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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom Facebook: Why what Rachel did with the tax release is crafty AF
"HERE'S WHY RACHEL MADDOW HIT A HOME RUN TONIGHT.
For those who believe that Rachel Maddow's report this evening was a bust, I have to say that I couldn't disagree more. Consider this: her objective was not to break news, but to *shape* the news. Here's how she did do that...
1) She made the White House bark and roll over like a dog, forcing them to release the same tax return paperwork she had in advance of her show hoping to take the wind out of her sails. It did not. Instead, she made them do something they were never going to do until she made them do it. This made it a news story worthy of coverage by The Washington Post and others. In short, she has put the subject of Trump's tax returns back on the front burner. For the moment anyway, she is driving the news cycle.
2) She used what will probably be reported as her best ratings night in the history of her show to recap all the great reporting her team has done over the last week and a half about all of Trump's corrupt business dealings and connections to Russia and crooked banks. By doing so she has educated the public about the importance of making Trump's tax returns public and re-ignited the public's desire to see it. Don't think this won't have an impact on future polls when people are asked if they want to see Trump's taxes.
3) When the White House lied and said obtaining and publishing such documentation was illegal, she pointed out how such a lie underscores the probability that Trump has something to hide. She also correctly stated that the first amendment makes it is perfectly legal for her to publish such documents and legal for a journalist to obtain such documents provided s/he does not solicit that material. (See the Pentagon Papers case.)
4) She then, while talking with her guests, made it a point to underscore the fact that Trump would have had to release part or all of his tax returns to various financial institutions in order to apply for loans and such. By doing so, she was informing the public that aside from the IRS, there are others who have copies of Trump's taxes. And thus, she just sent an army of people who might have been connected with those institutions to go looking through their back files to see if they might actually be able to find some of that tax info and share it with the media.
5) She purposely asked questions of her guests that were designed to inform those who might have access to Trump's tax returns exactly what kind of additional tax documents the media would need in order to connect Trump to some of the allegations she has brought up in her reporting. She did this without literally soliciting the information, but by generally educating the public. Needless to say, a lot of journalists including Rachel will be keeping a close eye on their mailboxes in the coming days.
In the end, by cable news standards, The Rachel Maddow Show is a shoe-string operation. She does not have an unlimited budget and a large team. In fact, a close examination of her reports will show that she is, in large part, aggregating the work of other journalists who may not have the reach that her show has. Her recent ratings success can be attributed to her focus and her tenacity. Her strategy is simple. Stop letting Trump drive the conversation and focus on uncovering his corruption.
I tip my hat to Rachel tonight. She took what some people would have considered nothing and made something valuable out of it -- a stick in the eye to Donald Trump. Let's see if it bears fruit."
https://www.facebook.com/jerome.vivona/posts/10211727550606442
Wounded Bear
(58,634 posts)fleur-de-lisa
(14,624 posts)gibraltar72
(7,501 posts)Rachel is smart as hell. She told people why he wouldn't want returns shown repeatedly. First tell them what you are going to tell them then tell them. Then tell them what you told them, then tell them what you told them again. She also planted the thought that it is out there. Paranoics can't stand that. She may already have more who knows? someway some how it is coming out. People in general will get a hell of a lot smarter and well informed listening to what Rachel says.
forgotmylogin
(7,524 posts)I always caught her halfway through the show and was sort of lost. After finally catching a show from the beginning I realize that she's not doing quickie buzzword ADD reporting like we're all used to. She builds an entire point slowly and clearly over the length of the show and it really helps to watch from the beginning all the way through. There's an arc to it.
She's one of the few people doing long-form journalism nowadays and it looks like it's paying off!
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,661 posts)Those who kvetched about how that 1040 wasn't important and Rachel got "played" (ha, how ridiculous!) totally missed the bigger picture, which had little to do with what the document said and everything to do with what was behind the story.
jmg257
(11,996 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Interesting.
Orrex
(63,199 posts)I was already thinking of a giraffe.
tblue37
(65,290 posts)sarah FAILIN
(2,857 posts)Suggestion of what they would find different info on is different than requesting said info.
But I sure was thinking of a giraffe.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Although there was one glaring answer from this long-ago tax return: Why is President Trump so anxious to nullify the Alternative Minimum Tax? Because at least in 2005, it raised his marginal tax rate into double digits; Trump clearly doesn't want to pay his fair share for the support and maintenance of the country. Some might even conclude that by starving the country of revenue necessary to run it, Donald Trump hates America.
PJMcK
(22,026 posts)This country has been the perfect target for his scams. There are plenty of ignorant, uneducated and/or gullible rubes who will fall for his sales pitches.
America has been good for Mr. Trump as it has the perfect audience for his shtick. After all, nearly half of the voters fell for it.
underthematrix
(5,811 posts)And Rachel also dropped a lug. That there was more information coming.
Raster
(20,998 posts)tRump*s taxes are again front-page nationwide... along with certain other things:
1. Obama wiretapping tRump* is a LIE. No evidence. A lie.
2. Roger Stone* -admitted rethuglican "ratfucker" and one of the tRump* team's Russian connection just DOUBLE lawyered up... as in: "I'm in so much shit, I may need two lawyers."
3. tRumpcare/RyanIDon'tCare is being treated like the pile of shit it truly is, AND the lock-step rethuglicans in Congress are lining up to step in it.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)all the unanswered questions regarding associations, foreign ties and this history of lying and deception on all matters great and small - her explanation preceding the tax record reveal, was the most important part of the show.
lame54
(35,282 posts)or do others see it differently and felt, once again, that they were promised something big that turned out to be nothing
Orrex
(63,199 posts)The vocal consensus appeared to be that she's an utter failure and a Republican stooge because she didn't personally run Herr Trump out of town on a rail.
lame54
(35,282 posts)Orrex
(63,199 posts)I didn't hear about it at all until after it aired.
Guess we'll see...
Lucky Luciano
(11,253 posts)I didn't care for the hyping though. Everything else was on point.
Jonny Appleseed
(960 posts)Can't you just admit she fucked up? Essentially the left equivalent of Fox having "BREAKING CLINTON EMAIL NEWS" and it being John Podesta's lasagna recipe.
Well except Trump's returns will show wrongdoing unlike any of Clinton's emails would.
Listen, I don't need to be told that there's something edible inside a pile of poop just so I can start a conversation on what else is inside the poop.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)the benefit of the doubt. She had her reasons, several which are listed in the OP. This issue is NOT going away anytime soon and when even morning joe says the degenerate released them to deflect, that's news. Now everyone wants to know where the rest of the return is as well as all the others since 2005. Those throwing Rachel under the bus (the person that posted she was a republican should hang their head in shame for such stupidity) are the same ones that always whine they didn't get a pony. Ignore them.
Jonny Appleseed
(960 posts)You don't need to "throw her under the bus" to just admit that it wasn't some sort of brilliant Machiavellian journalistic Rube Goldberg machine, she's a human being. Her ratings spike got to her head and she prematurely shot her wad. It's not a big deal, but we probably shouldn't encourage her to report and publicize in a similar style in the future.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)makes you think YOUR conjecture is any more valid than mine is but whatever.
Orrex
(63,199 posts)Hekate
(90,633 posts)Orrex
(63,199 posts)Hekate
(90,633 posts)Jonny Appleseed
(960 posts)That amount of blind devotion and scrambling to do damage control that I've seen has been scary. I've seen a couple negative comments but like 30 different threads lavishing praise defensively. Like, chill, you don't need to worry about not fighting back hard enough, generally nobody on this site will start voting republican because their opinion of Rachel Maddow lessened an iota or 2.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,524 posts)Players gonna play way ahead of where we're all expecting!
lastlib
(23,204 posts)My satellite service got cut off today and replaced by a new service which, alas!, doesn't carry MSNBC (FUCKETY-FUCK-fuck-FUCK!!)
SHIT! I'm stuck with CNN now. Unfortunately, I don't have any say in the matter, so I'm screwed.
Highway61
(2,568 posts)Only have internet. Invest in a router and an old Roku. I go to YouTube and get the latest Olberman, John Oliver and the highlights of Bill Maher etc. You can get Rachel there (and also on Facebook if you go to her page). It's been 3 years and I don't miss it at all.
Response to lastlib (Reply #54)
desi This message was self-deleted by its author.
Rhiannon12866
(205,161 posts)You can see videos from Rachel, Lawrence, Joy Reid and the others online, and there's a lot posted in GD and Videos, but it's not the same as watching live.
Orrex
(63,199 posts)"Who will rid me of these troublesome Jews/Muslims/Mexicans/African Americans?" he asks his rabid racist base.
And then he sits back with legally clean hands while his minions leap into action.
Sauce for the goose, you sick orange fucker.
Rightwing pundits have been doing the same thing for years, inciting violent action without literally calling for it. Then when someone shoots up a church or tries to break up an imaginary child porn ring at a pizza shop, the pundit can express horror and outrage.
Maddow is deftly using the same strategy, potentially steering others to the right path without actually telling them to go that way.
FSogol
(45,472 posts)sharers, etc.
Hekate
(90,633 posts)People who actually pay attention to Dr Maddow come away smarter and better informed.
I love the line "She made the White House bark and roll over like a dog."
I also love it that one of the Big Boys wanted to play with her toys, too -- Brian Williams.
Panich52
(5,829 posts)Saw several tweets claiming Maddow's scoop was a bust, that all she proved was that GE told truth about being so rich. Their willful ignorance just keeps getting in they way of admitting they live in a fantasy world.
Kimchijeon
(1,606 posts)I may not be a rabid Rachel fan, but don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of anything that helps to topple this fascist regime. Keep it coming!
randome
(34,845 posts)Doesn't seem like to me. What is wrong with saying that she hyped this too much? Is she supposed to be perfect?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]
Cary
(11,746 posts)Maybe. We shall see.
But I avoid cults of personality. If she made a mistake, which I find hard to believe, then it's a mistake and it's ok. N9 one perfect.
delisen
(6,042 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Thanks!
Opbrg
(85 posts)johnnyrocket
(1,773 posts)...keep jabbing while on the ropes.
yortsed snacilbuper
(7,939 posts)Go Rachel.
Ilsa
(61,692 posts)She is hoping some or all journalists will see the floodgates open up with documents.
Mr.Bill
(24,274 posts)the main thing they are saying is that they watched it. I can't wait to see the ratings on her show from last night.
And does anyone seriously believe that she gave us everything she has on one show?
As Rachel often says, watch this space.
0rganism
(23,937 posts)she's not some willing shill for Trump who would broadcast an innocuous tax return just to make him look good
she had the documents before showtime, she reviewed the documents before showtime, she decided it was worth talking about anyway
i have a little faith in her to at least know in advance whether she's carrying water for Trump
next time, when all the republican trolls are tuned in to gloat, she's well-positioned to drop a truth bomb
Amaryllis
(9,524 posts)to that; it's been mostly mentioned in passing. It shows the dynasty aspect of the family and even more widespread corruption.
theglammistress
(348 posts)There is no way - ON ANY PLANET - that the Trump returns was not newsworthy. They were leaked to Johnston and he shared with Maddow and she was smart to go live with them. By the way, CNN, Fox, Bloomberg would have all done the same. This isn't blind devotion to Maddow - it's just the way news works.
calimary
(81,197 posts)I'm also old enough to remember the whole Watergate rollout. It was SOOOOOOOO slow. Painstakingly slow. But it got results.
Any worthwhile goal takes time to achieve.
rickford66
(5,523 posts)Then we'd know if Trump leaked the returns, because how would he know what year was covered? I think it's pretty obvious he leaked them.
BadgerMom
(2,770 posts)ffr
(22,668 posts)I'd say whatever it was he was livid about last night, in discussing 2005 tax returns must have hit its mark.
I was passing by a TV blaring his show. I wasn't going to stop and watch, as I don't support Faux Noise entertainment.
Binders Keepers
(369 posts)1. is there a link to find rachel's nightly ratings?
2. i'm all for rachel, but it did seem to me she trod close to the line on soliciting documents. she announced the link to send them to and said we'd love to see more. what is the difference between that and soliciting, and could she get in trouble for that?
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)and not land in jail, how could we expect to jail someone that simply said that various entities would have access to certain documents, and there is an email where they could contact her?
She didn't offer money for the documents, as David Brock did - stipulating, of course that they be legally obtained.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/324022-clinton-ally-offers-5m-reward-in-exchange-for-trump-tax-returns
mcar
(42,298 posts)Dem2
(8,168 posts)You put into words what many of us realized but didn't have the time or ability to summarize in this manner.
Dave in VA
(2,037 posts)for this great analysis!
As a bonus: We have Joe Scarborough and tRumplethinskin's personal attorney calling each other names!
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/michael-cohen-warns-joe-scarborough
hurple
(1,306 posts)Should be dropped on April 18.
If the leaker has a sense of humor.
Nitram
(22,781 posts)what we all hoped they would just don't get it.
malaise
(268,896 posts)Rec
Enoki33
(1,587 posts)is a reminder of what has to done to prevent us going the way of Turkey. Make no mistake, Trump and his cast of questionable cabal are not interested in governing. They are interested in ruling, personal enrichment and exploitation.
DallasNE
(7,402 posts)At first I thought it was a little boring because I had heard it all before. Then I realized that I was not who she was targeting. Smart.
Trump was also exposed as a fake when he failed to redact "client copy". Icing on the cake since Trump knew what year's 1040 she had in hand in order to attempt to discredit her, meaning he had to be the source.
Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)We're coming for you and your cronies 45....
NamesDave
(58 posts)joet67
(624 posts)She has really been indispensable, even if a lot of the "work" was done by others. She puts it all together, almost like a private detective.
Cha
(297,123 posts)show and educated us who haven't watched it yet.
Mahalo, ehrnst!