OK I admit it. I am totally enamored with MHP - as is my wife luckily - so it would take a lot to turn me away from watching on Saturday Morning. It is a moment of shear pleasure as I spend my only quality time of the week on my art and listen and watch MHP. But I have to say that either MHP was completely broadsided by Richard Nixon’s son-in-law or she made a novice’s mistake of inviting a piker to a gathering of wonks. Someone had to have thought that this guy had the intellectual juice to discuss a very serious issue - I had a feeling that MHP was mortified to then have him waste everyone’s time regurgitating the GOP talking points. He should have been dismissed after the first break and when MHP came back on she should have explained that on her show there was an expectation that guests use their brains and not just repeat someone else’s weekly talking points. Furthermore, the first time a Democrat does the same thing he/she too should be banished.
I come from Republican stock, though I am an independent Democrat who almost always splits his ticket on election day. MHP had scheduled a very worthwhile discussion about what has happened to the Republican party. How did it go from the party of Lincoln to the party of Stink’n. That kind of discussion requires serious minded people who aren’t going to give a pass to idiots and ideologues.
As someone who watches news during most of my brief television time I had really hoped that when Jon Stewart took down Firing Line that at least some of the political commentators would give some thought to programming that would enlighten us by sharing nuance and intellect. Unfortunately not many folks have been able to do that. MSNBC at least has a majority of the good ones and to me the Gold standard for MHP has to be the fellow who comes on just before her. Chris Hayes doesn’t hide his own opinions, he doesn’t have to, but what he does is to give respect to the opposition and invite the discussion of deeper meaning, philosophy and- above all - nuance. Most of us would rather watch a professor or an historian than a politician anyway but still I have to believe that there are plenty of politicians who will rise to the occasion if they know that an honest discussion will not put them at a disadvantage to some ideologue who came into the studio dragging his or her knuckles across the floor. (no insult intended to chimps or monkeys who can’t help it.)
I’ll love you no matter what MHP but please have a sit down with your schedulers and staff. Tell them that all they need to do is ask themselves if the “considered guest” deserves to rub elbows with a woman of your intellect. If the answer is no then let them go somewhere else. Give us brain food - people of all persuasions who haven’t read a talking points memo and would laugh (or scoff) if they did. I promise you, if people watch your show and come away with ideas for moving the country forward - for bridging the ideological divide - you will begin to create a currency for honorable dialog, agreement and disagreement that will pay huge dividends in the long run for you and our beloved country. March on Sister! Wayne King Former NH Senator and 1994 Dem nominee for Gov in NH.
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