I was autorecording on Saturday and saw the two different spots that featured Rachel.

btw, I really like her hair today. The last few times she was on Countdown, someone was overdoing the hairspray like crazy! It's much more relaxed-looking right now.

I live in Florida and during tropical storm Fay , what seemed to be forever, I couldn't help think of how much it reminded me of Hilary. It was destructive, annoying, flooded the news, and didn't care who was in her way. And that's just it's good points

What do you mean? I was working and didn't get to hear it. I get his newletter and he seems pretty consistent to me?

Mike G

http://www.quadkite.com

also, many clinton "people" who have lived very well with them at the top of the party...are wondering where their next paycheck will come from. The Obama group has/will shut them out?

FYI:

Watching Rachel this evening it was just stunning to me that she has (and you have) this blind side when it comes to those of us who are NOT going to support an Obama presidency. I consider Rachel very bright, even more articulate, and often astute, but she has not USUALLY used those assets when evaluating the Obama scenario.

Putting aside her initial, quick jump onto BO’s bandwagon, and putting aside her segue into a female version of Kondracke to Olbermann’s Fred Barnes in the left-wing version of the Beltway Boys (meaning only entertaining notions – and guests – upon or among which there is total agreement), it is still stunning – the only appropriate adjective – that she (and you) haven’t been able to discern what it is that compels us.

By “us” I refer to my sisters and friends, all well over 40 (mostly well over 50), all life-long liberal activists, all well-educated, assertive women making $100,000 or more. None is a racist, some are black, some are Latina. Not exactly the demographic usually portrayed, unless to paint us as bitter harridans out for revenge.

Why would you choose to believe that we are bitter, that we are foolish, or that we have been hoodwinked, rather than that we have valid issues and valid reasons to eschew supporting this particular man in whom we have no trust and for whom we have no respect? In fact, we would wonder why you have bought into his rhetoric, have dismissed his lack of integrity, and have excused his maneuvering on the issues just as we predicted he would.

We are not withholding our support because Hillary was treated unfairly by the DNC. (We know whom we hold responsible there.) We DO withhold support because he and his campaign resorted to the most vicious form of character assassination on the Clintons, and that pill is MUCH too large to swallow. Why? Because it proved - back in January - that Obama was not who he purported to be, was not the clean non-politician held in high esteem, but was rather a low Chicago politician with a huge ambition. That proof has been confirmed again and again.

So we think that since he is not the man that has been sold to you and the others, we are just as happy with McCain as with him. McCain will only be able to do whatever damage the Congress allows, so we are putting all of our efforts, and all of our donations, into getting those 60 Senate votes. We think we will do it. And using Roe v Wade to try to scare us into submission is laughable. There have been many opportunities for the Republicans to move that agenda, but they are more interested in whittling away women’s rights than in taking on that behemoth. And they’ve been successful, but because of their Congressional majorities!

So at least try to understand that your mental image of us as foolish women who are ignorant of the repercussions is WAY off base. We think pretty clearly, we might say more clearly than you. You might disagree with us, but at least get us right!

Which channel were you watching??
I've been viewing CNN all night (with an occasional switch to MSNBC) and did not perceive any negativity directed toward or related to Michelle! ("Dynamic", "Articulate" "What we're about", "Compelling") The only criticism was about the fact that issues weren't addressed during the evening, which didn't pertain to her. Personally, I was emotional about Ted's appearance and elated by Michelle's speech. I think she should be running for President!

This is one of the best openings I've watched since television became involved. Subsequently, I'm the only Democrat in my entire family and remain so. The Convention is so "scripted"..... the commentators invoke that comment every 10 min (Bathroom MUST be overwhelmed by the 15,000 media types. There are only 4000 delegates.) Little more than scores from Nuggets games being flashed (anyone know how they did?)

Bottom line utterance (quoting the Dick currently in office) Soooooooooooo.............

You hit the nail on the head!!! I was just about to post the same thoughts. McCain was not the only POW during the Vietnam War. I lost a few good friends to "McNamara's War"! McCain using this for political gain is disgusting!

John Sidney McCain:

No Maverick
No Hero
No Admiral
No Trust
No Truth
No Plan
No Solutions
No President

I agree. Rachel, thank you so much for calling the McCain campaign on their continuous exploitation of his POW status. Please continue to bring this to your listeners' (and soon, VIEWERS'!) attention. No one else seems to be willing to do it.

Also, since you've been asking for suggestions for your new TV show, maybe you could make the rule that guests should be able to finish a sentence without being interrupted. I get so tired of watching Pat Buchannon (among others) turn political conversation into a shouting match. If someone speaks out-of-turn, you could make them wear a dunce cap or something. Just a thought. :)

One of the worst things I can imagine is having to smile all the time--and we Americans as a nation demand it! I can't stand it sometimes.

My tenth grade English teacher said anyone who smiles all the time is either happy or the village idiot. Most citizens of the world probably agree with her. Yet kudos to you, mclegal, because I know what you're trying to avert.

"Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar"; Europeans place a great deal of value on dignity, and U.S. Americans do not. One of the first things we foreign students had to learn to do in Germany was stop smiling at the wrong times and start dressing well.

Still, this is politics. And the world is at stake. Poor Obama and Maddow.

Rachel smiles all the time. The video's posted to this blog show that she even smiles a lot during her radio show. I'm not what sure what you're suggesting.

Ms. McLegal:

I really do understand what you're saying. However, I'm not sure younger lesbians (or straight women, for that matter) in their 20s and 30s need very much instruction from those in their 40s and 50s. I think there's a lot of social status and hierarchy stuff around smiling. Some of those rules have changed (thank God) as more women have broken into traditionally male areas such as journalism, law, medicine, etc. I gotta tell you -- I'm proud of Maddow when she doesn't serve up deferential smiles to people who expect deference. In other words, I'm asking you to consider the possibility that what got you where you are might not be what gets Maddow where she wants to be. The rules are changing. And that's as it should be.

Plus, people in their 30s are fully grown up. I think Maddow navigates quite capably through the professional and social world in her own way. Frankly, the more MSNBC lets her be herself and the less makeup and smiles they slap on her, the more pleased I'll be. I'll be thrilled if a person who unapologetically describes herself as a "mannish" woman earns respect -- on national tv -- based on her smarts and political acumen.

I'm betting you feel that you helped open some doors (break some barriers) for younger lesbians and straight women. I feel like I have, and I think the impulse to do so is a very good one. However, I think all we really should do is open those doors. When they pass through those doors into more powerful places, I think it's fun and instructive to watch how they handle their new positions. I have a lot of confidence in Maddow and almost never feel that she needs much help from me. She'll probably teach us (the 40s and 50s crowd) quite a bit.

BTW, she does make mistakes. She was so so soooo WRONG about protesting the war at military bases in Wilmington (debate with Reickhoff (sp.?) long ago); and she really really goofed saying Mark Warner looked like Skeletor (also long long ago); and the talk she had with Al Gore about her AIDS banner had me rolling on the floor laughing. But I purposefully (until now) held my tongue, because she's pretty darned good at self-correcting, and she's still outrageously capable.

I think Maddow should smile or not smile as she sees fit.