Russert's MSNBC "Deathlolopalusa Festival" now entering 20th Hour..

[symbolman]

and shows no signs of weakening, just like the weather over the drenched Midwest..if they cared to let us in on that..

Is this not Bizarre to anyone else? Seriously, they are getting their Death Freak ON. Its getting Nuts - maybe some other station should pull an Intervention on these guys.

I've been to many Irish Wakes, as a mostly Irish guy, they are a Lot more Fun, its expected.

What are they going to say next, that the very Sky is weeping over Russert all over the Midwest?

Any bets on when this strange scene will end? I really wish we coukd start a Pool here..

I'm 55, watched in Horror as many great men and minds were destroyed, attacked, saw the world stop with Kennedys, Martin Luther King, etc.

Russert was Nothing like those incredible men.

They all need to go home, go to a bar, leave the screen BLACK for a day..

They Need to let Russert Rest in Peace NOW.

Strike the set, Boys.

[TahitiNut]

1. I think they should cover each and every military death in Iraq to the same degree.

:eyes:

[symbolman]

7. True..

Why is it they think we want to watch this weird self emoliation, that it SELLS or something? If its not selling then its got a strange absorbed arrogance..

This is not something you want to leave on and the kiddies watch..

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. The celebration of the death of celebrities is an American pastime.

A rather disgusting one.

[Donnachaidh]

15. I was thinking the same thing

Had they covered, from death number one, all those killed in Iraq/Afghanistan would they even have gotten to the 1,000th death?

Hell - we don't even get photos of coffins being offloaded from planes, or names of the men and women who died. It's usually just a number per day.

But here we have a bunch of talking heads canonizing another talking head whose only real task for the last seven years has been to place his face up the Vice President's ass, and repeat every tiny bit of propaganda with such fervor that the American public stayed in a constant state of adrenalin-rushed fear.

It's hard for his family - but I still think the dead troops deserved more attention than this fat fucking talking head. I'm not going to be respectful towards someone who is probably right now trying to get comfortable in the level of hell reserved for press toadies with blood on their hands.

[Supersedeas]

78. there's an idea

[glowing]

2. It is getting a bit bizzare... I'm watching CNN and I don't usually watch those plastic reporters.

[Neshanic]

3. It's like Reagans funeral. Sick, twisted, and perverse.

[malaise]

51. Didn't Russert win an award for that coverage? n/t

[PeaceNikki]

4. Is it POSSIBLE that most people are tuning into MSNBC specifically to see coverage of Russert?

I don't understand why people feel they need to stay tuned into MSNBC. Most people don't watch it 24-7. To a normal person to tunes it in for an hour a day, the coverage is probably appreciated.

Change the channel. CNN, for example, is hardly discussing it.

[ixion]

10. what's left to cover?

he died. That is very sad, but it's not going to change. Hence, nothing really left to cover.

[eleny]

5. I haven't turned the tv on yet

This does sound a bit much already. Even yesterday, hubby walked in here late afternoon and commented that it was like memorializing for a presidential passing.

This is a phenomenon in itself.

[stray cat]

6. Turn the channel - its not that hard or go out and do something productive

Why in the world are you sitting around watching something you think is worthless?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

19. Because when it stops they will have to find to find something else to bitch about.

[aquart]

74. As opposed to those who tell us how to feel correctly?

Good luck with that.

[lumberingbear]

8. I'm so sorry he died, BUT........

If this coverage keeps up, he'll reach sainthood by evening.

What about the 4 soldiers who died in Afganistan yesterday ??? Not a word.

[blm]

9. This is still nothing compared to the TWO WEEK St. Ronnie Worship that Kerry was stuck with

as he had to suspend his campaign for two weeks and then oxygen hog Bill Clinton comes out with his monthlong booktour and defended Bush's terrorism and Iraq war strategies that Kerry was pointing out for criticism. Now THAT was some rough waters.

And let's not forget Gov. McGreevey's contribution to the news cycle when he got caught with a male lover who was also likely an Israeli spy. Gee - another two weeks of our lives.

Heheh...this media season (hurricane season? heh) is already shaping up a hundred times better for 2008 than in 2004.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. It reminds me when Bart Giamatti died back in '89...

...the accolades were SO over the top that SNL did a skit in which they were going to rename Baseball "Bartball."

I'm really sorry for his family, but his tenure at NBC News was NOT a portrait of integrity.

[symbolman]

13. You don't "turn the channel" when there's a car wreck

you Rubberneck, basic human curiosity at a freak show, a train wreck in slow motion.. Eleny is right, this is a weird phenomenon, sorry I studied anthropology and aint seen much like this..

They've poured all their death eggs into this guys basket, its like they all HOPE to be Remembered just like THIS so they're "acting out" with his death..

Where is Dr Phil? :)

Strange stuff.. We need Hunter Thompson back.. Now HIS Death should have been celebrated for Days. Him. Not This Guy.

[speedoo]

14. It's very predictable.

About 15 seconds each of the hag Andrea Mitchell and the #1 Iraq War enabler Brokaw was all I could stomach.

Other than a baseball game, the TV has been off since then.

[symbolman]

20. I had to shut it down when Andrea started getting into personal stories

She mentioned singing to Russert while wearing a Pink Feather Boa.. My stomach lurched at the thought of these two gazing into each others eyes while Bush Hyena laughed at a Media Show just for Him. Maybe that was where he made all the PRESS Laugh SO HARD looking foe WMDs..

The Bwokaw expounding in his "get me the fuck Out of the Car, I can't stand another minute of Uncle Tom.." sleep enabling mental Stroll of his.. HE actually told a story where Russert called HIM, "Uncle Tom".. And the POINT of it was? Got me.. I haven't a Clue, and I was Listening :)

These people need a stiff drink, and a kick in the ass.. Bars Closed, you don't have to go home, but you Cant Stay HERE..

[indie_voter]

25. The mental image of Andrea in a boa haunts me. Thankfully I missed the first hand account

I turned off the tv. I turned it on to watch the shuttle land with the kids. At least they covered that.

[malaise]

52. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Imagine the image of Andrea and Greenspan naked together? :rofl:
sp.

[indie_voter]

53. Thanks. Now I need bleach. n/t

[Demit]

16. This way they don't have to do any real reporting of real things. They are their own reality!

I read a piece in the Phila Inquirer about all the condolences pouring in, including postings from 'nobodies'. The writer actually used that word, and he wasn't being any kind of tongue in cheek.

It's their world, folks. We nobodies just live in it.

[aikoaiko]

17. He was one of them and its the weekend, Let them mourn in their own way.

[symbolman]

22. One little thing to think about

WE, The People OWN the Airwaves.

They Rent them, we Own them.. And if they get so far out like this, it makes you wonder how Sound their minds are at All.

Its not Normal.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

31. Send an e-mail to complain about it.

[libnnc]

32. well, technically we don't own the cable airwaves

I'll give them this weekend to get it out of their system

then they need to move on

Watching this coverage yesterday was strange--so many of the talking heads we're used to making fun of openly expressing their grief.

Come Monday....

[ruggerson]

40. We pay for the cable channels

they supposedly work to satisfy their audience, who pays their salary.

But, this isn't about their audience, this has been about them for 24 solid hours.

[Hamlette]

18. Reporters and pundits think THEY are the story which is what is wrong with news today

doesn't this just show what is wrong with the news? Why we think Saddam did 9/11 or they did find WMD? The media is spending its time preening about themselves instead of news.

Unbelievable.

Shit, now CNN is giving him an hour.

I'm sorry he's dead but I deplore his brand of gotcha questioning. He was NOT a good interviewer in the mold of Dick Cavett who got MUCH MORE out of his guests but not playing gotcha games.

To those of you angry that I'm dancing on his grave I think you have forgotten the Clinton years when he could not stop talking about Monica etc.

[malaise]

21. Please note that while I have long stopped watching

it has been absolutely uncritical.

[otohara]

23. Wait Till The Funeral

this could be as big as when Ronnie died.

[Neshanic]

24. Is there a "emotional pause" list? Who was first? Was it Andrea?

[DS1]

26. You aren't wearing your Peacock lapel pin?

:grr:

[symbolman]

27. Under my lapel

So I can flash it as needed.. Just like Russert flashed HIS Bush pin after a Debate, at Bush, after he'd shook Gore's hand and though Gore wasn't looking..

Oh these dead people, I tell ya.. :)

[backscatter712]

28. Yeah, I'm tired of the Tim Russert Is Dead channel.

I know, they're mourning.

But can I please see something else?

I was not close to Tim Russert. He was just a face on the TV for me.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

30. You can change the channel or you don't have to watch the channel.

The only person who makes the decision to pay attention to any of this is YOU.

[symbolman]

34. True

same goes for you, so get off everyone's back who WANTS to Complain.. Got something Better to Do with Your Time already?

Go do it.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

38. Well start your own bitch and complain forum.

Life is too short to bitch and complain all the damn time about the same shit when it happens all the damn time when it happens everytime someone famous dies. So I will use my time wisely and just say fuck you to the bitch squad that has now taken over DU.

[symbolman]

41. How droll.

thanks, now bye.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

You're welcome now .

[TexasObserver]

64. but apparently life isn't too short to click on this thread and curse at its participants, eh?

You say "Life is too short to bitch and complain all the damn time about the same shit," and then you do just that, several times.

Can't you just admit for once that your personality compels you to lecture and nag others who don't share your point of view on this topic?

If you really believed what you posted, you would never have clicked on this thread, muchless post on it.

[daninthemoon]

35. Couldn't disagree more in this case. The press and media have a

responsibility to keep the public informed. Instead, the curent crop do their best to fill the air with anything but news.

[indie_voter]

46. I agree, this is symptom of a larger problem.

Russert's death is sad. And scary. He was young. It's tragic.

But it's not national news. Just as Laci Peterson was not national news, just as Anna Nicole Smith was not national news.

Gore's book 'Assault on Reason' comes to mind here.

We're involved in a senseless war about to be made that much more dangerous if Sadr has his way, McCain is getting a free ride in the press, the Midwest is flooding, Gas prices are insanely high.

We have serious problems to solve, and the media does us all a disservice, and this latest bout of self-indulgence is just one more example.

[global1]

37. I Like It - MSTRD..........nt

[Raven]

29. This is NOT about Russert...it's all about THEM!

[aquart]

75. Ain't it just? They lost their mentor and they're ...lost.

Not to mention polishing their resumes.

[daninthemoon]

33. I kep checking back to the news channels to see if it's stopped,

but it's all Russert all the time. It's very sad, and certainly deserved some coverage, but surely there must be something else happening somewhere in the world. Like one of the other posters mentioned, similar coverage of each and every dead soldier would be much more appropriate. I assumed that tomorrow's mtp will be a eulogy, but now I'm wondering what will be on abc and cbs.

[symbolman]

36. We aren't even allowed Pictures of returning coffins with troops

yet while they DIE over there in the War this asshole Shilled for, all we get us Him...

Its getting into SickoLand here..

Good post

[indie_voter]

39. like sadr threatening to end the cease fire and floods in the midwest?

[daninthemoon]

43. like those. just pay no attention to those trivialities.

[symbolman]

44. Jesus!

end the ceasefire? Had no idea, and there's the Hundreds of Terrorists that escaped in Afghanistan, no mention of THAT while Brian Williams was Standing Right There!

What are these jerks doing?

People all across the Nation have Family in Potential Danger in the Midwest, I've Got an 80 year old favorite aunt, I want to KNOW what the Hell is going On!

Thanks for that!

[indie_voter]

47. WP link

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/13/AR2008061302019.html

[symbolman]

49. Thanks!

Thank god for the Web, eh?

Considering the News we are Missing, maybe Russert got out before the shithouse burns down..

Thanks again!

[indie_voter]

50. You're welcome. Thank you for the OP!! n/t

[stevedeshazer]

42. So true

I got killed here after Gerald Ford died for suggesting that he was a murderer and pointing out that Cheney and Rumsfeld ran his show and that Ford is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in East Timor.

These fuckers who rewrite history get no sympathy from me.

[ourbluenation]

45. I'm perfectly fine withit. They're processing the shocking death of someone they all loved.

everyone grieves in their own way. obviously they think this is appropriate and useful to them and his fans.

[cherokeeprogressive]

48. Seriously... YOU feel better now, right?

YOU posted a thread with Russert as its main theme. YOU did.

Go to a bar, and leave YOUR screen black for a day.

Let Russert RIP NOW.

[Paladin]

54. Perfect Take On It, Symbolman---Thanks So Much

I predict that MSNBC's outlandish, interminable coverage of Russert's death will be studied in journalsim schools for decades to come as how NOT to properly handle a prominent colleague's death.....

[symbolman]

57. Thanks

Youd think the "Newseum" they keep touting would have some pointers on this, but as far as I can tell this is unheard of, and I've watched a lot of TV in 55 years.. I understand they lost their Friday shows to Rerun, but they just showed a Listing of all the Russert Remembered All Day SUNDAY Programing!!

I suspect The students won't believe it, until the Instructor makes them watch all Six days of it :)

Thanks!

[Fox Mulder]

55. It's to the point now where it's absolutely fucking nuts.

[Renew Deal]

56. So change the channel

[symbolman]

60. No

I like scary weird shit, I like trying to figure out what's wrong with allegedly "Normal" people..

Having worked in Two Nuthouses you might say its a hobby of mine :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

69. You are getting a full show then

:-)

[Bluebear]

58. Norah O'Donnell now interviewing Michele Norris on when she first met Tim.

It's really getting to be more than strange.

[JohnyCanuck]

59. I agree. It's beyond weird n/t

[LeftyMom]

61. It seems weird to honor a news guy by ignoring the news.

If they want to honor him as a journalist, shouldn't they go bust their asses getting some great stories, hold some high-powered people's feet to the fire, etc?

I TiVo'd Countdown last night, and I fast forwarded trying to find the news part, thinking surely after the next break there'd be some, and I was absolutely flabbergasted that there wasn't any in the whole hour. It's a news channel, you'd think they'd manage to squeeze a little news in somewhere.

[earth mom]

62. I am SO glad I don't have cable anymore, because 2 hours of it is ridiculous, 20 hours is crazy.

:crazy:

[bigwillq]

63. It seems like DU can't let go

of his death either.

I still see so many threads about his death, in one context or another.

Thanks for adding to the non-stop coverage.


:hi:

[TexasObserver]

65. June 13, 2008 - A Day that will reign in Infamy. The day THE NEWS STOPPED.

People aren't dying in the midwest from flooding.

Impeachment isn't being considered in congress.

Americans aren't dying in Iraq.

$3 billion isn't being spent this week on a war with no end.

The president and VP aren't doing all they can to gut the constitution.

We don't have a presidential election.


It's a good thing the news ended, so all we will need to talk about from now on is the death of one media person after another. It's upside/backwards time.

[benld74]

66. Getting tired of it myself

The best thing ANYONE should say is 'Although I didn't agree with ANYTHING he said, I respect him as a person'.
The worst thing ANYONE should say is 'Being a news leader in his field, he tended towards the Administration policies and wants, blocking all other forms of information from getting to the people who need to know'
Ironic that a blockage stopped him as well.

[ColbertWatcher]

67. Is E! doing a retrospective now?

True Hollywood Story?

Behind the News?

[Rhiannon12866]

68. I think what's going on is that NBC is in mourning.

And they have the airwaves to express it. I understand your feelings, but I also understand theirs...:shrug:

[Steely_Dan]

70. How About...

Tim Russert on Mt. Rushmore. That should do it.

-P

[Hubert Flottz]

71. It's like they expect Timmy Taterhead to come back after 3 days

and whoop ass for McCain...

[Hubert Flottz]

72. I'd heard all my life about somebody being hatched, instead of...

being born...but Tim was the first person I ever saw who had an egg tooth AND he spoke with a forked tongue.

I feel sorry for his family, but do you think Tim felt sorry for the country he helped the PNAC destroy?

[aquart]

73. Oh, thank god. I'm not alone.

I was stranded all weekend without the internet. I thought the Russert grief fest was over the top. My mother thought it, my sister thought it...but we had no way to know if we were alone in our opinion, as we so often are.

[malaise]

76. Friday, Saturday, Sunday

and on and on we go Monday. GEM$NBC is showing her true colors....this is a shameless, uncritical deification of one of their own. Get over it GEM$NBC - Russert was no Bill Moyers.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

77. It's continuing on The Today Show this AM. Lauer interviewing Russert's son Luke. Seems like 10 mins

or more now.

[Barack_America]

79. Tasteless.

:thumbsdown: