Divided House Needs McGlaughlin Group

As 2022 ends while the MSM news still wallows in partisan punditry, we might yearn for PBS’s extinct McGlaughlin Group Reagan likened to “a political version of Animal House” but respected its honest news debates.

There’s a reason, lacking in today’s copycat formats, that the show aired for over 30 years until Mr. McGlaughlin’s death six years ago. Besides being led by the probing yet jocular old school journalist host who introduced topics along with relevant video clips, one might argue the key to the editorialized news show’s longevity (1982-2016) was the balance it consistently achieved between its band of regular commentators. Always two libs & two cons would debate 3-4 hot button issues proferred by McGlaughlin precisely because they were in the news at the time. Each panelist’s opinions were most often professionally presented and often hotly, yet, honestly challenged by the others. You actually over time came to know … and like or dislike … the likes of opinionated Pat Buchanan, Eleanor Clift, Clarence Page, Morton Kondracke, Fred Barnes, Jack Germond and Mort Zukerman.

But, today? Can you name a show that’s as engaging, engrossing, entertaining and even-handed as The McGlaughlin Group? Is there a show today that doesn’t get most of its notoriety through enraging and outrageous sensationalism rather than honest analysis?

Davd Soul