NY Times statistician Nate Silver tells Stephen Colbert "he doesn't like pundits"

VIDEO: Nate Silver interview on the 'Colbert Report'

STEPHEN COLBERT: Are you tying to put pundits out of work? Cuz CNN doesn't need any more help
(audience laughter)
NATE SILVER: I'm just trying to explain to people that pundits can be very entertaining but...
COLBERT: What's you opinion on Pundits? C'mon shoot from the hip
SILVER: I'm not very pro-pundit I have to say. I would vote against it... I think a lot of people get on TV and they don't really have a lot of conviction behind them. It kinda becomes a game to entertain the audience or the other half of the audience or whatever else right...
COLBERT: That is the longest possible way of calling him [Joe Scarborough] a bullsh*tter

- Colbert Mocks Scarborough For Trusting His 'Gut' Over Nate Silver's 'Math'
- How Obama got Elected: John Ziegler vs. Nate Silver

Joe Scarborough will test the waters for a Presidential run in 2016

When you thought it couldn't get any worse, the Morning Schmoe wants to be president? 

- Mark Levin on Facebook

Conservative pundit Mark Levin links to a Vanity Fair piece on his Facebook page, taking a dig at fellow APF pundit Joe Scarborough

MSNBC's Hot Ticket... After the presidential inauguration in January, Joe (no fan of Mitt Romney’s—"I've been very critical") plans on publishing a memoir that will serve—no joke—as a vehicle to test the waters for a presidential run in 2016. Take that, Mr. Romney.

Joe Scarborough feuding with Jon Stewart, Scarborough says Jon Stewart has a "Napoleon Complex" and is an "angry man"

The Daily Show anchorman Jon Stewart has been feuding with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough in recent weeks. The feud began when Jon Stewart questioned Scarborough's integrity as he charged that the 'Morning Joe' program was heavily sponsored by coffee chain 'Starbucks'. Joe Scarborough responded in kind by insinuating Jon Stewart had a "Napoleon complex" and was an "angry man".

Here is rundown of the feud in reverse order.
Stewart sidesteps the feud with some over the top self-deprecation

VIDEO: Jon's Napoleonic Complex (June 10, 2009)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Jon's Napoleonic Complex
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Newt Gingrich Unedited Interview

June 10, 2009: Jon's Napoleonic Complex
JON STEWART: I'm gonna start this show tonight as we do every night sitting down with good friends
(singing) Morning Joe, Morning Joe, its in the morning with a guy named Joe. I like my news like I like my coffee, watered down and stupid.
-- Plays video montage of Scarborough belittling Jon Stewart (pun intended)
For a small Napoleonic man -- I really hope this feud doesn't continue I don't think this show can afford it. I think we blew like $1000 on the pony shot

Joe Scarborough psychoanalyses Jon Stewart based on his experience with the man as a guest on his show

VIDEO: Joe Scarborough On Jon Stewart: 

A "Very, Very Angry Guy" With A "Napoleonic Complex"

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Did you hear Jon Stewart attacked us a couple of nights ago... he's an angry man
WILIE GEIST: I will just say, it seems there is something about Joe Scarborough that gets to Jon Stewart unlike most people
SCARBOROUGH: Some people have said its a Napoleonic complex... I don't know what it is but he is a very, very angry guy.
GEIST: He's angry at you, i'ts you. I don't know what it is?
SCARBOROUGH: He is. You know what's funny, I've been on a lot of these shows and everybody's pretty polite and decent. Colbert - great, Bill Maher - great. All of 'em. People that don't agree with me...
But Jon Stewart of the hundreds and hundreds of shows I've been on is the angriest person I've ever met

Interestingly Scarborough lumps Bill O'Reilly with Jon Stewart, not a surprising addition if you're talking about angry pundits

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Its kinda like Bill O'Reilly seriously, I've talked to Bill before, its like "Dude, you're on top of the world , you sell millions of books, you've got a million people watching you. You're the king of the cable world - Relaaaaax! Smile, life's good. Same with Jon Stewart. Don't be angry, smile. But he can't, its sad. I feel sorry for him actually.

Jon Stewart calls out Scarborough for a shameless corporate partnership

VIDEO: Morning Joe's Sarcastic Starbucks Sponsorship (June 8, 2009)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Morning Joe's Sarcastic Starbucks Sponsorship
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Newt Gingrich Unedited Interview

June 8, 2009: Morning Joe's Sarcastic Starbucks Sponsorship
JON STEWART: I get it now. See at the time I thought your jokey manner was just the way you were sublimating your shame for the discomfort you feel deep in your soul after extinguishing the last smoldering embers of any of your program's journalistic bona fides but now I realise that that wasn't the case. I was wrong because I don't get sarcasm.

It's worth noting this video features two other memes I've highlighted on this blog 1) Scarborough takes a shot at Stewart for his over reliance on writers 2) Stewart questions whether Scarborough is a real person or playing a character. Both topics were touched on here
1) Barack Obama is Teleprompter-dependent. Jon Stewart is dependent on his writers
2) Alan Colmes wonders how "Real is your Favorite Radio Personality?" after a Talker shoots his wife and dog

Republican Congressman Tom Price disses(?) Rush Limbaugh on Scarborough

Another GOP Congressman has waded into the trap of criticising Rush Limbaugh, a mea culpa that politicians inevitably recant to avoid the wrath of the influential talker. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have cheekily made a "Rush Apology generator" website - I'm Sorry Rush

Its know that the Obama administration has deliberately been marginalising Rush, putting politicians in the untenable position of either supporting or disavowing the polarising but popular Right Wing figurehead. Republicans Michael Steele and and Phil Gingrey have been the two most recent politicians ensnared in this trap.

Representative Tom Price is the latest to challenge Rush Limbaugh. His words were quite moderate but Joe Scarborough insisted on his line of questioning hoping to yield a spectacular rebuke of Rush. Which didn't come.

VIDEO: Rep. Price Disagrees With Limbaugh, Cheney

Rep. Tom Price: ‘It’s Not Up To Rush Limbaugh To Decide Who Ought To Be In The Republican Party’
SCARBOROUGH: Congressman, do you disagree with Rush Limbaugh that Colin Powell should leave the Republican Party?

PRICE: Look, it’s not up to Rush Limbaugh to decide who ought to be in the Republican Party. There are all sorts of wonderful folks across this land who hold dear the fundamental principles that we, as Republicans — [...]

SCARBOROUGH: Congressman, do you believe that Rush Limbaugh or Dick Cheney are better, quote — I’m just using terms that we hear every day on TV and radio — that they are somehow better Republicans than Colin Powell?

PRICE: No. Goodness.

I highlighted this case not because I anticipate a Rush response to Congressman Tom Price, but rather a response directed towards the conservative Joe Scarborough. The best I could find was this

How Could Powell be a "Better" Republican Than Dick Cheney?
RUSH: Look, throw me out of this for a second. Throw me out of the equation here. How in the world can a Republican say that Colin Powell is a better Republican than Dick Cheney? How? And that's what Tom Price said here, and Scarborough applauds him for some reason!...

Joe Scarborough to Norm Coleman: "You Lost, It's Over. Enough"

VIDEO: MSNBC's Scarborough To Norm Coleman: "You Lost, It Is Over"

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough made his point perfectly clear to Norm Coleman, who defiantly won't concede against colorful APF Pundit and would-be Senator Al Franken.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: OK I don't mean to keep interrupting your news but when are the Republicans gonna give up the ghost on this? Seriously, Norm - I like you, you lost. OK can we seat the Senators?... It is seriously not fair to the constituents in Minnesota to drag this out any longer. It's over. It's over Norm OK.

Joe hammering his point home continues incredulously

But seriously enough... Norm you lost. It's over. Quit!

Speaking of "seriously", a sign that Franken will forever be viewed through the prism that he began as a comedian. Co-hosts Mika and Joe share this exchange

JOE SCARBOROUGH: He [Franken] didn't make me laugh at all. Not one time.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Not once. You expect him to. That's gonna be pressure for him. When you're a comedian people expect you to always make them laugh

- Read the latest details on this saga from Norm Coleman's official news section or Al Franken's blog

Update:
With the news that Republican Arlen Specter has switched to being a Democrat, Jon Stewart highlighted the heightened implications of this hotly contested seat

April 28, 2009: How to Judge a Guy in 100 Days
JON STEWART: Specter's move puts the Democrats within a hair's breath of a un-filibusterable 60 seat majority. So now it appears that the Senate's balance of power -- in many respects the very future of our nation is in the hands of Al Franken. (Laughter and applause). What a country?!

The rise and rise of Glenn Beck: His appeal and the method to his madness

VIDEO: Glenn Beck panel: Stephanie Miller VS Steve Malzberg 

moderated by Howard Kurtz

Partial transcript of Howard Kurtz' introduction, describing Glenn Beck's persona and setting the table for the partisan discussion of the man by Radio Talkers Steve Malzberg (conservative) and Stephanie Miller (liberal)

HOWARD KURTZ:If there's one guy on TV who is "mad as hell and doesn't want to take it anymore", it's Glenn Beck. Since jumping from CNN's Headline News to Fox News last year. Beck has become a bigger hit in the ratings and a magnet for media attention not always of the favorable kind.

Some folks love him, others can't stand him and some think he's a little "looney tunes". Here's Beck this week on America's reaction to the Obama Presidency with a striking visual in the background (Nazi marches).

VOICEOVER: The New York Times gave him front page billing this week... MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' had a bit of fun with the Beck bombast and Stephen Colbert seems to view Glenn as something of a rolemodel...

Watch Stephen Colbert mockingly adoring Glenn Beck
The 10.31 Project (Colbert's parody of Beck's 9-12 project)

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The 10.31 Project
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Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor NASA Name Contest

Stephen satirises Glenn Beck's theatrics with moments of levity as well as a pointed shot at his shamelessness

STEPHEN COLBERT: Good point, the 9-12project is not directed at families directly affected by 9/11. Just people building their careers on them...
I'm sorry (tearful) I just love Glenn Beck's sanity and I fear for it

Download video of Stephen Colbert's parody of Glenn Beck

Joe Scarborough, Mika and Zbigniew Brzezinski: Stunningly superficial

An interesting exchange took place between APF pundit Joe Scarborough and guest Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor during the Carter administration. During their discussion of the latest fighting in Gaza, Zbigniew startlingly insulted Scarborough on his own turf 'Morning Joe':

JOE SCARBOROUGH: You can't blame what is happening in Israel right now on the Bush administration.
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: Yes you can.
SCARBOROUGH: You can't. Let's go back to 2000, Dr. Brzezinski. Bill Clinton gave Arafat and the Palestinians everything they could have wanted.
BRZEZINSKI: You know, you have such a stunningly superficial knowledge of what went on that it's almost embarrassing to listen to you.
SCARBOROUGH: Oh, is it?

It isn't the first time a pundit has been punked on his own show but this dynamic had a unique layer of awkwardness as Joe Scarborough's co-host is actually the guest's daughter, Mika Brzezinski.

APF pundits Marc Maron and Sam Seder discussed this compelling exchange on their Online show 'Break Room Live'. What's most interesting about the deconstruction of the Scarborough/Brzezinski dust up is that Maron was unaware of the family tie, the revelation dawning midway through the discussion.

Most found the Scarborough exchange appealing because it showed a pundit vulnerable. Pundits take pride in their certitude and command of their domain, seeing one getting toppled then haplessly trying to restore their upper hand is entertaining viewing. The self deprecating Marc Maron mocks his co host by insinuating Sam Seder has the same unshakable pundit pride:

MARC MARON: ...he's (Joe) just a bloviating douchebag radio talk show host and the arrogance he approaches this statesman with is despicable. What was most satisfying for me is that even though he wouldn't surrender, it's so hard for some people SAM (mocking emphasis) to just say "I don't know" SAM. It's so hard...

Listen to Maron and Seder on Scarborough and Brzezinski
Listen to the full Dec 31st 'Break Room Live' episode

Colbert hosting the pundits: Maddow, Scarborough, Hewitt and Papa Bear

Of all the pundits in the APF, Stephen Colbert arguably has the most universal appeal. Being comedic and having assumed a faux pundit persona, Stephen benefits from not being entirely culpable for his outrageous actions.

Stephen has a unique crossover appeal, voicing a caricature of a right wing pundit whilst personally being left-leaning. Interestingly Bill O'Reilly, the pundit template Colbert is fashioned after describes himself as an 'Independent'. With the shield of comedy, Colbert is caustic yet innocuous. It's the best of both worlds and an enviable license.

Below are a selection of Stephen Colbert interviews of the APF pundits:

Hugh Hewitt April 2006
Hugh Hewitt thinks the Republicans are aiming at an electoral iceberg and they need to turn the ship around quickly
Hugh Hewitt

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Joe Scarborough October 2008
Joe Scarborough gives reasons why John McCain won't win this election.


Keith Olbermann March 2006
Stephen thinks being a bully is just another way of getting your points across passionately.


Bill O'Reilly January 2007
Stephen finally gets to sit at the foot of the master, Papa Bear Bill O'Reilly.


Rachel Maddow November 2008
Rachel Maddow says the Bush administration has been like hiring a vegan to be your butcher.

Daily Show: MSNBC Meltdown

Jon Stewart on MSNBC's on-air infighting

Keith Olbermann VS Joe Scarborough VS Chris Matthews - Media Analysis unity
Obviously the big story this week has been 'Unity'- sublimating rage, chocking down bitterness and hatred for the good of the team. One network (MSNBC) is so focused on uncovering the smallest brushfire of discontent amongst Democrats, it perhaps hasn't noticed it's own house is on fire.

Read the comments from HotAir.com - Video: Meltdown at MSNBC

Democratic convention tension: PUMA, Matthews and Olbermann

Coming into the Democratic convention, the media focused its attention on the possible fireworks between Barack Obama and the Clintons. The promise of tension from feisty Hillary supporters and republican mischief makers, the most notable being The P.U.M.As. Short for "Party Unity My Ass", the meaning has since changed to the tamer "People United Means Action".

After Bill and Hillary's gracious and full-throated endorsement of Barack and the non-impact of the P.U.M.As, it seemed the media wasn't going to get the drama it wanted. Ironically the tension and fireworks anticipated from the convention came from the media themselves.

Keith Olbermann who's recent feature in the 'New York Magazine' was titled 'One Angry man' lived up to it by causing friction with MSNBC stablemates Chris Matthews and APF pundit Joe Scarborough. Republican strategist Mike Murphy stirred the pot. Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin was attacked by a mob led by underground media personality and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

1) Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews fight to be the alpha dog

Keith Olbermann steals Chris Matthews' thunder by assigning credit to Matthews' observations to fellow MSNBC pundit Rachel Maddow. Matthews gets upset by Olbermann's seeming oneupsmanship

2) Keith Olbermann tries to wrap up mischievous Republican strategist Michael Murphy from ring side

'Let's Wrap Him Up': Olbermann Tries To Get Rid of Republican Murphy
As Chris Matthews was interviewing GOP consultant Mike Murphy in the interlude between Bill Clinton and Joe Biden tonight, Olbermann could be heard off-camera angrily demanding "let's wrap him up, alright?"

From Newsbusters.org

3) Keith Olbermann harrumphs Joe Scarborough, “Jesus, Joe, why don’t you get a shovel?”


4) Chris Matthews makes a stinkface after Olbermann steps on his line

Matthews Furious—Did Olbermann Lift His Lines?
Matthews appeared to be reading a script from his laptop, when he suddenly stopped. Olbermann picked up the thread and threw it to young Russert. A furious expression crossed Matthews' face and he began to shake his head and mutter, until his image was blotted out by a prominent NBC logo.

From Newsbusters.org

5) MSNBC in defense of their Convention lineup

MSNBC prez defends convention team
DENVER — Amid a spate of awkward on-air conflicts among MNSBC anchors at this week’s Democratic convention, some staff members say there are sharp internal disputes at the cable network over whether its opinion and personality-driven political coverage has crossed the line.

“The situation at our channel is about to blow up,” a high-ranking MSNBC journalist told Politico on Wednesday.

From Politico.com

Update: A new PunditFight animation