A Jewel, An Ally, Reliable, Funny, Self- deprecating, Courageous and Easy on the Eyes

[Mira]

Exact, Informed, Surprising, Brilliant, Excellent communicator,
gifted interviewer, novel, fact-filled, self image solid as a rock, unflappable,
able to backtrack and possessing the most obvious set of

Another shout out to Rachel

(It's been a while, and I want to show my appreciation)

If you are a grateful fan, add your own adjectives or thoughts.
If you aren't, you can un-recommend, and it will get made up by others.
Suit yourselves.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Pretty impossible to top what you have said....I agree 100%.

[defendandprotect]

2. I'm a big fan but have missed her over last week --

for one reason or another --

I'm so tired of seeing film of Palin on Olberman -- and tonight Cheney!

Kinda tuned them out the last few days --

[Mira]

3. If you can, catch the last of Olberman tonight

he rants about the Tea baggers being all white and the racism that permeates their movement filled with "code" words and actions - because we really CANT"T say: "I detest Obama because he is a "you know what"-----

but above all watch the first 20 Min of Rachel, where she takes on the hypocrisy of the Republican representatives in detail and with great humor care and courage.
It's what inspired me to write the little OP

[defendandprotect]

34. When I put Rachel on last night for a repeat . . . it was later in the program . . .

maybe someone will get a video up?

Thanks !!

:)

[truedelphi]

35. Your advice will be followed.

Thanks for the great OP and its graphics.

[DirkGently]

4. She is

the best commentator out there, in my opinion. Better than Keith, I submit, when he sometimes loses control of his tone and comes off too shrill. Above all, she proves that a level tone, and incredulity and humor in the face of dishonest argument are most effective, least assailable tools in the box.

Carry on, Dr. Maddow.

[Mira]

6. Just the type of additions I want to see. Thanks - and

don't you know she terrifies them, and shrivels them, when they lie in their beds at night after she has had her way with them.

[Bette Noir]

37. Yikes-- you make her sound like a succubus!

My Rachel isn't like that.

[morningglory]

5. What on earth would we do without her and Keith? nt

[whathehell]

29. Yes...I was thinking that very thing last night....What would we do?

With a corporate monopoly of a media that tilts ever more to the Right, we might be lost in despair with NO one to speak for us, at least on TV.

I'm a boomer and I actually remember feeling hopeful and POSITIVE about this country, with all of its flaws.

We've now gone so far to the Right, that it's frightening and barely resembles the place I grew up in in the 60's and the Seventies...Terrible.

[me b zola]

46. If comcast takes over nbc, we might find out

:(

[Luminous Animal]

7. Make that Ovaries of Steel and I'd agree.

[Mira]

8. I don't say this often but:

"WHATEVER"

:rofl:

:)

[Luminous Animal]

13. Thank you for the intelligent response. You'd do Rachel proud.

[Mira]

14. I was flip. I'm sorry.

The visuals would not have worked well.
But I did not mean to annoy you.
Really, I apologize sincerely.

:dunce:

[Lochloosa]

23. ...

http://kimretherford.com/ovaries.html

[Captain Hilts]

25. Do you praise black people by saying they're 'white'? Just curious. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. A brain!!!!!! And she cuts to the quck with the nicest manner.

For all her smarts, she has a wonderful way of explaining complicated concepts so most people
( you know who I left out in the "most")
most people cat understand the issues.
She cuts thru the crap very well.

[Mira]

10. That is what I meant by "easy on the eyes" - great portrait -

and yes, you got that exactly right, her ability to explain it like we are two year olds, except for those who still are.

:)

[madamesilverspurs]

11. A gift.

A gift to those of us who appreciate honesty, intelligence, grit and integrity. She out-journalists journalists.



K-ing and R-ing

---

[Mira]

12. Thanks Madame! What you said. N/T

[tavalon]

15. Scary smart Rhodes scholar

Geeky wonderfulness.

[bermudat]

16. She was great tonight.

I just love Ken Jones.

[Mira]

17. I do too, though I missed him tonight, as I typed up this OP.

She brought him with her from the Air America Radio show. She is loyal, too. I could have put that in the list of adjectives.

:)

[Manifestor_of_Light]

66. Kent Jones is a cool dude.

He looks kinda like Arthur Godfrey.

Kent's hair is AWESOME.

[ddeclue]

18. I'd like to find a giant set of steel balls and put them in a nice jewelry type wooden box

and give them as a gift to Alan Grayson some day..

he definitely has earned them!

[Mira]

19. I know this is about Rachel - but you are right. I have - on a number of occasions -

lauded his courage here as well.
I love about him that he has a perpetual smile that he (and Bill Murray had the same luck) was born with. So when he says the things that he must say to call attention to the wrongs he sees he says them with a smile he can't help.

A lot like Rachel, who is also able to smile, though it's not congenital, while she courageously takes on her hypocrites or her liars.

Alan Grayson is my hero as well.

[veganlush]

20. She's the only one out there doing what needs to be done!..n/t

[Hekate]

21. You folks are saying it all for me: I love this woman and her ovaries of steel!

NB: Pointing out that women have ovaries and not balls comes from the esteemed Clarissa Pinkola Estes, also a PhD, and author of the classic Women Who Run with the Wolves. ;-)

Hekate

[Captain Hilts]

26. Praising a woman by saying she has 'balls' is like praising black by saying they're being 'white'.

It says, what you inherently are is not enough.

[femrap]

31. How'd you get so smart?

Seriously...one of the few who truly 'gets it' regarding sexism.

Thank you.

[Change has come]

22. K&R

:kick:

[Captain Hilts]

24. Women don't need balls to be tough. Sexist. nt

[Mimosa]

57. Hate the 'balls' praise which isn't praise at all. n/t

[MineralMan]

27. Rachel is wonderful. She gets it....every time.

However, she is a woman. The implication that one must have balls to make a powerful point and to be a terrific commentator is sexist.

Rachel is exactly who she is, and I thank her for doing what she does.

[Mira]

28. To my critics, who take the " having balls of steel " so literally

I take it back in it's entirety.
It was a poor illustration.
I was, of course, not really talking about physical appendages, I was using the common place American expression that refers to
being phenomenally courageous.

Believe me, I know about the strength of ovaries, and laud them, I have some, and all things considered they are a lot stronger and go through a lot more than the proverbial balls of steel.
Rachel's courage, because it is so infused with humor that one does not know from whence it comes exactly, comes from all of her and all of her experiences and she is unflinchingly taking the truth to the masses.

Now here is a blog entry I found on the web, it illustrates in the physical sense, which is how my critics want to interpret it, just how wrong I was to use that reference:

How tough are balls really?

Having balls (or cojones in Spanish) is equated with being tough, strong, and fearless. The irony is that balls aren’t tough at all. They are actually one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. The first thing a girl learns when she is growing up is to kick a guy in the balls if she gets attacked. Balls are so fragile, boys had to invent special apparatuses to protect their balls while they are out playing games. A bit of cold air or water and balls just shrink up and hide away.

We respect people with balls. Conversely, people without balls are weak, unworthy of respect, pussies. But whereas balls are constantly in need of protection from the tiniest threat, a pussy can withstand to be ripped in half by a 10 pound kid and then bounce right back. Try that with some balls. It goes without saying that our ideas of balls being tough and pussies being weak are all about our ideas of men and women. Although I might also point out that being a dick is not considered a compliment. Dick’s are supposedly heartless, inconsiderate, and mean (insert Dick Cheney joke here)

[Bette Noir]

39. Can't we all just get along?

[Hekate]

41. I took your OP as intended--really-- and I thank you for posting it....

I'm glad, however, that what Clarissa Pinkola Estes calls "Ovarios" has caught on finally. :D

Hekate

[dixiegrrrrl]

64. Ovarios? I can haz Ovarios? Wheeee...nice term.

[Hekate]

65. Have you ever read her book? Great fun...

... and transformational for those of us who read it when it first came out (hmhm) however long ago that was.

Hekate

[The Wizard]

53. The trouble

is that the politically correct waste time and energy quibbling about bullshit and can't get the job done, kind of like the Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate.
Putting on asbestos suit.

[femrap]

30. It's ova, not balls.

I don't think she would want balls...it could lower her iq.

[Gormy Cuss]

58. Or to be gender-neutral, spine.

We all have one, but some spines are stronger than others. Maddow has a steel spine.

[femrap]

62. Yes, spine works for me. nt

[Kurovski]

32. K&R. (nt)

[arthritisR_US]

33. k & r with pleasure! n/t

[girl_interrupted]

38. Rachel is Awesome & should be the host of "Meet the Press"

[arthritisR_US]

51. from your lips to the CEO's ears! :-) n/t

[nyc 4 Biden]

36. I guessed Rachel before even opening the OP. n/t

[Javaman]

40. I prefer Spine of steel.

she takes no shit from anyone.

[Mira]

42. I genuinely wish I had thought of that. I was so excited

when I posted I did not think of this alternative. So much better than how I handled it.

[MissMarple]

43. Some people are just tuned into that stuff more than others.

Maybe it's a generational and feminist thing. Balls of steel, buns of steel, spine of steel, steely eyed. What ever.

Personally, I've always liked iron fist in a velvet glove. I grew up hearing various references to balls when discussing gutsy women. I understand why some may take issue with that and the point is well made. The "whatever" response, for me, comes when someone gets a bit over the top about it. Just make one's point and move on. Some people take great exception to the generic use of the pronoun "he" when referring to either sex and will substitute "she" or even she/he. Fine, just so they don't get upset with me if I don't. I may sometimes do so, and that offends an entirely different group of people. But BFD. It really isn't that big a deal in the larger scheme of things, especially when things have changed so much in a relatively short time and continue to do so.

Life is interesting, times change, the language evolves. Politeness, kindness, thoughtfulness, and understanding count for a lot. Strident authoritarianism isn't as effective.

Peace. I thought your general point in the original post was a good one. Ovaries of steel...that sucks the nurturing component right out of them. IMHO

:crazy: :popcorn:

[Mira]

44. Thank you MissMarple - wise reflective words -

and I should have seen it coming,
Rachel deserves better than to have this derailed.
I am guilty because of my opening the door to a charge of being sexist when all I wanted to do is praise her for being so gloriously gutsy.

[meeshrox]

45. K&R Thanks for making me smile...

I heart Rachel's work! I just cannot believe I missed her again on MTP this weekend!

I've been watching the Olympics and haven't caught her since last week...been getting the best-of's here on DU!

I love how she looks people like Dick Army in the eye as she rips them a new one! So bold and brave!

[me b zola]

47. K&R

Love Rachel :loveya:

[renate]

48. I adore her

Her brain is so much more limber than the average bear's. Remember last week when she totally ad-libbed the word "interstitial"? Be still, my heart. :loveya:

[emsimon33]

49. She's the best in the business

[truthrocks]

50. I LOVE THIS POST just as much as I love Rachel!

Balls of steel is a freakin' metaphor. :silly:

Political correctness is overrated. :boring:

Rachel is one classy broad! :yourock:

[Mira]

61. Thanks a lot for your clarity, very nice! No more popcorn today. N/T

[MissDeeds]

52. Rachel is simply awesome

Bright, articulate, informed, tactful yet tenacious, she is the embodiment of journalistic excellence. Love, love, love Rachel!

:toast:

[Bluenorthwest]

54. She is great

She's centered. She has brutal timing, in the best possible sense. I hail her as an ally, and I would fear her as an adversary. Glad she's around, and taking it all the way.

[ClusterFreak]

55. All sack, that chick. All sack.

Loves it.:thumbsup:

[madamesilverspurs]

56. By comparison, Rachel is the whole library,

Palin is the Cliff's notes version of People Magazine. MSNBC got a better deal than Fox.

[hfojvt]

59. I always liked her show

although I have not seen it now in over a year.

However, I just read Somerby and he was not very kind to her.

http://www.dailyhowler.com/

"Barstow v. Maddow: Comparisons here are less direct. But in our view, Barstow presented an intelligent first report—and Maddow’s last few shows, on Friday and Monday night, have been deeply unintelligent. The Maddow show is full of hooks designed to make us think it’s a very smart program, performed for us by Our Own Rhodes Scholar. But in our view, the program simply isn’t very smart (in the main), a point we expect to discuss before the week is done."

[bertman]

60. Bravo for Rachel!! and Bravo for you, Mira, for this post! Rec.

[SusanaMontana41]

63. K&R!

She does a lot of her own research and nails people using their own words against them.
Glad she's on our side!

Love ya, Rachel!