MyDD :: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Replace Him?

Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Replace Him?

by Jonathan Singer, Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 04:58:35 PM EST

Fox News announced that after 12 years, Alan Colmes will be leaving the top-rated "Hannity & Colmes" at the end of the year.

"I approached Bill Shine (FNC's Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network," Colmes said in a statement. "Although it's bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I'm proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years."

While "Hannity & Colmes" has largely dominated its time slot over the years, recently the show began to slip thanks to the popularity of "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC, which has topped the Fox program in the demo multiple times this month. As such, it might well be time for the show to get some new blood to stave off the competition from the left.

It's very possible that Fox will opt to drop even the veneer of balance by allowing Sean Hannity to man the helm of the show solo, or even by pairing him with another conservative talker. TV Newser also floats the names of former Mike Dukakis campaign manager Susan Estrich (a Fox regular), former Congressman Harold Ford, and Al Franken (if he isn't able to pull ahead in the final count in Minnesota) as potential lefty companions for Hannity.

If you had your druthers (and mind you this would be sentencing the person to hard time at Fox), who would you like to see butt heads against Hannity? One of the names above? From my vantage, I'm thinking Sam Seder (a friend of MyDD) of Air America would be one of the few picks that would get me to unlock the parental block I have on Fox at my house. (Update: To be clear, I'm saying Seder would be a palatable pick to make the show stomachable, not someone similarly milquetoast as Colmes.) Your thoughts?

Tags: Alan Colmes, Hannity and Colmes, Fox News, Sam Seder (all tags)

Permalink :: 38 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Repla (2.00 / 1)

The only person who could get me to watch Fox already has her own show on MSNBC now.

by TCQuad on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:00:49 PM EST

Oh, man. (none / 0)

If anyone could get Hannity to come completely unhinged... All it would take would be him blowing up and her just giggling at him, and then... "HANNITY SMASH!!!"

"Hey, check it out. You just had yourself a glue OD. So you're learning another lesson. Don't do too much glue, or your night sucks."

by vcalzone on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:02:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Oh, man. (none / 0)

How about haveing someone really "fair and balanced" and who else to balance Hannity's rightwingedness than that famed Lefty who's already coming over from CNN

Glen Beck..

/Snark

by Why Not on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:04:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Repla (none / 0)

Cliff Shecter...bar none

by eraske on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 07:56:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You (2.00 / 3)

Lanny Davis is the heir apparent to Alan Colmes. He's everything Fox would want in a Democrat. I don't see why anyone mentioned would actually want the job.

by rfahey22 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:02:15 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You (2.00 / 3)

Please say it aint so. God, could anything be worse than to know Lanny Davis is out there pretending to be a Democrat and trashing Obama on FAUX news??

by gavoter on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:07:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You (2.00 / 1)

No, I didn't mean that he was being picked, just that he would be a fitting replacement.

by rfahey22 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:11:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You (none / 0)

Lanny Davis is a disgusting pig. Colmes was a wuss, but the guy at least meant well. Susan Estrich is terrible. She sounds like an ostrich in pain. Has idiotic opinions.

by Pravin on Tue Nov 25, 2008 at 04:53:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I think they'll go back to a self-hating democrat (2.00 / 2)

That's what Colmes was originally.

I attended PUMACon '08!!!

by iohs2008 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:03:47 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 3)

Susan Estrich would be perfect. She fits the fox profile of the incompentent, self-loathing Democrat just like Fox regular Pat Caddell.

by RandyMI on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:15:30 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 2)

She's also got the most annoying voice, so she's just right to be "the liberal".

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:29:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 1)

I disagree. Eleanor Clift has a slightly more annoying voice, although she's slightly less self-loathing.

by XoFalconXo on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:00:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Who Would You Want to Replace Colmes? (2.00 / 4)

A ficus tree?

Sean Wilentz?

A mirror set up to show the the other side of Sean Hannity's head?

Trig Palin?

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:21:35 PM EST

Re: Who Would You Want to Replace Colmes? (2.00 / 3)

Two problems with Trig as Hannity's sidekick:

1. Much smarter than Hannity
2. Way cuter than Hannity

by Spiffarino on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:37:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 2)

Seder and Franken are way too smart for Hannity, he would never stand for it.
He has to have someone who matches his low intelligence quotient.

"Who are you for? That is the wrong question. It should be who is for you?" HRC

by skohayes on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:28:28 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want (2.00 / 2)

Geraldine Ferraro would work out well for them in that role...

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:28:30 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want (2.00 / 3)

Help Wanted:

Politically conservative actor needed to play a "liberal" on TV. Must be funny looking and wear dorky glasses. Mealy-mouthed demeanor a plus. Please apply at the Fox News desk. Ask for Sean.

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:29:22 PM EST

How about Ron Silver? (none / 0)

by RandyMI on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:42:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 2)

Top candidates:

Susan Estrich
Geraldine Ferraro
Lanny Davis
Pat Caddell
Joe Lieberman
David Sirota (since he now seems to hate what Obama is doing)
Zell Miller

by RandyMI on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:41:09 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

That's an excellent top three.

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:47:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

LOL@Sirota

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 08:30:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

Dont lump Sirota in which those jokers. If he bashes Obama for whatever reason, it is because he wants him to do more. THe others, if they bash Obama, it would be along the lines of "oh he needs to listen to the mythical middle"

by Pravin on Tue Nov 25, 2008 at 04:55:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (2.00 / 1)

Exactly:
"It's very possible that Fox will opt to drop even the veneer of balance by allowing Sean Hannity to man the helm of the show solo...."
Why replace Colmes? Is anyone confused as to the Fox agenda?

Purity! Or else!

by ChitownDenny on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:43:18 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

Yup! As of now, Democrats have taken over the government and they already hate Hannity and the President has probably created an unspoken blacklisting of Hannity for most people of note. Why pretend anymore? Won't do any good. O'Reilly and Shepard Smith will get the occasional plum and Hannity will continue on his path towards his eventual scandal-laced resignation.

"Hey, check it out. You just had yourself a glue OD. So you're learning another lesson. Don't do too much glue, or your night sucks."

by vcalzone on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:06:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Repla (2.00 / 1)

Harriet Christensen, although I second the motion for Trig.

But my money is on that butterball getting its throat slit.

I might be crazy... but are you seeing what I'm seeing?

by mydailydrunk on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:44:19 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Repla (none / 0)

I just feel like explaining that for a second I misunderstood your post and was horrified, and now I'm laughing REALLY hard at my own misunderstanding.

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:48:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

now I'm horrified (none / 0)

I gotta keep Track of those modifiers.

ROFL2

Ed Gein nominee here

I might be crazy... but are you seeing what I'm seeing?

by mydailydrunk on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 10:38:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

colmes is leaving? (2.00 / 3)

As if anyone would notice?

543,895 votes

by Michael Bersin on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:48:09 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

They don't want a strong voice, Lanny fits the bill.

by moondancer on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 05:58:10 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox (none / 0)

Howard Wolfson . . . . he deserves it.

by martinlomasney on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:10:06 PM EST

Only two people come to mind who are hard enough (none / 0)

1. Mike Malloy (a rabid badger)
2. Randi Rhodes (a slightly less rabid badger)

Either one of them would take Hannity's head off and use it for a hacky sack.

by Spiffarino on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:32:05 PM EST

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; Who Would You Want to Repla (2.00 / 1)

How about Michael Moore? It would at least be funny.

by s5 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 06:56:27 PM EST

This is a very important replacement (2.00 / 1)

We all want to know who is going to fetch Sean's coffee now that Alan is gone!

Who will help Sean pick guests? First, Sean makes his selection - say, Robert Bork or James Dobson - then Sean allows Alan to pick one guest from a list of Sean-approved guests: Ted Nugent, Oliver North or Ann Coulter. See? They each get to pick a guest! Then they have a third, non-partisan guest. You know, someone like Chuck Norris or Bernard Goldberg.

Fair and balanced!

by Collideascope on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 07:50:02 PM EST

Why the hate? (none / 0)

Don't get this attitude toward Colmes, maybe because I have not watched him as much. the few times I watched the show during the election cycle Colmes seemed to be a load advocate for obama and would ripe into smears against him (esp the coal smear at the end). Was he pretty bad before this election cycle or at the beginnings of it?(I only watched him a bit during the last month or so)

by YourConcernsAreNoted on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 08:01:52 PM EST

Re: Why the hate? (none / 0)

The last time I watched it was years ago, but at that time Colmes was quite a pushover.

by rfahey22 on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 08:33:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why the hate? (none / 0)

Colmes is not a bad guy. It's too bad he let himself get bullied on the show almost as bad as our Democratic Senators get bullied on a regular basis.

by Pravin on Tue Nov 25, 2008 at 04:56:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Colmes Out at Fox; (none / 0)

A Liberal, Strong Woman: Susan Estrich, yes; Hilary Rosen possibly, or Kiki McLean.

by nikkid on Mon Nov 24, 2008 at 10:17:48 PM EST

The primary wars never end. (none / 0)

some of the comments to this thread belong on Redstate, not uttered by Dems! Get over it!

Purity! Or else!

by ChitownDenny on Tue Nov 25, 2008 at 12:47:23 PM EST

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