I Am A TV Junkie, A Blog For The Clicker Jockey

"First Rule of Terror Watch List? Don't Talk About Terror Watch List"

Drew Griffin works at CNN, he's an investigative reporter. In May, he ended up on the terror watch list. Why? Well, you know you're not allowed to know that. Hell, Drew can't even find out, and he's an investigative reporter.

You know what else happen a little while before the day Drew joined the many many many many many people on that terror watch list? He did an investigative report on the terror watch list and how many ridiculous names are on it.

Like Ted Kennedy, for example. Yeah, Ted's a terrorist. You would think with the whole brain cancer thing the gov't would do him a solid and take him off the list. Hey, what if the constant scanning and wanding at the airport actually gave Ted Kennedy brain cancer, has anyone thought about that?

Also, if you're a guy named Dave Nelson, any Dave Nelson, even my friend Michelle's husband, you're on the list, too. So are the Roberts last name Johnson, like the founder of BET, Robert Johnson.

So, if you're standing on an airport line behind a guy who looks like this guy pictured above, and he gets pulled out of the line, just know that you were standing behind a TV reporter who performed the high crime of doing his job.

I have clips (2) after the jump, one being Griffin talking about being placed on the list, and Keith's Worst Persons segment, which discusses it (though Bill-O the Clown wins the horserace).

I completely expect that I'll be on the list, too. If you don't see me in NYC in August, check the watch list ... but don't talk about it or you'll be on it, too.

New York Magazine is Gay for Rachel Maddow, Too!

Okay, I have to admit it, I was gay before Rachel Maddow. In fact, I can assure you all of that, I'm much, much older than young Maddow. And of course, my being gay for her kinda just doesn't work now, does it.

Aw, what the hell, I'm gay for you, too, Rachel.

NY Mag's Daily Intel:

Air America host Rachel Maddow, who's subbed for Keith Olbermann on Countdown a few times lately, is probably going to get a show on MSNBC soon. Phil Griffin (who you may or may not remember as being an awesome hippie) who just became the president of the network, loves her, and after reading today's Times story about her, we kind of love her too.

So, I gotta think this is a great day for Maddow fans (and btw, for MaddowFans.com, our fave Rachel fansite, too).

Not a great day for Matthews, though. And I have learned one thing about Matthews just by monitoring activity at MSNBC and watching his show, you don't wanna be around Tweety on a day like this. He gets really, really, cranky.

HUGE!!! Rachel Maddow Profiled in the NY Times

And of course, the big quote from the first few graphs of the article, from Phil Griffin, who just got promoted to President of MSNBC:

“At some point, I don’t know when, she should have a show,” said Phil Griffin, hours before he was promoted on Wednesday to president of MSNBC. “She’s on the short list. It’s a very short list. She’s at the top.”

At the moment every slot at night on MSNBC is taken, with David Gregory at 6 handing off to Chris Matthews at 7, and with Dan Abrams at 9 following Mr. Olbermann at 8. But some shuffling could be in the offing; Mr. Matthews’s contract, for example, is up next year.

Yeah, I don't think Tweety is giving up Hardball all that fast. Let's look at Chris' numbers (TVByTheNumbers.com):

7PM - P2+ (25-54)
Fox Report w/ Shepard Smith – 1,518,000 viewers (377,000)
Lou Dobbs – 908,000 viewers (258,000)
Hardball w. Chris Matthews – 487,000 viewers (126,000)
Kudlow & Company- 335,000 viewers (106,000)
Glenn Beck – 278,000 viewers (125,000)

Well, honestly Matthews is not doing that well in the demo. He should have more 25-54s in his portfolio to be competitive. Damn, Beck (that ass) is almost outscoring him there.

Maybe Tweety DOES have something to worry about. Maybe he could do more prep for the show and less gladhanding on the cocktail circuit.

Rachel's just the best. Just sent her a short note yesterday in fact, congratulating her on the great fill in for Keith over the last few days.

After the jump, Rachel in action.

First Thing in the Morning, a Lying Sack O' Crap Lying About ANWAR

Telling me once again that I'm gonna see relief at the gas pump if I just let the some oil companies destroy large swaths of Alaska.

Problem is, I watched Rachel Maddow start her second week on Countdown while Keith in on vacay yesterday, and I know better.

And now you know better, too. The best thing you could do to thank Rachel for this is to watch Countdown tonight at 8 Eastern, 5 Pacific.

Man, it really harshes my morning mellow to have to look at him first thing in the AM, but he had to do it early, he had to say something about the financial markets. And apparently whatever he said worked somewhat as it stopped yesterday's continuing slide.

Now, the whole Today gang is standing on the plaza and inviting Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine to saunter into camera range for a few words.

What? It's Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman ... give'em a damn chair!!!

I'd rather listen to them than the smirking chimp (in Pinocchio costume above).

John McCain's Economic Adviser Calls You A Whiner, Says Recession is Hypochondriacal!

And in a rare move, I have a clip first.

LINK

Now, you know that nothing is said to the Washington Times from a Presidential campaign that isn't very heavily reviewed and vetted, and believe that this was vetted as well, and give to Gramm to say to road test it. I would betcha it's their view of the situation.

Joe Sudbay at Americablog has more.

From the 2000 campaign, notes on the skeletons in Gramm's closet at this link.

Gramm's problems regarding his involvement in the subprime mortgage mess via his lobbying work for UBS at this link.

And sure, Gramm's comments have been repudiated by the Rethuglican nominee now, but it took outrage from the rest of us for them to do so. They supported his comments at first.

From ThinkProgress.org:

Earlier today, Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign tried to distance itself from top economic adviser Phil Gramm’s claim that America is a “nation of whiners” by claiming Gramm’s words were “not representative” of McCain’s views. But as Huffington Post’s Sam Stein reports, the McCain campaign originally had a different response, in which a campaign official told Politico that Gramm was “simply saying that we are laying out the economic plan this week.”

McCain now is suggesting that he make Gramm the ambassador to Belarus. Yeah, old man, good foreign policy joke there, won't insult any foreign countries that might still have old unaccounted for Soviet nukes, huh?

What a fucking tool! If you vote for him, you deserve him.

Right now on MSNBC, Contessa Brewer is talking to Chris Cillizza from the Wash Post and Tara Wall (recent arrival to the Washtington Times, the Moonie paper, just came directly from the Bush Administration, in fact, and probably hired to do hit pieces on Michelle Obama because they share the same race and gender) and Cillizza's still suggesting that Obama should have Hillary on the ticket to cement his female cred.

Dude, can't do that if Bill won't let himself be vetted.

And what's the fucking deal with putting this Tara Wall on the air anyway? Just because she's an African-American Republican doesn't mean she's suitable for the TV, or the ears of any intelligent person. She managed to bring up the Michelle Obama "Proud of her country" quote in this context, forgetting of course that McCain himself said the same thing when he came back from his POW experience.

And the Wash Times is a piece of shit and we all know it. Their reporters are Bush and RNC surrogates paid by a Korean guy who thinks he's God.

Write to NBC News President Steve Capus and tell him so.

I think it's SCapus@msnbc.com.

Another clip after the jump.

One more thing ... another African-American from the Wash Times on MSNBC, this one an editorial writer.

This one, Brian Debose? I can't even find a bio on him online anywhere. But the Wash Times did see fit to give him a blogging platform.

So, I Thought The "Triple Jesse" Post Would Be My Unique Invention

Wrong again. Not as wrong again as Morning Joe (cough cough) Scarborough (see that other Maddow-hosting Countdown inspired post at this link), but wrong still.

So, I'm watching Rachel talk to Chris Kotsinis (from the Edwards campaign) about the Jesse Jackson thing. What the eff is up with Jesse, huh? First of all, who even says "cut his nuts off." Balls is more appropriate and sounds more menacing. Nuts is a funny kinda word. "Yeah, that Karen at your office, she's nuts." You know. Nine out of 10 mob figures would say "cut his balls off."

And what's with Jesse's take on this issue, anyway? Obama talked about the problem of fathers dumping their families and moving on, and that's a real problem, stats up the ying yang to back him up. Makes Jesse Jackson sound like he's defending deadbeat dads. Great position to be taking, huh?

Dick move. A real dick move.

So there's that, and the thing about Jesse Ventura considering an independent run for the Coleman Senate seat that our former TV and radio pal Al Franken (donate link, I have already) is working to take away from the Republican party.

So, of course, I immediately start looking for John Stamos news, you know, Uncle Jesse.

This guy at The Daily Show's Indecision 2008 Blog named Cubby Chaser (hmmm, I'll reserve judgement on the monicker) has the same idea, but he went for Jesse Helms.

And then after his Jackson post ...

* On a completely irrelevant note, this is the third Jesse-related post of the day. On most days, there are zero Jesse-related posts. The others are here and here.

I'm really pulling for John Stamos to do something interesting in the next hour or so!

So you can imagine that I'm just slightly freaked out right now. That's quite the coincidence.

By the way, there IS Stamos news:

Riverfest officials recently announced a new addition to the Beach Boys' concert Sunday at 8 p.m. Actor, musician and singer John Stamos, best known for his role as Uncle Jesse on the hit ‘80s sitcom Full House, will join the Beach Boys in their Sunday performance. Stamos has played drums with the band occasionally since 1985 and directed their “Hot Fun in the Summertime” video.

He'll be with the Beach Boys at Riverfest in Beloit, Wisconsin this Sunday night.

Cubby, isn't Beloit, Wisconsin big enough news for ya?

Video -- Rachel Maddow Pwns Joe Scarborough on Obama Consistency Using Russert Tactics

Remember this from the other day? (You know I love quoting myself, here's me from Thursday):

The issue, Obama's purported move to the middle, and the f'rinstance having to do with withdrawal. What Joe fails to remember is that Samantha Power, who got excised from the Obama campaign for calling Hillary "a monster that would do anything to win," got beat about the head and neck (figuratively) by Jeremy Paxman on BBC's Newsnight about this exact issue.

I wrote about the interview and the dismissal of Power at this link.

So, Morning Joe (cough cough) you can make all the jokes about Rachel and the Hillary laugh that you want, but it doesn't make you right about this.

Well, Rachel, subbing for Keith yesterday, got all Tim Russert on Joe's ass yesterday as I cheered wildly from IAATVJ Central (my new name for my house) while she trotted out the clips. Barack during the New Hampshire debate, Barack on 60 Minutes, Barack everywhere being consistent.

Only person not being consistent? Morning Joe (cough cough).

Rachel asked Richard Wolffe from Newsweek what's not working with Obama getting this message out, and I have the answer: No one can deny that the networks make more money if this election becomes a horse race of any kind. The fact is that this is a very lopsided race.

So, Morning Joe (cough cough), you be wrong!!! WRONG!

WRONG!!

And the clip is after the jump.

UPDATED: Scarborough (Hosting) V. Maddow (Guesting) on Race For The White House

[UPDATE: I found the clip in question (the moment in question being at the end of the clip) at YouTube. Thank you CSPANJUNKIEdotCom. It's after the jump, behind the MSNBC.com clip.]

Joe walks over Rachel with the host authority, but he's completely wrong about Obama's plans for Iraqi withdrawal. And so were the rest of the panel, including Tony Blankley (with a new, slightly better haircut than usual), Michael Smerconish (subbing for Bill-O on the radio today as well) and two others, one in the LA studio I didn't even know and that African-American woman who thinks herself an independent.

The issue, Obama's purported move to the middle, and the f'rinstance having to do with withdrawal. What Joe fails to remember is that Samantha Power, who got excised from the Obama campaign for calling Hillary "a monster that would do anything to win," got beat about the head and neck (figuratively) by Jeremy Paxman on BBC's Newsnight about this exact issue.

I wrote about the interview and the dismissal of Power at this link.

So, Morning Joe (cough cough) you can make all the jokes about Rachel and the Hillary laugh that you want, but it doesn't make you right about this.

Now go say sorry.

I'll put the clip after the jump when it shows at the MSNBC site.

Sorry, MSNBC has decided not to post that clip. Maybe someone will upload it to YouTube.

I do have a clip for you, though, and it's after the jump.

Keith's Worst Persons Are All Newscorp Employees

Every one of them.

And, honestly, they all deserve it.

One of them is that horrid Paula Froelich from Page Six at the Pest Post.

LINK

I'm Feeling Bad About Agreeing With Brian Lowry Today re Russert

He posted this today at Cynthia Littleton's Variety blog On the Air:

Despite the temptation to give NBC News the benefit of the doubt, it’s Tim Russert memorial coverage officially “jumped the shark” some time between noon and 4 p.m. PST Wednesday, amid four more hours of time-filling blather.

I know they really loved this guy. Still, I have been feeling the same way. And I do feel bad about that. I think we're just al gonna have to stipulate to the fact that Russert grabbed a hold of these people, his co-workers and friends, and held them so tight during his life that they just can't bear to let go of him in his death.

And I have do disagree somewhat, it's never "time-filling blather" when you're memorializing someone you love.

But by the time Matthews hit the air yesterday, I did actually say out loud, "Still?"

And then I felt horrible about that.