Ali Davis's blog

Today: Senator Amy Klobuchar looks at the health care bill and Rachel takes a look at Richard Nixon’s gap.

Ayes on the Prize

Rachel started us off with the news that we are perilously close to actually getting some health care reform.

Or at least to the Senate getting to vote on whether they can debate and then vote on health care reform, with maybe another vote or two thrown in for good measure.

(People from other lands who are following this process and are wondering why the hell we seem to be doing this again after we just did this, only with the other, more entertainingly wacky bunch of reps, I am sorry. This is how we’re set up to do things here. I know the process is slow and insane. But remember what happened when we had a President and Congress who liked to just ram stuff through? P.S. Sorry about that.)

Today: Senator Tom Harkin talks about the health care bill, as do some total loons.

Breaking News

Rachel started us off with the news that a district judge in Lousiana ruled that shoddy work by the Army Corps of Engineers led to the flooding of St. Bernard Parish. She had a more thorough rundown later in the broadcast, but first it was time to move on to some hot legislative action.

I Know I’ll Be a Law Someday

Rachel reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D – Nevada) introduced Senate health care bill on Wednesday and, goodness gracious, so far it doesn’t look half bad.

I’m still jumpy, though. I’ve been burned before and now a part of me is convinced that there are secret clauses that we’ll have to bark like seals before we can get strep throat cultures or that “94% of Americans are covered” means that each of us has a secret random 6% of the body that’s outta luck.

Today: Ana Marie Cox, Naomi Klein, and the amazing Frank Schaeffer talks about the far right “trawling for assassins."

Control, Halt, Delete

Rachel started us off with the news that Congressman Bart Stupak (D – Michigan) is still trying to kill the health reform bill if it doesn’t contain his sweeping anti-choice amendment, still lying about what the language in the amendment actually says (way to stand up for your principles, weaseldog), and is still about as good at lying as Vicky Pollard is on Little Britain.

As Rachel pointed out, Stupak is not acting alone. Let’s face it: He’s probably not managing to get his shoes on the right foot alone.

Stupak is getting a little help from his pals at The Family — the only bipartisan work we’re seeing in Congress at all lately. Which would be an inspiring example if they weren’t dedicated to establishing a national theocracy.

Today: Health care delays, freakouts over imprisoning terrorist, and whatserface has a book out and she’s never going to let you forget it.

Rogue Wave

Rachel started us off with Sarah Palin, who, as an admirer of God, is apparently trying to emulate the whole omnipresent thing.

Whoa. I just had a vision of a Sarah Palin with supernatural powers. If she’d been inside the Ark of the Covenant, that scene from Raiders would have been similar, but she would have melted the faces of anyone who didn’t look.

Rachel took a look at Palin’s “pure political celebrity” status and her three big gambles.

Warning: There is Palin interview footage and things might get folksy. Try not to trip over any dropped Gs.

Today: Ana Marie Cox, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and a look at the upcoming terror trials.

Justice Delayed but Not Denied

Rachel started us off by pointing out that the Bush White House was big on starting things but not huge on finishing them when it came to its wars.

Case in point, the War on Terror and that project of bringing the 9/11 suspects to justice.

Now that Attorney General Eric Holder has announced that suspects will be brought to New York to stand trial, people are starting to flip out and say the word ‘justice’ all sarcastically, as though someone who truly loves our country should think it’s a bad thing.

Today: Steve Buyer goes to the highest bidder and Bart Stupak is still an idiot.

The Case Against Major Nidal Hassan

Rachel started off with the news that accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hassan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder.

So far it looks like Hasan acted alone, but the word “terrorist” is awfully tempting to some people.

Rachel was inspired to explore what the word actually means with law professor Jonathan Turley.

Bonus: Rachel does a frawesome Glenn Beck imitation.

Today: Dede Scozzafava, updates on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Rachel puts on her pummelin’ gloves.

Breaking News

Rachel kicked off with the surprising news that President Obama has rejected all four of the troop options he had been considering for Afghanistan, thus invoking the little-known fifth option: “Nyaaaaaah.”

Karl Eikenberry, the current U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and a retired Lieutenant-General who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, had been sending urgent messages asking Obama not to send more troops.

Which, yeah, would give one pause.

According to Eikenberry, the government corruption in Afghanistan is apparently too massive to make a simple troop surge work.

Today: Fake grassroots and real pro-slavery advocates.

Which Doctor

Rachel got us all fired up with the news that the Senate will start debating its version of the health care reform bill next week and Senator Harry Reid (D – Nevada) hopes to pass it by Christmas.

Wow. Six weeks? That is some Senatorial speed! Don’t throw your backs out!

The House bill, of course, passed over the weekend, with an endorsement by the American Medical Association.

Today: Rachel walks us through the terrifying Stupak-Pitts amendment, Ana Marie Cox discusses the Republican purge, and Joe Lieberman is still a weasel.

Government-Run Health Care (But Only for Women)

Rachel started us off with an overview of the legislative poison pill that is the Stupak-Pitts amendment. Everyone set your clocks back 36 years.

Since they are so interested, ladies, please don’t forget to call Representatives Stupak (D – Michigan, 202-225-4735) and Pitts (R – Pennsylvania 202-225-2411) with daily updates on the state of your uterus.

Today: More from Rachel’s Al Gore interview, reactions to the Fort Hood shootings, and the countdown to the House health care vote.

Shootings at Fort Hood

Rachel started us off with a look at the attempts to piece together what happened at Fort Hood and what we know about Major Hasan, the suspected shooter.

Fort Hood Stirs up Prejudices

Today: Rachel covers the breaking news of the horrifying Fort Hood massacre.

Breaking News

Rachel once again did separate 9:00 and 11:00 broadcasts as she tried to sort out Thursday’s tragic and baffling events at Fort Hood.

As of the first broadcast, almost all that was known was that the shooting suspect is U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hassan, a military psychiatrist, and for much of the first broadcast he was believed dead.

A press conference with Lieutenant General Bob Cone clarified the matter, but raised more questions about the flow of information.

Today: Rachel interviews Al Gore and dissects the election spin.

Decision ‘10: Game On

Rachel started us off with Tuesday’s results and the gyroscopic spinning thereof.

Rachel, way out of character for a political talking head, calmly noted that the changes aren’t huge, but may be building.

Apparently the far right failed to notice that scaring the bejabbers out of the locals and splitting the vote in New York’s District 23 lost them the election and increased the Democratic majority in the House.

The tea party Republicans are way more focused on throwing their weight around in their own tent, and at this point it serves the Republican Party right.

Today: Cleve Jones, Melissa Harris-Lacewell, and one or two ballot measures you may have heard of.

Decision ‘09

Rachel started off the first of the night's two shows absolutely geeked for election night.

It was clear early on that Republican candidate Bob McDonnell, who in his graduate thesis argued against working women and said that governments should “protect” traditional marriages by legislating against gays and fornicators, was winning in Virginia.

And that in spite of a substantial population of fornicators.

Today: Liz Cheney is witchy and Joe Lieberman still walks among the Democrats.

Boo

Rachel started us off with the news that Senator Joe Lieberman (I – Connecticut until you good people of the Nutmeg State vote him the hell out) has announced that in 2010 he may campaign for Republican candidates. Again.

It’s like he’s 12 and testing limits to see what he can get away with.

On the other hand, it’s not like Democrats have set any. Taking away his chairmanships will help you feel like better parents, Democrats, I promise.

At least one good thing has come out of this: A new episode of Rachel Maddow Strained Metaphor Theater. In rhyme, no less!

Today: Rachel looks at the Question 1 fight in Maine, the house health care bill, and the coal industry’s forged letters to Congress.

Joe Lonely

Rachel started us off with the breaking news that Senator Evan Bayh (D – Indiana) is backing way off of his apparent threat to join a filibuster to stop debate of the health care bill.

Bayh’s office said that he was “clarifying” his position rather than skittering away from it in fear.

It’s good to know that I can now tell people I clarified my position with the black widow spider I found in my apartment a few months ago. Let’s hope that Senator Bayh will not be reduced to dropping a pizza box on the health care bill and then stomping on it.

Today: The F-22 goes away and Senator Lieberman outstays his welcome.

Joe No!

Rachel started us off with a look at Senator Joe Lieberman (I – Connecticut), who has announced that he would cross party lines (he caucuses with the Democrats and owes his Homeland Security chairmanship to them) to filibuster any health care bill with a public option.

Lieberman’s threat to filibuster stems from a longstanding, deeply principled belief.

No, wait, the other thing.

Today: Joe Lieberman threatens a filibuster, our infrastructure gets an upgrade, and you’re probably being bugged right now. Plus strippers.

Busted

Rachel started us off with the news that Senator Joe Lieberman (D – Connecticut) (for now) is being really super-annoying again.

Now that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D – Nevada) has announced that there will be a public health care option in the Senate health care reform bill, Lieberman has stated that he’ll block a vote on any bill that contains one.

Since Lieberman’s reasoning behind that makes no freaking sense, we’ll have to assume that he got jealous of all the attention Senator Olympia Snowe (R – Maine) got last week and now he’s acting out.

Today: The Senate has a health care bill, anti-choicers are having an auction for a murderer, and Richard Engel has news from Afghanistan.

Health Care for All*

Senator Harry Reid (D – Nevada) announced that the Senate has a health care bill on Monday, and amazingly enough, the public option made it in.

Sort of.

Rachel ran through what we got and what we don’t got (so far) and Senator Ron Wyden (D – Oregon) dropped in to point out that the public option only works if it’s an option that’s available to the public.

Today: Singing billionaires, the fake war on Fox News, and, just in time for Halloween, the Cheney family.

Guerillas in Their Midst

Rachel started us off with the story of one of the most fun protests of the health care madness season.

Behold the continuing magic of Billionaires for Wealthcare.

Today: Howard Dean, Keith Olbermann, and The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer.

Fair and Balanced

Rachel started us off with the news that the news itself is freaking out.

Or rather Fox News is freaking out, which is making actual news outlets cover the story like it’s a real one.

As you may know, the White House had the bad taste to mention that the channel that functions like the propaganda arm of the political right is functioning like the propaganda arm of the political right, and rather than taking even a fraction of a second for reflection, the Fox News pundits have swirled themselves into Level Ten tizzies.

Today: Congressman Barney Frank, a chat with one of the Get Motivated! leaders, and something smells a little off in the Ms. Information segment.

Motivation Accomplished

Rachel started us off with the oddest story of the night. Rachel reported last night that Get Motivated! Business Seminars had bagged George and Laura Bush as its newest speakers.

And co-owner Tamara Lowe shocked me to pieces by actually coming on the show to discuss it.

Wait til you see the promo. I was immediately and powerfully motivated to do anything that isn’t going to one of these seminars. Clean out the vegetable crisper, scrub the grout, drive the entire length of Route 66 with a cat in the car, anything.

Today: Rachel look at the No on 1 campaign and George W. Bush wants to motivate you.

For Whom the Bellwether Tolls

Rachel started us off with her favorite thing: The MSNBC election animation. You can actually see her draw strength from it.

She was also in a chipper mood because not only is the race for former Congressman John McHugh’s (R – New York) seat heating up, the real fight is between the Republican candidate and the Conservative candidate.

And it reflects a larger shoving match over who will control the Republican Party.

Get a good seat. I have a feeling this could get awesomely crazy.

Today: Senator Sherrod Brown, Representative Alan Grayson, and a touch of Liz Cheney.

Flopposition

Rachel started us off with an update on the attempt to hammer out the Senate version of the health care reform bill and she seemed to think the opposition to reform was pretty weak.

And, yeah, if you’re putting up the guy whose major contribution to the debate is sending around a hideously racist e-mail as an expert, it’s getting pretty weak. (Though in fairness, Rachel’s own network inexplicably continues to put noted racist Pat Buchanan on the air as though he actually has something worthwhile to say.)

The amiably disheveled Senator Sherrod Brown (D – Ohio) dropped by and seemed surprisingly optimistic about a public option actually making it into the bill.

Today: Radioactive rabbit poop. That’s not a euphemism.

Poppy Don’t Preach

On Friday, President Obama and former President George H.W. Bush both spoke at Texas A&M on the importance of community organizing. Bush felt moved to write an open letter to the A&M community asking them to maybe chill out on the protesting for the day, as the whole point was about service, not politics.

In an interview about this gracious gesture, however, Bush did manage to call Rachel and Keith Olbermann “sick puppies”. Which was uncalled-for, but I can see where it might be hard to have perspective about people who take a hard line on fact-checking your son.

Especially when you’re not used to the media doing that very often.

Today: Rachel chats with Senator Amy Klobuchar and takes Americans for Prosperity’s Tim Phillips to the woodshed.

Smells Like Team Spirit

Well. It only took the Democrats 11 months to notice that they have some legislative power. I’m excited that they’re thinking about using it! (Hint: To use it, you have to do more than think about it, Democrats. Step lively!)

A very nearly recovered Rachel started us off with the news that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D) came out in favor of a public option with her game face on.

Rachel gave us a look at the numbers for getting health care reform through and then Senator Amy Klobuchar (D – Minnesota) gave us a couple of scarier numbers.