All Episodes Talk: TRMS 2018 Season

[ScoobieDoobs]

Sheesh, I'm getting so sick of the Jackson-nom-deathwatch stuff.  Bet Rach is too.

Wow, Rach was lookin' downright giddy talkin' about Ronan's new book.  Well, there was some new delish stuff on Jared she was clearly happy to relay -- & it's always fun to watch Jared taken down.  But the stuff on Tillerson, & Ronan's take on the State Dept. was fascinating.

[Cajungirl64]

15 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Sheesh, I'm getting so sick of the Jackson-nom-deathwatch stuff.  Bet Rach is too.

Wow, Rach was lookin' downright giddy talkin' about Ronan's new book.  Well, there was some new delish stuff on Jared she was clearly happy to relay -- & it's always fun to watch Jared taken down.  But the stuff on Tillerson, & Ronan's take on the State Dept. was fascinating.

She looked more excited about this book than Comey's. I'm thinking of buying it. Disclosure: I own and/or have read almost every book on Watergate (The Final Days is EXCEPTIONAL if you're a Watergate junky) and "All the President's Men" is my favorite movie of all time. I can't believe Rachel isn't losing her mind over the blatant abuses of power which continue unabated EVERY DAY in this administration. I hope an exceptional political journalist writes the complete tell-all (and not some hack). I wish Woodward and Bernstein were younger (speaking of which, considering the historical parallels, isn't it odd that neither have become interview fixtures on CNN or MSNBC?). 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Cajungirl64

[Tunia]

3 hours ago, Cajungirl64 said:

I wish Woodward and Bernstein were younger (speaking of which, considering the historical parallels, isn't it odd that neither have become interview fixtures on CNN or MSNBC?). 

Bernstein is often on CNN, especially as a panel member on Anderson Cooper's show.

[Cajungirl64]

17 hours ago, Tunia said:

Bernstein is often on CNN, especially as a panel member on Anderson Cooper's show.

Yikes! I never watch AC. I'm gonna have to start now. Thanks for the heads up! 

[car54]

No Rachel tonight---Richard Engel has her slot.

[M. Darcy]

It’s nice she’s finally getting her Friday nights off. 

[DXD526]

Loved Rachel being so amazed at 45's meltdown on Fox, which concluded with the hosts failing to get his lunacy under control and basically hanging up on him: "The president was too weird and unhinged for Fox & Friends!" The utter amazement with which she said that had me literally LOLing! 

[meowmommy]

Chuck Rosenberg is rapidly becoming one of my favorite legal analysts.  He's so earnest and sincere, and he explains things really, really well.  

[M. Darcy]

Poor Rachel's staff.  Why even try to prepare for a show.  They must have about 100 shows they never used. 

[TexasGal]

Kenny Starr - I said “KENNY?” about half a second before Rachel did, in the exact same tone.  This reinforces my firmly held belief that we would be bff’s if we ever met and had a beer.  

[ScoobieDoobs]

OK, so that's 2 nites worth of shows you have, Rach.  You owe us a Friday nite!  Please?

Uh, am I alone on this?  I adore Joyce Vance.

[M. Darcy]

Quote

Uh, am I alone on this?  I adore Joyce Vance.

She's great!  The only thing that is preventing her from being as awesome as Jill Wine Banks is that Jill has the pins. 

[Galloway Cave]

When Mueller finally wraps his investigation and drops the indictments on the rest of the crew (including Trump), Rachel needs to do another Law School 101 with my Dream Team- Chuck Rosenburg, Jill Wine Banks, Joyce Vance and Barbra McQuade. That will be the only way to understand exactly what is happening.

I did like Rachel's statement that she really doesn't loose the shows she prepares and bumps. They just stew an extra few days and come back with even more juicier components. 

[attica]

4 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

Jill has the pins

She and Madeline Albright should have a brooch- off.  I'd buy tickets.

[ScoobieDoobs]

YAY, Rach's Trump-death-watch-board was back!  And no malfunctions!

Aw, Rach was so cute with her happiness in having more room for names.  Won't last long, Rach -- guess your producers will have to make smaller fonts.  I refuse to get an 80 inch TV to read it.  Sheesh, it's getting like The Blob.  Rach will eventually have to go outside with that thing . . .

[jjj]

Heh, "new power strip" for the "surprise"!  A new wall, which made Rachel so giddy because "we're good for a few more days, maybe the week!" 

12 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

She's great!  The only thing that is preventing her from being as awesome as Jill Wine Banks is that Jill has the pins. 

Oh, the *pins*!  Until I saw Attica, I thought it referred to her legs.  I actually took a screenshot of a dragon pin last week; it was huge and amazing!  

7 hours ago, attica said:

She and Madeline Albright should have a brooch- off.  I'd buy tickets.

[ScoobieDoobs]

Uh, so was Rach giddy cuz she was anxiously imagining who she was gonna add next?  Jared & Ivanka?  Rudy?  Emmet Flood?  Oh, I forgot -- she doesn't have actual names on that thing, just job titles.  Wonder what Rach would call the job titles for Jared & Ivanka.  

Anyhoo, Rachel's giddiness was downright infectious -- and the Rudy shit didn't even happen yet.  Oh Rach, you really need to do an after-show!

[Galloway Cave]

6 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Anyhoo, Rachel's giddiness was downright infectious -- and the Rudy shit didn't even happen yet.

It was hilarious watching Lawrence giddily telling Rach what Rudy had said, almost like he was a teenager gossiping with a girlfriend: "and THEN he called Comey a REALLY bad thing! I can't BELIEVE IT!" Rachel was sitting there kinda stunned, looking like she just wanted to get off the air and run back to her office so she could catch up on what the hell was going down. Tomorrow night will be great, once she teases it all out and gets her best people on to discuss.

[Quilt Fairy]

Has anyone else noticed that MSNBC has cut the news scroll at the bottom of the screen?  (Or did I accidentally change the format on my TV?)  It's funny, I always hated that thing since I don't like visual distractions like that, but now that it's not there I sort of miss it.

[M. Darcy]

Quote

Oh, the *pins*!  Until I saw Attica, I thought it referred to her legs.

Hee, that dame's pins go on for miles.  Its nice that she always gives a explanation on twitter about what her pin of the day means.

[jjj]

1 hour ago, M. Darcy said:

Hee, that dame's pins go on for miles.  Its nice that she always gives a explanation on twitter about what her pin of the day means.

*Really*???!  I'll have to find her account.  I am so pleased with the quality of analysis provided by the former prosecutors on Rachel's show.  

[Cajungirl64]

11 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

It was hilarious watching Lawrence giddily telling Rach what Rudy had said, almost like he was a teenager gossiping with a girlfriend: "and THEN he called Comey a REALLY bad thing! I can't BELIEVE IT!" Rachel was sitting there kinda stunned, looking like she just wanted to get off the air and run back to her office so she could catch up on what the hell was going down. Tomorrow night will be great, once she teases it all out and gets her best people on to discuss.

It was like watching Rachel go through the five stages of a) being out-scooped and b) waking up in an alternate universe. Find the video on YouTube and watch her facial expressions as Lawrence is telling the story. I swear she said more with her face than with her voice. It's hilarious. Thank God for Rachel, Ari Melber, Nicole Wallace and Lawrence. Without them, I would be curled up in the fetal position sucking my thumb by now. Oh, and also Jill Wine Banks and Michael Avennati! 

Edited May 3, 2018 by Cajungirl64
To add two more names to the list of those keeping me sane right now...

[tessaray]

I've moved a couple of posts to Rachel Maddow: Our Favorite Rhodes Scholar.  Comments in this topic should be directly related to what has been discussed on the show.  

[ScoobieDoobs]

You know, whenever I hear about the latest Trump casualty, I just snicker & look foward to watching Rach add another dead body to her board.  

But last nite was an example of when her Trump deathwatch board gets really interesting -- that is, when it involves someone not so well known.  Thanks, Rach, for putting a spotlight on the latest Trump casualty you discussed, who I never heard of before -- sounds like a really sinister character.  Great heads up, Rach!

Edited May 3, 2018 by ScoobieDoobs

[Cajungirl64]

5 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

You know, whenever I hear about the latest Trump casualty, I just snicker & look foward to watching Rach add another dead body to her board.  

But last nite was an example of when her Trump deathwatch board gets really interesting -- that is, when it involves someone not so well known.  Thanks, Rach, for putting a spotlight on the latest Trump casualty you discussed, who I never heard of before -- sounds like a really sinister character.  Great heads up, Rach!

I can't wait for MSNBC to build her a new set "in the round" so she can be seated in the middle and the names will just revolve around her. 

[Tunia]

47 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

You know, whenever I hear about the latest Trump casualty, I just snicker & look foward to watching Rach add another dead body to her board.  

There'll be another to add tonight!

[Galloway Cave]

On 5/2/2018 at 10:27 AM, Galloway Cave said:

Rachel needs to do another Law School 101 with my Dream Team- Chuck Rosenburg, Jill Wine Banks, Joyce Vance and Barbra McQuade.

YAY BABY I CALLED IT! Ok, I was a little early in the investigation, but yay! It isn't my dream team but hopefully they will come in for senior year (i.e. Final Indictments).

[ScoobieDoobs]

Yeah, your dream team woulda been much better, Galloway.  Mimi Rocha is OK, but that Danny what's-his-name is really obnoxious & way too arrogant for my taste & he is popping up on EVERY MSNBC show.  Feh!  And the other guest kept looking at the cam like a deer in the headlights.  Uh, not a great guest for this segment, Rach.

Oh & btw, Rach, please, seriously, I'm begging you, please, please, please ease up on the Rudy clips.  I had to mute that Rudy shit, which Rachel kept playing so many times, I was nearly ready to give up & turn over to AC.  Had to be pretty bad for me to do that.

[jjj]

This legal team was not very inspired -- I wonder why she did not go with some of the regular on-air prosecutors from her show. 

[ScoobieDoobs]

Yeah, did anyone catch that Danny character actually insulted the other 2 guests by saying something to the effect of how "2 former prosecutors" could have missed something he was pointing out.  Sheesh, what a snotty, self-important creep.  Hey, I like Mimi.  No, she ain't Barbara, Joyce or Jill, but she's really quite good & didn't deserve a shitty cut like that.  I noticed the other guest pointed out he was in private practice now.  Hate to say it, but this kinda stuff did remind me of law school -- and NOT in a good way. 

Keep the segment, Rach, but go with different guests . . .

[Galloway Cave]

1 hour ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Keep the segment, Rach, but go with different guests . . .

Yeah, I was a little disappointed. They really didn't clarify much for me. In fact, it seemed to almost contradict each other at times. I wonder if her regulars were booked elsewhere and she had to go with D-list "law professors" tonight. She better get the Dream Team for The Final Indictments.

[Quilt Fairy]

45 minutes ago, Galloway Cave said:

I wonder if her regulars were booked elsewhere and she had to go with D-list "law professors" tonight.

I wonder how much the short time-frame had to do with it.  The Giuliani stuff was only on last night. 

[Calvada]

I thought Rachel so wanted to get info out of them that a few times she talked over them.  It's one of my biggest pet peeves about news shows with panels of people - these people talk over each other all the time.  That's why I like Rachel's show so much, because almost always it's just her or her one on one with another person.  

I also agree that this group was the B team.  I think I could listen to McQuade, Vance and Rosenberg talk about jury instructions for an hour.  I'm confident they would make that fascinating.  And I think the conversation would have gone more smoothly if one of the legal experts had done a primer on the various legal tools - electronic surveillance, trap and trace, a grand jury subpoena for financial, phone and text records, a search warrant for a home or office, a search warrant for an electronic device such as a phone or computer - BEFORE Rachel started with her questions.  

When Rosenberg first started on TRMS, I was bugged with how slowly and deliberately he spoke.  But I quickly realized how wonderful it was.  He speaks clearly and in terms that people without a legal background can understand.  It's obvious he selects his words with measured care, something I think more in Washington should emulate.  

[Galloway Cave]

You know, I really appreciated that Rachel spent some time on Rod Rosenstein tonight. For so long now, all we have heard from Trump and Repubs is what a bad job he is doing, how he is a disgrace to the DOJ, a leaker and obstructionist, etc. Then tonight we see and hear a man who is dedicated, intelligent, thoughtful and humorous. Hearing him go on about that Robert Jackson quote and the history behind it was wonderful. The two public speeches doubling a shots across the bow of the Trumptanic. Definitely a better segment than yet another rehash of Giuliana Lies 6.0

Half of my Dream Team showed up tonight!  

[Tunia]

Rachel never needs to apologize for covering what others don't, and not covering the same ol' that others do.  Tonight's show was interesting, informative and refreshing.  Plus, Rach is a trooper...the only of the regular MSNBC hosts to show up tonight (unless Matthews was on - he's not on my watch list).

[ScoobieDoobs]

13 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

You know, I really appreciated that Rachel spent some time on Rod Rosenstein tonight. For so long now, all we have heard from Trump and Repubs is what a bad job he is doing, how he is a disgrace to the DOJ, a leaker and obstructionist, etc. Then tonight we see and hear a man who is dedicated, intelligent, thoughtful and humorous. Hearing him go on about that Robert Jackson quote and the history behind it was wonderful. The two public speeches doubling a shots across the bow of the Trumptanic. Definitely a better segment than yet another rehash of Giuliana Lies 6.0

Half of my Dream Team showed up tonight!  

Rachel seemed defensive as to why she wasn't showing the same billion clips of Trump & Rudy that have already been played repeatedly & endlessly by Hayes & Matthews & Lemon & Anderson & pretty much everyone else on CNN & MSNBC.  Don't be defensive about that, Rach -- that's why I keep watching you!

Btw, did anyone notice Rach played ONE short clip of Trump -- and it was ON MUTE?  This is also why I watch you, Rach!  Learn from this, Hayes & Matthews!  It's why I refuse to watch those 2.

Now, was Rachel being a bit alarmist about the move by those 2 Repub Congressmen to impeach Rosenstein?  Maybe.  But I'm glad she's putting a spotlight on it.  Cuz nobody else is.  As Rachel said, while everyone else is going on about Rudy & his babble, and that shit is "entertaining" to play, in the end, it probably won't mean anything.

So glad to see Rach concentrating on the important stuff, which is more likely to have lasting effects, rather than in-the-moment meaningless crap that'll be forgotten about in a week.

[Galloway Cave]

5 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

So glad to see Rach concentrating on the important stuff, which is more likely to have lasting effects, rather than in-the-moment meaningless crap that'll be forgotten about in a week.

She is staying "big picture" and following the large threads that will unravel the tapestry, not the little tiny embroidery threads that are just the illustration and art on the surface. It always comes back to collusion (conspiracy) with Russia to interfere with the election and the money trail. And it all goes back to prior to Trump joining the campaign. Russia was grooming a lot of people, including Trump, for a very long time.

[meowmommy]

4 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

As Rachel said, while everyone else is going on about Rudy & his babble, and that shit is "entertaining" to play, in the end, it probably won't mean anything.

She has said from day one that she focuses on what they do, not what they say.  Too many political shows continually rehash the most sensational headlines of the day (LOD, I'm looking at you), while Rachel tends to assume that we already know about most of them.  A lot of her A block "history lessons" are material I already know, because I'm an old person with a poli sci degree, but I still learn things from her, which I can't often say about the other shows.

Edited May 5, 2018 by meowmommy

[M. Darcy]

I don't think I've heard about Robert Jackson before so I looked him up on Wikipedia.  Which started me on the wormhole of keep clicking on links in the articles....I wound up reading about Hitler's dogs and the murders/suicides of the Goebbels.  Sigh.  I should have only read about the Nuremberg trials. 

It is nice to get history lessons from Rachel. 

[Sharpie66]

When I saw those fur hats, I immediately thought, “Are those Cossacks?!” And sure enough... Bad flashbacks to world war documentaries, both I and II. 

[ScoobieDoobs]

Rachel handled the Schneiderman story very well.  Was surprised she led off with it, but I hadn't yet heard the horrible specifics.  Rachel reiterated that the details were "harrowing" & backed up by some famous people -- including Salmon Rushdie??

It was commendable that Rach was careful NOT to say the fall of Schneiderman is particularly awful now, given he seemed to be such an important opponent to Trump -- especially amidst these terrible abuse accusations.

Just wish you woulda ended your show on a more upbeat note, Rach.  Now that Schneiderman is gone . . . EEK!

Edited May 8, 2018 by ScoobieDoobs

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Now that Schneiderman is gone . . . EEK!

I hear Preet Bharara might be in need of a job...

I didn't expect Rachel to lead off with this story, either, but it's a tribute to her that she was willing to go front and center on it when I'm sure her critics would have expected her to pay lip service and sweep it under the rug.

[M. Darcy]

That's a fast moving story - it broke probably an hour before Rachel's show and he resigned just as her show ended. 

Quote

When I saw those fur hats, I immediately thought, “Are those Cossacks?!”

Cossacks!! That's why my Great Grandparents left Russia! 

[ScoobieDoobs]

Rach said last nite was . . . "efficient"?  More like depressing as hell.  Ugh, so much shitty, shitty, shitty news for Rach to cover.  Ew.  Hey, Rach, how 'bout covering the Met Gala nonsense crap instead?  Uh, maybe not.

The stuff on Melania-plaigarizes-2.0 gave me a slight giggle.  No surprise there.  But you need to follow up on this, Rach, cuz they're denying it like crazy.  Sigh, no surprise there.

Edited May 8, 2018 by ScoobieDoobs

[TexasGal]

I didn’t realize how much I wanted to see Rachel interview Avenatti until it happened.

[ScoobieDoobs]

Yeah, I luv LOD, but Rach was way tougher on Avenatti & it was really necessary.  I get the impression she's not all that thrilled with him.  She got in some great questions & he was soooo cool & sharp -- as usual.  Man, he zinged Rudy but good.  LMAO!

Rach was pretty awesome, with her snarky questions & puzzled looks to the cam, when she asked why these big companies were paying Cohen all that dough.  Good stuff, Rach!

Edited May 10, 2018 by ScoobieDoobs

[SpiritSong]

On 5/5/2018 at 10:19 AM, ScoobieDoobs said:

Btw, did anyone notice Rach played ONE short clip of Trump -- and it was ON MUTE?  This is also why I watch you, Rach!  Learn from this, Hayes & Matthews!  It's why I refuse to watch those 2.

 

I find Lawrence O'Donnell the worst offender on this. Sometimes it seems a quarter of his show is nothing but clips of Twitler spewing. I can only watch his show with the remote in my hand, my finger on the mute button. 

Loved her interview with Avenatti tonight. I've been wondering how he's being paid so it was nice to get that info. I went to the CrowdJustice website and made a donation.

[ScoobieDoobs]

LOD is clearly entertained by & enamoured of Avenatti.  Rach?  Not so much.  Anyone notice her giving him some side-eye -- maybe even a suspect & slight stink-eye? In her signoff convo with LOD, she begrudgingly called him "sure-footed". I suspect that's about the best compliment  Rach has to offer, regarding Avenatti.

She seemed to be bothered that ANY of what he offered up was not true, even if it was a tiny percent. And she wasn't buying his explanation of it.  Not sure I agreed with her on that.  But her questions to him were on target.

[TexasGal]

I haven't watched other networks' interviews with Avenatti - anyone know if they are more like Lawrence than Rachel?  It was certainly a different tone than Lawrence, who I agree @ScoobieDoobs always seems almost starstruck by him.  Not that I blame him, I am too lol!  

He said he hadn't included some of the Novartis payments to see if they'd be transparent about them.  I wonder if he purposely included the "wrong Michael Cohen" information too knowing they would release some fool response like they did disputing those and thereby admitting they received the others (by not denying them too).

Avenatti tweeted afterwards - so he loves our Rachel too!

Edited May 10, 2018 by TexasGal

[meowmommy]

15 minutes ago, TexasGal said:

I haven't watched other networks' interviews with Avenatti - anyone know if they are more like Lawrence than Rachel?  It was certainly a different tone than Lawrence, who I agree @ScoobieDoobs always seems almost starstruck by him.  Not that I blame him, I am too lol!  

I've seen Jake Tapper interview him, and he's somewhere in the middle.  Definitely not star-struck, though.  LOD has been happy to talk about Stormy Daniels for months, long before the latest revelations, and Rachel has been seriously squeamish about the whole thing.  I like LOD, but he gets too wrapped up in his own narrative and drives the interviews to support his narrative, where I think Rachel lets the stories play out.

What struck me watching Rachel was that she was going along just fine, setting up the interview, and when she started to mention Russia and oligarchs, her tone changed completely.  Like she had just come up for air and was now breathing pure oxygen.  She loves anything connected to Russia (as well she should, as she's been out in front of it for a long time, longer than anyone else on teevee, I think), and to use a few more metaphors, finding there were fewer than six degrees of separation between Stormy Daniels and Russia was as if she had been fending off fastballs and then got thrown a hanging curveball for her to hit out of the park.