Why I Cannot Forgive MSNBC-The All Venom All The Time Network

On Fox News Sunday Mitt Romney showed his usual class by accepting the apology from Melissa Harris-Perry's for ridiculing his adopted black grandson and suggesting that it was time to move on. Perhaps because he has more class than me, or perhaps because I watch much more MSNBC than he does, I am not ready to move on.

Along with writing for this site and my weekly column for the Jewish Star, I earn my income by writing for Truth Revolt the conservative media watchdog run by Ben Shapiro.  During the day while trolling around the net looking for stories, my TV set is on MSNBC because to be frank, it is a great place to find material for my Truth Revolt responsibilities.

Five days a week 11 hours/day, my TV is tuned to the nastiness coming from MSNBC.  People know about the Martin Bashir and Melissa Harris-Perry statements which became national stories, those are the extreme cases, every day on almost every program the political dialogue consists of  Republicans (or the Tea Party) hate women, gays blacks, the poor, the truth, Obama (I am sure I am missing a few). Then there are the outright lies and misrepresentations of Republican policy.

This is not a matter of the progressive network having a different opinion than Republicans and/or conservatives that would be legitimate discussion. Its the attitude of almost every host, panel member and guest that a conservative opinion has no legitimacy, is a source of derision, rather than a discussion starter. On MSNBC the Republican point of view is the starting point for personal attacks rather than political disagreement.

Like the time Melissa Harris Perry wore tampons as ear rings to suggest the GOP hated women, or when she said using the word "Obamacare" was racist. Or when Alex Wagner, who is the queen of childish attacks, cut a video of GOP Chairman Reince Priebus to make him look like a racist. Chris Hayes had a former adviser to the Iranian regime on as a guest to trash the people who were against the P5+1 deal, but never mentioned the guy used to work for the Iranian government. Then there are the times Mika Brzezinski blames Obamacare's problems on the GOP, and the daily slams from the network's stars Ed Shultz, Chris Matthews and the faux Preacher Al Sharpton.

It is not up to me to accept the specific apologies of Martin Bashir or Melissa Harris-Perry, that is up to Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney. But it would have been nice, for example, when Romney announced his forgiveness to opine that Harris-Perry's segment's was part of a regular pattern emanating from the progressive network.

But I cannot forgive MSNBC for its daily programming filled with venom against conservatives and Republicans, not directed at their policies or opinions, but the personal slanders, which may not be as bad as the explosive incitement by Bashir or Harris-Perry, but they make up for it with volume.

Yesterday an article in NRO detailed MSNBC's drop in key advertisers demographics.

According to the same study, 26 percent of MSNBC viewers have a college degree, compared with 29 percent of all Americans. --- Nielsen data — which showed the network last year posting its lowest prime-time ratings since 2007 both in the coveted 25–54 demographic and in total viewers — reflect that mismatch.

I would suggest that until MSNBC concentrates on punditry and reporting instead of misrepresentation and slander it will continue to lose viewers. At the very least until they do, I cannot forgive MSNBC no matter who else does.