Rachel Maddow is mad. I don\’t blame her either.
It seems Ms. Maddow, whom MSNBC touts as a “news anchor” – despite the fact that she hosts an unwaveringly far-left opinion show (in the rarefied world of MSNBC that might be a prerequisite for the description), feels parent company NBC-Universal has given her (and, presumably, the rest of the MSNBC crew) short shrift on the Brian Williams saga.
And she has a very valid point.
In Ms. Maddow\’s own words:
“NBC News will not make anyone available to discuss this story with uson the air…you\’dthink that if they\’re going to talk to anybody about this, we mightreasonably get a leg up on getting interviews with any NBC Newsexecutives to explain this decision if only because we\’re rightdown the hall.”
She\’s right, isn\’t she?
The only reason I can think of for NBC doing this, is because in-depth coverage of what has happened with Mr. Williams will take an already-embarrassing situation and make it that much worse.
Better to just report his suspension, and the reasons why, as generic news – which is unavoidable – and let the other networks try to make something more of it (in the hope that they won\’t, because their own anchors may be living in glass houses as well).
That said, since MSNBC considers Ms. Maddow a “news anchor”, why not draw from the existing pool and make her Brian Williams\’ replacement on NBC Nightly News? Heck, everyone knows that she is fiercely neutral (leaving time here to clean whatever you were drinking off your monitor), so there will be an immediate boost in credibility, right?
And if she doesn\’t want the job, how about al sharpton? I mean, if Rachel Maddow, as host of a weeknight show, is an “anchor”, I suppose he is too.
Hmmmm, let\’s see: Lester Holt, or a choice between Rachel Maddow and al sharpton.
Tough call, guys?
