Lawrence O'Donnell & Rev Al - Best Two Shows On MSNBC These Days

[stopbush]

O'Donnell really knows his stuff, has great guests and provides an unvarnished and considered look at the inside-the-beltway game.

Rev Al asks hard questions and does NOT let up on his guests (though I could do without all the references to Jeebus - well, he is Rev, after all).

I've also been impressed with Tweety of late. He seems to have come out as a leftist and has been challenging the RWers consistently. He's also been defending Obama vigorously.

I've cooled a bit to Rachel's show. I found it enjoyable last week when Melissa H-P was guest host. Maybe I've cooled to Rachel a bit. She still has a great show, but I could do without the badgering in her initial segment each night where she presents 18 different ways of saying the same thing...and her "best thing today" segment - like the earlier and abandoned "cocktail" segment - comes off as being a bit childish for my taste. I still watch, but I think she has some competition within her own network at this point.

Keith O is tearing up the airwaves at Current, but he seems a little bit like last year's fad now that he's off MSNBC. I only catch his show as a rerun as he conflicts with The Last Word which has become my default #1 progressive show these days. As much as I was pissed at MSNBC for how they treated Keith - and Cenk - it's encouraging that they're showcasing so many guest hosts these days, hosts who may end up getting a show of their own, à la Chris Hayes.

Ed is Ed - hit or miss. I wish he'd give his guests more time to make their points.

I'd be interested in the thoughts of others on today's progressive TV shows, especially what's happening at MSNBC of late. When Keith left MSNBC, the worries were that they would move right. If anything, they moved more left, albeit by employing more-moderate voices, IMHO.

[Raven]

1. I agree but add Maddow to that list. n/t

[hedgehog]

2. Clearly trying to pick a fight with Rachel's fans. I'm hitting the alert button!

:evilgrin:

[stopbush]

4. Not at all. One can be a fan and not feel the need to be in lockstep with the fawning.

After all, we're not Rs here.

[hedgehog]

10. I meant that as a joke, based on all the vitriol lately.

[hifiguy]

3. I'd take Rachel over Sharpton any day.

There's something about Sharpton's voice (cadence, pauses, can't quite put my finger on it) that drives me nuts, though he's pretty good on substance.

Lawrence is simply first rate.

[stopbush]

5. I agree that his delivery isn't exactly ready for prime time, which is why he isn't in prime time.

His delivery has improved over the short time he's been on air. It's a lot harder being a host on these shows than being the occasional guest that gets 45 secs out of a 5-minute segment to make your point. I think he's a quick learner, and as you say, he's good on substance.

But he's not as good at thinking on his feet as Rachel, who comes armed with a bit of drill down on her line of questioning. Sharpton is more like Bill Maher, who usually has only ONE statistic/story/idea handy with which to battle the Rs. That leaves him susceptible to being shot down by any R who has a legit counter or - more likely - who is willing to toss out some falsehood in the moment that they know Bill won't be able to instantly fact check. Rev Al needs to have better prep work than he has now. He could learn from Rachel in this respect.

[Snotcicles]

9. I think it is difficult to transition from guest to host. He is getting it, he'll learn

where the control knobs are and how to use them, Al is a quick study.

[badhair77]

6. I agree. LOD has been on fire lately.

I rarely miss his show.

[Snotcicles]

7. I think Rachel is at her best when she is one on one with an adversary

I don't care for the cutesy stuff either.
I find it unnecessary, maybe it is just filler.

[trueblue2007]

8. SORRY... BUT YOU DIDN'T ADD RACHEL

U ARE WRONG