I'm watching TRMS and I have to say that the show has been just spectacular. Richard Engel's description of life on the base, and later his sit down with Maddow on the overall situation in Afghanistan is top notch journalism.
Maddow's trip through Kandahar with the General in charge of southern Afghanistan in an armored carrier was just fascinating. The part I best remember from the top of my head was Maddow asking the General if the fact that Americans were just throwing untold wealth into the effort wasn't actually harming our cause because of governmental corruption? The General simply told Maddow that he didn't buy that, and described how Afganis of good will would have to step up right now and make this work.
It really was something to watch Maddow and the General banter back and forth, knowing they have a fundamental disagreement on the entire war in the first place. Maddow is simply incredible when it comes to interviewing folks she doesn't see eye to eye with.
One clip of video which really caught my attention was of the vehicle going through an intersection, and in the back ground was a fairly non-descript store front, but there was a huge banner over the store with the SAMSUNG brand on it. I wondered how that store managed to avoid being attacked by the Taliban, or if they weren't somehow inviting trouble by so blatantly advertising their function as a well known electronics outlet.
Anyway the show is on for about 10 more minutes, so do yourself a favor and catch the rest of it, and the re-run because it really is must see.
I apologize for the lack of content in this diary but I wanna see the rest of this show. I think Maddow will be nominated for a pulitzer for this series if the opening show is any indicator of what is to come.
Update: Priceless quote: Maddow to Engel as they walk through a market in downtown Kabul and notice some tripe on a table which they wonder about having for lunch: "I don't know, those gonads seemed really fresh."
Further update... I am informed in comments that Maddow said "goatheads" not gonads! But still a great quote...
Update: So Pulitzers aren't given for broadcast journalism... I should really cease and desist from bashing out diaries on the fly before I take the time to dot the i's and cross the t's.