David Axelrod Joins NBC News

[DToTheJ]

This a week after the network hired Obama's former press secretary:
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/nbc-hires-former-obama-strategist-153834808.html

 

[FRR]

But yet, the liberals tell us over and over that the networks have no liberal bias

 

[FreddyE1977]

[insert J. Fred Muggs joke here]

Actually J. Fred was more telegenic.

 

[LKellerIII]

Axelrod was never Press Secretary, but a Senior Advisor to Obama. Liberal bias - yeah, ya think? He will probably make a lot of appearances on MSNBC.

 

[willdav713]

We need a petition our elected officials to mandate A La Carte Cable Television, now more than ever!!!

This news about NBC hiring Axelrod, is not surprising.

Wasn't James Carville an adviser of some sort to Former President Bill Clinton?

 

[BD Sullivan]

Yawn. It's not as if Fox News hasn't hired Bush-connected people Karl Rove, Dana Perino, John Bolton, etc. :

 

[willdav713]

Yawn. It's not as if Fox News hasn't hired Bush-connected people Karl Rove, Dana Perino, John Bolton, etc. :

I think my argument for A-La-Carte Television, makes since on both sides of the aisle.
You don't like Fox? You can drop it.
You don't like MSNBC? You can drop that, too.

If all you want is the locals, and Discovery Channel. With A-La-Carte that can be possible.
All of us need to contact our elected officials and the FCC and demand such!

But Fox News is winning the ratings war, just an FYI.

 

[FreddyE1977]

It's gonna be like watching Mr. Mooney deliver political commentary.

 

[willdav713]

It's gonna be like watching Mr. Mooney deliver political commentary.

Who's Mr. Mooney?

 

[FreddyE1977]

It's gonna be like watching Mr. Mooney deliver political commentary.

Who's Mr. Mooney?

Gale Gordon's character on the umpteen Lucille Ball series that followed I Love Lucy.
(don't spend much time up on the Classic TV board, do you?)

For that matter I guess I should explain that J. Fred Muggs was a chimpanzee who
co-hosted the Today Show with Dave Garroway in the 1950's

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Some folks who have been "big" in politics take media jobs and leave most of their partisanship at home. Those who are able to do that are great at bringing views to us that only an "insider" would know.

Steve Schmidt did that on MSNBC during the presidential campaign this year. He was a key player in the McCain/Palin campaign. In his commentaries he spoke up for his continuing allegiance to "things Republican and Conservative" but he also was quite frank in pointing out the weaknesses and strengths of both campaigns last year.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Axelrod's approach will no doubt refresh the prestigious mainstream media's time-honored commitment to objectivity and honest reporting, as rivaled only by his gracious fellow recruits, Al Sharpton and Andrea Mitchell (MSNBC). I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

 

[TheBigA]

Axelrod's approach will no doubt refresh the prestigious mainstream media's time-honored commitment to objectivity and honest reporting,

Maybe I'm missing something, but AFAIK, he wasn't hired as a reporter. NBC News has very strict guidelines about its reporters, even those who file on MSNBC. There is a very clear line between those who report on stories, and those who provide commentary and analysis. This is something that goes back hundreds of years. The other people you named in your post are not reporters either. And they are very clearly identified as such.

Axelrod will be a commentator, analyst, and a hired guest (they call them "contributors.)" Not a reporter. Typically, he'll work the way most other guests work, which is as giving one side of a discussion, with a rep from the other side (like former GOP Chairman Michael Steele) providing the other POV. The only reason they hire these folks is to keep them from providing their information to the competition. But they are not reporters. It's a very different role.

 

[BD Sullivan]

I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

Much like the book Karl Rove is no doubt writing on reasoned analysis of election results. :

 

[KeithE4]

I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

Foreword written by Keith Olbermann. ;D

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Axelrod's approach will no doubt refresh the prestigious mainstream media's time-honored commitment to objectivity and honest reporting,

Maybe I'm missing something, but AFAIK, he wasn't hired as a reporter...
Axelrod will be a commentator, analyst, and a hired guest (they call them "contributors.)"Not a reporter...It's a very different role.

Good catch, and I did have "comentator"/"contributor" in mind, but my mental notes got crossed up on their way to my Gregg-trained fingertips. Didn't notice this slip til I read your reply.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

Much like the book Karl Rove is no doubt writing on reasoned analysis of election results. :

"Analysis" maybe, but "Reasoned?" I trust you were following my lead in facitious irony. Seriously, I look for Rove's future on FOX to follow the route of statistical whiz, Dick Morris.

 

[TheBigA]

One other thing to know about Axelrod is the mechanics of a campaign are the same regardless of the idiology. Don't confuse these guys with ideologues, because they're mainly hired guns who know how to get people elected. Some have worked both sides of the ideological divide, like David Gergen. What you get from these kinds of people is insight into the process. The further removed they get from the actual candidate, the less cheerleading you'll hear.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

Foreword written by Keith Olbermann. ;D

Ha Ha! You know, I was tempted to tie Olbermann's name into my 1st post, but I changed my mind. I just figured nobody would remember him.

 

[BD Sullivan]

I purposely omitted Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz, whom I feel are better suited for colaboration with Alec Baldwin on a self help book on anger management.

Much like the book Karl Rove is no doubt writing on reasoned analysis of election results. :

"Analysis" maybe, but "Reasoned?" I trust you were following my lead in facitious irony. Seriously, I look for Rove's future on FOX to follow the route of statistical whiz, Dick Morris.

Oh, it was definite sarcasm. ;D