Rachel Maddow "A Chirpy Gay Liberal": Financial Times

Financial Times:

In fact, I think they are correct that the media currently tilt leftward in the US, but not for the obvious reason. It says less about the bias of "liberal elite" journalists and more about a breakdown of the established media order, from The New York Times to Mr Drudge.

Mr Drudge's dominance has been undermined by competition. His sensibility infuriated so many people that left-leaning sites such as the Daily Kos sprung up to challenge him. Lately, his thunder has been stolen by the Huffington Post, an unlikely blend of leftwing blogging, reporting and aggregation founded by Arianna Huffington, the media gadfly.

The Huffington Post has leapt past the Drudge Report in traffic, attracting 4.5m unique users in September, compared with 2.1m for Drudge and 2.4m for Politico, a political news site. While Mr Drudge picks out stories that could hurt Mr Obama, the Huffington Post does the opposite, highlighting anything that makes Mr McCain look bad.

This shift leftwards online has been matched on cable television, where Fox News, the rightwing news channel, has increasingly faced its mirror image at MSNBC. The latter's leftish talk-show hosts, Keith Olbermann and now Rachel Maddow, a chirpy gay liberal, dish out scorn about Republicans in opposition to Bill O'Reilly and others at Fox.

The effect is not just to balance out Mr Drudge and Mr O'Reilly but to place old-school media objectivity, as practised by US newspapers, under pressure. Obama-supporting blogs have ridiculed stories in outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post that fail to dismiss distortions by Mr McCain.

Read the whole story: Financial Times

Comments

[Liberalforsure]

Thank GOD for Rachel and Keith in this crazy world of rush, hannity and faux news!

[AlindaFaye2000]

I heart Rachel. I hope and pray that the hours between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. stomp CNN and Fox News.

[mitch4822]

She is surely smart. Thank you, Dr. Maddow, for being there to discuss issues intelligently. CNN has lost me. I am still waiting for them to properly vet Sarah Palin and all her LIES, smears and other misdeeds in Alaska. Incidentally, if this was Michelle Obama, CNN and Fox would be trumpeting them 24x7. CNN is Republician leaning so what can we expcet. I thought the news media was suposed to be fair and objective, but when it comes to Palin, they sweep almost everything under the rug.

[Liberalforsure]

They lost me too, I stopped watching them after Wolf never called out the rethuglicans on their lies they would tell him to his face on Obama. I do check in to watch Jack Cafferty at ten of the hour though. But no more cnn for me!

[joethevoter]

I agree, Jack is good But I noticed Wolf was really nasty to Hillary in the primary debate and now I see him as definitely slanted. Also, why hasn't lou dobbs moved to fox where he belongs? How can he call himself a liberal. His nasty rants don't sound liberal at all.

[ladybug7]

I have been a huge fan of Rachel and have her show on permanent DVR in case I'm out. The last 2 weeks her show and Countdown have aced Bill O. in the ratings. Maybe this is in reaction to that? I have tried to watch Hannity or O'Reilly, but can't take more than 10 minutes of their pea-brained outlook and anger. I prefer intelligence over beligerence.

BTW I just saw an ad...Obama is going to be on Rachel's show tonight.

[FR]

Let's have a contest: take the men in the article, the ones the FT neglected to describe adequately with equivalent three-word phrases, and decorate them.
MR. O'Reilly is ...
MR. Olbermann is ...
PR. Drudge is ...

I see a few posters have started already, good-o !!

[care4mypeeps]

Don't worry Rachel we have your back.

[care4mypeeps]

Whenever and article begins with a preceived negative lable about someone, it is for the very reason of discrediting their greatness and tarnishing their image. What possible reason the Finacial Times
have to give for them trying to shed a negative light on Rachel Maddow except to throw some red meat at Republican's and those on the Reigious Right to begin whisper campaings and boycot events that she attends because of their bias.

We need to stop judging people and find the comon good in all people. What was the Fiancial Times Thinking? At any rate, Racel congradulations on your Show and keep up the great work.

We are here for you and the entire Magnificent three Chris, Keith and Rachel. HIP HIP HORAY!!!!!!!!!

[hillaryj]

Rachel chirpy????? Give me a break! How sexist can this rag go????

[Jason404]

I have no what idea what you think chirpy means, if you think it is sexist. Haven't you people got dictionaries?

[Europe08]

you are fighting a very lonely battle here. they just don't get it. obviously they only comment on the HP headline (not on the article), which is very regrettable. it puts the FT in a very bad and UNDESERVED light!

[formerprosecutor]

The opposite of lighthearted is serious; they implied she lacked sustance; now do YOU get it?

[formerprosecutor]

If you referred to a man as "chirpy" would you think he had any depth or credibilty ? just asking

[Floridagirl1972]

I LOVE Rachel!

[Wiserone]

LET'S START A PETITION FOR RACHEL TO BECOME PART OF OBAMA'S CABINET AS HIS PRESS SECRETARY!!! SHE COULD MORE THAN HANDLE IT!! IF THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY, RACHEL, YOU OWE ME A DRINK.

Wiserone

[AlwaysFairDem]

Drudge is still alive??...haven't visited that website in almost a year and half. I guess I am one of the 4.5 million loyal HuffPost junky. Thank you HuffPost for what you do.

Regarding Rachel...it don't matter what sexual orientation or preference you may have, we are all human and should treat eachother equally. We are in love your thinking hat and continue educating those that seek wisdom.

[AlindaFaye2000]

What did you do to get away from it? I keep going back there. For what, I don't know. That site stinks.

[ebanks84]

The fact that you had to throw "Gay" in there shows you have no integrity and that alone gives me no desire to read your article. You can shove it really.

I love Rachel and I don't care what she is.

[nunzia]

I wonder if the person who wrote the article is anywhere near a Rhodes scholar.
DR. Maddow to you, suckah.

[rbspickles]

Heh :) I like it!

[texanna]

"chirpy, gay liberal"? First of all, I've never heard her chirp and what's her sexual orientation got to do with it? I guess the best attack is to denigrate, because Rachel is definitely better than pretty much anybody else in the 24/7 cycle right now. Although, I like what Campbell Brown is doing.

[timmmahhhh]

Chirp on! Rachel is a fresh and witty take on the opinion show format. She is firm but not nasty to her guests. The very mean spirited Megyn Kelly could learn a few things about manners from Rachel.