MSNBC Jumps Shark with 'Teabagging' Mockery

Of course, the obvious signal was MSNBC's Primetime lineup. The network that not so long ago featured libertarian-leaning Tucker Carlson -- followed by the formerly somewhat centrist Chris Matthews' "Hardball" -- has morphed into something quite different. Keith Olbermann's success as an obnoxious talker led to the 'Rachel Maddow Show'.

Matthews apparently got the memo, and has transformed his show into a venue for spouting liberal talking points. And 'Tucker' was nixed in favor of '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue', which then made way for liberal talker Ed Schultz to give MSNBC a 100 percent liberal primetime lineup.

It's also worth noting that President Obama cannot approach a microphone without MSNBC dropping everything to cover it. This morning -- the president held a press conference to announce a high speed rail project -- which I guess is interesting -- but not the sort of thing I would expect complete and total coverage of. Our friends at at MSNBC, however, made sure we heard every word.

Aside from the obvious ideological bent, it is perhaps even sadder that MSNBC seems to have forsaken legitimate political news and commentary in favor of catering to the lowest common denominator. They seem to have realized that Fox rakes in great ratings with it's conservative bent, and so they tried to position themselves as the "anti-Fox". Same basic template -- radically different point of view. Of course, the point of view is pro-Obama (see MSNBC's deal to only ask Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano one question).

Unfortunately, while MSNBC's ratings are indeed starting to climb, it appears they have created a monster. The recent references to "Teabagging" are the final indication that MSNBC is not only 'the place for liberal politics,' but that they have adopted the coarsened rhetoric of the liberal blogosphere (of course, you could argue this is the Free Market at work -- and that I am merely being nostalgic by longing for real news and commentary).

What is worse, it appears to be spreading. CNN reporter Susan Roesgen's antics yesterday at the Chicago Tea Party either point to the fact that CNN is going the way of MSNBC -- or that Roesgen is auditioning to be the next MSNBC anchor.