Double blow...Roberts to be Chief Justice, and no Countdown

[Muffstser]

Shrub just said Roberts will be his pick for Chief Justice (he hasn't earned it!!!), and Countdown won't be on (but Abrams and Rita will!!!)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

[crispini]

1. Ya know, I may be getting over my KO crush for good.

Can't help but compare and contrast his post-9/11 coverage, which from what I hear was quite the heroic effort, virtually 24/7 on the radio, is my understanding, versus his post-NOLA coverage (non-existent).

I mean, damn, KO stays late for the special coverage of the pope but not for NOLA? The largest natural disaster in American history? What, is New Orleans not as important as New York or something? Fuck THAT.

Edited to add: You know, the Armstrong post on his blog MAY have been an oversight, but all of the other MSNBC anchors covered the story over the weekend, and he didn't. CNN, on the other hand, have done an exemplary job, and Soledad O'Brian has reported her freakin heart out.

[Muffstser]

2. Crispi, it may not be his choice.

Either (a) it could be health (which I now doubt), OR (b) Kaplan's pimping his faves. Think about this...who's been on? Rita Cosby. Joe Scarborough. Tucker Carlson. No Chris Matthews (who Kaplan supposedly had a blowout with last week), Dan Abrams (whose photo's been taken down), and no Keith.

At first, I was willing to give Kaplan the benefit of the doubt, but not now. There is NO reason KO shouldn't be on today. I'm trying not to jump to conclusions, right or wrong, but after four days of this, I think Kaplan's scared shitless of what Keith will say.

[gkhouston]

3. either that, or Kaplan is pushing the weak sisters out there when

he thinks he's got a captive audience. Bad move, IMHO. Did you see the overnights from last week? The highest ratings MSNBC got all day last Wednesday (I think) were during Keith's 8pm broadcast. Wouldn't be surprised if the same were true for other days where I didn't see the breakdown. And he was pulling 1.5 million -- which is three to four times what Countdown usually gets when KO is hosting, even more when he isn't.

[crispini]

19. Ok, i need to quit being bitchy about things KO does, because

whenever I do, I promptly have to take it back.

:loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:

[gkhouston]

4. we'll see about Roberts being Chief Justice.

I had a feeling there might be shit stirring under the surface, just to appoint him to the court. To spring him right into the big chair, after the revelation that he was hearing a case affecting BushCo while applying for the job... that isn't going to play well in Peoria.

Cat fight. Major cat fight. At a time when blivet**'s name isn't good owlshit. :popcorn:

[Berry Cool]

5. I'm DISGUSTED! Completely DISGUSTED! By BOTH pieces of news!

First...what does the Chimp think he's DOING, planning such a thing at a time when his account at the Bank of Trust is utterly, completely overdrawn to begin with??

Second...what IS this crap with preempting Countdown AGAIN???? Oh no, I do NOT believe this is Keith's choice. I do NOT believe he chose to take a five-day vacation and left MSNBC with no choice. Uh-uh. This is, to my mind, a clear-cut case of his being pushed out, just like Donahue.

It's absurd.

[gkhouston]

6. how do we know there isn't going to be any Countdown tonight?

given the depth of the anger, you've obviously got a source you trust... I'm just wondering what it is, so I know where to get the info next time. Did they make an announcement on MSNBC? (Can't stand that network in the daytime.)

on edit: I'm asking 'cause I don't see any hint of this bad news on the website and if it's hidden away in a corner, I'd like to know where to look next time.

[Muffstser]

7. Two things:

(1) my online cable guide, and (2) the countdown clock on the site.

I would LOVE to be wrong. Let's face it, though: look at the evidence. Kaplan's mad at Tweety...he's not on. He's mad at Keith...he's not on. He's in LUUUUUUUUUV with Tucker, Rita and Joe...they're on.

[RevCheesehead]

8. Let's send Kaplan to NO for Levee repair..

Might I suggest we plug him into one of the holes, since he's such an expert at holes?

[gkhouston]

9. how can you plug a hole with a hole? n/t

[RevCheesehead]

10. ok, then, since he sucks,

let's send him to suck out all the water.

[gkhouston]

11. it's okay if he swallows. Can't be more toxic than the Kool-Aid. n/t

[Berry Cool]

12. Oh, DARN IT, Muff! I should have asked!!

Muff, I don't mean to be unkind, but...when you said there wasn't going to be any Countdown on tonight, I assumed (which I never should have done...thanks for doing what I didn't gk) that you got your word from a reliable source...such as seeing someone on MSNBC itself, or a promo for tonight's programming *on* MSNBC, saying that some other show was replacing Countdown.

Now, you say that your evidence that Countdown wouldn't be on is only from a) your online cable guide and b) the clock on the Web site.

These are BOTH extremely BAD guidelines to go by, for this reason:

1) Online cable guides are notoriously slow to change, or to be accurate based on late-breaking events. Case in point: When I was watching last Friday's benefit concert, my online cable guide said it was Countdown. Mind you: that concert had been scheduled since about Wednesday, yet my online cable guide still ID'd the show that was on MSNBC at 8 that night as Countdown.

2) The Countdown clock on the Web site has been wrong/weird/glitchy before. It is no more reliable as an indication that Countdown will be on (if it's there) or NOT be on (if it isn't) than the Web site text itself is when it says "Keith shows you," and it turns out that Keith isn't going to show you, because Keith isn't on. In other words, don't rely on the Web site for your latest "is Countdown going to be on"/"is Keith going to be on" info.

Questions? Let's review:

Reasonably reliable sources of information for whether or not Countdown will be on:
1. MSNBC on-air talent (on the day)
2. The Inside Cable News blog (on the day, if news is breaking and its presence is uncertain) -- the guy who does it works for MSNBC and should know the latest poop

Reasonably reliable sources of information for whether or not Keith will be on Countdown:
1. The Countdown newsletter (on the day, IF IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS HE WILL BE ON)
2. The Inside Cable News blog, (on the day, IF IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS HE WILL BE ON)
3. When you tune in Countdown and the voice you hear saying "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?" is Keith's. (Warning: Under certain circumstances, we may get only 15 or 20 minutes of Keith before he throws it over to a sub. This phenomenon is known as Keithus Interruptus.)

UNRELIABLE sources for whether or not Countdown will be on:
1. General MSNBC ads for Countdown, with no specifics as to what will be on the show tonight
2. The clock on the Web site
3. TV guides/cable guides

UNRELIABLE sources for whether or not Keith will be on:
1. The Web site saying "Keith shows you" to plug an upcoming story
2. The fact that a newsletter came out today (unless it says Keith's on, it proves nothing)
3. Chris Matthews at the end of Hardball saying "Now it's time for the Countdown with Keith"

At the same time, the fact that a newsletter DOESN'T appear is not proof positive of no Countdown/no Keith. It could just mean the guy who does the newsletter is on vacation.

PROOF that Countdown will NOT be on:
1. MSNBC talent speaks of/ads advertise other programming at 8 ET
2. Inside Cable News writes of such programming
3. Keith or a substitute anchor says it won't be on

PROOF that Keith will NOT be on:
1. Keith says he will be out/on vacation
2. Inside Cable News says he won't be on
3. The newsletter says someone else is in for Keith

That's where things stand right now. From now on, any time anyone claims to have knowledge that Countdown won't be on, or that Keith will or won't be on, be prepared to be asked, if you don't mention it first: "Source, please?" :-)

[crispini]

13. good NIGHT, girl, take a chill pill!

next stop on this bus: 40 page dissertation on KO's ties! :P

[gkhouston]

14. how many pages

for his boxer briefs? :9

[crispini]

15. ok, now that would be worth 40 pages.

there would need to be lots of first-hand investigation, with footnotes and extensive primary sources.

:evilgrin:

[RevCheesehead]

16. that would, of course,

be a "hands-on investigation," right? :loveya:

[gkhouston]

17. well, that's one option...

I'm versatile. :7

[RevCheesehead]

18. You're also married.

C'mon, let the single chicks have first dibs!

[gkhouston]

22. as others have observed...

there's plenty to go around. :evilgrin:

[crispini]

20. but of course.....

actually, you know, I'd be happy just to listen to KO talk. Migod, the man has more talent in his little pinky than that dinkhead Kaplan has in his entire body.

[Berry Cool]

21. Sorry, crispi, but it had to be said.

So much rumor and confusion goes on around here about the Countdown schedule sometimes, and when Keith's going to be on, that a review is useful.

The ICN guy is making it sound today (from his comments on the MSNBC staffing) like he doesn't work there and is not an insider, but I swear I saw him say once--or someone say once--that he was. OK, scrap that. The important thing is, he knows what's going on.

Now: about the dissertation on the shorts...:evilgrin: