Following the first day of Alito hearings, why did I make a hasty switch from MSNBC to CNN? Well, it was fortuitous because I luckily caught Jack Cafferty grousing about his Number 1 target: The NSA surveillance on American citizens. (Keep on ’em, Jack!)
Summary: In the first four hours of MSNBC’s January 9 coverage of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr., the network featured interviews with Pat Buchanan, former RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) — but no Democratic or progressive commentators.
Even Tweety was absent from Hardball, and Norah O’Donnell — the objet d’ afar for secretly horny fundy rightwingers — took his slot.
Media Matters suggests you drop MSNBC a line. Good plan.
viewerservices@msnbc.com
MSNBC TV
One MSNBC Plaza
Secaucus, N.J. 07094
I’ve found that editor@msnbc.com doesn’t bounce. And there’s always hardball@msnbc.com
And, while I hate to speak too ill of anyone, what in the fuck was Dan Abrams doing at the helm of MSNBC’s post-Alito conversation? Why not Tweety or Keith Olbermann? Olbermann would be marvelous! Besides not being up for the job (I’m being kind), Abrams only talked to Republicans like Pat Buchanan. Wouldn’t a responsible news “host” require that his producers provide him with the semblance of both sides? Can Dan Abrams really be Floyd Abrams’ son? I did hear today — from JPol — that he is Elliott Abram‘s cousin. Kinda figures.
Thank god for Jack. Even Wolfie. And — wow — take a look at PBS Newshour’s section on Alito. You can listen to the full first day of statements, or you can alternatively listen to “highlights” of each speaker’s statements. I’m watching/listening to the Newshour right now. It’s 6:16 pm, and the Newshour is still discussing the nomination, with soundbites longer than 10 to 15 seconds. You know … “square” news. The way that news used to be … back in my day.
This is war. Let MSNBC know it. (It’s 6:21 pm and Newshour is just now getting to its constitutional law experts. It’s serious news and — trust me, MSNBC — we can handle it.)
P.S. I dare you to look at this photo of … I won’t say who … and she is pissed off at the Republican party! Ha! “The RNC is providing bloggers with an Internet connection and brown bag lunch. Nothing more and nothing expected in return.” (Our team is loaded for bear, and we CAN WIN!)
I was in a clinic waiting room late this afternoon while Hardball was on, watching O’Donnell frown and frump with James Risen of the New York Times, only to see her light up like a neon sign in a smoky barroom when she told viewers that Ken Mehlman was going to be on later in the show.
It was all too obvious who the favored guest of the day was. What saved the afternoon for me, though, was watching “technical difficulties” cut off the O’Donnell-Mehlman lovefest in mid-sentence. That was sweet.
Unfortunately, I had to wait long enough to see the Abrams Report with John Ashcroft spinning Alito, which brought me back down to earth.
Here’s a new “No to Alito” tool:
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper and contact your congress critters — all with one click.
Also: Moveon.org gathered 300,000 signatures in their Anti-Alito petition — in a day!
They’re shooting for 500,000, please sign if you haven’t already:
Move On.org’s stop Alito petition
People for the American Way have sent over 60,000 letters to the Senate:
Save the Court Petition
American Rights at Work also
Oppose Alito Petition
Defending the Constitution’s Stop Alito Petition
http://ga3.org/…
Democratic anti-Alito petition:
Democratic Party’s Reject Alito Petition
Stop the NRA is also getting in on the party:
Stop the NRA’s Oppose Alito Petiton
And while you’re at it: sign Planned Parenthood’s anti-Alito petition, too:
Planned Parenthood Petition
NARAL is shooting for 500,000 signatures, please add yours:
Naral Anti-Alito Petition
And don’t forget: urge Congress to support Plan B:
Plan B Petition