Hell just froze over: Joe Scum had Paul Krugman on Morning Joe today!

[CTyankee]

And Joe behaved himself! Usually, it seems like Krugman drives Joe into arm waving rants, but that didn't happen.

Krugman was touting his latest book "End This Depression Now!" and Joe just asked him to elaborate upon his views, which are at complete odds with Joe's.

If you missed it, you will be able get it a little later on msnbc.com on the Morning Joe page.

I never thought I'd see the day...

[monmouth]

1. I honestly don't know this for fact, but many of us stopped watching MOJOE because of his

rants. Perhaps their ratings were taking a hit and they told him to tone it down. I don't know but I think it's a possibility.

[LASlibinSC]

3. +1

[malaise]

4. Maybe they've been warned re the ad monet

[CTyankee]

5. well, he had a bit of a Krugman rant the other day...

but it was "qualified" (he acknowledged Krugman's cred as an economist, but lambasted him as a political journalist).

Lawrence O'Donnell was smirking a bit later when he came on the panel. "Great interview!" he said heartily to Joe. Lawrence looked like he was enjoying himself.

Mika looked and sounded pleased with the interview, too. Everyone was really respectful.

I think they are all afraid that Krugman will just take them apart if they try to take him on with regard to economic theory. Harold Ford, Jr. tried just a bit later, after Krugman was gone, but he looked pretty weak...

[Sedona]

2. I haven't watched JoeScum since Bill Press & Stephanie Miller arrived at Current TV

nt

[kentuck]

8. I think Bill Press is taking a lot of MoJo's viewers...

But I think Bill may need a partner with his show? It is difficult to go alone for 3 hours every day without a break.

Also, Jennifer Granholm is very good on her show but I think her time may conflict with Rachel's show? But she has been really good, in my opinion.

[CTyankee]

17. I was heading in that direction and I probably wasn't alone. I think Joe Scum

is feeling the Current heat, so to speak!

[Cary]

6. Only saw the aftermath.

Harold Ford looked really bad and Joe Klein not much better.

[CTyankee]

7. They are such weak tea after all that Krugman brain power.

My guess is that Krugman has gotten so popular as an articulate (and consistently ACCURATE) commentator on current economic issue, that Joe can't ignore him (or just make snarky remarks about him) any longer. Viewers want to hear from Krugman. He's got a strong message that is appealing to lots of people, me included!. I've been reading Krugman ever since he started his NYT column and he has always been right in his predictions about the economy.

[Cary]

9. As someone with an economics degree I can tell you that Paul Krugman...

knows what he is talking about. There are very few people who can successfully take on Krugman on the subject of economics.

[CTyankee]

10. I'm in awe of people like you who can understand economics.

My worst course in grad school was an econ course (more on the philosophical side than the technical). When I got to the Austrian School I nearly lost my mind.

But Krugman has an ability to explain economics at a practical level for non-economists. And he does it without being cute or snide.

You are right about not taking him on when it comes to economics. That's exactly why I think Joe handled him so carefully. Being eviscerated by Paul Krugman on his own show would not be a good thing for Mr. Scarborough...

[Cary]

11. Thank you, but the subject just interests me.

It's obviously not for everyone.

Yes, Paul Krugman makes it accessible but so did Keynes. I highly recommend Keynes' "The End of Lassaize Faire Capitalism" where he basically trashed people like Ayn Rand, Maury Rothbard, and Milton Friedman in 1926, decades before they even came on to the scene.

[CTyankee]

12. I liked Keynes and I could understand him.

And I particularly liked Joseph Schumpeter and, of course, John Kenneth Galbraith. But I was a Liberal Studies major, so I could be safely described as a generalist.

IIRC, we read "General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money" by Keynes for that course. The Classical theories were tougher on my mind...

[Cary]

14. "The End of Lassaize Faire Capitalism" is accessible.

It's just an essay. I highly recommend it.

[CTyankee]

16. Thanks. I was a little gunshy after I got into the weeds with the Classicists,

I must admit.

I'll get the essay...

[Cary]

18. Actually there is an excellent course on iTunes

from a professor at the University of Illinois Springfield. I believe the professor's name is Kline. It's about radical capitalism and it's not so much an economics course but rather more of a philosophy course.

Kline is more partial to Ayn Rand than I would prefer anyone to be, but he's not obnoxious and his class is pretty good, and free.

[CTyankee]

19. AS a former Liberal Studies student, that appeals to me.

Of course, I don't have an Ipod so that might be a bit of a problem...

[Cary]

20. Not at all

It's iTune University, or something like that. You simply download the lecture and you can listen on your computer. It's a little clunky to navigate through the various school sites and there is a lot of junk there, but this particular series was really good.

[CTyankee]

22. Thanks! That's helpful...

[Whisp]

13. I don't catch that show often but when I do

I don't like it much at all.

Who is the blonde woman sitting beside that Joe Schmuck just as 'decoration' or something - because she can hardly get a sentence out and the usual men on the panels don't even look at her and talk over whatever little she tries to get out.

[ananda]

15. Bump for Krugman..

.. and human intelligence.

[Major Hogwash]

21. Wait until tomorrow. On Tuesday, Joe was quoting the bible about Obama's gay marriage stance

And if that wasn't the most hypocritical thing I have ever seen on tv, I don't know what is!!

This morning Joe was busy lamenting the loss of Dick Lugar for the neocons in the Senate, before he had Krugman on his program.