• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, February 10, 2020

Two days ago on MSNBC, GOP presidential candidate Joe Walsh -- after the presidential impeachment vote, where all Republicans, except one, voted to acquit -- had some choice words: “Every single Senate Republican today, outside of Mitt Romney, was an absolute chickenshit.”

Profanity? Perfectly fine on a cable network. (Not so much on a broadcast network. The FCC could issue monetary fines.)

Walsh went on to say: “They put party before country … Mitt Romney, how often in American history do we see a politician actually do the principled thing and put country first? It’s an amazing thing.”

Not too sure what TV commercials followed. But we doubt this caused much of a ruffle at MSNBC. Mind you, this has not been the first time swearing found its way onto a cable TV news network programming -- or a cable TV entertainment network.

In this politically-heated environment, you might find more of this. President Trump, no wallflower when it comes to speaking his mind about politicians he thinks have done him wrong -- can be fast, furious and vulgar.

A day after Walsh's remarks: President Trump said in his first public statement, after being acquitted in his impeachment trial, on live TV, streaming and radio: “We first went through Russia, Russia, Russia. It was all bullshit.”

Had enough?

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi extended her hand to Trump before making his State of the Union speech and was rebuffed. At the end, Pelosi could be found ripping up his speech, for what she said was, in essence, a pack of lies.

Trump says the rip was “illegal.” I’m guessing attempting to bribe a foreign country unless its agrees to investigate a political candidate competitive is still OK. (And what about Trump shooting someone on Fifth Avenue?). Well, I guess if it’s in the public interest.

Back to those TV news networks: Is this heightened, dramatic, in-your-face content helpful to those channels in this political season? Seems voters/viewers would be boosted -- as well as having strong responses.

And what about news networks' TV advertisers -- either politically minded or regular consumer brand marketers? Better ratings, higher engagement -- what’s not to like?

In the British Parliament's televised proceedings, politicians can yell at those speaking in front of that government body at any time. Swearing? I’m sure it happens. And when it comes to decorum, we have seen other countries televised government proceedings erupt into fighting, including the throwing of chairs.

From my point of view, it would have been more fun see what would happen had Pelosi quietly tied Trump’s shoes together during his speech. Food fight, anyone?