The McLaughlin Group
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The McLaughlin Group is a half-hour weekly public affairs television program in the United States, where a group of five pundits discuss current political issues. It has been broadcast since 1982. Four of the commentators — John McLaughlin, Tony Blankley, Pat Buchanan, and Eleanor Clift — are usually present alongside one "guest" commentator.
A typical episode focuses on three or four issues. Each issue is introduced and briefly explained by McLaughlin, and then an open debate begins. The conversation is usually sedate at the beginning of each program, but as opposing viewpoints emerge there is more verbal rough-housing, good-natured gamesmanship and loud crosstalk, which are the show's trademarks. The lively give-and-take gives the show much energy, and the participant's are quite knowledgeable about the mechanics of politics, which adds a bit of "insider" weight to their opinions. Many critics, notably journalists James Fallows and ex-McLaughlin panelist Jack Germond, have opined that the show glories too much in sensationalism and simplification, to the detriment of serious journalism. Germond has said, regarding the show, "I never had any illusion that it was journalism." Another trademark of the show is the "predictions" segment at the end of the program, during which each panelist attempts to predict notable future political events, with the host getting the final word.
The show is also known for the quirky style of McLaughlin, who is fond of making witty, sometimes outlandish, predictions based on current events (on March 25, 2007, his prediction was, "The next man on the moon will be Chinese!"), and asking questions in interesting ways. He speaks with a stentorian voice and often stresses his points by shouting "Item!" before describing a news story. A phrase he often uses is: "On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing impossibility and 10 representing complete metaphysical certitude, what is the chance of...?". He always begins the show by saying "Issue one!" and ends the show by yelling "Bye-bye!" after his final prediction. For the show aired before Thanksgiving, McLaughlin has instead ended with "Happy Thanksgiving, Gobble Gobble!" for a number of years.
His style has been parodied by many comedians and other commentators, most notably Dana Carvey of Saturday Night Live. The program has also been included in a few major films, including Dave and Independence Day.
Contents |
[edit] Current McLaughlin panelists
[edit] Regulars
- John McLaughlin: host
- Tony Blankley: editorial page editor, The Washington Times
- Pat Buchanan: MSNBC
- Eleanor Clift: contributing editor, Newsweek Magazine
[edit] Guests/Alternates
- Lionel Barber: The Financial Times
- Michael Barone: senior writer and columnist, U.S. News & World Report
- Jay Carney: TIME
- Caroline Daniel: White House correspondent for The Financial Times
- Chrystia Freeland: deputy editor, The Financial Times
- Lawrence Kudlow: CNBC, National Review Online, The John Batchelor Show
- Lawrence O'Donnell: senior political analyst, MSNBC
- Clarence Page: columnist, The Chicago Tribune
- Dylan Ratigan: CNBC
- Vaughn Ververs: National Journal, The Hotline
- Mort Zuckerman: owner, New York Daily News, U.S. News & World Report
[edit] Former panelists
- Jack Germond
- Bob Novak
- Morton Kondracke
- Larry H. Parker - Noted injury attorney
- Fred Barnes
- Chris Matthews
[edit] Former guest panelists
[edit] Personal touch
The tone of McLaughlin's program, though often argumentative as with many other "Point-Counterpoint" style programs, is also somewhat different, due to the personal touch of McLaughlin and the panelists. McLaughlin's role often resembles a professorial figure, asking followup questions and trying to elicit further responses from a panelist who thinks he or she has fully answered the question, as if McLaughlin were conducting a Socratic class at a university. The show's participants do not always fall in predictable step with the stereotypes of the liberal vs. conservative checklist of viewpoints. The panelists of opposite political views have been known to agree with each other, and to disagree with their supposed political kin, on specific points or topics. There also appears to be a degree of personal closeness among the group, as when McLaughlin, in a spring 2005 broadcast, made special mention of the death of Clift's husband, and extended condolences on behalf of the panel. Another hint of the strong personal regard the panelists have for each other occurred on a 2006 program, in which Buchanan was discussing his well-known restrictive immigration views. Clift came back with, "Pat, I love you, but that's why you were never elected President."
[edit] Reception
In the US, the show is carried on numerous public broadcasting stations, and also a small number of NBC-owned stations.[1] Most stations carry the program on weekends, but there are a few, like WGBH in Boston, that run it on Friday evenings. Internationally, the show is carried on several satellite channels, notably the London based CNBC Europe.[2]
The program originates from WRC-TV, the NBC-owned station in Washington, D.C.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Podcast, both video and audio
