TERRIBLE NEWS REPORTERS WE HAVE HERE IN HELL. LIKE, MADDOW 2.27.25 -Countdown

[MagaSmash]

[hlthe2b]

1. KO is going overboard blaming Maddow for everything on MSNBC imo. Jealousy much?

I listen to Keith frequently, but his personal feelings don't really have a filter anymore (if they ever did). Yes, he gave Rachel Maddow a big break early on, but that was a long time ago. Time to find that ability to moderate/modulate criticism when for all intents and purposes, Keith is no longer really in the same game. (no BIG media bosses to deal with).

[Ninga]

2. He is unfortunately correct in his assertion that

while Rachel nobly lauded Joy Reid, she failed to tell the truth. Joy didn’t leave, she was fired.

[hadEnuf]

3. Yes, Keith does seems to be being hard on Maddow

but I also think he expects to see much more from actual journalists like her in reaction to this clear right-leaning corporate takeover of MSNBC. All journalists should be in open revolt against the Trump/Musk machine that is tearing down the Constitution and democracy before our eyes.

Unfortunately, many journalists are just staring wide-eyed at the tops of their desks while their corporate bosses are kneeling before the self-appointed Trump "royalty". KO is a firebrand, and I understand his anger and revulsion.

[hlthe2b]

4. We ALL DO. We all share his frustration. How is Maddow being likewise canned going to help?

She's already having staff fired along with close colleagues. The situation is quite different than when KO took on his bosses more than a decade ago. MSNBC is already being spun off by Comcast (and NBC) leaving them as a cable channel without news network support. Not to mention that Maddow is on Trump's enemy list and he had mentioned her multiple times. So, her voice needs to continue, and a podcast is not going to be an effective alternative. Likewise, those of her remaining colleagues.

Maddow walked the line in terms of calling out her "superiors". I get it. She's thinking not only of herself but the remaining show hosts AND staffers AND workers. Keith has righteous rage--as do we all--but he's not the one having to traverse this minefield.

[hadEnuf]

5. Maddow is probably the most popular and influential of the progressive talk hosts,

so I suppose that's why KO is holding her feet to the fire. Would Maddow quitting in protest rally other journalists to the cause? That's hard to say. Tucker Carlson, O'Rielly, Beck all had pretty good fan bases too, but they are now mostly obscure.

It's certainly not Maddow's fault that this has happened or will continue to happen. Principled resignations do have an impact, but the impact is short lived. I'm not sure if giving up a strong progressive voice on primetime is worth it, however this may also just be the beginning of MSNBC trying to starve out progressive voices overall to please the Trump Reich.

[hlthe2b]

6. They have already fired most of her staff and she goes back to one day/week. She's hardly holding the cards...

as her "popularity" and KO's assessment would suggest.

[ShazzieB]

9. Exactly!

Rachel being fired would just make things much, much worse. I thought she did the best job anyone could have of walking the line, as you described.

As far as I'm concerned, Olbermann crossed a line by defaming Rachel in this way. He has the right to his opinion, if course, but I think he's dead wrong wbout this.

[Pompoy]

7. Meh, he holds a grudge because she didn't support his bid to come in to host and produce the 4 days of the week.

When she stepped back, instead she supported Alex Wagner, and of course she remained the producer.
Rachel is the best, with Lawrence O'Donnell up there too.