Should MSNBC Allow Rachel Maddow To Anchor Breaking News Events?

When MSNBC moved to replace Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews with David Gregory in the anchor's chair during election coverage, relegating the more opinionated hosts to commentary and analysis, the New York Times declared that the "experiment" of putting "politically incendiary hosts" in the anchor chair appeared to be "over."

Davidson Goldin, former editorial director of MSNBC and a co-founder of the reputation management firm DolceGoldin, told the Times, "The most disappointing shift is to see the partisan attitude move from prime time into what's supposed to be straight news programming."

So it may have been something of a surprise Wednesday evening — as it was for Inside Cable News — to see MSNBC's opinionated darling Rachel Maddow anchoring the coverage of George Bush's primetime address on the financial crisis. From ICN:

Yes, the address is occurring in the middle of Maddow's hour. But appearances are everything for MSNBC these days and the appearance of yet another ideological talking head anchoring MSNBC's news coverage says a lot about what NBC's priorities really are. To quote Roger Daltry Pete Townsend: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

The Olbermann/Matthews experiment may be over, but the fundamental thinking behind it; namely taking the hot hand and riding it regardless of the appropriateness of such a move, is still in vogue at 30 Rock. If Maddow's ratings weren't hot right now and she wasn't getting all this press you can bet your paycheck that NBC would have put a journalist in to anchor the coverage. This is so blatant it's embarrassing.

An MSNBC representative explained:

The speech was during her hour, therefore she anchored the coverage as part of her program.

What do you think? Vote in the poll below to settle the question: Should MSNBC allow Rachel Maddow to anchor breaking news events? There are a few videos of Rachel from Wednesday night below the poll to help you make up your mind.

Quick Poll

Should MSNBC Allow Rachel Maddow To Anchor Breaking News?

Yes, she's the best in the business!

Yes, she can shut off her opinion when it's necessary.

No, she's too opinionated to remain objective.

No -- and she shouldn't even have her own show!

Who cares?

Comments

[swift goat pet for truth]

Rachel Maddow is Great!

Anchor? She is better than ANYONE on FAUX. ... wait... is that damming with faint praise?

[GeorgeP922]

Is Danny Shea a republican?

It sure seems that way, as Huff sometimes reached out to them.

Hey a friend of mine (wont name names) saw David Frum at one of the huff parties.

[theuniversalhost]

Rachel is fanfreakin­gtastic!!!

RACHEL MADDOW WOULD MAKE A GREAT PRESS SECRETARY FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!!!!

[MeanGreenMachine]

Rachel Maddow would make a GREAT PRESIDENT!

[ConserveLiberally]

Somehow I doubt she would go there, but who knows? As for being Press Secretary, she would be stunted and limited by limiting her role to spokesperson. She has much more to say than mostly others' words. If she were to do it, I think she would be able to handle the press quite well.

[somsoc]

I think taking Keith and Chris off was a mistake, they brought thoughtful comment back to the process, but RM is great.

[SWEETPB307]

I vote she replace Dick Gregory, he good but boring, when he does not have a panel he is so flat, I remember Rachel when she sat in for him she debated the panel made them bring it all out. Dick just sit there most of the time, or just say somethign to agree.

[ARTIST50]

His name is David.

[Wirehedd]

Name wise yes, that is correct but, it didn't seem that it was meant to be his first name as much as a descriptive term.

[Keith52]

To the uneducated an incendiary host is anyone who asks tough questions and follows them up with tougher ones. It is ridiculous to think that there is such an animal as a neutral host. If the host has no opinion the "news" show simply becomes free air time for politicians to spread whatever idiotic lie they feel like spreading. Should Bill O'Reilly be on the pseudo news show that is billed as "balanced"? What is the definition of incendiary? Where does one draw the line? That is the question.

[Audrey704]

Maddow is balanced in her presentation, asks tough questions. If either party doesn't like asking tough questions stop giving the media so much material to use.

[chris48]

For far too long the Republicans in power have had the News networks by the nuts. If anyone spoke out about the lunacy of this administration the were labeled as "unAmerican" or if the said any truth about the Iraq debacle then they were not "supporting the troops". Enough! I'm grateful to MSNBC for allowing hosts to speak their minds, which, by and large represent the thoughts of most intelligent and concerned citizens. Faux news has been leading the charge with nit wit talking heads for years. Yeah for Chris, Keith and Rachel.

[Wirehedd]

I think we will be able to ad Luke Russert to that list in a while too.

Too bad he's already been made to apologize. He was right.

But the truth was too incendiary.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

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*******************

[swift goat pet for truth]

How many Americans support a total meltdown of the world financial system and a world depression lasting 10 years?

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

MSNBC is apparently still smart enough to realize when they have a goldmine on their hands. They realize they are so lucky to have snapped up Rachel before somebody else could. It is so WAY COOL to have some one so...ahem.­..wildly unconventional as she slip by the sentries and right into the belly of the beast! She is scary smart, wicked funny and way b a l l s e y (and believe me, she would take that as a supreme compliment!). She is at the tippy top of my short list for the first female president of the United States!! Rachel!! Hey homegirl, CONGRATS!!! AND LOVE YA!

[eXcommunicate]

MSNBC SHOULD HIRE JACK CAFFERTY TO REPLACE THAT BUFFOON DAVID GREGORY. I can't believe they cancelled Dan Abram's excellent show and kept Gregory's anemic "Race to the White House" on-air.

[DEl19713]

The tide has turned and MSNBC is still walking in lockstep with the good old boys. I love Keith and Rachel they are the only commentators that tell it like it really is. They need to adjust to the American people and there audience instead of there sponsors.

[TakeTheCanolis]

I enjoy Rachel's incisive analysis of events. If she has to serve as moderator, that means less time for her fresh, clear insights. I like her where she is, where she can speak her mind.

[nowalnuts]

Yes! The public needs her! I love her style. It's honest and refreshing.
What I do not love on msnbc are the commercials with Neil Patrick Harris cashing the last (I hope) paycheck from his Doogie Howser days. "Do you hate body Oder???"
It's killing me. I've seen it like 10,000 times. I can't take it and I officially hate that guy.
The only reason I put up with it is because Rachel is worth it.

[67yrolfe]

I love Rachel but it's not a good idea for commentators such as Rachel, Mathews and Olbermann to anchor breaking news events. Obviously, Rachel could anchor news events objectively on occasion as she proved when Bush’s speech was aired during her hour. But it’s not fair to expect her or any commentator to do soon a regular basis. This was proved by MSNBC being forced to remove Mathews and Olbermann from their election coverage because of the public’s perception of differing views in today’s MSM coverage. Seems it’s okay for FOX to spew it’s neo con views twenty four hours a day and CNN to feed us Lou Dobbs and Glen Beck several hours a week but limit Jack Cafferty to five minute segments -- nobody complains. But God forbid a liberal should have an opinion -- the right wingers go berserk! I’m a big fan of Maddow, Mathews and Olbermann and am thankful to MSNBC for presenting some truly liberal views. I wish CNN would be brave enough to give Jack Cafferty his own one hour program.

[tlawson2]

I was just thinking that earlier today! I wish Jack Cafferty and/or Roland Martin could have their own show!

You know, MSNBC is starting to remind me of a Tucker Carlson meets Glenn Beck sandwhich.­........YU­CK! They claim to be in "the middle" or "Independent" - heck! I don't know where they really stand and it is confusing and agitating. CNN is the only lesser of two evils to watch unless Rachel or Keith are on.

[Coattails]

Ya, Air America was soooooo far left it went bankrupt.

MSNBC decided to hire 2 of their anchors (Maddow and Gregory), that just shows me they are purposely just sayin Fvck it and using their blatant bias during an election season.

I blocked MSNBC last week because it would distgust me that they were so biased.

I am convinced now that Sen. Biden or Obama could go on a tri-state killing spree and be completely ignored on that network yet they would try to check Gov. Palin if she says the sky is blue.

[wgbknight]

Telling the emperor that he has no clothes is not bias.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Your point is exceedingly well taken and received here!

[Harmony1812]

I don't watch MSNBC for non-biased news. I watch for their slant just like I occasionally watch, uck, FAUX for theirs. We just have to use our brains to sort out the truth. Too many people listen to biased "news" a accept it as gospel.

[BBackSoon]

Wow, If we change the MSNBC references into FOX and flip the candidates I would whole heartedly agree with you.

I can no longer watch FOX because of their bias, because I yell at the TV and this upsets my wife and scares the dog. And only after the most heinous of lies did FOX even begin to call McSame out.

Is MSNBC biased? Somewhat, but after 10 years of Neo-con propaganda from FOX anything that sheds light onto the shadowy world of the Far Right would seem biased.

[JustSteve]

As a long time Air America fan....

David Gregory has never been an anchor on Air America. Maybe he was a guest at some point, but has never had a show there.

And strictly speaking, Rachel Maddow has never been an anchor there. She has a SHOW, and was one of the original hosts, and certainly one of the most intelligent radio or television talk show hosts on today. Yes, she is a progressive, left leaning commentator. But are we saying that radio hosts with a perspective shouldn't be both on the radio and television? Of course not. You have obviously not listened to Maddow enough to hear when she has directly challenged the Democrats or Obama specifically. You would certainly not hear the same sort of intellectual vigilance on Fox.

And while Air America did go through bankrupcy in its early years, its still standing. They tried an experiment early on, pushing an entire book of shows as one instead of trying to sell individual shows, and it didn't work well enough fast enough.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

If you think A A R is so way left you are truly delusional and living in some parallel universe! They first fired everybody who was half way decent and liberal on there BECAUSE those individuals were too far out there for them (Mr Gre en) : Mi ke
Ma lloy, Sa m Se der, Ran di Rho des, Ce nk Ur gay, Dav id Be nder (who is back now) Ma rk Ma rin and so many more I cant remember em all and put in whitebread milquetoast commentators like Bi ll Pr ess instead.

[JailNeoconVicts]

Rachel Maddow is the best thing to happen to news and opinion since Keith Olbermann's first rant.

[Harmony1812]

The team of Matthews, Olberman and Maddow is terrific! By the way, Rachel is a bona fide Rhodes Scholar! Nothing gets past her!