Watching MSNBC Friday afternoon and evening was like sitting in the living room of a family in mourning. Understandably so. Moderator of “Meet the Press”, host of MSNBC’s “The Tim Russert Show” and NBC Washington Bureau Chief, Tim Russert had collapsed while preparing for Sunday’s edition of “Meet the Press.” He died soon thereafter.
It was hard to watch the MSNBC coverage because this was no obligatory tribute. There was a genuine sense of loss. It was heartbreaking to watch Andrea Mitchell choke up as she recalled how Russert was the only one besides her own father who would affectionately call her “Mitch”. Throughout the afternoon and evening’s coverage the predominant message was what a high bar Russert had set for his NBC peers and the news industry in general. He set a high standard for how to conduct oneself personally and professionally.
However, I think he also set a high standard on how to die. Tim Russert died doing the work he loved to do. He had a genuine passion for his work and in this most unusual political season, he was like a kid in a candy store. He was at the top of his game, most recently (back in May) declaring Barack Obama the Democratic nominee before it was officially so, yet by his pronouncement, making it so for anyone who was following the race. If Russert said it was over then surely it was.
So we take from the sad news of Tim Russert’s passing a lesson on how to live and how to die. Enjoy every minute of life right up until the end if you possibly can. By staying on top of your game every day of your life you guarantee that when your time comes, you go out on top. That’s what Tim Russert did.
Respectfully,
Rutherford
WordPress.com Political Blogger Alliance
June 13, 2008
MSNBC had a field day when Chris Matthews on “Hardball” nailed conservative commentator Kevin James on whether or not he knew what the word appeasement meant. After some 24 attempts at getting an answer, Chris finally got Kevin to admit he didn’t know what he was talking about.
In full self congratulatory mode, on “Countdown with Keith Olberman”, Friday night guest host Rachel Maddow interviewed Chris about the confrontation and they shared their concern that words, especially hot button words, be used properly. Unfortunately, earlier in the same episode, Rachel noted a political anniversary by saying that back in 1868, “the Senate actually came close to impeaching a president”. For an analyst and a network so intent on the proper use of words, Rachel and MSNBC blew it big time. The president in question, Andrew Johnson, did not come “close” to being impeached. He was impeached. He was NOT convicted. What Rachel should have said was that the Senate came close to convicting and thereby forcing out of office a president. To make the mistatement all the more glaring, she identified the president as Andrew Jackson. Fortunately, after a commercial break, she corrected that whopper but neglected to correct her use of “came close to”.
If MSNBC is going to self righteously pound its chest over historical accuracy, they need to do some fact checking before opening their mouth.
Respectfully,
Rutherford
May 17, 2008
On the 5pm Monday edition of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”, a story about Barack Obama was accompanied by a graphic of Osama Bin Laden. After the commercial break, Matthews apologized for the error and moved on with his show.
Over a week ago, MSNBC correspondent David Shuster was suspended when he suggested that the Clintons were exploiting their daughter, Chelsea, for their own political gain. The point could be argued one way or another but Shuster’s choice of words (that the Clintons were “pimping” Chelsea) was most unfortunate. Despite an on air apology, Shuster is still suspended. If Hillary had her way, he would have been fired.
Well, I think the more appropriate target for firing is whichever staff member “mistakenly” called up a picture of Osama Bin Laden during an Obama story. On the eve of the Wisconsin primary, a major news show “confuses” the most inspirational candidate of our time with America’s number one fugitive, responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans in the World Trade Center attacks of 2001. This mistake cannot get simply passed over with a curt apology from Chris Matthews. The parties responsible should be fired and their dismissal should be announced by MSNBC in a prominent venue (perhaps tomorrow nights edition of Hardball). I don’t blame Matthews personally for this screw up but I do hold him responsible to make sure the error gets publicly rectified.
In a country where a sizable percentage of ignorant Americans think Obama is a Muslim, this mistake on Hardball only serves as a subliminal reenforcement of that inaccurate impression. When the show ended this evening, I called MSNBC and voiced my concern. I’m now calling on MSNBC and Matthews to do the right thing and make it clear that encouraging any association between Obama and Osama, however accidental, is unacceptable.
Respectfully,
Rutherford
February 19, 2008
