It's not JUST Chris Matthews' total hypocrisy; or Morning Joe's total phony attempt at being "cool"; or Dan Abrams need to prove he can be as obnoxious and controversial as any wingnut while coming off as nothing more than some smartass frat boy who can't grow up.
And as much as I love Keith, honestly, he is simply not enough to give MSNBC a pass for masquerading as a news network or as a network that gives a balanced point of view!
More....
I did NOT watch Hardball with Coulter. I could barely even tolerate the exchange at all even when the segment was repeated this morning or posted. Yes, Elizabeth was classy, and had the right to confront the hate. And no, I do not believe it was a set-up. But Coulter's smug lies and the fact she is given cover by MSNBC truly nauseates me.
But this morning, just watching for regular news, I had to listen to more hypocrisy from Matthews and Scarborough during the news segment. And then, Anne's friend, Pat Buchanan, a paid right wing nut sycophant of MSNBC, gets a segment to defend and spin for that hateful woman? I switched channels. But I did listen to Matthews and Scarborough. And the hypocrisy was so blatant so disgusting, I could barely believe what I heard.
The phony justification that "it is on both sides" is a lie.
Those two corporate whores were trying to justify Coulter's conservative hate using Maher's libertarian hate.
Sorry, but Maher trashes democrats just as much as he does republicans. Just because a person is anti-war does not make them a liberal, progressive. Chuck Hagel is no democrat. And he certainly cannot be described as a lefty.
And oh yea, Maher actually is a comedian and satirist. Am I to believe that Coulter's work is satire? Humor?
The bottom line is this: Matthews and Scarborough and NBC give Coulter a free ride. They justify her because they are lying and saying the left does the same. When has a true, extreme left wing democrat who speaks at "liberal" gatherings, been given as much airtime and promotion as this woman? And who would it be?
MSNBC's claim to "fairness" is Keith Olberman? But he is balanced out by:
*Morning Joe, a former republican congressman who is ONLY now willing to admit that Saint George is wrong, but still manages to snark his way every time the name Clinton is mentioned; still gets away with constant snark toward the democrats (it subtle but it is there and constant).
*Tucker Carlson, no explanation needed
*Chris Matthews whose hero worship of Bush, Guilani, Thompson and military men is legendary and the fodder of jokes; (yet,keep in mind, while Matthews spoke lovingly about Bush in the uniform on the AirCraft Carrier [knowing full well, Bush lied about his National Guard Service], he barely made a noise as the right wing jerks of Swift boat fame derided Kerry as well as Max Cleland, who I believe is the essence of a true American hero). These jerks who coddle Anne Coulter have never once challenged her lies about Max, bastards and cowards that they are.
*And finally we have that jerk Dan Abrams. Last night he could not stop with his total DERISION of UNIONS as he lied and spun accusing the Police UNION of protecting and defending the accused murderer. Abrams could not have been more obvious if he tried.
So here we have a network, owned by GE, the largest defense contractor in the world, spinning its garbage via their "white men's patriarchial" fellowship, allowing ONE dissenter, KO, to play, ONLY because he gets the ratings for them. Women and people of color are given "token" positions and at best they can only be "centrist/libertaian" (as in John Ridly) or seemingly apolitical as in Geist. Yea, that's a balanced network.....no different than FOX.
I KNOW I just should not watch but there is a part of me who needs to at least be aware in order to KNOW and take ACTION.
Qui Tacet Consentit -- silence implies consent...
...as a diary reminded us last week.
One must know the enemy in order to stop them. MSNBC is anti democracy. It is a corporatist network being used to undermine democracy. Yes, FOX is obviously the same. But the thing is with FOX it is OBVIOUS. One has to be deaf, dumb and blind not to get what the purpose of FOX is. MSNBC is masquerading as a network that hates what FOX is doing while doing the same damn thing.
This is a rant that may not see the light of day for long. But I think we need to do more than just be angry. WE, the believers in democracy, need to write to the network, announce our disgust and intent to boycott their garbage, until they truly give EQUAL TIME TO THE LEFT. If Coulter gets an hour, give Randi Rhodes and hour (now, Randi is not even a comparable hate monger, but she would pull off some real satire making fun of neocons without using the death or tragedies of right wing candidates to get a laugh {eyes rolling in disgust).
I AM SO ANGRY at MSNBC and their right wing pundrity I could scream. I needed to say something and I did write a long letter to them (not that my letter will matter) but maybe a couple of thousand will).
!
Done with rant!!