Rachel Needs to Start a “Hall of Afraid”

Rachel Maddow needs to start a Hall of Afraid of all the big talkers who talk a big show on Fox and elsewhere, but are afraid to go debate Rachel. Last week, Liz Cheney challenged Keith Olbermann to a duel, but refused to show up to debate Rachel. And now Joe Lieberman is hiding from a girl (albeit one who’s taller than Joe).

I also want to tell our viewers that we invited Senator Lieberman to come onto this show tonight. His office did not even bother to respond to our requests.

Senator Lieberman, you should know you have an open invitation — as you long have had — to come on this show. I promise you will get a fair shake. Actually, at this point, I promise to not only buy you a shake, I will buy you a cookie if you come on this show.

I’m envisioning YouTubes of all these invites, placed next to pictures of the cowards who refuse to defend their own ideas.

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59 replies
      • knowbuddhau says:

        Dude’s bought and paid for. Great suggestion, EW. Note how Joe the Neocon Mole uses their trademark “noble lie” shtick. He’s the poster boy for political Perkinsian hit men, the NSA-holes who’ve been perverting our shared narrative to their selfish benefit using weapons-grade lies since the advent of the Cold War and their hideous weaponization of psychology.

        Believe it or not, The Men Who Stared At Goats is a perfect case in point. It was an effort to weaponize psychotechnics. See also Project MKULTRA, The CIA’s Program of Research in Behavioral Modification.

        Theirs is a Newtonian cosmos of points in absolute vacuums; ours is a post-Einsteinian cosmos of seamless fields and self-emptying vessels. Just as no one word can contain its own source, there’s just no way a segment of a field can forever dominate the whole. By “connecting the dots,” busting their divisive myths, we come back together like water following a knife: indivisible by our very nature. This really is the source of the power of the people. It is not other than what we are doing right here and now.

        And dustbbunny44, check out the great coverage by Glenn Greenwald on Democracy Now! this morning.

  1. MadDog says:

    Rachel Maddow needs to start a Hall of Afraid…

    I’d prefer her to hand out Chicken awards.

    You know, like Chicken Little, Little Chicken, Southern FrLied Chicken, or Dixie Chicken.

    Bawk, bawk bawk, bawk!

    “…With a cluck-cluck here,
    And a cluck-cluck there

    Here a cluck, there a cluck,
    Everywhere a cluck-cluck…”

  2. cregan says:

    Oh, I think there are lots of candidates for a “Hall of Afraid,” and Lieberman is just one. Pelosi has never been interviewed by anyone she doesn’t know in advance agrees with her. Reid, same thing. Boehner, same thing. And these days, Obama, same thing. McCain and Levin are about the only ones who will talk to anyone, and I’m not sure if that’s courage or 15 minutes of fame syndrone.

    • dakine01 says:

      And just when was it that McCain went on RMS or Countdown? I must have missed that show. Seems to me, he spends a lot of time on Meet the Press and Fox news. Neither has shown a willingness to actually question McCain and disagree with him.

      • cregan says:

        Yeah, correct. But, I do think if invited, he would appear. I’ve seen him on Steph’s show. I’ve seen him on Hardball, not lately, but I have.

        Anyway, the point is that ALL of them are afraid of sitting down with someone who might ask them tough questions.

        But, I think Levin and McCain are more likely to.

  3. eagleye says:

    Rachel and Glenn– a couple of heroes, IMHO ! I can hardly believe she has a show on corporate TV– hope it lasts for awhile….

  4. MadDog says:

    OT – Just in case anyone has been jonesin’ for a Friday document dump, there exists the possibility that tomorrow will fix that – via Mother Jones:

    More Torture Docs Coming Friday?

    The American public could learn more about George W. Bush and Dick Cheney’s torture and rendition policies on Friday if the Obama administration follows through on a promise to review a number of internal Bush administration documents. Earlier this month, the administration vowed to make its “best efforts” to process some 224 documents by October 30 to determine what can be publicly released…

    …In September, the Obama administration sent these 224 new documents to the CIA and other agencies for possible release. If government lawyers decide they can’t justify withholding any of the 224 documents, those records could be made public Friday. “Hopefully they will stick to that date, and hopefully we will get something,” says Alex Abdo, an ACLU lawyer working on the ongoing litigation concerning the FOIA request. ” If I were to guess, I would say that we will likely get at least a few documents, but it is really hard to know just yet…”

    …As Mother Jones has reported, one document that could be released is a 59-page Department of Defense top-secret memo from July 25, 2002. The document was actually just misfiled by the CIA, and the Obama team found it and sent it to the Pentagon for processing last month. The document is thought to outline the torture techniques, perhaps as part of an argument for using those techniques on detainees.

  5. perris says:

    Last week, Liz Cheney challenged Keith Olbermann to a duel

    serious?

    I’m would think keith jumped at the oportunity, although I could see keith doing something like;

    “tell your dad to stop hiding behind your skirt and come here himself to debate”

    anyway, where has that challenge gone?

      • Loo Hoo. says:

        It was on the website of her new foundation. It can be found at drippingbloodandtortureanddeath.com

        It claimed Keith and Rachel were afraid of her, but they both challenged her to come on.

  6. MadDog says:

    More OT – Via the NYT’s Charlie Savage:

    Obama Strengthens Espionage Oversight

    President Obama this week strengthened the authority and independence of an espionage oversight board made up of private citizens with top-level security clearances and a mandate to uncover illegal spying activities.

    In an executive order released Thursday by the White House, Mr. Obama rolled back several changes made by the Bush administration that had weakened the so-called Intelligence Oversight Board, a panel that helps presidents make sure spy agencies are obeying federal laws and presidential directives…

    • MadDog says:

      This is the heart of Charlie’s article:

      …Mr. Obama’s order restored to the oversight board a duty to forward to the attorney general any information it encounters about illegal intelligence activities.

      The responsibility to refer illegal matters to the Justice Department – setting in motion a possible criminal investigation — had long been a core function of the oversight board. But in February 2008, President Bush issued an executive order eliminating the board’s mandate to do so…

    • bmaz says:

      Yeah this is going to accomplish a whole hell of a lot with an Attorney General and President willing to cover everything up with blanket state secrets assertions and blithely tell the country to move forward. Gee thanks Obama.

      • MadDog says:

        I agree that if one has a puppet like either Fredo or Mumbles as AG, but the small glimmer of sunshine is the fact that civilian, non-Federal employees of the PIAB – Presidential Intelligence Advisory Board (and the subset IOB – Intelligence Oversight Board), have less incentive to protect Intelligence Community employees who go off the reservation than the Director of National Intelligence.

        Small potatoes I agree, but from small potatoes bigger potatoes grow.

  7. Hmmm says:

    OT — Bit unlikely, I know, but: Any word on what may have happened in today’s (or was it really at 2:30a this morning after all?) FISA briefing?

  8. FormerFed says:

    Rachel is taller than Joe – what a kick. No wonder he is afraid to come on her show – some short men have trouble with taller women – particularly when they are smarter.

  9. MadDog says:

    And totally OT – via Politco’s Josh Gerstein:

    Brutal ruling quashes birthers’ suit

    A federal judge in California has issued a brutal ruling dismissing a closely-watched “birthers'” lawsuit challenging President’s Barack Obama’s qualifications to be president.

    In a 30-page ruling (30 page PDF) issued Thursday morning, Judge David Carter used unusually withering language to throw out the suit prominent birthers’ attorney Orly Taitz brought on behalf of a variety of military personnel and some third-party presidential and vice presidential candidates, such as Alan Keyes…

    • MadDog says:

      I think Josh’s headline was way, way understated *g*:

      From a footnote on page 19:

      The inclusion of the First Lady in this lawsuit, considering she holds no constitutional office, is baffling.

      And this one from page 29 had me laughing out loud:

      …Additionally, the Court has received several sworn affidavits that Taitz asked potential witnesses that she planned to call before this Court to perjure themselves. This Court is deeply concerned that Taitz may have suborned perjury through witnesses she intended to bring before this Court…

      • bmaz says:

        As to Alan Keyes’ joinder in Taitz’s suit:

        Keyes and the other candidates also got the back of the hand from Carter as he discussed whether any of the plaintiffs could show the individualized harm needed to pursue the suit. “Plaintiffs received only four-hundredth of one percent of the vote. The Court may have already met this entire group of voters at the hearings on this matter,” the judge scoffed.

        Ouch!

  10. alinaustex says:

    Ms Rachel Maddow invokes deep seated fear and loathing in the panolopy of the right wing pantheon . It was a moment of great irony , wonderment , and justice to watch Rachel simple run over former GOP Leader Richard C Armey -as each tea bagger myth and astroturfed bullshyte argument was dismantled right there in front of God and everybody. The other great moments at TRMS was when David “AXIS OF EVIL ” Fromm came on and try to ambush Ms Maddow. Once again the right wing demagouge was handed his hat minus his ass. Ms Maddow does the progressive agenda proud.
    And then to see that Rachel had caught this big ol ‘striped bass on her vacation apparently on light spinning tackle – with a large jig head and a red curly tail kicker – why that just sealed this middle aged married mancrush I have for her ,
    Thank you for helping us keep up Ms Maddow – I was a fan even back when you were on Air America – you deserve your own prime time cable slot !

  11. MadDog says:

    And more OT via The Cable:

    Senators press CIA for information on Karzai’s brother

    Lawmakers are actively but secretively trying to get to the bottom of the CIA’s relationship with Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in light of the stunning New York Times article which cited unnamed sources stating he has been on the CIA’s payroll for years while simultaneously facilitating massive drug trade in his region.

    CIA Director Leon Panetta met with several Senators on both sides of the aisle Thursday behind closed doors and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry, D-MA, has submitted a formal request for information detailing the Agency’s relationship with Karzai the brother.

    Following his meeting with Panetta, Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, D-MI, said that he would not disclose what Panetta told him but that on the question of Ahmed Wali Karzai’s relationship with the CIA, he had gotten some clarity.

    “I think we know [about his relationship with the CIA] but I can’t share that with you,” Levin said, adding mysteriously, “I don’t know that Karzai’s brother is on the CIA payroll.”

    …Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, the immediate past chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said that he was not aware of the CIA’s relationship with Karzai during his tenure but should have been…

    • MadDog says:

      “I think we know [about his relationship with the CIA] but I can’t share that with you,” Levin said, adding mysteriously, “I don’t know that Karzai’s brother is on the CIA payroll.”

      Sounds like some weasel-wording going on here. The money comes out of DoD’s budget and not the CIA’s?

      • bmaz says:

        They do it through a front company; has been the way for decades. Of course he doesn’t get a fucking W-2 or 1099 form from them at year’s end; this is a worthless statement.

        • MadDog says:

          Yeah, I think Jello Jay Rock’s statement is the more telling one, and I read it as confirming the CIA/Ahmed Wali Karzai relationship.

    • fatster says:

      Regarding Rockefeller’s comment: Should we start a count of the CIA’s omissions? We know now that they have committed five lies (snort! snort!, or snark! snark!, whichever you prefer), so why not?

  12. worldwidehappiness says:

    Rachel Maddow needs to start a Hall of Afraid of all the big talkers who talk a big show on Fox and elsewhere, but are afraid to go debate Rachel.

    About time! Here in Australia, TV presenters bring up an issue, and if the relevant politician doesn’t show up, then the TV presenter invites an opposing politician to have a one-sided discussion! It is widely understood here that if a TV interviewer says, “The politician declined to be interviewed,” it means that politician has basically lost her or his argument.

    But in America, the TV presenters seem to be competing to get access to these creeps and have to crawl and only ask softball questions. Somehow the dynamic got reversed in America. What happened?

    Politicians in Australia fight for exposure on TV, but in America, journalists fight for access to politicians. Weird!

    • Loo Hoo. says:

      Some here still use their access well. (Weiner, Wyden for example) But you’re right, why do they back off? Could be the Limbaugh factor. Do you have anyone as crazed as Rush on your soil?

  13. worldwidehappiness says:

    MadDog, It’s 130 PM Friday 30th October 2009.

    Loo Hoo, Yeah, there are some crazies with huge followings. One radio guy, Alan Jones, supported apartheid in South Africa and things like that. He is so powerful (huge audience of old people and far rightwingers) that the government assigns a government politician to stay updated on his latest rants.

    If you are willing to speak for the extreme right, then there is plenty of work available for you. But don’t forget, Australia is in the middle of the political spectrum (like most democratic nations). In America your choice is Right (Democrats) and Far-Right (Republicans). We have mildly-Left (Labor) and mildly-Right (Liberal).

    • perris says:

      In America your choice is Right (Democrats) and Far-Right (Republicans). We have mildly-Left (Labor) and mildly-Right (Liberal).

      one of the most astute comments relating to political preferance I have seen in a long time

      democrats should use that when on teevee

      as a matter of fact, dean should have used that when he debated rove, rove used a statistic claiming a majority of americans refer to themselves as “concervative”

      if dean had your paragraph in the “debate folder” of his brain he would have whipped that out and rove would have went nutzo

  14. radiofreewill says:

    OT – but, too Funny:

    “Chris Christie says Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine should quit hinting at his weight with unflattering ads and “Man up and say I’m fat.””

  15. freepatriot says:

    the oily taint fot slapped by another judge ???

    what a surprise

    do these people ever get a clue ???

    and with regard to “brownies”: you can put chilis or chocolate chips, but if yer butter ain’t green, yer jes wastin yet time

    and cookies are better than brownies folks …

    jes sayin, is all

  16. Leen says:

    While I celebrate Rachel’s efforts to shine the light on many issues. She is obviously brilliant.

    But Rachel has her own ” Hall of afraid” issues that she will not touch on her program. The one time she mentioned the Aipac espionage trial was once it was dismissed. She never ever touched this issue while Rosen/Weissman were being investigated or while the trial was being delayed 9 times. When she did mention it it was done in a way that was dismissive and “much ado about nothing”

    She did not even whisper about the UN Goldstone Report. Charles Freeman being thrown off the bus etc. The Lancet report or other reports about the Iraqi dead, injured, displaced.

    Oh yes Rachel has her own ” Hall of afraid” list.

    As well as Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann

    How in the hell can these people spend so much time on Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh. When there has not been one person or persons held accountable for all of that fucking false pre war intelligence.

    I know “move on, turn the page, next chapter, do not be about vengeance, retribution” I have heard all of this horseshit coming out of the mouths of our Reps, Karl Rove, Cheney the Obama administration etc.

    Just wondering when Chris Matthews, RAchel, Keith will start bringing a few of the tens of thousands of Vets who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan without a few limbs on their programs. Chris Matthews prodcast from Walter Reed in 2004 or 05. Not much since then.

    Show Americans the pictures, count the dead in Iraq, the injurd, the displaced. Or continue to be part of the news that keeps Americans in their beloved bubble.

  17. Leen says:

    A list of folks that would be great to see on Rachels, Keiths, Matthews, Ed.

    Micheal Ledeen, James Woolsey, Bill Kristol, Wurmsers, Bolton, Cheney, Feith, Rosen, Weissman, Franklin

    guest list, Lt Col Karen Kwiatowski, Flynnt Leverett, Juan Cole,Scott Ritter, Judge Goldstone

  18. freepatriot says:

    halloween and football make a happy convergence this weekend, so trashtalk should follow that theme

    given the favorite player of a certain host, I suggest an Old Men and Children theme

    something like a “GET OF MY LAWN” trash talk seems appropriate

    too bad the Phillies used Pedro last night, instead of saving him for Sunday

    we coulda had an “OLDER THAN DIRT” double feature

    (duckin & runnin)

  19. worldwidehappiness says:

    Perris,

    Of course, since Dems are Rightwing, it means:

    Most Firedoglake readers are rightwing voters!

    One step away from neocons!

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