MOUTHS THAT ROAR

Joe Scarborough, of MSNBC's Morning Joe shoe, are you physiologically unable to keep your mouth shut when others are speaking? In the Big Joe psyche, is bullying a terminal condition?

Today you spoke for Mika regarding her presence when the twin towers fell on 9/11. Is she “the little woman” who can’t speak for herself? Dude, she’s the one who was there, not you. So why not bring it up, then shut up? Defer to the one with first-hand experience regarding chemical pollutants. Let her tell her own story.

A few seconds later, you steamrolled Mike Barnicle. Again. Ditto your guests—apparently you invite them only to interrupt them. "Hey, Bobby, come on over to my house. I need something to walk on." Don't you review tapes of the show, the way athletes review game film? Is there no one around to say, "Jesus, Joe, you blew it again?" Are you like the BP exec who wouldn't listen to the guys who knew? I thought you hated the BP execs.

Verbal imperialism. Well, that suits the Republican character. Set ‘em up to think they matter, then mow ‘em down.

Like you, I am a straight white male, and I’m tired of public mouths like you coming on as domineering jerks, thus handing legitimate ammo to everyone out there who’s feasted on white male behavior and dominance in western history. How many times must I say, “Yep, guilty as charged”—because of boorish behavior by guys like you?

You probably scoff at the whole concept of white guilt, even as you engage in behavior that illustrates "our" guilt. Is that notion too intellectually complex for you? Or will you plead something like ADHD—you've got such passion, you just can’t hold it in. You get itches you must scratch—for an audience of millions. Go scratch in private, Joe. I want to hear your guests and colleagues.

It's old news that Volume 10 Motor Mouth Syndrome is a national epidemic these days. You see it at every mall, in every school hallway, in every public cell phone conversation. And in the public arena, it’s bad enough that we must confess national ownership of political televangelists like Haggerty and Beck. You, Oberman, Chris Matthews, and others could offer an alternative, but you take the much-traveled low road. The loud road. You yell and stomp and slobber, rendering yourself about a half-step up from Limbaugh in the national misfortune of news and commentary as carny side show.

Please, please assume the role of leadership inherent in your profession. There are countless occasions when journalism is our best hope against political deceit, and we just can't afford for people in your position to settle for the role of hulking verbal bully.

Be bigger than your ego. Ask questions. Gather info and opinions from smart, responsible people—which, of course, many of your guests are. If you must opine, make one- or two-sentence comments. Then shut up. Practice it in bed at night: shut up, Joe. Shut up, Joe. Shut up, Joe. Instead of grace before meals, try Thank you, Lord, for granting me silence. Shut up, Joe. Amen.

None of that will happen, of course. It doesn’t sell Wheaties. If I try really hard, maybe I can remember to record Rachel Maddow and watch her with breakfast. Brain food there. Knows how to talk, knows how to listen, zippier than public TV and radio, but still smart and responsible. More precious than gold. Amen.


* * *