Abrams and Gregory's New Shows: A Quick Review

Today was the debut of David Gregory's new show on MSNBC, Race for the White House.  In essence, the show features 6 segments discussed over by a 4 member panel.  Tonight's panel was great, with Rachel Maddow, Joe Scarborough, Eugene Robinson, and Chuck Todd offering their opinions and views. Okay, maybe Robinson and Todd are no good, but I hope Maddow and Scarborough remain regulars, as both got into several heated arguments with each other that were both highly substantive and highly entertaining.  

The biggest surprise for me, however, was how well David Gregory fit into his new role as host.  Think of him as a more lively, more personable Tim Russert, or a less lively, less opinionated Dan Abrams.  As long as the panelists stay as good and the segments stay as lively as they were today, Race for the White House could prove to be a huge success for MSNBC. 

Verdict with Dan Abrams also debuted tonight.  Nothing much to note here, as Verdict pretty much follows the same format as Abram's old self titled show, but again I must say that I love the "On Their Trail" segment. Abrams, although he blatantly injects his opinion into topics, is never tilted towards one candidate, or for that matter, one ideology, over the other. On one issue he might agree with Obama; the next McCain; the next Clinton.  It's just really refreshing to get commentary without a clear bias behind them.  

With that being said, I encourage all of you to check out MSNBC's new primetime lineup.  Gregory's show looks very promising, Matthew's is getting better, and Abrams continues to "tell it as he sees it".  (The only downside is the none-stop bias of Keith Olbermann, formerly the best MSNBC host.)  

Obama and The Preacher (Part II)

It's really disturbing to see how many people are out there defending Rev. Jeremiah Wright over the comments he made. They were not, in any way, okay.  God should not damn America.  America, with all its flaws, is the greatest country in the world.  Whether or not you've been called a n****r should not be a qualification for being President.  The horrific attacks of 9/11 are not the fault of Americans.  

Some comments have been made here at POLITIDOSE defending Wright by arguing that other preachers have said "God damn America" and other outrageous comments.  Let me make myself clear: just because I don't mention other preachers' by name and their comments does not mean I agree or condone their remarks.  Indeed, Hagee, Robertson, Falwell, etc. are all equally despicable as Wright for making the comments they have made.  But I want Wright supporters to think of it this way:  They defend Wright by demonizing Hagee, Robertson, Falwell, etc. for saying such outrageous things.  But isn't it only fair then to demonize Wright too if he said the same thing?

Some say that Wright is justified in what he said because all he is trying to do is combat hate.  Well, at least in my view, you don't deal with hate by preaching hate, which is exactly what Wright has done.  Do people really think it's okay to preach hate of white people in order to make up for some whites being racist?  I'm a white man; I don't hold any hate for African Americans.  Yet, according to Wright, I'm an evil person who his entire congregation should hate.  Here's a lesson Wright and his followers need to learn: hate breeds hate.  The more Wright and his followers preach hate of white people, the more white people will hate them, and the cycle goes on and on and on.  The way to end hate is to bring people together.  That was Martin Luther King's message and goal.  He didn't preach hate for whites; he preached equality for all.  He didn't demonize whites, rather he invited them to join him and his followers in ending racial divides.  

Again I'll say, preaching hate is never okay.  But even I, an avid opponent of John McCain, can not hold him as accountable for Hagee's remarks as I hold Obama for Wrights.  Hagee endorses McCain.  McCain, however, has not been a personal friend of Hagee for over 20 years.  McCain did not choose Hagee to be his pastor.  McCain did not put Hagee on his campaign.  

It's not that I necessarily think Obama shares Wright's views, but I do want to know why Obama has befriended this man.  You can't tell me that Obama didn't know that Wright made these horrible remarks.  Obama certainly knew and then proceeded to continue to attend Trinity United Church.  He proceeded to continue his very close, personal relationship with Wright.  He proceeded to put Wright on his campaign.  I want answers from Obama.  I want to know why he choose to associate himself with Wright.  

(P.S.)---My Personal Connection: I fight hard everyday to end racism and sexism.  My friends frequently get annoyed when I call them out on prejudiced language, but I continue to do it.  Why?  Because I see the elements of discrimination alive in society and they sicken me.  I want them to end as much as the next person.  But what good would it do if, instead of calmly explaining to my friends why their comments are inappropriate and asking them to change their ways, I began spewing hateful language towards them.  It would just allow for their hate to deepen.  Again, only more hate can come out of hate.  We must end the cycle.  Wright preaches hate of whites in redemption for hatred of blacks. Hatred, of any kind, is wrong.  But if we're going to call one group out on hate and racism, we have to do the same for the other.  What Wright said is non-defensible.  The fact that Obama remains friends with him raises serious questions that I feel the American people deserve having answered.