Kos's Nightline video is up

The Kingmaker

Nightline's interview with Kos on line now.

All in all I thought it was a very good interview with a few exceptions.  What the heck is Tapper trying to insinuate asking Kos about his finances and commenting about his new piano ...That was rude and uncalled for.  One other complaint - They just had to play "the scream" again.

They tried to play "gottcha" but failed miserably.  Kos is a great representative of this blog.  He is well spoken, affable and sincere.  I'm proud that he speaks for Kos.

•  Ain't too proud to beg

  Tips please.

  by Kitty on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:12:47 AM PDT

  •  First time I've watched Nightline

    since ABC dumped Ted Koppel.  Pretty bad copy of the magazine format, seems to me.  The Kos piece was all shallow reporting, and you could tell it was heavily edited so that Kos would say just what Tapper wanted him to so at to fit into the story Tapper was spinning.  Kos was fine, but Tapper was using some of the same junk that's been long since discredited or dismissed.  I will give Tapper credit for hearing Kos out in explaining the mercenary comment, though not for bringing it up.

    by Vico on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:16:46 AM PDT

    •  What burned my ass the most

      was Tapper's description of bloggers as "random individuals" who suddenly have a loudspeaker to shout through. Er, Jake, "random" means done, made or chosen without conscious decision. How is it that Kos, Atrios, Jane and others fit that description? Just another way of putting the uppity in their place while supposedly doing straightforward reporting.

      by Vico on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:23:03 AM PDT

      •  I should change my tag line

        to "random individual"

        by pontificator on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:25:05 AM PDT

        •  we are kind of a 'random' phenomenon

          Back in March of 2003, when I first started crawling thru the innertubes, I visited several dozen different sites before I found DKOS

          I was just clicking links at "Cursor-Media Patrol" when I found a great site that allowed a new and better commenting format, so I started hanging out at that site more that I was hanging out at the "other" sites

          If Digby, Bilmon, or Atrios had the same commenting format, I might have become a dedicated member of one of those sites

          the voices at this site are not much different from the voices at other sites, but the scoop software makes clarity and conversation possible

          Holoscan sucks, and scoop rules

          Markos decision to upgrade the comments section was the "random" factor that caused me to join the mob around here

          any blogger could have done it, but only Markos did it

          that's kinda random, ain't it ???

          by knowthings on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 11:51:01 AM PDT

      •  Well with Martin Beshear at the helm...

        the man whose journalistic fame comes from following Michael Jacson around, what do you expect?

        They also called us "political nerds" - I thought "um no - citizens might be more accurate."

        by inclusiveheart on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:29:38 AM PDT

  •  I'm reading the transcript right now

    Transcript - Nightline Interview

    by Crisis Corps Volunteer on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:24:02 AM PDT

  •  Just because you asked...

    and said 'please'.  Which reminds me of the story of what Tip O'Neal was told when he asked a long-time neighbor why she did not vote for him, 'Because you didn't ask.'

    by stumpy on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:55:35 PM PDT

•  Thanks for the link

  I haven't watched it yet, but I have to agree that whenever I've seen Kos interviewed on TV, he always comes across as smart and articulate.  Not only does he not make apologies for any position he takes, and he explains clearly why his position makes good sense (even when I don't necessarily agree with him).

  I wish so many of the politicians on "our side" would take notes.  This is how it's done.  You don't have to run away or avoid your positions when you're right.  And don't sound like your apologizing.

  Do it like Kos.

  by edwardssl on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:23:05 AM PDT

•  The interviewer

  came off as demeaning to me and sorta with some other agenda. None of us could give a hoot about your grand piano. Must be a republican.

  Anyway, Kos, full speed ahead!

  by xrepublican on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:23:50 AM PDT

  •  Grand Piano?

    Oy, I don't even want to know. Another crucial piece of info brought to you by the MSM.

    It's alse a testament to Kos's iron handed rule over us that we all watched that show attentively.

    by HeavyJ on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:34:04 AM PDT

    •  If a republican bought a grand piano,

      it would be a sign of how successful that person had become.  The MSM would slap him on the back and say "good job".

      But the interviewer almost seemed to be saying "The old piano works fine; this is another example of 'librul' waste. And just where are you getting the money?"

      by Cato come back on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:38:31 AM PDT

      •  Exactly

        That is what I got out of it.

        by xrepublican on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 12:44:28 PM PDT

      •  KOS bought a piano, Rush bought hillbilly herion

        I guess the liberals just have some strange tastes

        wasting money on a musical instrument when he could have become a drug addict, what was Markos thinking

        or Markos could have used that money to gamble under a phony name at a casino, like a certain repuglican candidate for Conecticut's Senate seat

        or Markos could have bribed duke cunningham, tom delay, congresscritter doolittle, or any one of SEVERAL repuglican politicians

        wasting money on a piano ???

        how unrepuglican can you get ???

        by knowthings on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:13:51 PM PDT

•  Proud to be here

  Markos came off as straightforward, knowledgeable, and dignified.

  IMO, as for the condescending ways of the MSM (and their jealousy that a blog has a loyal readership), "screw them".

  by Cato come back on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:35:23 AM PDT

•  A pretty apt analysis of the piece.

  Fairly good piece overall, but you're correct about the totally unnecessary inclusion of "the scream" as well as the completely irrelevent "enough to buy a grand piano" comment, which was odd--I guess the idea was to insinuate that Kos is making money hand over fist, but if that was true, wouldn't that actually please the GOP? Free enterprise at it's finest...

  I'm actually glad that he brought up the "Screw 'em!" brouhaha, since it gave Kos a chance to explain the context. However, it would've been nice if either the interviewer or Kos had also explained to the viewer more clearly exactly what these "contractors" (aka mercenaries) actually are, and just why members of the military hate them so much (perhaps Kos did so and was just cut short?).

  by Brainwrap on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:39:59 AM PDT

  •  I'm also glad that Kos explained...

    ...so clearly and pointedly how the "poor batting average" meme is completely disingenuous.

    Of course we're gonna have a crappy batting average, at least at first--that's the whole point of supporting underdog candidates. If they were expected to win, they wouldn't be underdogs.

    by Brainwrap on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:42:52 AM PDT

•  I thought that they ...

  tried to spin him in a certain direction but he spoke very well and didn't get trapped.  I really liked his demonstration of how We the People have the power to change elections!

  by fadingTruth on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:41:54 AM PDT

•  Stand your ground!

  ABC sure had a hard time trying to undercut Kos.
  There were several spots where I thought they were trying to distract him.
  I can't assess the overall effect of this piece on the General Public, but I'm glad that Moulitsas said what he thought, and had his feet under him the whole time.
  I'm also glad they didn't edit him as harshly as technology enables them to -- quoting that bought-off gas-bag Brooks made me worry.

  Thanks for posting the link!

  by MT Spaces on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:43:00 AM PDT

•  When did ABC get Martin Bashir? Great catch!

  Martin Bashir rocks!  I'll never forget watching his interview with Princess Di here in the UK and thinking, "She'll be dead within the year."  I knew from the indiscreet things she was saying that she couldn't be allowed to live.  Maybe Paris was an accident?  Who knows?  But she was going to die one way or another screwing Al Fayed and threatening the royal family.

  Anyway, great Kos interview and I'm sure Kos sounding so level and reasonable probably reached out to a lot of middle Americans who might have been initially hostile, especially with his reverting to support for the "brothers and sisters in uniform".

  Thanks for letting me know and enjoy!

  by LondonYank on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 11:16:41 AM PDT

•  When you see a wingnut pundit in a new car

  be sure to ask them about it...Was the old one falling apart?
  lol.
  Markos bought a GRAND piano...."the old one worked well enough." Now thats REACHING. That interveiwer was pretty determined to make Kos out to be rich guy and cult leader...he failed. which makes it even MORE pathetic.
  But I think by reading the transcript it gives a good insight as to how this was edited to deliver the worst view of the bloggers. Context is everything.

  by pale cold on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 11:32:42 AM PDT

  •  What's funny...

    Is that any musician would instantly be able to tell that the piano Markos was playing sounded terrible. It's a tiny little thing, the tone sounds awful and it obviously hadn't been tuned in a while. You wouldn't have to drop a ton of cash to upgrade that thing.

    by charlieva on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:57:55 PM PDT

    •  That's NOT a GRAND piano.

      It is a spinet piano.

      Sort of like the difference between a Honda Accord and a Corvette. Also explains why it "sounds" funny.

      by gogol on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 02:25:42 PM PDT

      •  The interveiwer said that the one he was playing

        was soon to be replaced by a grand...
        But really the point here...a musician needs the proper tools too. And a grand piano isnt like gambling money away, or spending it on the ponies. Its also an investment.

        by pale cold on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 09:11:30 PM PDT

      •  spinnet-meisters

        OK, if it's a spinnet, that explains why it sounds out-of-tune.

        I grew up, as did my brothers and sisters, playing my mother's upright.  The last time I played it, before my folks sold it, it sounded pretty much like that spinnet.  Of course, it had been a decade plus since it had been tuned.

        So, Kos, you're giving up the "original instruments" bunch for the "sounds good" majority?  Well, the spinnetteers may not forgive you, but I do.

        Oh, also?  Excellent interview.  But too bad about the spinnet thing.

        by Tommy Allen on Thu Jul 27, 2006 at 06:26:35 AM PDT

•  Mainstream media and the political

  establishment are just now beginning to feel the rumblings of the runaway train that is the blogosphere bearing down on the political landscape. The Ned Lamont race is beginning to shape up to be an event about which those outside of the netroots are somewhat clueless as to the dynamics and significance of what is going on right under their noses. It cannot be understood by an hour of sampling what is on the blogosphere.

  If Lamont wins, it will be prime time and front page news.

  The republicans are behind the curve in trying to bring us to heel and the democratic party powerbrokers are resisting the emergence of bottom up political organizing and the MSM is being bypassed by dissemination of information for and by the netroots.

  A tip of the hat to Markos for his patience with those who don't get it. The sunshine that is Dkos is having a cleansing effect on this morass that is the state of our nation and the world.

  by dewey of the desert on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 11:33:36 AM PDT

•  How dare he make a decent living?

  Doesn't everyone involved in politics take a vow of poverty?

  by jrooth on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:36:33 PM PDT

  •  Unless you're a Republican... n/t

    by WisVoter on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:41:44 PM PDT

•  I just wanted to say that in 2002

  there were liberal voices out there.  Buzzflash, MediaWhoresOnline, and Bartcop come to mind.

  by twalling on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 01:47:50 PM PDT

•  Nitpick

  Why do journalists pronounce it "Koze?" I know it's stupid, but it grates, like hearing Republicans talk about the "Democrat" Party.

  by strandedlad on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 02:44:27 PM PDT

  •  That's the correct pronunciation

    ...per Kos himself.

    by MaximusNYC on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 10:22:07 PM PDT

•  Who do I talk to about . . .

  I am new here.  Who at dKos do I talk to about being made a King? And how much do I have to pay the consultant for this service?  Actually, my budget is more in line with being made a Duke or maybe a Lord.  Does Kos do that too?  Please answer promptly as I am anxious to be anointed royalty by the Kos' magical powers.

  by brucepr on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 04:10:05 PM PDT

•  Blow me down...

  Kos did a fantastic job. I didn't realize he was such a cutie!

  I totally agree with twalling... we should plug our dedicated liberal brothers and sisters more often...because fox news threads are for girly-men   ;)

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  by SoldiersInRevolt on Tue Jul 25, 2006 at 06:45:10 PM PDT

•  I thought that was a pretty good interview for us

  Some comments above focus on some negative things about the interview, but I think, all in all, it cast him in a pretty positive light.  I think sometimes we're a bit instinctively anti-MSM.  This was pretty good.

  by duus on Wed Jul 26, 2006 at 08:07:03 AM PDT