Let’s hope that this is the beginning of a purge of Fox News refugees and milktoast CNN-style moderates at MSNBC?
Van Susteren out immediately at MSNBC
Yes, Greta Van Susteren, whose appeal has always escaped me, is being replaced by the handsome, erudite Ari Melber, who can dissect complex legislative legalisms to expose their underlying partisan motivation and likely social impact, faster than Trump can tweet.
As the only television cable news outlet with some truly progressive voices, I have been frustrated by the recent strategy to shift MSNBC programming toward some imaginary “middle” demographic.
Apparently trying to lure away Fox News “moderates,” disgusted by reptilian sexual harassment and delusional Trump fealty, or those seeking more CNN blandness, some network “genius” thought chasing mediocre “both sides do it” false equivalency was where the future money was. The brilliantly sardonic Lawrence O’Donnell was reported next on the chopping block just a few weeks ago.
Now MSNBC viewership is hitting record highs, blowing Fox and CNN away, as the clarion of Truth fueling the Resistance, unabashedly confronting the illegitimate, treasonous and criminal cabal squatting in the White House. In a world of mealy-mouthed looking away from the unfolding horror in our nation’s capital, the brave souls of MSNBC’s evening lineup have literally been the sole voices of reason holding out against rightwing “fake” populism funded by our billionaire would-be corporate overlords.
Finally some network honcho must have looked up from his spreadsheet speculations to notice which way the wind was actually blowing, and from where future profits would flow. I have no illusions about MSNBC management’s corporate motivations and lack of ideological commitment or integrity. If they thought future profits lie in the Satanist demographic, we’d have “This Evening with Anton LeVey,” followed by the “Charles Manson Variety Hour.”
But let us celebrate the little victories and pray that this is a sign of things to come, as the Fox News cult dies off (a little more quickly if Republican deathcare ever goes into effect) and Millennials continue to trend from apathy to engagement.
Let us dream of future voices to join Rachel, Lawrence and Chris in taking the breathtaking journalistic exposes appearing daily in the New York Times and Washington Post, and repackaging them into something the beleaguered masses can understand and be properly outraged by.
Who knows? It might actually make people get out and vote in their own best interest?