O'donnell needs to be suspended at the very least, though termination would be preferable. His behavior was completely childish and unprofessional. O'donnell needs a "time-out."

It is time for all those who wrote to:

joe@msnbc.com

and expressed outrage to now write and ask "why no apology in person?" It just doesn't cut it, this guy foams at the mouth in a blatant partistan display in my living room and he sends a written apology?

this guy foams at the mouth in a blatant partistan display

Why are you being so hard on Scarborough, it's his show after all so he can say what he likes, just like Insannity or Bill O'liely!

Why are you being so hard on Scarborough

Actually Buchanan has been guest hosting, and it's kind of weird for you to rag on Scarborough - he's pretty darn sedate.

it's kind of weird for you to rag on Scarborough - he's pretty darn sedate.

There is no empirical standard Bill, it's all in the eye of the beholder

I am not being clear. I am ragging on O'Donnell for foaming at the mouth. Any apology on air should be offered by O'Donnell himself. Reading a prepared statement doesn't cut it.

You were very clear I was being clever, obviously too clever for you, so what's new.

postit -

Yeah there is an empirical standard for things like foaming at the mouth. And if you call people like Scarborough nutty ranters (a guy that treats everyone relatively well), you invalidate the rest of your legit charges about foamy ranting by people like OReilly.

Don't you understand?

Of course you don't, given your arguments about Iraq. I gave you a hint about this in the last thread.

Actually I thought I have been quite clear. But in these situations where there may have been a misunderstanding I have always found it polite to take the blame.

Bill at this stage of the game (election) their are no 'reasonable' conservatives, undecideds will break 2 to 1 for the challenger and turnout rules. Expect me to be more accomodating after Kerry is elected.

in these situations where there may have been a misunderstanding I have always found it polite to take the blame.

Would that you could convince your candidate to do the same, you know even 6 months ago GWB 'coming clean' on Iraq might well have garnered him substantial support. Too late now of course!

you missed the whole point.

postit:
Expect me to be more accomodating after Kerry is elected.

If Kerry is elected you'll be on every post at INDC rubbing our noses in it. If Kerry loses I doubt we'll ever see you post here again.

Good luck to your guy, but you still haven't convinced me to vote for him.

I'm with Michelle, Buchannan's apology doesn't excuse O'Donnell from making his own, and MSNBC ought to require it of him. Or are their standards coming closer and closer to CBS'?

OT: Drudge is saying 60 Minutes was hoping to use the stolen explosives story two days before election day to panic the White House. CBS learned nothing good from Rathergate, did they?

Here's part of my E-mail to Joe;

Pat Buchanan’s lame statement about Liar Larry’s meltdown last Friday night doesn’t cut it.

May I suggest that the weasel hisself needs to apologize first to John O’Neil, then Pat Buchanan, then you, and last, but not least, to your VIEWERS!

Uhm...I doubt the 'apology' actually even came from O'Donnell --- and, I don't want an apology from the poor man. He's clearly been deranged by this election (like so many other Kerry partisans), and as such needs help (a long stay at his local Bedlam).

Given his performance, I doubt that he could even tender a coherent apology (or coherent anything-else) and really should not be tortured by appearing on teevee any longer.

I did not see the show, but I agree with Malkin-Buchanan's apology should have been directed towards the way O'Neil was treated, not the way the viewer was treated. This is why, on these shows I often like to see one side interveiwed and the other side interviewed, rather than both at once, especially if the host is unable to keep either under control.

I agree with Malking as well, and I don't think an apology is sufficient in this case.

It's inexcusable for MSNBC (or anyone else for that matter) to feature someone who is so simultaneously childish and visious as a "senior political consultant".

I told MSNBC if they think Buke apologizing on behalf of O'Donnell is sufficient for their viewers than maybe someone else watching their show on my behalf is sufficient for their advertisers.

As long as Larry's on, the dialog will be stunted by the threat of Larry's abuse. He's got to go or the show is just poisoned.

I encourage everyone to write to Joe Scarborough and MSNBC joe@msnbc.com, letters@msnbc.com, viewerservices@msnbc.com

This is what I wrote:

Hi, Joe.

I wanted to let you know that I'm an avid viewer of your show. As a political junkie who is bored with cable TV political shouting matches like Hannity and Colmes, I have great appreciation for how you conduct yourself and treat the guests on your show. Although you have a partisan opinion, you are always fair and cordial to the other side.

The astonishment and outrage with which I viewed the childish, unprofessional, and inexcusably hateful behaviour of Lawrence O'donnell during the John O'Neil interview cannot be put into words. I am, almost literally, in shock that a so-called television professional would behave in this manner. I feel as though I am qualified to speak on this subject, as I have worked in television for 10 years directing live televison newscasts, political roundtables, and a variety of other events.

To the point, Joe, you are better than this. A disgusting and classless individual like Lawrence O'donnell does not belong on your show. That he didn't even deliver his own apology speaks volumes about this man. I sincerely hope that you will use whatever influence necessary to pull him from your show. I will not watch one minute of this lowlife's antics on your or anyone else's program.

You know, when the least lunatic sounding on that show (aside from O'Neil) was BUCHANAN (of all people), you know the left is cracking up big time.

Quoting Chesirecat:
"You know, when the least lunatic sounding on that show (aside from O'Neil) was BUCHANAN (of all people), you know the left is cracking up big time."

Desperate people show their desperation in ways normal people can't understand.

The delusional one named posit made some comment about Bush coming clean on Iraq.
What?? He should come clean about making the right decision to protect our country despite the polls and then letting the military commanders operate without micro-management.

Its amazing that MSNBC's chief political analyst could demonstrate such partisanship and lack of manners not to mention such lack of judgement. O'Donnell is a sad joke, failing to address the Swifties charges with more than a demonstration of the outrage of the annointed. O'Donnell cannot be taken seriously anymore than one would heed Cher's or the Dixie Chicks political commentary.

Its amazing that MSNBC's chief political analyst could demonstrate such partisanship and lack of manners not to mention such lack of judgement. O'Donnell is a sad joke, failing to address the Swifties charges with more than a demonstration of the outrage of the annointed. O'Donnell cannot be taken seriously anymore than one would heed Cher's or the Dixie Chicks political commentary.

I was raise to believe that lying was not only bad manners but immoral. Why is it considered bad manners to call a lie a lie? I just wish he has been allowed to get the facts out as to why they are lying.

Please someone bring up the fact that Bill Clinton (who evaded the draft)was offered Ben Laden and refused to take him!!!!! Plus did nothing after all the terrorists attacks on our country when he was president...was too busy with his extra-sexual activities.

Clinton ordered missile strikes in August 1998,an effort to kill Osama bin Laden, he was nastily accused by republicans of trying to "wag the dog". Please someone, remember that republican Senators were saying "he was mistaken for personalizing the terrorism struggle so much around bin Laden." And when he ordered the closing of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House after domestic terrorism in Oklahoma City, some Republicans accused him of hysteria. None of this compares to Bush deciding to invade a country he doesn't like just because he wants to. According to a study by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the US-led invasion Iraq is responsible for the deaths of an estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilians.

Maja you have a really really good point there, I agree, I might have phrased it differently