Three out of five MSNBC talking heads agree (the other two at the table didn’t weigh in): they’d rather cover Rick Perry than Mitt Romney.
The following was an exchange between some of the regulars on MSNBC’s Morning Joe yesterday. This particular conversation came on the heels of a clip of Mitt Romney on the trail Monday talking up his economic experience and a clip of Rick Perry at the Iowa State Fair addressing a reporter’s question about his economic record versus Romney’s (MSNBC chyron: “Perry v. Romney. Battling over record, experience”). Now, to the transcript:
PAT BUCHANAN: Look, who would you rather cover?
MIKE BARNICLE: Rick Perry.
BUCHANAN: For sure. Let’s go see what Rick says! It’s an exciting campaign. With all respect, I like Mitt Romney a lot. I think he’d make a fine president. But if you’re going to cover a campaign this one’s got excitement and energy and fire to it…
MARK HALPERIN: I’m ready to cancel my vacation to go cover Rick Perry.
This isn’t the first time, of course, a cable newser has felt excited by a presidential candidate and announced as much on-air. Political reporters have been taken with (taken home by, even) candidates and campaigns before. True, those were feelings that evolved over time, after repeated exposure to soaring speeches and straight talk, while this Perry “excitement” could just be a fleeting crush on the new(est) guy—the guy with the “colorful tongue.” Too soon to say.
It isn’t just these MSNBC talkers who seem to find covering Rick Perry “exciting.” Perry, The Atlantic had it, “wow[ed] the national press” on Sunday with his “folksy speech” in Waterloo, Iowa. So, will reporters let the “excitement” of covering Rick Perry get in the way of actually covering Rick Perry? Will “let’s go see what Rick says!”—as Buchanan put it—overshadow “let’s press Perry for answers?” Something to watch.
Also to watch: What of the less “exciting” candidates? The ones who don’t tempt Mark Halperin to cancel his vacation? Will an I’d rather be covering Perry attitude seep into the coverage? (Will there be any coverage)?
Thank you, Liz, for that last paragraph, wherein you parenthetically link to Roger Simon's article about Ron Paul's getting "shafted" by the MSM. While I regret that CJR didn't do a full post on the topic, that tiny mention is a welcome sight to this disenchanted observer.
#1 Posted by Dan A., CJR on Wed 17 Aug 2011 at 07:08 PM
Halperin, Barnacle, and Buchanan are all rightwingers, so it's not a surprise they get all sweaty and giddy about a new, swaggering GOP Daddy in the race. Remember how they swooned over Fred Thompson? How "handsome" he was? ha ha ha ha.
Ron Paul got "shafted" just like Al Sharpton got "shafted" and like Dennis Kucinich gets "shafted" by the MSM. Let's hope the radical loon Rick Perry goes the way of these three "Presidential" "candidates".
#2 Posted by James, CJR on Wed 17 Aug 2011 at 07:20 PM
Lmao! Good one!
#3 Posted by Dan A., CJR on Wed 17 Aug 2011 at 07:25 PM
Oh yes. Rick Perry is sooo exciting!
"Ron Paul clobbers Rick Perry in latest poll"
http://www.thestatecolumn.com/articles/ron-paul-clobbers-rick-perry-in-latest-poll/#ixzz1VJOkExy2
"Ron Paul 81%, Rick Perry 19%"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcE8PTid6qU&feature=player_detailpage#t=96s
#4 Posted by Dan A., CJR on Wed 17 Aug 2011 at 07:31 PM
From what I have seen so far, the coverage of all the candidates reflects the correspondents' desire not to antagonize the candidate by asking any hard questions or pointing out errors. It must be more exciting to parrot what was said and discuss "the controversy". Perry says "The world is flat" and the news outlets will start talking about the controversy regarding the shape of the planet.
#5 Posted by Don Albertson, CJR on Thu 18 Aug 2011 at 11:58 AM