AAR Prediction: By Election Day, MSNBC will make Rachel Maddow an offer she can't refuse

[derby378]

And that could effectively kill Air America Radio for good. Thoughts?

[Fovea]

1. I think you are probably right.

By election day, Rachel will be at MSNBC, and AAR will be history.

I hope NovaM takes off big now.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Did you hear this somewhere? Or is it just your prediction?

Actually, this wouldn't surprise me a bit. She's on MSNBC more and more, and we always pay the most attention when she's on.:applause:

And you're right. Who would they have left? Lionel? Bill Press? We listened to Al Franken, Young Turks, Randi and Rachel. The AAR airwaves would be pretty sparse without her...:-(

[derby378]

4. Strictly my prediction

Did you see when she guest-hosted Countdown with Keith Olbermann? I like Alison Stewart just fine, but Rachel did a bang-up job.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. I don't think your prediction is wrong.

She's been on MSNBC more and more, pretty much every night. They added an extra hour to her AAR radio show, but she's practically never there. And I did see her on "Countdown!" I agree, she was just terrific! She said on her radio show that she was so nervous about it that she hadn't been sleeping. But no need, LOL. She was a little nervous when she first started, but she relaxed and got better and better as the show went on. I like Alison, as well, but Rachel is absolutely the best, extremely intelligent and very clear, wherever she's on...:applause:

[drbtg1]

18. Actually, Dr. Maddow did have a problem that Mr. Olbermann had to address.

The "Bushed" segment on Dr. Maddow's show had an error.

From the transcript of 4-7-08 ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24009764/ )

A correction now and an update to a story mentioned here in my absence last Friday in our night “Bushed” segment. It was reported that Representative Patrick McHenry of North Carolina had called a U.S. soldier in a facility McHenry was saying at in the Green Zone in Iraq a quote ,”two-bit security guard.” The worker in question was actually a contractor. Representative McHenry has apologized for his characterization of that worker. We apologize for our mistake.

The fault is with the research, which is usually Dr. Maddow's strong suit, but that may not be her research. Unfortunately, it was on her watch.

I imagine that's why the 10pm EST slot is currently a Countdown repeat, to keep the seat warm for the right vehicle for Dr. Maddow to host.

[Rhiannon12866]

22. Thanks, I didn't realize this, and I make an effort to catch both her radio show and "Countdown,"

to keep up with what's going on. I'm surprised that she didn't mention this, and I hope that it doesn't keep her from hosting again, since she was so nervous the first time. But this seems fairly minor to me. Alison once made a huge gaffe, criticizing David Vitter's wife's attire, which Keith had to apologize for, and she's been back.:shrug:

And I agree that research is definitely Rachel's strong suit. She has everything down and explains it with such clarity. That's a good point about the 10pm "Countdown" repeat, which would be a perfect slot for her, though I sometimes catch it then, if I miss it at 8. They definitely should repeat it, but it was better suited to the next day, I think. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Rachel...:-)

[elocs]

3. Since I don't listen to AAR, I have no idea who she is although I've heard of her.

I get such a deluge of political info, opinions, rantings, and everyting else in reading it here at DU that I feel no need to redundantly experience it by listening to the same thing on the radio. Besides, I can read here about what is said.

[napi21]

6. She's been a guest on Keith's show quite often and she even

was the fillin host the last time Keith was off. Whe's VERY SMART and very entertaining both on the radio & TV.

I had the suspicion she might be getting an offer from MSNBC too, especially when they let her fill in for KO. He also mentioned that his show had one of it's all time highest ratings when she hosted his show.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. She has a contract with MSNBC now, which is the reason she's been on so often.

But they have yet to offer her her own show, unfortunately. We were hoping that she'd replace Tucker Carlson, but they have David Gregory on instead. He's usually good, especially when he challenges Bush* during press conferences, but his new show isn't doing very well...:shrug:

And I agree with you! She was terrific when she hosted "Countdown!" I listen to her radio show and she said she was so nervous about it that she hadn't been sleeping. But she got better and better as the show went on, and she'd be excellent either as his permanent guest host or with a show of her own...:applause:

[napi21]

17. They could always give her one of Tweety's slots since he has TWO

and enither one has been doing wonderful in their ratings. PLUS Tweety's contract is coming up and I heard that MSNBC thinks they cold get better ratings for a LOT LESS MONEY than the $5 mil. they're paying him.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. OMG, that's a very good point! And that's a lot of money!

I think that Tweety has caused a lot more controversy than Keith has, with much poorer ratings. It's not in MSNBC's best interests to have him the subject of controversy, rather than the subjects he tackles, as Keith does. I'd love to see Rachel in any timeslot. I think that this is her time, since she has quite a following. I was on KOEB the night she hosted, and everybody there was pulling for her and cheering at how well she did.:D

[elocs]

10. I don't have cable tv or satellite either,

so I depend upon places like DU to find out what is going on there also. I have seldom ever seen KO either, so I found it interesting when I had so long read of his constant praises and accolades here at DU in the past only to read of him being trashed for his opinions about Obama and Clinton. Democrats: we not only attack our own, we eat them when we are finished which makes us appear wiser and more noble in our own eyes.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Actually, you barely need TV, these days, if you have a computer, and belong to DU.

We rely on TV for breaking news, but we have a DU forum for that, and, having been a mod there, I can tell you that DUers seldom miss a thing! LOL. :D

As for Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow and the rest of cable news, we have the video forum and the best clips are usually posted there. Keith really is the best on cable news, one of the very few to tell the truth and is famous for his "special comments" bashing Bush* and this illegal and disingenuous administration. Just now there's a Rachel Maddow video there that I just recommended and "Real Time with Bill Maher," that I watched last night, is there already, practically in its entirety. And you can always do a search for any of them on YouTube. You can find practically anything there...:hi:

On edit: Here's a good example of an Olbermann "special comment..." :-)

Keith Olbermann Special Comment *MR BUSH YOU ARE A FASCIST!*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEcBjpsP1bU

[elocs]

20. Video isn't much good for me since all I have is dialup.

Damn, in this day and age I am the next thing to being Amish.:rofl:

[Rhiannon12866]

21. Oh, I'm sorry! I enjoy the videos a lot.

Hey, but at least you're on-line. I never even did e-mail until 2002. I wrote friends of mine, saying that I was finally moving into the 21st-century...:D

[Rhiannon12866]

8. She's also on MSNBC more and more, these days, especially on "Countdown."

She's a very smart cookie and explains things as clearly as anyone in the media. And she's one of us. This is a good clip, when she substituted for Keith Olbermann last week... :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2kHCl34zIA

[mwb970]

14. You don't know what you're missing. /nt

[elocs]

19. I know what you are saying,

but I only listen to the radio in the car (I have heard AAR while passing through Madison on a trip) or in the bathroom and I do not miss having to pay $60 a month for cable tv (I get mine for free over the air).

[SoFlaJet]

5. Also Keith always takes off on Fridays

in the summer so he finally has a credible replacement-Alison Stewart was so-so Amy Rohrbach was not bad but Rachel is the perfect fit. AAR can't die soon enough for this democrat...every good host Rhodes, Franken, Maron, Garafolo are all gone Sam Seder is great but is compromised and trying hard to NOT get re-fired by sticking to issues NOT concerning the dem primaries

[Berry Cool]

13. Keith doesn't always take off on Fridays in the summer, but he does sometimes.

Also Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays...

He usually goes on at least two weeklong vacations in summer, and in the past he's continued to do those shows himself sometimes, which must make for a complicated vacation. Looks as if he wouldn't have to worry about the ratings dropping if he leaves the show in Rachel's hands altogether when he wants to take a break, which is excellent news for him.

Rachel's the only host Countdown has had who's managed to combine the very much Keith-inspired spirit of the show with her own sense of wit and snark without looking as if she's just trying to imitate Keith. Other subs have ranged from good to horrible--either "OK, but not Keith" to "Just another blond newsbot from the MSNBC stable, with no sense for the show at all." Now he's finally got a real winner.

[SoFlaJet]

15. agreed

.

[Edgewater_Joe]

7. But Lionel and Fran Drescher Can Carry AAR! Really! They Can!

Mark Green thinks so, and he's a radio GEEEEEEEN-IUUUUUUSSS!!!!!

[agingboomer]

16. Don't forget about Thom Hartman

I think he is the smartest guy on AAR.  But you're right.  Too
many of the good ones are leaving.  I certainly don't hope AAR
will go down.  We need someone on our side getting the truth
out.  Let's hope they add some really good broadcasters
instead.

[otohara]

24. Will DU Celebrate The Demise of AAR?

That's the feeling I'm getting after they dared to suspend randi rhodes for calling one of our candidates a big fucking whore.

[BlooInBloo]

25. They're gonna put a horsehead in her bed?

[KharmaTrain]

26. AAR's On Death's Doorstep

Well it's never been too far, but with few names to promote and a good portion of their audience pissed off by the Rhodes fiasco, what do they have left?

I'm so proud of how Rachel's grown and progressed over the past couple years. She started as a grunt at the network and now she's well beyond where they are. It appears her major paycheck these days is coming from MSNBC and that meal ticket should be good enough to assure her of a nice gig for many years to come...if not for GE/NBC/MSNBC, then for some other company. I think one day she'll end up at PBS or NPR.

I'm willing to predict AAR doesn't even make it to the election...it'll finally go bankrupt and draw to a close this unique, but failed experiement.

[NuttyFluffers]

27. i worry about sam seder. i hope someone picks him up.

he has a family to feed -- like everyone, true, but younger and more vulnerable to vagaries of the market -- and i don't see him getting the TV time exposure to get an escape hatch.

[Gore Edwards]

28. Rachel Maddow

I thought that you meant that MSNOBAMA was gonna put the head of a horse in Rachel's bed (something I don't have a problem with) but I think AA will reach out for much better hosts and they will come. Settling is getting old.