Rachel was the first person on television or cable to expose Bridgegate

[BlueStreak]

5. And the first to question that ridiculous narrative that this was payback for not endorsing Christie

Christie WISHES that's how the story would remain because that's rather benign -- a petulant act by a revved up staff member in the heat of an election drive.

But that was always absurd. Since when is a DEMOCRATIC mayor, whom Christie says he doesn't even know, expected to give an endorsement to a Republican governor? And since when would anybody be stupid enough to go for retributions when your guy is already 25 points ahead and certain to win?

That was always absurd, and any "news" program that ever even hinted at that should obviously has such bad instincts and judgment that they should never ever be relied upon for any reporting.

This is, obviously, about a much bigger deal, and that is getting big financial favors for the Governor's friends. And it isn't even clear that the Fort Lee mayor was anything but a cameo player in this drama. Rachael was the first to open up the broader story, and then Steve Kornacki took it from there.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.