MSNBC Considering Nifong to Take Former Imus Slot
NEW YORK (Disassociated Press) June 19, 2007 – Dan Abrams, long time correspondent and newly named General Manager of the Cable News Network MSNBC, announced today that former Durham County District Attorney and recently disbarred Mike Nifong was being considered by MSNBC to replace the newly released and former long time morning host Don Imus.
Imus was released earlier this spring, following comments he made that were considered to be many as racially derisive of black people.
“Nifong could bring to MSCNB a measure of ‘mea culpa’ to the black community, to help make up for the Imus debacle,” explained Abrams. “Nifong, despite his current situation, retains a certain cachet among black people.”
Nifong was disbarred from the South Carolina Bar Association earlier this week for “prosecutorial misconduct” in the widely publicized Duke Lacrosse Team rape scandal.
The crux of the disbarment was based on testimony that Nifong suppressed exculpatory evidence that would have exonerated three white Duke Athletes from rape allegations leveled by a black female stripper who was hired by the Lacrosse team to perform at a team party, to instead curry favor in the Raleigh-Durham black community in the quest of a re-election bid.
“There are some impediments in the consideration,” continued Abrams, “including the possibility that Nifong may be charged with a crime, and sent to prison. However, barring that, and a few other potential ‘flies in the ointment,’ Mike might be an excellent replacement.”
MSNBC has been rotating guest hosts in the morning slot since Imus left; recently, Joe Scarborough, long time MSNBC host of Scarborough Country has been hosting Morning Joe in place of Imus, and had appeared to be in the position to become the permanent replacement.
“MSNBC, which is far and away the lowliest rated amongst the major cable news networks, might score with Nifong in the morning slot,” speculated political analyst Seth Gumbridge. “The network seemed to have focused on catering to a boutique audience of affluent, so called ‘elitist, snooty, limousine liberals’ – overwhelmingly traditional Democrats. While black people tend also to be overwhelmingly traditional Democrats, MSNBC hasn’t seemed to be able to catch fire with them. Maybe the addition of Nifong would change that.”
When confronted with Gumbridge’s hypothesis, Abrams responded, “That would be a good thing – at least somebody would finally be watching.”
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