I'm sorry, but shouldn't someone from MSNBC actually be working tonight?

[aaaaaa5a]

My god, I know its New Year's eve, but this is suppose to be "The Place for Politics!" Did they not know that tonight could be an important political night!


Not only is the first team not there. But the second team is not there either! Heck, the third team is not there!

Heck, not even Melissa Harris Perry and Erza Klein could bother to work tonight!


There were lots of people that actually went to work today.

This drives me crazy! I don't care what holiday it is. Somebody from MSNBC should be there tonight!

[bama_blue_dot]

1. I've been saying the same thing!

I keep turning it on waiting to see someone worth watching..

[TeamPooka]

5. really? you need the first string to deliver this garbage deal to you?

I'd stay at my party if I were Rachel, Ed , Chris or Larry too.

[bama_blue_dot]

9. Maybe you should go back to your party

with an attitude like that..

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. They are.

[fadedrose]

48. Krystal Ball is supposed to be coming in soon...just heard it..

[TeamPooka]

3. Happy New Year!

[HipChick]

4. Chuck Todd and Luke Russert are on hand

To explain everything..

What more can you need?

[aaaaaa5a]

7. Chuck Todd is calling in by phone. This coverage is a joke. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Chuck Todd was a New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle answer yesterday

He couldn't appear on the scene because his head wouldn't fit into 30 Rock today.

[johnfunk]

22. What was the clue? "Goateed Villager douchenozzle"?

That is all...

[Walk away]

28. Yes! nt

[Sekhmets Daughter]

52. You consider Chuck Todd better than an unknown? Really?

[ProudProgressiveNow]

6. +1 nt

[MADem]

8. I am watching Biden arriving at the Hill on MSNBC right now--someone IS working tonight. nt

[aaaaaa5a]

10. Yes, but I'm talking about their main front line stars. Someone should definitely be there.

At this point, why not just run prison porn and scroll the news across the bottom of the screen?


Lockdown anyone?

[MADem]

27. What difference would it make? It's not like events can be influenced tonight.

They can report what the leadership is putting out, call a few people and see if anyone blabs a tidbit here or there, but there's nothing to say, really.

All they're doing is rehashing the details now--there's nothing to report until the bill is typed, debated on, distributed. Hell, the House went home already and they will not be back before noon at the earliest tomorrow--it's just the Senate hanging about.

Why run Lockdown shows when there's the potential for some nice B roll (and they're getting some good shots--they keep showing Biden arriving like Caesar). It gives Krystal Ball and Melissa Rayberger, the weekend news desk anchor a chance to get a little practice. How are they going to learn unless they get an opportunity.

I think they're doing a fine job, this 2nd string. They're quite clear in their reporting and they seem to be fact checking before they shoot off their mouths.

[whathehell]

11. Agreed...It seems Ed was on tonight and Tweety showed up at least once last week, but no Rachel

and I'm surprised, disappointed and a bit pissed, because she'd taken a few days

off (no reason given) in the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas.

[aaaaaa5a]

14. MNSBC offers one hell of a holiday and vacation package for its employees!

And I mean you get your time off no matter what is going on in the world!

[Walk away]

30. Not really. The producers are all working overtime.

It's just the talking heads who aren't at the mercy of the news.

[whathehell]

60. Yes, so it seems! n/t

[jenmito]

15. Ed's show was an "end of the year" show. He wasn't there. n/t

[aaaaaa5a]

18. It so bad I think MSNBC was scheduling to run LO's show from last Friday!

They ran his show Friday. It repeated Saturday. And they were going to run THE SAME SHOW again on Monday night, on the even of the Fiscal cliff showdown.


AMAZING!

[jenmito]

20. Yup. And they replayed Al Sharpton's "Revvy Awards" show tonight, too, even though they already

played it last week.

[spooky3]

21. Actually, I caught only parts of L O'D's show Friday and loved it so am glad it will be on again.

I don't mind that the 2nd and 3rd stringers are getting a chance to cover this, especially when I'm not sure there will be any big news until tomorrow at the least. The Senate ought to be able to work out a partial deal, since they need few if any Republican votes (more if there is a filibuster), but if the House isn't going to vote, there won't be a complete deal.

Just my opinion.

[aaaaaa5a]

25. That's the problem. The second and third stringers aren't even there!

And why would you run a repeat show on the even of the fiscal cliff negotiations!

Did they not know this date was coming!

[spooky3]

36. I guess it depends on how you define 2nd, 3rd team. They have qualified people covering this live.

I don't have any problem with MSNBC's giving Rachel, Ed, Lawrence et al. a holiday or allowing them to take vacation time. That seems like a progressive thing to do. It is New Year's Eve, after all.

[whathehell]

59. Okay, yeah. I thought that might have been the case. n/t

[Cleita]

17. There was an ad for her New Year's eve show tonight last week, but I guess

it got pre-empted. Maybe they'll show those shows, obviously pre-taped, tomorrow.

[whathehell]

58. Yes, I saw that too. I hope they show it on New Year's Day, at least. n/t

[Cleita]

16. Chuck Toadie was there.

What a self-important ass! At least they spared us Luke Russert, so far.

[Jamaal510]

45. Why do so many people hate Chuck on here?

I don't understand what's wrong with him.

[Stardust]

54. I suspect we dislike him because he's a closet Republicon...just guessing, though.

[HipChick]

63. Did you not watch his 2008 and 2012 Election coverage?..

Republican to the hilt..

[Whisp]

19. because they don't really give a shit...

there will always be something to flap yap about when they come back from their gluttony so why should they care. It's not like they have important jobs or anything.

they don't.

[aaaaaa5a]

23. Sadly I think you are right.

I would like to think that at least people like Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow care about the causes they promote on TV. But not seeing anyone bother to show up at work tonight proves this notion to be wrong.

Its really pretty much just a job and nothing more. And if the schedule that was made 2 months ago said they were suppose to be "OFF" today, then late breaking political news be damned! I'm not going into work.


I guess they view their jobs no differently than most of the people in this country who have to go to work each day in a job they really don't like.

[aaaaaa5a]

24. Krystal Ball just called in. What a total joke!

I guess MSNBC is on TV. And they are just hoping some of their on air talent will happen to notice that there is actually big news going on in the world. They then pray they will call in to the station to help fill air time.


I can't believe how bad this coverage is.

[duffyduff]

44. She's always phoning it in. Don't care for her one bit or for her bare arms. n/t

[OldDem2012]

26. BFD. Why should they set aside their plans because Congress couldn't get their act together? nt.

[Lifelong Protester]

29. The ads running all last week about them being on tonight

was I dreaming that, or weren't they all to be on live tonight? Am I mistaken? Wasn't this a big New Year's Eve deal?

I guess of the line up, I'd really have liked to have heard from Lawrence O. tonight, as a former senate staffer.

[chillfactor]

31. you always whine this much?

who gives a damn who is reporting...very slow moving events...why should any big name be there sitting on their butt waiting for hours for something that may or may not happen..good gawd.....CALM DOWN.... already

[Mike Nelson]

32. At least they're not showing those "lock-up" stories...

...or the Child Predator naked guy...

[Jamaal510]

46. Actually Child Predator beats Lock-Up by a long-shot.

Too bad they stopped showing new episodes.

[jillan]

33. They are working. There has been alot of people checking in...

[Telly Savalas]

34. Shouldn't the internet have made hack TV pundits obsolete?

[AngryOldDem]

35. Who's anchoring this?

Never seen/heard her before.

Everybody's phoning it in...Rev. Al's on now.

[ms liberty]

37. Really?

Melissa Harris-Perry isn't some fill-in...she has a full time job as a college professor and lives in New Orleans. Ezra Klein is not some fill-in, he has a full time day job as a journalist. Chris Hayes also has a day job, full time, as a journalist. They fill in on MSNBC shows when it works with their schedules. Chris and Melissa only have shows on the weekends for a reason...because they have other full time jobs.
And as for the regulars not being there to report on the fiscal cliff, well everybody deserves a vacation. Should they have cancelled planned events with their loved ones to stay close by a studio just in case something happens? They'd never go anywhere, ever!

[aaaaaa5a]

38. This was the last day for the fiscal cliff deal. You could see this coming from a mile a way.

Someone from there (main talent) should have been there to provide live legit news coverage.



Being a part of a news division by definition means that sometimes you have to work untraditional work hours.

[Deuce]

39. Ed Schultz is doing a good phone in now...

[Revolutionary Girl]

40. Ed thinks it's an alright deal, that's good enough for me.

There's no way THAT man would ever hold back from letting us know if he thought otherwise.

[aaaaaa5a]

42. Agreed. He is really pro AFLCIO too. This is a good sign. nt

[AmBlue]

41. Agreed.

I was really looking forward to at least hearing Lawrence O'Donnell's assessment of this evening's legislative events and.... No luck. : (

[Lifelong Protester]

47. Me too!

As a former Senate staffer, I'd llike to hear his assessment also.

[AmBlue]

57. Love Rachel, but Lawrence is the bomb...

... when it comes to legislation and the inner workings of both Houses of Congress. How cool you worked as a Senate staffer! That's really something special.

[RoverSuswade]

43. The other networks arent much better.

Kathy Griffith just said she wished she and Anderson Cooper were naked. Yuk.

[senseandsensibility]

49. Kystal Ball called in again!

[Peregrine Took]

50. Currant tv and progressive radio - re-runs all week= joke.

Surely they could have found some hungry journalists/reporters out there who would have been eager to do their shows.

Pathetic!!!!!!!!!!

[Jamaal510]

51. I was complaining with my big sister last night

about why those marijuana and prison porn shows have been on Current instead of the normal shows with people subbing in. And she had suggested that maybe they don't have deep enough pockets to pay someone to sub in during the holidays. Maybe that's also the case with MSNBC and their prime time shows. They might not have the money that FOX does to pay people to have shows on holidays and weekends, besides the mornings.
It's too bad, but it feels kinda refreshing for me to have a reason to get away from the TV for a night or two and take a break from politics.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

53. Nope. n/t

[DollarBillHines]

55. Uh, it is New Years Eve...

it is OK to take a break.

Really....

Grab a bottle of bourbon and pick up a guitar.

I will write you a note...
DBH

[AAO]

56. At most companies, the only ones working are the shat-upon grunts

Why the hell shouldn't big Eddie get a night off to celebrate? Is Shawn Hannity working tonight? I thought not!!

[aaaaaa5a]

61. MSNBC continues to embarrass themselves.

Morning Joe is now running a repeat news show from a program they ran LAST WEEK!


While they are running a taped, rerun news show, they are airing breaking news banners about the news going on today.


This is astounding!


On what is suppose to be a live 24 hour news network, they are literally running a repeat news program that is at least 4-5 days old, while breaking news is going on right now.... involving legislations critical to the country.



Its one thing for a sitcom to be in repeat mode. But for a 24 hour news program to run repeats while legit, big news is going on is deplorable.


BTW... FOX and Friends is LIVE! And they have their #1 team on TV spinning GOP propaganda.

[JI7]

62. maybe they were all too drunk to go on air

[jwirr]

64. I actually stopped watching when MSNBC kept the regular programs be interupted by coverage of

the fiscal cliff stuff. I already knew what was happening and when chucky todd came on I had enough.

[aaaaaa5a]

65. Brett Baier is on FOX. Anderson Cooper is anchoring CNN

Everybody has there TV Star in place for coverage except MSNBC.