An Open Letter To Rachel Maddow and MSNBC
May 22nd, 2016 | 
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Rachel,
You’ve been in my living room for years. Pretty much from the beginning. You know, post Keith Olbermann. I was even a fan of you before that, on Air America.
I’ve always understood that you have an agenda, a bias. It never bothered me. It was usually congruent with mine. You’ve always been pretty transparent about it, so I’ve always been able to factor it in and filter it all with that in mind.
I have long appreciated that you report on issues and stories that no other network would or could. I’ve enjoyed the humor and aplomb of your approach. I love that you broke the Flint Michigan story and the various bullshit that’s occurred regarding voting, civil and gender rights. I adore how brave and salient your priorities have been.
Thank you.
But lately you’ve been pissing me off. Your coverage and commentary on the Sanders campaign in general and the recent events at the Nevada convention in particular are clumsy, irresponsible and embarrassing. It was lazy and intellectually disingenuous. You simply didn’t report the facts. What you did broadcast was sloppy conjecture. You interviewed the chair of the the Nevada DNC, Roberta Lange, the woman at the center of the controversy, and let her tell lie after lie after lie.
It was a smear.
Why didn’t you give equal time to someone like Erin Billbray, a Nevada super delegate, who could have given an accurate accounting of events and eyewitness testimony? If Thom Hartmann was able to get this “get”why weren’t you? Why didn’t you invite Nina Turner? What the fuck Rachel?
Why do you continue to repeat lies about chairs thrown, violence and people needing medical attention even on Friday’s broadcast? These are lies Rachel Maddow. I know that you know they are lies and I am disgusted.
There was no violence. There were no chairs thrown. A thousand cell phone cameras and nothing to support the crap you continued to report. The alleged threats to Lange are completely unsubstantiated. No proof, no evidence, no forensic investigations of the recordings. Jon Ralston finally admitted he wasn’t even there and you based most of your bullshit on his reporting.
When it comes to the Sanders campaign, you’re no different than FOX News and every other entity out there. He is the best candidate to run for president in my lifetime and you all lie so egregiously as to not consider the well being of the people you broadcast to but rather to serve a more insidious itinerary of corporate dominance and political mendacity.
I am profoundly disappointed. You violated my trust. The MSNBC network is bad enough with Chris Matthews’ obvious conflict of interest, but you are clearly in the tank for a candidate that I cannot support. I would be a fool to expect honesty and integrity from you in light of this. I will continue to rely on sources that cannot be corrupted by corporations because they have inoculated themselves by refusing to take their money.
After all, isn’t that the entire point of Bernie’s campaign? The influence of corporations and their money in our society and our political system? The point that you, your network, and every other media outlet exert transparent strain to ignore?
You are complicit and I am offended.
Shame on you.
Drinks for my friends.
* The band is Missiles of October and goddamn they could play. Man I tried to get them signed. We tried so hard. Along with my partner Alex who is as responsible for the sound of this record as I am. He’s a genius. It was the MTV era and they were all in their mid to late forties. Not camera friendly. Dusty Wakeman from Dwight Yoakam’s band told me no as I sat outside his studio while mixing Agnes Gooch at Mad Dog Studios. There were several bands that broke my heart and this was one of them. We killed this record. Among the best we ever made. Close to perfect. They were amazing. They could write and play like nobody’s business. Los Angeles Times record of the year but we couldn’t get them a deal. Studio goddamn C at A&M studios back in the fucking day. Mixed at SoundCastle studios in Silverlake on an SSL.
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You took the words and my recent fury w/ Ms. Rachel! Your point was well made in my opinion. The disproportionate amount of air time and Sanders not having a chance by almost every broadcaster is almost like media brainwashing. Disgusting, Elector College disgusting. Social media is the best thing that ever happened to politics! Sly reporting, no more back rooms. Let’s take back our Democracy! Be more like Bernie…lol
Rachel Maddow has pretty much put her career in the mediocrity lane, where sadly it will likely remain. It’s a shame, we all expected better. Even leaving out her usual brilliant analysis, all she had to do was Journalism 101 and tell the truth.
MSNBC has become the Trump network, but when having to actually cover politics they are obviously supporting Clinton. So much for any more open reporting from MSNBC.
Maddow has completely lost her special curve in elite new reporting and analysis world and is now just another Hillary Hack. Such a waste of a great talent, sold to the highest bidder just like everyone else.
I hope your loss of reputation was worth it Rachel.
MSNBC is now just another version of CNN, Crony News Network
The establishment ship is sinking, they may be able to keep it afloat for one more presidential election by getting journalist once thought to have some integrity to sell out and convince people Bernie is not electable. If Bernie doesn’t win then the other 2 idiots will only enrich themselves and turn even more people against the establishment. The ones voting for Trump are already against the establishment, they have just ignorantly picked the wrong candidate. Change takes time especially when there is so much money being spent to stop it. In the not too distant future Bernie will be in the same group as MLK and FDR while Hillary and Trump will join the group of Boss Tweed and the many other politicians who used there power screw the people and enrich themselves. Rachel why don’t you try to regain your integrity that your fans loved you for, and get on the right boat.
Rachel just couldn’t help herself. She sold her body and soul for $7 million a year. Just another of the misguided souls who doesn’t give a damn about the consequences, damn it , they elected the first half black president, who coddled the crooks on Wall St. and the Banksters along with the seventeen closed auto plants, also with the thousands of lost manufacturing jobs that went with them. Of course there were also the roughly 12 to 14 million people who lost their homes, and eight years later are still displaced. But who gives a damn at $7 million a year! So, now it’s on to electing Amerika’s first half woman President along with all of the fairy tales that you will spin about what a great president she is, even after the Department Of Justice charges her under the RICO Statutes. To hell with the consequences! At least we were able to scrape, steal and bull shit our candidates into history! Of course, ratings are everything!
I saw a video where people were booing and a chair was thrown. Another guy was stopped from throwing another chair. So if you all got your head out of the sand probably you will see the videos the rest of us saw. The berners are way out of hand. I understand your frustrations and trust me you are not alone. But being childish will NOT get you anywhere. Bernie lost fair and square. The DNC rules have been the same forever. So educate yourself and grow up. #BernieLostMe awhile back. On the 2nd debate when he said nothing of substance, I gave him a free pass. Even though he just repeated the same talking points. When he started lying, cheating and smearing Hillary, he lost me. He lost mid-march when Hillary was winning by blowouts. He thought he was going to have blowouts in the remaining contests but he didn’t. The Republicans are rallying behind Trump. It is everyone’s responsibility to stop him. If you think you have it bad, wait till Trump picks your next SCOTUS. Don’t whine and complain for the next 30-40 yrs because we have another Scalia or worst. Deal with it. Maybe that’s what it takes for you to MENTALLY grow up. And that’s including the idiot who wrote the article. Grow up!
No you didn’t see video of a chair being thrown at the convention because it doesn’t exist. You’re lying. The rules have been the same forever EXCEPT the rules they changed without a quorum days beforehand that, in addition some arcane bullshit, deliberately made it onerous for motions to be brought and for eligibility to be considered for various positions within the state committee. Despite this, petitions with the requisite number of signatures gathered under all proper guidelines were presented but the chair Roberta Lang refused to recognize them or let them be heard. Floor votes were deliberately recorded as the opposite of what the actual votes were (there’s even video that proves it) and all sorts of other deliberate fuckery.
THAT’S what happened genius. You need educate yourself before you open your uninformed mouth.
And whether you like it or not, It’s NOT over. Neither of them has enough pledged delegates to clinch. Neither has lost and neither has won.
Lying, cheating and smearing? Enlighten us genius. Exactly when or how did he do that? Did he any do anything as reprehensible as sending her own daughter out repeatedly to tell people Bernie was going to take away their health care under the ACA rain man? Shall I go on?
The idiot who wrote the article just schooled your ignorant ass.
You jackwagons are ALWAYS blowhards. You NEVER show back up to defend your absurd, baseless claims. You think you can just show up and spread lies and not be challenged and by virtue of volume of bullshit be believed by some or at least one. You lose here rain man. Congratulations on being full of shit.
you never saw a video of chairs being thrown you are probably one of Hillarys trolls. I was once a watcher of the Maddow show thought she was great because she spoke the truth. no any more she has joined the corporation group that lies, cheats and corrupt. I do not watch her show any more And you are an idiot
Rachel is not going to jeopardize her succulent paycheck for truth and integrity. And many other people are in the same boat that Rachel is in. Somehow they are so naive to think things will remain the same, and they will be able to continue to enjoy their standard of living under a Hillary administration.
I feel the exact same way. I’ve been to numerous live RM talks and was a nightly viewer of her show for several years going back to her Katrina coverage. RM is like so many of my other female friends. Ones who I always though were progressive but are showing they are one trick pony voters; interested in a woman President above all else. Above morals. Above ethics. Above being on the right side of history with regards to the Civil Rights Movement, LGBT rights, the Patriot Act, the Iraq War, fracking, Wall Street reform, Universal Healthcare, and so much more. It saddens me to my core.
Yeah, I’ve had the same thoughts lately and it’s really made watching her program go from engaging edutainment to wanting to get through it quickly. After several years of never doing so, I’m now speeding through certain parts even. Disagreeing is not a problem for me. Distrusting is. In journalism at least.
I too used to be a fan of Rachel Maddow and MSNBC, but after seeing their worthless coverage of the Democratic primaries and caucuses, and The Democratic National Convention. I saw a complete lack of objectivity and propagandizing in favor of Hillary Clinton. I also saw a smear campaign against Bernie Sanders. This is not journalism, this is just willingly being a tool for Hillary Clinton. I will no longer watch Rachel Maddow, and I will no longer watch MSNBC.
Rachel Maddow is disgusting. Get her off the air.
You nailed it 100%. I used to listen to and respect Rachel. Watching her devolve into a lying whore for Hillary was disappointing beyond words. She is absolutely no better than a Fox News of the Left. Disgusting.
Hi Michael, I understand where you are coming from but I feel Rachel Maddow is really fair when newscasting or reporting, despite herself being liberal leaning. I have written a different kind of Open Letter to Rachel Maddow that you might also find interesting, just to get a different viewpoint: http://sushlit.com/open-letter-to-rachel-maddow/
Please read and let me know your thoughts on it.
JUST TELL THE TRUTH IT IS SO EASY SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THESE FUCKING LIBERAL ASSHOLES
I am reading this in February 2017 and must tell you I stopped watching Rachel because I thought she was favoring Bernie Sanders. lol. It didn’t last long, and I have been watching her for a very long time. She amazes me. I am very grateful for her integrity and intelligence. She makes me proud as all women should be of her as well.