The past few evenings watching MSNBC have been a bit surreal.
I don't watch much commercial television, but the past six or
eight months -- for obvious reasons -- I try to look in on
Matthews, Olbermann and Maddow. I am not usually negatively
surprised. Last few nights have been different.
What's going on with Rachel Maddow? Tonight she told the
bland-looking and bland-talking "talk down" professor from
Geo. Mason University, "I [meaning Rachel] gather up
negatives - I'm that kind of person." So the Prof. did what he
could to show the Dem-favorable polls have been inaccurate and
that the race is much closer than we realize and that the
commentary Rachel quoted from inside pollsters in the McCain
campaign were, maybe, sort of right after all. The Prof. was
not very convincing -- which model do you look at, etc etc.
After a while I felt like Harry Truman wanting his "one armed
economist," so he did not get too many sides to an opinion,
on the one hand this, on the other hand that etc.
And last night (Tues.), what was all that stuff about
early voting being so light? Rachel seemed to make it a
major focus of her entire program. Again, she had someone
on to talk her out of it, and again nothing was very clear
or conclusive. Well, I know this - in New Mexico early
voting has been at record levels, waaaay high and clearly
Democrat oriented. This is true with reports from all over:
the Governor of North Carolina confirmed it on MSNBC, the
Governor of Florida is keeping early voting stations open
many hours longer due to demand, the Secretary of State of
Ohio said, "everyone is going to vote!," everyone who wants
to, she meant. I believe her and the Governors.
But I am getting so I don't believe Rachel. What's that
woman up to, anyway? Something has changed - directions from
the head office? She's sounding hollow and unconvincing.
What are Kossack's impressions and comments?
JIM
sfe
FRIDAY MORNING COMMENT:
I know this diary is now out of circulation, but having
seen a replay of Ms. Maddow's interview with Sen Obama
from last night, I have not changed my opinion one bit. She
opened with negativity, stayed with it and closed with it.
Obama shown -- he's on a roll right now, I think: he's cool,
calm, collected, forthright, lucid, answers questions fully --
and still Rachel says "I believe this election is not in the
bag," this in the face of many blunders by McCain, dwindling
crowds for McCain and so on - all as expected.
Perhaps the best that can be said for Ms. Maddow right
now is that she's the Devil's Advocate. Maybe she's doing
some good; I am not at all sure.
JIM/santa fe