I referenced some Rachel Maddow stuff last time that was discussed on the Friday show, the transcript now up. It is a good example of why she is one of the top journalists out there today, taking into considerations the limits of the genre (short segments and opinionated hosts that tend at times to have evident biases). First, the Saddam Hussein issue underlines the importance and ultimate simplicity on telling the whole story, including flagging problems:
OBAMA: I want to be very clear: We sent our troops to Iraq to do away with Saddam Hussein‘s regime—and you got the job done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MADDOW: Nobody‘s going to argue that that job was not done, but I‘m a little nudgy about the idea that the mission we tasked our military with in the first place was dumping Saddam Hussein. It‘s just not how I remember it from the time. Do you want to know how I remember it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) [Bush & weapons of mass destruction] ...
I am reluctant to let that fact disappear down the memory hall, because if as the war ends, or at least starts to end, if at this time, the history of the war is written as us going there to topple the regime of a bad man when that frankly isn‘t why were told that we were going there—and aren‘t we still at risk of making this horrific mistake again? And, aren‘t we letting the people who foisted the WMD idea on us, not many years ago, aren‘t we sort of letting them get away with it?
If single bloggers can do searches and background research, journalists with decent sized staffs of researchers should be able to do so. Second, yes, Rachel Maddow has a p.o.v., but we expect that on the "Rachel Maddow Show," and she more often than not backs it up. Also, she has recently has had more guests (including Nancy Pelosi), not just regular commentators, including those who might disagree with her. To wit:
MADDOW: This "he is a socialist" thread in the conservative weave these days - it means different things to different people. When I hear Obama is a commie, I think you are not a serious person and I don't have to pay very much attention to the rest of the things that you say. That‘s one way to react.
A politically conservative person might hear it and think political epithet, political accusation, "Oh, no these Democrats are going to make our country more like the dreaded Sweden."
But there is a third way that Obama is a commie is heard by a big and poorly understood but powerful group of Americans. In 1995, a book came out called "Left Behind," an novel of the earth‘s last days. [author interviewed]
Important stuff there. BTW, TPM has a point -- interesting how "liberal" alone isn't quite enough to scare people. Given how things are going, many an European Socialist Democratic approach to things is almost inevitable in some fashion? Sen. Sanders, after all, often sounds pretty sane, and he doesn't think the "socialist" label is so horrible. Anyway, Rachel also (on the radio too) finds war coverage (even if we don't like the label in some contexts) quite important. This includes Afghanistan:
NBC‘s Richard Engel is in Afghanistan. He has just returned from several days with the 10th Mountain Division. The company was expected to go to Iraq but instead became part of the first wave of new troop buildup in Afghanistan. They have been setting up defense of a key highway into Kabul preparing for an expected springtime offensive from the Taliban. As Richard reports, the conditions are very, very, very tough and it is very slow-going.
BTW, for some reason, Engel reminds me of a young Michael York -- he definitely has that somewhat European hot on the scene war reporter vibe going. Anyway, this was all on one show, plus other stuff, including a piece on Barry Bonds that put forth an alternative p.o.v. -- not sure if I bought it, but it was worthwhile. This is a well educated nerd sort (how surprising that her interest was AIDS care in prison?) that rose from the bottom at Air America, paid her dues as a guest liberal commentator, and shined as a guest host both for Al Franken (during Katrina) and Keith Olberman.
She earned her props. I repeat myself, but she deserves it.