Althouse: Rachel Maddow: "I think of myself as a blogger -- on TV."

November 13, 2008

Rachel Maddow: "I think of myself as a blogger -- on TV."

(Via Think Progress.)

32 comments:

Anonymous said...: Wow, what a coincidence. I was wearing pajamas when I watched that.; 11/13/08, 6:54 AM
Anonymous said...: "Rachel Maddow: "I think of myself as a blogger -- on TV.""

I think of Rachel Maddow as Bronson Pinchot if he were a liberal lesbian.; 11/13/08, 6:59 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Maybe Palin was referring to this shocking admission.

NEW YORK -- MSNBC was the victim of a hoax when it reported that an adviser to John McCain had identified himself as the source of an embarrassing story about former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the network said Wednesday.

David Shuster, an anchor for the cable news network, said on air Monday that Martin Eisenstadt, a McCain policy adviser, had come forth and identified himself as the source of a FOX News Channel story saying Palin had mistakenly believed Africa was a country instead of a continent.

Eisenstadt identifies himself on a blog as a senior fellow at the Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy. Yet neither he nor the institute exist; each is part of a hoax dreamed up by a filmmaker named Eitan Gorlin and his partner, Dan Mirvish, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The Eisenstadt claim had mistakenly been delivered to Shuster by a producer and was used in a political discussion Monday afternoon, MSNBC said.

Gaines told the Times that someone in the network's newsroom had presumed the information solid because it was passed along in an e-mail from a colleague.

But please, lets continue to rely on the MSM for accurate reporting.; 11/13/08, 7:05 AM
vet66 said...: Maddox is a self-absorbed kleenex for the New York whiners who think that anyone outside certain neighborhoods in NYC are rubes.

If she isn't outraged at the handling of the Marc Shaiman fiasco she loses what little credibility her faux outrage shtick carries.

Palin was referring to those bloggers who hack mainstream ideas with lies and made-up stories hoping folks like Maddow run with them.; 11/13/08, 7:37 AM
Simon said...: She does understand, doesn't she, that Palin wasn't saying that all bloggers are bad, but that the people who smeared her were bloggers and that those people were bad? No?

Still, the important thing is that regardless of her motivations, I've now seen Rachael Maddow in pajamas, so that's one more thing to tick off the list.; 11/13/08, 7:41 AM
Ron said...: Hell, these days, I've given up on the pajamas too. Just more stuff to wash! If Al Gore were clever, he'd promote nude blogging as 'energy saving.'; 11/13/08, 8:32 AM
kjbe said...: Yeah, but naked blogging in the basement? I don't know, too cold and drafty, I think. And what about those down south, they don't have basements (generally) - how do they fit into this?; 11/13/08, 8:46 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: Madcow won't have much left to demonize once Barry ascends to the throne. She must hope she can keep riding the wave of lefty hate for Palin. It's probably her only way to stay afloat in the coming years.; 11/13/08, 8:48 AM
Wince said...: What will Maddow and Olberman do now that the Democrats and the Annointed One are in power?

Let's face it, passage of Prop 8 was a huge career break for Maddow.; 11/13/08, 8:50 AM
BJK said...: I think of Rachel Maddow as Bronson Pinchot if he were a liberal lesbian.

Don't be rediculus.

(...and if you can't understand the spelling, chances are you don't get the reference.)

Personally, I just think that video needs more graphics. The original video was from FNC, but MSNBC took the clip from Think Progress (and left their logo in the top right corner) before putting their own graphics at the bottom. I think they were only one corner away from winning in Bingo.; 11/13/08, 9:07 AM
Jack said...: Rachel Maddow is the best thing to happen to television news since, well, since TV was invented.; 11/13/08, 9:20 AM
vet66 said...: Jack;

You watch too much television. How do you find time to post here?; 11/13/08, 9:29 AM
Darcy said...: Well, she can think of herself as a blogger. But she would starve as one, I think.

I love that bloggers are cool to the MSM now, though. PJs and all. Go pioneers of the blogosphere!; 11/13/08, 9:30 AM
Elise said...: Despite ThinkProgress' presentation, Palin was not complaining about being criticized by bloggers. Her point in the clip Maddow used was that people with no real access to sources, no real knowledge of a situation, were producing "information" that was being used uncritically by the part of the media that was supposed to do some investigation and verification before passing along whatever floated across their screens.

I don't have much exposure to ThinkProgress but they seem inclined to take stuff out of context. (Their Palin interpretation, the Liberman quote.) Is that usual for them or have I just hit a couple of bad examples? (They seem good about providing links and/or transcripts.) And do they know there are bloggers on the conservative side, too?

What's interesting about Althouse's post is that she wrote it. She's had a little run of what could be construed as anti-Palin posts over the last few days. I'm wondering why.; 11/13/08, 10:07 AM
Simon said...: Jack said...
"Rachel Maddow is the best thing to happen to television news since, well, since TV was invented."

I agree, so long as one watches with the sound down.; 11/13/08, 10:29 AM
Simon said...: Elise said...
"What's interesting about Althouse's post is that she wrote it. She's had a little run of what could be construed as anti-Palin posts over the last few days. I'm wondering why."

Because she takes what's in the news and calls it as she sees it, perhaps?

I don't think she puts a thumb on the scale. I don't think that even in October-November she consciously put a thumb on the scale. And I don't see an agenda lurking in the background, other than to produce good blogging as performance art and occaisionally (to the extent this isn't tautologous) feeding the vortex.; 11/13/08, 10:33 AM
Simon said...: (FTR, I'm just kidding about Maddow.); 11/13/08, 10:43 AM
former law student said...: Maddow's got spunk.

Lou Grant hated it; I like it.; 11/13/08, 12:15 PM
Roberto said...: Now THIS is FUNNY:

Sarah Palin:

"don't let obsessive, extreme partisanship ... get in the way of doing what's right."

"As far as we're concerned, the past is the past..."

"We're focused on the future. [The future] is next year, and our next budgets, and the next reforms in our states."

This within hours of continuing the high pitched whine to Wolf Blitzer about Obama "palling around with terrorists."

*As for Maddow, her ratings are through the roof and climbing more every day.

And here's a brief overview of her education:

1. She obtained a degree in public policy from Stanford University in 1994.

2. At graduation she was awarded the prestigious John Gardner Fellowship.

3. She received a Rhodes Scholarship in 1995.

4. She obtained a Doctorate of Philosophy in political science from Lincoln College, Oxford University.

Soooooo, let's see how many HERE have comparable credentials.; 11/13/08, 12:48 PM
Roberto said...: Simon: The absolute king of suck.

Do you live in Ann's basement?; 11/13/08, 12:50 PM
Roberto said...: elise: "Her point in the clip Maddow used was that people with no real access to sources, no real knowledge of a situation, were producing "information" that was being used uncritically by the part of the media that was supposed to do some investigation and verification before passing along whatever floated across their screens."

That's ridiculous.

There are plenty of "bloggers" who have all kinds of reliable "sources" for their reporting, and of course, there are always going to be erroneous reports published...all of the major networks and newspapers do it every day...including damn near everybody here's BFF...Fox.

You need to read more.; 11/13/08, 12:54 PM
Roberto said...: simon: "She does understand, doesn't she, that Palin wasn't saying that all bloggers are bad, but that the people who smeared her were bloggers and that those people were bad? No?"

NO.

It wasn't just "bloggers" who reported negatives about Palin?

Do you even read newspapers or periodicals?; 11/13/08, 12:55 PM
Synova said...: LOL!

Accusations of faking her pregnancy were "negatives" about her that were reported.

Yeah.

Go with that.; 11/13/08, 1:03 PM
Elise said...: Michael: There are plenty of "bloggers" who have all kinds of reliable "sources" for their reporting,

No argument with that. However, I suspect bloggers who work in their pajamas in their parent's basement are - in general though perhaps not always - less likely to have reliable sources than, say, "bloggers" like Smith and Martin at Politico.

and of course, there are always going to be erroneous reports published...all of the major networks and newspapers do it every day...including damn near everybody here's BFF...Fox.

No argument with that, either. (Well, maybe the BFF part.) However, I did think reputable media representatives were supposed to try to get it right by - at a minimum - asking for the "other side" of stories or at least trying to confirm the source of stories. Hence Palin's comments about stuff being easy to debunk with a little effort.

Nonetheless, I don't recall hearing that, say, Andrew Sullivan (who writes for The Atlantic) called Sarah or Todd or Bristol Palin before passing along the stories about Trig's parentage. Or that the reporter on Fox called McCain or Palin before reporting the "Africa is a country" story. Or that MSNBC called McCain to verify that Eisenstadt was a top adviser or even called The Harding Institute to verify Eisenstadt's employment there.

You need to read more.

No clue what this means.

And, Simon, I wasn't postulating a nefarious agenda or a thumb on the scales in Althouse's (perhaps negative) posts on Palin. I'm just honestly curious. I've been reading Althouse for a while now and her continuing to talk about Palin seems unusually backward looking for her and feels (purely subjective here) like she's leading up to something. All of which may mean simply that I don't understand Althouse.; 11/13/08, 1:25 PM
Roberto said...: elise: "No argument with that. However, I suspect bloggers who work in their pajamas in their parent's basement are - in general though perhaps not always - less likely to have reliable sources than, say, "bloggers" like Smith and Martin at Politico."

There are hundreds and hundreds of blog sites that have reliable sources or links to such. Palin's complaints would be more reasonable if she was more forthcoming. You know...like having an open-ended press conference where a variety of reporters can not only ask questions, but "follow up" for clarification. Just look at her latest: They stopped it after about three questions. Why?

As for Sullivan, I'm not a big fan, but you do know we still, to this day, have never seen Palin's medical records.

As long as she holds out...the longer the rumors will swirl.

Why do YOU suppose she won't release them?; 11/13/08, 2:18 PM
Roberto said...: synova, I'll ask you the same question I asked elise: Why won't Palin release her medical records and why won't the doctor who delivered the kid allow questions?

If it's her kid, there should be no problem with either.

True?; 11/13/08, 2:19 PM
Roberto said...: elise, something you need to understand.

Never criticize Ann with Simon.

He's the ultimate sycophant and will hear none of it.; 11/13/08, 2:21 PM
Swifty Quick said...: Soooooo, let's see how many HERE have comparable credentials.

Whelp, she's got the going to school and being a pupil gig down.; 11/13/08, 2:23 PM
blake said...: >>You need to read more.

>No clue what this means.

"You need to agree with me."; 11/13/08, 2:26 PM
Elise said...: >>>You need to read more.

>>No clue what this means.

>"You need to agree with me."

Ah, thanks, Blake. Got it.

Michael, I call shape-shifting on the blogger question so I'm not playing any longer.

On the medical records, my understanding is that Palin has released as much detail as Obama: a brief statement from her doctor saying she is healthy. (Actually, Palin's doctor's letter is 2 pages long. Obama's doctor's letter was only 1 page long.)

I have to laugh, though, at your saying:

As long as she holds out...the longer the rumors will swirl.

Why do YOU suppose she won't release them?

You sound just like the people on the right who insisted Obama's Certificate of Live Birth wasn't enough and demanded he produce a certified long version of his birth certificate. They were awfully fond of saying:

As long as he holds out...the longer the rumors will swirl.

Why do YOU suppose he won't release it?

Maybe it really is true that political ideology isn't a line but a circle.; 11/13/08, 3:09 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: You need to read more.

"No clue what this means"

It means nothing. It's just what the Michael troll says when he can't substantiate the things he posts.; 11/13/08, 3:40 PM
hdhouse said...: laura said...
"what about those down south, they don't have basements (generally) - how do they fit into this?"

tightly in the crawl space and with great discomfort.

hey vet66....methinks 'cause you can't have Rachel you don't like her...ya'betcha.; 11/13/08, 6:18 PM