All Episodes Talk: TRMS 2019 Season

[ahisma]

I am. So. Angry. about Rick Perry’s little pressure play for drilling rights for his campaign donors. The poor Ukrainians—it wasn’t just Trump getting his dirty fingers all over them. Can we get one of Rachel’s prosecutor friends on to tell us whether Perry can face consequences for this? 

Congressman Cummings’ widow is impressive. I’m happy Rachel introduced her to us.

Edited November 13, 2019 by ahisma
typo

[meowmommy]

Am I the only one who was seriously annoyed by Rachel's bitching about not getting the day off.  Are you a veteran, Rachel?  Do you not pull in a multimillion dollar salary for sitting in front of a camera and spouting off?  Do you not already take a shitload of Fridays off?  You are entitled to think anything you want, but just because you have a venue to express yourself, you don't have to say everything that pops into your head.

[QueerGirrl]

Didn't bother me one bit. 

[freddi]

I know I have said previously, when Rachel played the introductory music for the NBC Watergate coverage, that it is the "March to the Scaffold" segment from the Berlioz Symphonie fantastique.  How can no one on her staff know this?  It is such a great subtext for the hearings then.  

ETA:  Ha!Ha!Ha!--someone there read my email and tweet, or one of the other 100-plus messages they must have received.  She played this previously, and I pointed it out then, also.  

Edited November 13, 2019 by freddi

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, freddi said:

I know I have said previously, when Rachel played the introductory music for the NBC Watergate coverage, that it is the "March to the Scaffold" segment from the Berlioz Symphonie fantastique.  How can no one on her staff know this?  It is such a great subtext for the hearings then.

I watched the Senate hearings primarily on CBS, so I don't remember the NBC intro.  But their theme music to their flagship news show (Huntley-Brinkley) was Beethoven's 9th symphony, so it's not surprising they'd go to the classics again.

The hearings went on for months.  A lot of the TVs in my high school were tuned to the hearings, so I could and did watch whenever I had a break in class.  Then by summer, I was out of school and the heavy hitter witnesses started coming on.  I was pretty sick a good part of that summer with a bad ear infection, but boy, I made sure to watch the hearings every day.  And then read about them in the newspapers and news magazines.  It's good to remember, as Michael Beschloss pointed out, that the Senate Watergate hearings were not an impeachment inquiry, but an investigation trying to get to the bottom of the Watergate scandal.  The impeachment hearings came the following summer.  I watched those, too.

My cable guide doesn't show any networks, including MSNBC, preempting their coverage tomorrow morning, but I have my DVR set to record the hearings on C-SPAN3.  It's so much nicer on C-SPAN anyway, without all the commercials, talking heads, and spin doctors.

I don't know how they will be able to get these witnesses in and out as quickly as the schedule suggests.  Almost all of them spent a very full day in their depositions.

Chuck on both Nicolle's and Rachel's shows today...happy me.

[freddi]

35 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

My cable guide doesn't show any networks, including MSNBC, preempting their coverage tomorrow morning, but I have my DVR set to record the hearings on C-SPAN3.  It's so much nicer on C-SPAN anyway, without all the commercials, talking heads, and spin doctors.

Whatever your DVR says, yes, MSNBC will be airing the hearings live.  I can say this here, because Rachel showed the schedule on her show, and also told us that Nicole Wallace and Brian Williams will be anchoring the session tomorrow.  She said it would start at 9:00 AM ET -- that is a while before the action begins.  I do agree about the zen of C-SPAN!  

Oh, man, I am rewatching Rachel's show.  How times have changed.  There is someone behind the main questioner who is taking his own good time lighting his pipe and puffing away.  And the ratio of men to women in the room (a couple of reporters and an aide or two) is like a gazillion to four.  

Edited November 13, 2019 by freddi

[meowmommy]

3 minutes ago, freddi said:

Whatever your DVR says, yes, MSNBC will be airing the hearings live. 

I know, but in order to record them, I would have to record each individual show that the guide thinks is on, and then watch them in order.  (I watch almost nothing live any more, including TRMS.)  I'd still pick C-SPAN.

I won't say it's better, but it's different to have actual memories of the Watergate era than it is for Rachel, who can only see and describe it as history.  Sometimes it's good to be a Boomer.

[ahisma]

56 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I don't know how they will be able to get these witnesses in and out as quickly as the schedule suggests.  Almost all of them spent a very full day in their depositions.

I think it will be quicker because they’ve already been questioned. There will be staff attorneys zeroing in on the really pertinent parts that they already know the witnesses have answers for. 

15 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I won't say it's better, but it's different to have actual memories of the Watergate era than it is for Rachel, who can only see and describe it as history.  Sometimes it's good to be a Boomer.

Right? She’s very cute when she gets nostalgic excitement for the era I lived through. 

[Sharpie66]

Rachel’s talked before about having absorbed Watergate in utero because her mom was glued to the tv while pregnant.

The stuff about the theme music made me crack up, remembering the scene in the movie Deep Impact, when the MSNBC director is working with the resident musician on the theme music for the asteroid strike after President Morgan Freeman announced it.

[movingtargetgal]

I was seven and remember watching the Watergate hearings with my grandparents.  The only time I ever heard them curse was at Nixon, they called him "the bastard".  I asked my grandfather the name of the "song" they were playing before the hearing.  Grampie said "It's called The Bastard is Doomed".  I never knew the real name, "March to the Scaffold", until now. :)  

Thanks for the education Rachel and Freddi

[attica]

11 hours ago, meowmommy said:

it's not surprising they'd go to the classics again.

Especially since they're public domain, and free for the nets to use. Not that money is ever a consideration for network news programs!

[p719]

Watching Rachel tonight reminded me of something that annoys me about her--this squeamishness about foul language...even light foul language. This need to interrupt her own flow in explaining the news to alert us again and again that some deposition or a quote  she's reading has a cuss word...and oh, "I said I wasn't on going to 'ass' but I did. Sorry."

Who is she talking to? What watcher of her is going to be offended? It's strange.

[freddi]

6 hours ago, p719 said:

Watching Rachel tonight reminded me of something that annoys me about her--this squeamishness about foul language...even light foul language. This need to interrupt her own flow in explaining the news to alert us again and again that some deposition or a quote  she's reading has a cuss word...and oh, "I said I wasn't on going to 'ass' but I did. Sorry."

Who is she talking to? What watcher of her is going to be offended? It's strange.

Her parents? I have no problem with her reading a quote and saying “‘shoot,’ except he didn’t say ‘shoot’,” but I agree that her explanatory wind-up to the reading, and the advance apologies, are distracting.  

[meowmommy]

9 hours ago, p719 said:

Watching Rachel tonight reminded me of something that annoys me about her--this squeamishness about foul language...even light foul language.

She has a lot of annoying quirks, like her overwrought modesty that borders on humblebragging, and this is one of them, particularly since she apparently has no squeamishness about foul language IRL.

From a 2017 Rolling Stone interview:

Quote

I’m constantly battling in order to achieve something that I’m not embarrassed by, which people think is self-deprecating, but it’s fucking motivating...

Just sloppiness, in writing, bad editing, typos sometimes screw shit up. 

I watched both Anderson Cooper and Chris Hayes (DVR is a miracle) before Rachel, and neither one of them had a problem using the words as they were direct quotes.

[kib]

On 11/13/2019 at 3:49 AM, movingtargetgal said:

I was seven and remember watching the Watergate hearings with my grandparents.  The only time I ever heard them curse was at Nixon, they called him "the bastard".  I asked my grandfather the name of the "song" they were playing before the hearing.  Grampie said "It's called The Bastard is Doomed".  I never knew the real name, "March to the Scaffold", until now. 🙂

Thanks for the education Rachel and Freddi

I literally have tears running out my eyes from laughing so hard at this post.  Grampie obviously knew the brilliance and power of vivid, economic phrasing.  Thanks for passing along the story!

Edited November 17, 2019 by kib

[freddi]

I kept thinking “this is such a weird out-of-town set” during Rachel’s show, so I was glad at the end when they pulled out the camera shot to show the stage for the debates!  

And I do like that needlework app they have discovered for key phrases from the testimony.  

[Sharpie66]

Oh, Rachel was soooo pissed over Sundland’s little-ladying Faith [correction—Fiona] Hill! I practically saw the steam coming out of her ears, she was so angry reading his testimony about how Dr. Hill was so emotional. 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Sharpie66

[Quilt Fairy]

32 minutes ago, Sharpie66 said:

Oh, Rachel was soooo pissed over Sundland’s little-ladying Faith Hill! I practically saw the steam coming out of her ears, she was so angry reading his testimony about how Dr. Hill was so emotional. 

Faith Hill is a country music singer.  You mean  Fiona Hill.   

[Sharpie66]

Aargh! My brain checked out completely—thanks for the correction!! 

[car54]

I know Rachel doesn't care, but whoever did her makeup in Atlanta did a great job--or maybe it was Tyler Perry's lighting.    She looked really good!     In NY sometimes the pile it on and use too much of the HD stuff under the eyes.    In Atlanta, her skin and coloring looked really nice.

[freddi]

I was so hoping, when she said she was bringing back something at the end of the show that they had not done for a long time, that it would be the Friday Cocktail Moment.  But the needlepoint gifts were funny.  When she got to the third one, I thought, “wow, she is going to get so many more of these”—but she did anticipate that!  “Gift these to your friends and family!”  

Edited November 23, 2019 by freddi

[BuckeyeLou]

9 hours ago, freddi said:

I was so hoping, when she said she was bringing back something at the end of the show that they had not done for a long time, that it would be the Friday Cocktail Moment.  But the needlepoint gifts were funny.  When she got to the third one, I thought, “wow, she is going to get so many more of these”—but she did anticipate that!  “Gift these to your friends and family!”  

That was so great that fans thought to do those for her!  And she will set up a "Museum" for them, lol.  I, too, thought she would bring back the Cocktail moment at the end of a very busy week for her.

[ScoobieDoobs]

On 11/22/2019 at 12:49 PM, Sharpie66 said:

Oh, Rachel was soooo pissed over Sundland’s little-ladying Faith [correction—Fiona] Hill! I practically saw the steam coming out of her ears, she was so angry reading his testimony about how Dr. Hill was so emotional. 

Don't feel bad about mistaking her name.  Maria Teresa Kumar called her Fiona Apple on another MSNBC show (forget which).  Hopefully, she's well-known enough now, nobody will forget her name.  Glad Rach zeroed in on the best of her testimony, but there was a lot of good stuff to choose from.

[gatopretoNYC]

20 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Don't feel bad about mistaking her name.  Maria Teresa Kumar called her Fiona Apple on another MSNBC show (forget which).  Hopefully, she's well-known enough now, nobody will forget her name.

I think it was on The Beat with Ari Melber. She caught herself right away, and they all laughed. 😄

[ScoobieDoobs]

Thanks, Rach, for leading off the show with Spencer's resignation letter.  This story has been so damn confusing.  Both WaPo & NYT musta changed their reporting at least 3 or 4 times over the weekend.  I'm still not sure what went on, but I was waiting for Rach to talk about it so I could at least get some clarity.  Sheesh!  Doesn't help that it seems like there's a lasagna of lies going on here -- layers & layers of lies, with no ricotta cheese in between . . . 

[ahisma]

I’d been waiting for the McGahn case ruling, but to have so many quotable lines for Rachel to read was a gift! (“Kneecapping,” honestly!)

The Fusion GPS founders were super interesting. I could have listened to way more from them, but it was a busy news day.

[freddi]

I was so glad Rachel had a segment with Barb McQuade on the day of the McGahn ruling.  McQuade: “This is a great day for the rule of law.”  Boy, they both have earned a few minutes of satisfaction, now to be followed by more slogging. 

Yes, there are still three branches of government, but checks and balances is now four bodies: Executive, Congress, Judicial, and Rachel-Barb-Joyce-Chuck.  

[freddi]

Ari Velshi just said on the air that he would “be back at 9:00,” so I assume he is filling in for Rachel.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 🦃 

[M. Darcy]

If you missed it, Rachel’s show on Friday was a special report on the fight for and against reproductive rights .  

[possibilities]

9 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

If you missed it, Rachel’s show on Friday was a special report on the fight for and against reproductive rights .  

And it was awesome.

[tres bien]

Great interview with Adam Schiff last night. 

Good get for Rachel.  CNN even ran a portion this morning. 

[freddi]

Rachel selling us on reading the impeachment report was like watching a ginsu knife infomercial in reverse.  Instead of “but wait, there’s more!”, she kept hyping “but wait, there’s less!”  No time for all 300 pages? “Wait, there’s less!”  Not even time for the 20-something executive summary?  Nor the order of infractions?  “But wait, there’s less!”  There are Roman numerals to read!  

[ScoobieDoobs]

No poof for Kamala?  Um, maybe skipping it this time might be for the best, Rach.  Altho I am OK with a poof for Bullock.  Actually, the only poof I'm really looking forward to is for Tulsi.  That poof can't come fast enough for me.

So is "MacGyvering " an actual verb now -- or is this just Rachel-speak?

[tessaray]

6 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

So is "MacGyvering " an actual verb now -- or is this just Rachel-speak?

Pretty sure it's getting there.  I might have actually used it myself, once or twice. 🙂 

[taanja]

On 12/4/2019 at 3:20 AM, ScoobieDoobs said:

.So is "MacGyvering " an actual verb now -- or is this just Rachel-speak?

Wait! Where have you been?

To MacGyver something has been a verb for a long while now. Like years. 

[ahisma]

Oh, that was a signed, sealed, delivered burn of Newt Gingrich on his Christmas hypocrisy!

[ScoobieDoobs]

Anyone catch the hand-off to LOD?  He noted that Maria Isabel Bueso, who was so cruelly threatened with deportation, while being treated with desperately needed medical help, just got notice she will be able to stay for the next 2 years.  LOD said this NEVER would have happened if Rachel didn’t shine her spotlight on Maria.  Is that beautiful or what? 

Sniff, who says Rach accomplishes nothing with her show?

Edited December 10, 2019 by ScoobieDoobs

[possibilities]

I noticed that Rachel made mention that the admin has put "families" through this, too, though-- we don't know if Bueso got a reprieve because of the publicity while others are still being deported who are in the same basic straits.

I'm very glad, though, that at least Bueso herself will be safe, at least for a little while.

[Medicine Crow]

I just want to go on record to say that I absolutely HATE when Rachel says her guest will be on "in moments" & they're actually in the last two segments.  (Note to self:  Record first/Watch later!!)

[meowmommy]

1 hour ago, Medicine Crow said:

I just want to go on record to say that I absolutely HATE when Rachel says her guest will be on "in moments" & they're actually in the last two segments.  (Note to self:  Record first/Watch later!!)

Like you, I notice that, too, and I agree with your complaint completely.  You know damn well that when she's 3 minutes into her usual 25 minute A-block, her guest is not coming on "in a moment."  Usually I listen for the magic word, "Next," although this time she didn't utilize it.

I still wanna know what makes The Interview different from Any Old Interview.  It's not length, and it's not the guest.  

And I always record first and watch later, solely because of the goddamn timing of the commercial breaks.  Second half hour, they come fast and furious.

BTW, am I the only one who got tired of Rachel looping back to the irony of the Russian Foreign Minister's visit?  It was a perfectly valid point, but she kept going on and on and on.  Enough, already.  Got it the first time.

[ahisma]

I thought Rachel did a good job interviewing Mayor Pete. She asked a lot of pointed questions, including followup questions I was wondering about (e.g., one of your private sector clients was Blue Cross; did that influence your healthcare policy). 

[BuckeyeLou]

I was really laughing tonight during Rachel's opening segment in which she was astounded that Trump wanted to MOVE the whole city of Seoul, S.Korea!  It would be like NYC trying to move into Connecticut, lol.  Trump is so Dumb he does not even understand geography or common sense!  I loved Rachel's astonished face as she relayed this episode in the White House.

[meowmommy]

38 minutes ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I was really laughing tonight during Rachel's opening segment in which she was astounded that Trump wanted to MOVE the whole city of Seoul, S.Korea!

It really would be funny if it weren't so terribly, terribly sad.  

SMH at someone asking why Seoul is so close to the DMZ, as if they had no idea that Seoul pre-existed the artificial political demarcation created at the 38th parallel in 1945, only by about two millennia.   And as if there's anywhere in the southern half of the Korean peninsula outside NK nuclear range.  

I was stationed in South Korea in the early 1980s and visited Seoul frequently.  It was huge then.  It's bigger now. 

[Pearson80]

25 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

It really would be funny if it weren't so terribly, terribly sad.  

SMH at someone asking why Seoul is so close to the DMZ, as if they had no idea that Seoul pre-existed the artificial political demarcation created at the 38th parallel in 1945, only by about two millennia.   And as if there's anywhere in the southern half of the Korean peninsula outside NK nuclear range.  

I was stationed in South Korea in the early 1980s and visited Seoul frequently.  It was huge then.  It's bigger now. 

Not to mention, Rachel reported that he had asked Putin what he wanted him to do about North Korea instead of our intelligence agencies.  That information was apparently  hidden on a server.  It made me so sad angry and I could not bear to watch Rachel tonight. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Pearson80

[ScoobieDoobs]

You know, I really like how Rachel has mostly gotten rid of her head-shaking, eye-rolling, can’t-believe-this-lunacy-going-on-right-now jokey manner & replaced it with a super serious tone.  Yes, she is repeating herself a bit, but it’s just so vital that she keeps saying this is history happening now.  As Pence is saying the Impeachment is a waste of time & ALL other Repubs put out similar crap, Rachel has become more essential than ever . . .

[BuckeyeLou]

1 hour ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

You know, I really like how Rachel has mostly gotten rid of her head-shaking, eye-rolling, can’t-believe-this-lunacy-going-on-right-now jokey manner & replaced it with a super serious tone.  Yes, she is repeating herself a bit, but it’s just so vital that she keeps saying this is history happening now.  As Pence is saying the Impeachment is a waste of time & ALL other Repubs put out similar crap, Rachel has become more essential than ever . . .

Although I do like that she does have that 'face" sometimes, that lets us know she cant believe what is happening.  Rachel is a 'life-line" for those of us who are getting exhausted by the tidal wave of craziness in DC.

[ahisma]

Speaking of being a lifeline for our sanity, I was SO glad Rachel played Rep. Jamie Raskin’s epic takedown from the hearing. It gave me so much good cheer I paused the show to replay it. Exactly what we needed!

[grommit2]

Two observations (which I hope adhere to the forum guidelines):
1) Somehow ... <<sigh>> didn't we all think that, as time went on and we all grew up, the world would become a better place, a safer place, a nicer place, a fairer place.  Somehow.  <<SIGH>>

2) We see how biased/leaning/shout shows take the news and reformat it into something that divides, ridicules, insults. 
I still think that jillion$$$ could be made by a TV show that examines the facts, clearly and honestly...analyzing, contrasting, factoring...all the things we sort of learned how to do in school and in business.  Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[grommit2]

On 12/13/2019 at 2:51 PM, BuckeyeLou said:

Although I do like that she does have that 'face" sometimes, that lets us know she cant believe what is happening.  Rachel is a 'life-line" for those of us who are getting exhausted by the tidal wave of craziness in DC.

I used to listen to Rachel when she was on "Air America" a radio show.  Back then she had this little habit of chuckling about some news bite.  I am glad she broke that habit. But it must be really hard not to bang your head on a wall with some of the news that emanates from our capital. 

[M. Darcy]

Lots of good guests this week.  I wonder if tonight will be the last show of the year or next Monday?