More Letterman, Afghanistan Troop Levels, Another Heart-Breaking Health Care Story, And Anderson Cooper Has A Random Midlife Crisis Moment
Hi everybody. I think from now on if I blog Friday's show it's just going to be the abbreviated version. Mmkay? Anyhoo, we're starting things off with the David Letterman extortion scandal and while I'm not surprised, I am annoyed. My theory is that the media is all over this because besides the obvious ratings whoring, there's nothing the media likes more than talking about itself. Sure, a talk show isn't exactly the same thing as the news, but let's face it, that line is becoming mighty blurred these days.
I'm also betting that Worldwide Pants isn't the only place this kind of behavior was/is going on, thus adding to the intrigue. But anyway, Tom Foreman gives us more details on the case and breaks it all down with Magic Map-like technology. Then we have an Erica Hill piece on celebrity extortions and why they happen. Hm, celebrities have money, people want money--not exactly a brain teaser, is it? Is it obvious it's Friday?
In the "360 Bulletin" we learn the sad news that Chicago was not chosen for the 2016 Olympics. Well, it was sad news for the majority of Americans. Conservatives, however, were quite pleased. You stay classy, guys! Utterly disgusting.
On now to discussion about Afghanistan with David Gergen and Peter Bergen. We all know that General Stanley McChrystal wants more troops for the war, but now we're hearing that some White House officials don't. Cue the media meme of a battle between Obama and the generals. It's beltway conventional wisdom that if the generals ask for more troops, they should always get them (unless of course the general asking is Eric Shinseki, which in that case he should be mocked). But as David Sirota notes, the Founders worded the Constitution to avoid military juntas. Obama isn't dismissing McChrystal like Bush/Rumsfeld did to Shinseki. He's just considering all options. Isn't that a good thing?
As for this segment, I was a bit disappointed at how one-sided it felt. Though I love the Gerg, he's your classic Villager. Obviously his comments are going to imply that Obama is wrong not to immediately placate the generals. And while I greatly respect Peter Bergen, if you read his piece in TIME, you know that he has a specific view when it comes to this issue. Peter wants to stay in Afghanistan with an increased military commitment. That's a perfectly legitimate viewpoint. I just wish other viewpoints were included in this discussion as well.
For the record, if you're wondering my viewpoint (or in other words, my biases) in all of this, I don't really have one. I find this all hella confusing and I'm still waiting for the national conversation to get to the point where we're all talking about the same thing. Of note during the discussion, is the Gerg talking about how we finally found success in Iraq. I'm sorry, did we win that war? Is that whole thing over now? I must have missed the memo. I'm starting to get annoyed with everyone implying (whether they mean to or not) that Iraq is all hunky-dory now. It's not.
Kudos to Randi Kaye for her report on Governor Rick Perry. I actually missed it, but reading the transcript it looks like good work.
Then we're back to the whole Letterman thing and Brian Todd gives us a piece about co-worker relationships. After that, we're joined by Dr. Drew Pinsky. Sigh. I've got nothing against Dr. Drew personally, but I usually hate all his cable news appearances. Too much speculation. Particularly annoying was him stating that often people who are in lower positions of power who seek out relationships with someone of authority have some sort of issues going on. You know what? Sometimes relationships just happen.
Following that segment, we get this from Anderson: "When did my hair become whiter than Dr. Drew's? Anybody know when this happened? So sad." Well, that was random. April 22, 2006. Kidding. His hair actually looks the same to me since I started watching him. But I'm not a noticer. "I used to have salt and pepper hair. What happened to all the pepper?" Anderson asks. Oh, I think our anchor is looking for a little ego boost. Dear Anderson, you are still hella hot. Now...shut up about it. Love, me.
The final piece of the night is from Sanjay Gupta, on a woman who's been through health insurance hell. In 1987 Leslie Elder was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had Nationwide Insurance and all was well. Then 13 years later it happened again, but this time costs had raised so much that her bills were out of control. She's convinced Nationwide jacked up her rates because of her cancer and I believe her. So disgusting. The richest country in the world and this is what our citizens have to go through?
Before the official "shot," Anderson's mischievous colleagues throw up pictures of him and Dr. Drew again. Then Erica gives him literal pepper, you know, just in case. Anderson is not amused. Well, see, this is what you get for being all randomly vain. Oh, they mock because they love. Anyway! The real "shot" is babies times four! And they're all giggling. Let me hear you: awwww!!!
The show was just meh. That'll do it.
I'm also betting that Worldwide Pants isn't the only place this kind of behavior was/is going on, thus adding to the intrigue. But anyway, Tom Foreman gives us more details on the case and breaks it all down with Magic Map-like technology. Then we have an Erica Hill piece on celebrity extortions and why they happen. Hm, celebrities have money, people want money--not exactly a brain teaser, is it? Is it obvious it's Friday?
In the "360 Bulletin" we learn the sad news that Chicago was not chosen for the 2016 Olympics. Well, it was sad news for the majority of Americans. Conservatives, however, were quite pleased. You stay classy, guys! Utterly disgusting.
On now to discussion about Afghanistan with David Gergen and Peter Bergen. We all know that General Stanley McChrystal wants more troops for the war, but now we're hearing that some White House officials don't. Cue the media meme of a battle between Obama and the generals. It's beltway conventional wisdom that if the generals ask for more troops, they should always get them (unless of course the general asking is Eric Shinseki, which in that case he should be mocked). But as David Sirota notes, the Founders worded the Constitution to avoid military juntas. Obama isn't dismissing McChrystal like Bush/Rumsfeld did to Shinseki. He's just considering all options. Isn't that a good thing?
As for this segment, I was a bit disappointed at how one-sided it felt. Though I love the Gerg, he's your classic Villager. Obviously his comments are going to imply that Obama is wrong not to immediately placate the generals. And while I greatly respect Peter Bergen, if you read his piece in TIME, you know that he has a specific view when it comes to this issue. Peter wants to stay in Afghanistan with an increased military commitment. That's a perfectly legitimate viewpoint. I just wish other viewpoints were included in this discussion as well.
For the record, if you're wondering my viewpoint (or in other words, my biases) in all of this, I don't really have one. I find this all hella confusing and I'm still waiting for the national conversation to get to the point where we're all talking about the same thing. Of note during the discussion, is the Gerg talking about how we finally found success in Iraq. I'm sorry, did we win that war? Is that whole thing over now? I must have missed the memo. I'm starting to get annoyed with everyone implying (whether they mean to or not) that Iraq is all hunky-dory now. It's not.
Kudos to Randi Kaye for her report on Governor Rick Perry. I actually missed it, but reading the transcript it looks like good work.
Then we're back to the whole Letterman thing and Brian Todd gives us a piece about co-worker relationships. After that, we're joined by Dr. Drew Pinsky. Sigh. I've got nothing against Dr. Drew personally, but I usually hate all his cable news appearances. Too much speculation. Particularly annoying was him stating that often people who are in lower positions of power who seek out relationships with someone of authority have some sort of issues going on. You know what? Sometimes relationships just happen.
Following that segment, we get this from Anderson: "When did my hair become whiter than Dr. Drew's? Anybody know when this happened? So sad." Well, that was random. April 22, 2006. Kidding. His hair actually looks the same to me since I started watching him. But I'm not a noticer. "I used to have salt and pepper hair. What happened to all the pepper?" Anderson asks. Oh, I think our anchor is looking for a little ego boost. Dear Anderson, you are still hella hot. Now...shut up about it. Love, me.
The final piece of the night is from Sanjay Gupta, on a woman who's been through health insurance hell. In 1987 Leslie Elder was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had Nationwide Insurance and all was well. Then 13 years later it happened again, but this time costs had raised so much that her bills were out of control. She's convinced Nationwide jacked up her rates because of her cancer and I believe her. So disgusting. The richest country in the world and this is what our citizens have to go through?
Before the official "shot," Anderson's mischievous colleagues throw up pictures of him and Dr. Drew again. Then Erica gives him literal pepper, you know, just in case. Anderson is not amused. Well, see, this is what you get for being all randomly vain. Oh, they mock because they love. Anyway! The real "shot" is babies times four! And they're all giggling. Let me hear you: awwww!!!
The show was just meh. That'll do it.
Labels: Afghanistan, David Gergen, David Letterman, Erica Hill, health care reform, Peter Bergen, sanjay gupta
posted by eliza at 11:59 PM
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