarborough Attacks Fred's Wife" - Captain's Quarters] - I’m not even sure where to start with something like this. This level of misogyny is uncommon among major national media figures, especially on the air.
I can vaguely understand joking about Thompson marrying a much-younger woman. This seems like standard fare for those looking for a cheap laugh related to the presidential race. At the time of their marriage, Thompson was 60; his wife was 35. It’s entirely irrelevant, but if someone’s looking for something to tease him about, this is going to get some attention.
But even this joke is about the candidate, not his spouse, who has nothing to do with politics at all.
["Media election/appearance obsession turns ugly" - The Carpetbagger Report] - Yes, Fred Thompson’s wife, Jeri, is a great deal younger than he is, and the word “trophy” often comes up in connection with her. But Joe Scarborough evidently suggesting that she might be a stripper (any alternative reading of his words actually seems worse) would appear to go well beyond the bounds of polite discourse. ["WORKING THE POLE" - TNR's The Plank]
- Here is the latest “Imus type” controversy! It will be interesting to see the reactions to this. Will Scarborough start backtracking? We’ll just stand back and watch the backlash! Hat tip: The Palmetto Scoop. ["Video: Scarborough Asks If Fred Thompson’s Wife 'Works The Pole'" - Stop the ACLU]
- I’m wracking my brain trying to think of what Scarborough possibly could have meant by that, and the two options I’ve come up with are:
1) You think she [f**ks him]?
2) You think she [is a stripper]?
Both of them are completely f**king inappropriate. I’m really just so sick of this bulls**t I could puke.
["You Have GOT to be Kidding Me" - Shakesville] - I have absolutely no problem with making fun of Fred Thompson for getting married to a woman younger than his own daughter. I do have a problem with attacking said trophy wife when she hasn’t done anything to deserve it.
Quips that are not acceptable regarding Fred Thompson and his wife: suggesting she’s a stripper, calling her a prostitue, accusing Thompson of pedophilia.
Quips that are perfectly acceptable: anything involving Viagra, ironic notions about family values, suggesting Thompson has siphoned off Romney’s base by marrying his daughter.
["Bit-too-farborough" - August J. Pollack] - Last week on MSNBC’s Morning Joe radio talk show — which airs during the former time slot of Don Imus — host Joe Scarborough brought up former senator Fred Thompson’s wife, Jeri, who is significantly younger than Thompson. Without any evidence, Scarborough wondered whether “she works the pole.” ["Young attractive women = pole dancers" - Think Progress]
- Palmetto Scoop calls recent comments made by MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough about soon-to-be Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson’s wife a possible “Imus moment” for Scarborough. ["Joe Scarborough and the 'pole' remark" - Sister Toldjah]
Those are just a few for now.
Sphere: Related ContentThis entry was posted on Tuesday, June 5th, 2007 at 10:50 am and is filed under Featured, Primary Season, Scarborough, TPS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
[...] MSNBC’s Scarborough slimes Fred Thompson’s wife on Scarborough has an “Imus moment”Reaction to the “pole” controversy » The Palmetto Scoop on Scarborough has an “Imus moment”Dr Felch on Scarborough has an “Imus [...]
[...] really, really don’t understand why this is so controversial. Explore posts in the same categories: flaming [...]
not to diminish the lack of decorum that scarborough showed, but i wonder how much outrage malkin, capt. quarters, sister toldjah, redstate, newsbusters, etc, showed at limbaugh’s “obama the magic negro” moment, which was much closer to what imus did? oh, yeah…none at all.
I think Fred should just put out another :30 second thing for youtube, where he puts his feet on the desk, and smiles: “It’s nice that Joe thinks Jeri is a beautiful woman. Fortunately for me, I’m married to her… but there are things you can say about a woman in this world that might be considered fighting words. I’m wondering if Joe remembers that…”
heh, it’d be brilliant!
on the other hand. how in the heck is this something that is a topic? Oddly enough JERI isn’t the one runnig for president…
D
Skippy, were you aware that that was written and performed… by a black man?
Joe Who?…
Instapundit pointed me to the Palmetto Scoop which is discussing a comment Joe Scarborough made about Fred Thompson’s wife. This comment caught my eye: Where is the conservative outrage? Where is it? Where is Mitt Romney condemning Joe Scarborough? Wh…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_negro
Please do a little research, the ‘magic negro’ was a reference to a hollywood sterotype, and the title of ‘Magic Negro’ for Obama actually came from the LA Times. In fact, every time Limbaugh used the phrase, he attributed it to David Ehrenstein to prevent the out of context quoting you are engaging in.
Skippy is absolutely right. And I really don’t care what color it was. If ANYBODY had made a comment about the right’s latest hero, Fred Thompson’s wife, woman or man (I suppose, DaveP, had another woman made this comment it would meet your apparent need to ‘be one’ before ‘criticizing one’ before it’s okay). There would be the same selective outrage displayed by the knee-jerk talking heads (on both sides) that goes missing when it’s not one of their own.
I mean no ill will towards Thompson and think he’s a bright guy (although I won’t support him). Further, I don’t disagree that Scarborough’s comments were tacky, but come on people. Get a grip, it will be okay. Thompson will still win your hearts for a while and you can continue to circle your wagons around anyone with this outrage that something so–gasp–gross has sullied the trophy wife of your hero.
If you don’t like it, turn it off. That’s what the knob is for.
I don’t watch it myself. I did listen to Imus. Millions did, until that option was taken away by non-listeners and political candidates and opportunists.
I don’t think it’s the age difference so much as the wife’s pole dancer’s/striper’s/hooker’s mega boobies. Should he win, those would be the first set of first lady boobies on display in the White House.
I think the whole issue here is not one of if the joke can be made, but if it appropriate commentary for MSNBC, which markets itself as a “professional” news network. When I get together with my friends for a beer we can enjoy tasteless, dirty jokes worse than that one, but I woul dnever do so in a professional or polite public atmosphere. It is simply inappropriate.
It seems skippy completely misses the point of Limbaugh’s “Magic Negro” parody (actually done by Paul Shanklin). Rush is not poking fun at Barak, but, rather, at the hypocritical left that would (and as skippy proves do) attack any appearance of racial impropiety by the right but completely ignore a decidely insulting and derisive racial phrase when used by one of their own. Then again, given the lack of appreciation for irony and subtlety demonstrated by the left it’s no wonder they have to resort to obtuse “working the pole” type jokes to find humor.
Missed one:
“Sometimes a cigar is just a Polish gardener”
” It’s as if they think it’s a bad thing for a man to wonder how hard a beautiful woman like Mrs. Thompson works her muscular man-gardener, Stanislov.”
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2007/06/sometimes-cigar-is-just-polish-gardner.html
Missed one:
“Sometimes a cigar is just a Polish gardener”
Actually JC, we didn’t so much “miss” that one as we haven’t had time to add to the list since Sister Toldjah’s posting. Anyway, thanks for the comment.
(You spelled his name wrong. In our Pensacola neck of the woods he’s Joe ScrewYourBorough.)
(But we’re not bitter.)
Skippy, were you aware that that was written and performed… by a black man?
Don’t even use that one. It’s not OK when the left goes there and says “but it was a black man,” so it’s not OK in this case.
That said…
the title of ‘Magic Negro’ for Obama actually came from the LA Times. In fact, every time Limbaugh used the phrase, he attributed it to David Ehrenstein to prevent the out of context quoting you are engaging in.
…is illuminating. (I missed that whole incident, myself–despite being a conservative, I don’t pay attention to talk radio or especially blog chatter about Rush Limbaugh.)
Scarborough is just another butt-slapping pig who sees “boobies!” and forgets there’s an actual person with a brain behind them. He wouldn’t say it about any of the other (obviously less glamorous) candidate’s spouses or current/former First Ladies, so the context is pretty irrelevant.
Nice try, MSNBC. Tools.
As an aside, some of the commentary about this–saying it’s OK to snark about a younger wife–says a lot about how supposedly liberal people believe a First Lady is “supposed to” look and act. NTTAWTT, but it’s pretty dishonest to claim that only conservatives have these ideas. It’s an American thing, not a conservative or liberal concept. But let a conservative say something about a spouse–too young, sugar mama (Teresa Heinz Kerry), too anything–and it turns into an indictment of how uptight and intolerant conservatives are.
Whatever.
The “pole comment” was disrespectful and inappropriate, but accurate. I think people are offended by it because they are ashamed to admit they were thinking it too. It was exactly what my husband said when he saw the above photo — that she looked more like a stripper than a first lady. It doesn’t matter how educated she is, when this is the first impression voters will have of Jeri, it won’t help her husband’s chances.
Um, where is Fred Thompson condemning Joe Scarborough? Did I miss something here? It’s his bimbo, er wife, Scarborough insulted. This shall not stand! A Southern man’s dignity and his lady’s honer are at stake. A pistol duel at dawn is the only answer.