Velshi is taking the Cross Connection time slot.. And it is GREAT TV!!

[targetpractice]

Did anybody else see this!?!?

Ali Velshi is taking over a bit of the Cross Connection time today… I am guessing that Tiffany Cross was like, “Nope. Hell no way am I gonna cover the death of a white privileged imperialistic racist monarch for two hours.”

And, then it unfolded spectacularly from there... I'm paraphrasing to give you the gist, and I can't rewind and confirm, because I'm streaming it... But the first guest was a NBC British Historian (didn't catch his name). He made the mistake of saying... "British colonialism is American propaganda"...

And, it went OFF THE RAILS from there... Ali Velshi proceeded to tear the guy a new asshole... The guy kept telling Ali to focus on the vast majority (85%) of people mourning in this time of grief, not the disgruntled minority... Ari mentioned that he was born in Kenya, a British colony at the time... Ali just let the guy hoist himself on his own petard... Ali was steaming but always a pro. Ari closed out the segment by basically saying, "It’s time to go. Thanks to [insert commentator name] for attempting to whitewash British history for us. Come back soon. We'll be right back after this break.”

BTW, I'm sad about Queen Elisabeth's death, but really...

UPON EDIT: Corrected "Ari" to "Ali"... I was too wound up to type.

[underpants]

1. Damn.

Can’t wait to see video of that.

[targetpractice]

2. Pardon me if I was inaccurate...

I want to rewatch, too... But, I stopped what I was doing and paid attention. Always love me some Ali Velshi.

[mitch96]

21. Here you go...

[underpants]

24. Thanks.

[targetpractice]

40. Thanks for that...

Glorious. Ali Velshi slaying it.

Can't believe the guy saying now is not the time to focus on the 10%-15% minorities when 85% of the British population supports the ascension of King Charles.

[underpants]

41. He didn't take any crap.

[Butterflylady]

3. Watch the film Gandhi to see what the Brits were capable of.

Great inside of what happened when India wanted their freedom from Britain.

[targetpractice]

4. That's a great idea for today.

I need to understand more. I'm rusty about that history. Thanks for the pro-tip Butterflylady!

[yorkster]

5. Thx for heads up.

I am watching live EST and Ali just referenced a conversation about British colonialism. I think he might be about to replay some of what you discussed. Thanks for heads up. Love Ali Velshi and thought he just might have an intelligent and informed approach to this topic.

[targetpractice]

9. Yes... He is expanding on it now...

Must watch.

[True Blue American]

17. Boy, is he ever! That guy ,

Made the mistake of opening the door! That guy is a Historian!

Since I remember us defending England this is like opening a History book for me. Younger people do not remember how the Royal family refused to go to safety during the bombing. They could not keep Winston Churchill in his safe place. He kept sneaking out to be with the people.

Joe Kennedy was Ambassador. They lost Joe, the older Son and Kathleen died in a plane crash

[True Blue American]

6. Just saw that. The guy attacked

Ali’s country. Not the time or place. England has faults, too. The biggest mistake was leaving the EU.

Yes, Ali is covering News between the Trump saga and Britain.

President Biden said he would be attending the funeral. Jake Tapper suggested he invite Trump. Has he lost his marbles? Biden is allowed to choose his guests.

Anyone think Trump will show up?

[targetpractice]

13. Good lord, no...

Trump should not be allowed to leave the country.

But yes, Ali Velshi is the hardest working man on television. Love him.

[malaise]

7. Brilliant take on British Colonialism

Go Ali - tell them the truth as we know it.

[targetpractice]

8. Ali is schooling me right now...

... Segment on British Colonialism... Embarrassed to say I need to know more.

[targetpractice]

10. Folks blasting Ali on Twitter...

... Telling him today is not the day to discuss such things. Just like his first guest.

[mitch96]

15. "today is not the day to discuss such things" as the saying goes.

If not now? when? B/C this might sully somebodies sensibilities?
I think the conversation is a balance to british whitewashing of history.. Many countries with the vision of imperialism did lots of the same thing as britian.
Today it's the history of the british empires turn in the barrel. YMMV
m

[Samrob]

32. Like when there is a mass shooting and killing is not the time to talk about gun control.

[targetpractice]

33. Exactly. Stop being disruptive of the status quo. n/t

[milestogo]

38. Just like we can't talk about gun control the day after people are slaughtered.

[malaise]

11. Melissa's folks are from Jamaica

She's not buying the bullshit

[targetpractice]

14. Melissa? The guest with glasses?

MSNBC is annoying with their chyrons... They don't display the names of guests for long enough.

Oh... Melissa Murray...Got it. Enjoy her.

[True Blue American]

18. No,now is not the time, but Ali did not start it.

[librechik]

16. headline: "VELSHI GOES ROGUE!!!"

who knew that this rather proper Canadian gentleman had THAT inside?!

Well I sort of did. That poor weak tea BBC spokesman didn't know what hit him.

Oh it was righteous anger over many centuries of harsh and brutal British colonialism.

Seems just about right. Hope Ali still has his job by tomorrow.

[True Blue American]

20. MSNBC is not going to fire Ali. He practically runs the place.

They do have some very weak hosts.

[librechik]

25. Very true. I'm on the edge of my seat.

[targetpractice]

34. Hah... The powers that be will drum up a hurricane somehow...

... And, send him there. The "Velshi" problem solved for a bit.

[brush]

19. British colonialism/imperialism was of course brutal to Black and Brown...

people of subjugated nations as they were of course forced to mine, farm, and strip the natural resources of their own country and ship the wealth of their nation to England to enrich the British empire.

That's just fact and the legacy of it is still evident as the nations with poorest DNP are still the Black and Brown nations while the richest are still the white nations, including the US of course which is now dominant and sort of the inheritor of the dominant position that Britain once held.

Queen Elizabeth of course saw and reigned over the tail end and dismantling of the empire so her role/blame in it is hard to define as much of the brutality, exploitation and slavery happen long before she became the monarch...so how to feel about her now at her passing is complicated and mixed to many, to say the least.

As the African, West Indian and Asian countries began declaring their independence in the '50s and '60s, there are gaps in my knowledge of the role the monarchy played—was there resistance from the crown, or just an attitude of resignation that the empire was over it was time to adjust to it.

I welcome anyone who has more knowledge of that period to fill me in on how the monarchy handled it. I know it didn't go well in the '40s in India and in Africa with the Mau Mau rebellion, but Elizabeth was a child then and not the reigning monarch.

[hydrolastic]

22. Velshi is the best in my book

He is very deliberate in his speaking. He doesn't repeat over and over like Rachel does and he is passionate about his views. I will check my recordings to see this.

[targetpractice]

31. Agreed for multiple reasons...

Ali Velshi is very deliberate and a super fast talker... I watch him with my jaw open wondering how do some people have brains that work that way.

And, I love Rachel, but she is SO REPETITIVE... And, you really notice it when you just listen to her podcasts... She reminds me of when you were a young kid in school and the teacher asked you on the first day of a new school year to write about your summer... "I had a very, very, very good summer. We really, really, really had a lot of fun. Oh, did I mention it was a really, really good summer? Et cetera."

[librechik]

23. UH oh. Suddenly MSNBC puts on Alex Witt and MSNBC Reports

Did they yank Ali? We're still in Tiffany time slot. Good lord, I hope not.

[targetpractice]

28. No... Ali was on for three hours...

I am just guessing, but I think Tiffany didn't want to cover non-stop Queen Elizabeth news. She has a specific purpose for her Saturday morning show.. And today was not a fit. Again, just speculating... I don't blame her if I'm right.

[librechik]

39. good point. Tiffany is another tv journalist I admire.

Buckingham wall to wall coverage is embarrassing from a US source. However, there are so many lush visuals I can see why they went for it. Otherwise, boring talking heads repeating horrifying war, corruption and national security debacles. AAAAAaaaeeegh!

I'm watching Tim Ventura on Youtube and I don't care who knows it.

[librechik]

26. Velshi did not return after the break.

I hope he is okay. Was that the original plan?

[targetpractice]

29. He took over the first hour of Cross Connection...

Unusual, but Tiffany was out today for some reason.

There is no way, no how MSNBC will fire Ali Velshi... I assume he sleeps at 30 Rock. He's the hardest working man on television.

[librechik]

36. totally agree. Just wondering. Unusual, as you say.

At least Ali got his say!

[2naSalit]

27. Good on him!

It needs to be said.

I saw, last night, Dr. Melissa Murry, a descendant of Jamaica, describe how it's complicated to Chris Hayes just before he handed the time off to Alex Wagner, who until then did not know that her mom is from Myanmar, restated that "it's complicated". That appears to be the best way to approach this massive topic. I am not surprised that Ali set that guy straight, he does so with class and I love his intellect and wit.

I wonder what some of the others on that channel will have to offer over time.

I was raised in a few of the "colonial states" of this country and have a lot of feelings about this, mostly that it could hasten the end of the empire and I have no objection to that. In school, in New England, the colonial history was forefront so I heard a lot of English history along with our own created out of defiance. Sadly, we retained too many of the social ills of the points of origin, including corruption and aristocracy. I was never considered a viable citizen in the NE states because I am a woman and that my skin isn't pearly white, not black or any discernible ethnic type. That caused me to see the queen as a fairy-tale come true figure during my childhood but had very different feelings when I grew up and learned the reality. Most of the historical tales we were told about England were mostly presented in fairy-tale style, all prettied up/whitewashed, and mostly any hostilities are far in the past and everything's okay now that none of us engage in the slave trade anymore, at least overtly.

A thousand years is a good run. Too bad it meant so much inhumanity was employed to make it so. I don't care for monarchies as they tend to be bad for the non-royals and their inner circle.

I am kind of ambivalent about it at present. We have far greater issues to deal with here.

[targetpractice]

30. Great reply... Thanks!

I missed the Chris Hayes hand-off to Alex... It was edited out of the podcast.

[2naSalit]

44. It was five minutes of...

Conversation that was as important that any reports on either show.

I have rarely discussed, in depth, the vagaries of being a former colonial subject or direct descendant of any in a long time. It will be interesting to see how those populations perceive this event.

[Deuxcents]

35. I was pleased to see Ali on this morning..he does what journalists should do..

Dig deep n report..not make news.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

37. Given the continuing shrinkage of Great Britain,

All that seems to be left is righteous anger and defense reflexes.

I wonder what William and Harry's falling out is about. Probably race. And that is a problem we seem glued to.

[targetpractice]

43. Velshi tweet about this...

Link to tweet

[malaise]

45. The one thing Ali didn't do that he should do is play Truss' original comment on their queen's deat

Almost at the end she mentioned their magnificent history without an apology to the victims of the British empire.
Eff the collective pack of them.

[bullwinkle428]

46. BOOM! You guys nailed it further up the thread, and Ali just confirmed it.