Best News of the Day: Karen Finney’s New Show on MSNBC

Karen Finney has shown herself to be fair and balanced, strategically sophisticated politically, and kind enough to share campaign advice with the opposition (even though they have not been wise enough to take it).    Ever since she began appearing as a commentator on MSNBC her fan base has steadily grown (as witnessed by the many hits this post receives every time she fills in for Bashir) and become increasingly insistent that she be given a show of her own.

Regularly seen on Bashir Live, where she has also filled in for Martin occasionally, as well as on Weekends with Alex Whitt,  Now with Alex Wagner, and Lawrence O’Donnell’s prime time hour among other MSNBC offerings,  Karen’s pleasant humor,  incisive intellect, and ability to put issues in an historical perspective have made her an ideal guest.

Her ability to get ahead of the pack on back stories and bring in fresh perspectives will make her a stand-out host as  seen when she filled in for Martin Bashir and exposed ALEC as the organization behind “stand your ground” laws in many states.  Thus it was most welcome news when we learned today that Ms. Karen Finney has been given a spot to call her own at MSNBC.

02 Apr 2013 1:37 PM

KAREN FINNEY NAMED MSNBC WEEKEND HOST

KAREN FINNEY NAMED MSNBC WEEKEND HOST

Finney to Host Weekends 4p-5p ET

NEW YORK –April 2, 2013 – Karen Finney has been named host of a new MSNBC program to air on weekends from 4-5 p.m. ET. More details about the program, including the launch date, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Karen’s rich background in both education policy and politics will add a unique point of view to our expanding live weekend programming,” said Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC.

Finney has been an MSNBC political analyst and guest host on the network since 2009.

Read more >>>>>

We will all be watching, Karen! We know you will do a terrific job and are looking forward to your debut. Congratulations! It’s about time!

Read Full Post »

FOX News Attacks Hillary and ClintonLand Bites Back

In the continual tornadic swirl surrounding Hillary Clinton which is borne of clashing fronts of information and misinformation,  you really need to be careful, Dorothy.  The storms could stir up a nest of bayou vipers.  Or a goddess might rise from the furious clouds and throw lightning at you.

While those of us here were worried sick about our Hillary this week,  FOX News* continued, in fact worsened, their outrageous attacks on our girl saying she would go to any length, including developing a life-threatening blood clot, to avoid testifying about the attack on the consulate in Benghazi.

Since we were all preoccupied with her condition,  I left those attacks on the sidelines earlier this week.  We just wanted her safe and healthy, so my attitude (and probably yours) was “Screw them!”   We simply wanted not to lose her!  God, I was worried!  Now that her condition has improved and she is looking forward to returning to work (an understatement according to Victoria Nuland who said today, “…she is raring to go… “), we can take a step back to the atrocious remarks that echoed all over FOX News about the genesis of Mme. Secretary’s health crisis.

The malicious and cold-hearted comments did not sit well with those who know our Hillary.  James Carville rose like a cottonmouth from the bayou, as Politico reports.

James Carville: Hillary Clinton haters ‘inhumane’

By KEVIN CIRILLI | 1/4/13 5:57 PM EST

James Carville slammed the “inhumane, idiotic” critics who questioned the legitimacy of Hillary Clinton’s recent head injury and said it was “duly noted” inside Clinton-land.

“What kind of human being is going to think like that with everything going on with concussions, head injuries? The fact the woman was dehydrated from the fact that she’d been overseas so much — I just don’t know, and some of these people I know and I get along with,” Carville said Friday in a CNN interview.

Read more >>>>

With Lawrence O’Donnell on The Last Word,  the goddess, Karen Finney,   let loose with a torrent of well-aimed lightening bolts to insta-burn to a crisp each and every opprobrious sound bite, and she was glorious!

Wasn’t she magnificent?

Having realized that by polishing my second floor furniture (a rare occurrence) two days earlier,  I may well have caused Sandy to blow through that area, breaking windows and walls, and that by moving the shovels we used to scoop the plaster up back to their rightful place in the cellar I probably caused last week’s snow dump, I think I just might be a witch and  Hillary attackers should beware of me too (as soon as I can fine-tune my powers not to backfire on me).  You just don’t want Hillary’s people (especially Hillary’s women) mad at you.  Anything can happen.

Cross-posted at Still4Hill.

*Exception: Greta van Susteren

Read Full Post »

Karen Finney: Catching Flies With Honey On MSNBCTV

If you have had enough of the blowhard, bloviating, spewing, anger of anchors (the usual suspects and a few new ones) during this electoral season you might find Karen Finney a pleasant change-of-pace.   Filling in for Martin Bashir on Bashir Live this week at MSNBC’s 4 p.m. (EDT) time slot, she she been a breath of fresh air.  Sure, she addresses many of the same issues as the loudmouths do,  but there is  a lot to be said for a musical voice, a dazzling smile,  and graciousness.  If you have not caught up with the beautiful job she is doing, there is still time.   One more round tomorrow at 4.   If you cannot be home, set your DVR.

MSNBC should give her her own time slot.  Ratings would soar!

Read Full Post »

Karen Finney on Evolution

On MSNBC  this past weekend,  Columbia University linguist Jonathan McWhorter, upon whom I have long harbored an intellectual crush,  differentiated slow (small step) evolution, from sudden (giant step) evolution and proceeded to recommend Incomplete Nature: How Mind Emerged from Matter by Terrence W. Deacon which I now have on order. That mind/matter question has fascinated me since my undergrad days when I delivered an extensive oral and written report on Teilhard de Chardin’s The Phenomenon of Man for a  philosophy course.

De Chardin made a statement that blew my 18-year-old mind when he pointed out a difference of a single atom between the structures of largest macro-molecule and the smallest micro-organism calling whatever existed in the margin between the two the true “missing link,”  thereby implying that he expected the progression to be a small step rather than a giant leap.  He spoke of a “pre-soul” in rocks, implying that all that is organic has some form of a soul – music to the ears/eyes of a pet owner.

A Jesuit and long-time missionary in China,  de Chardin’s work was refused the imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church.  Consequently, he left his papers to Julian Huxley who published them after de Chardin’s death.  As time went by,  I did encounter Catholic clergy and religious who, like me, found in de Chardin’s brilliant work a way to accept the theory of evolution within a decidedly religious, and I would even say Catholic,  framework.

McWhorter prefaced his remarks on evolution by stating that he does not believe in God but thinks there is some kind of catalyst that activates giant steps in evolution.  I think it is God, Jonathan will have to figure out his own explanation.

Whenever we are in a political season, the subject of evolution arises in some form.  In the past, we have heard Christian fundamentalists decry the teaching of evolutionary theory in public schools.  This season, however,  it has appeared in a metaphorical form, and not from the right, but rather from the incumbent Democratic administration.  We are told by spokespeople that the president’s position on gay marriage is “evolving.”   He, himself, has said as much.  This has been a small step evolution over a long period of time.  One wonders what catalyst the president requires to come to full blown evolution on this issue.

Karen Finney’s latest column in The Hill,  Evolve on marriage addresses the question with her typical balance of brilliance and empathy.  There is a cool strategic approach tempered by a heartfelt personal argument based on her own background.

One part of Karen’s personal story that always tugs at my heart is her delayed introduction to her grandfather’s home.  I just cannot imagine a granddad not being delighted with a granddaughter such as she,  so I was more than pleased to come across this paragraph in her column from yesterday.

When I was a teenager, my grandfather explained to me that the reason I wasn’t welcome in his Greensboro, N.C., home was his belief — on legal and moral grounds — that mixing of the races was a sin against the laws of nature. (He did come to realize he was wrong.) The legal and moral arguments made today about same-sex marriage being against the laws of nature or threatening the institution of marriage sound hauntingly familiar to the bigoted excuses of my grandfather and others.

Read more>>>>

There are early summer days coming.  The sun will be warming and the water in the pool will still be cold.  There will always be that one kid sitting on the edge of the pool who will not just jump in and get it over with.  In some cases, he might wade in gradually.  In other instances, his friends might simply push him in.  Sooner or later, we expect him to end up in the water.  Karen hopes the president jumps in sooner rather than later based on a background she feels she shares with him.  I have never been certain that he sees himself quite the same way that Karen sees herself.  Certain formative experiences have been different – have even occurred in different cultures on different continents.  My take is that Obama would do well to listen to her experience and reasoning on this issue.  She has, as has the Rev. Dr. William Barber (NAACP,NC President) placed the issue in the ethical/moral frame.  It is time for President Obama to take a giant step much the way Karen’s grandfather did on mixed marriage.  If he does not do this soon, he will be left behind.  As I have said before, I prefer to follow those who lead from the front lines – like Karen.

Read Full Post »

The Twitter War on Karen Finney

Fans of the lovely and lively Ms. Finney were overjoyed to  see her finally have a go at guest-hosting on Thursday and Friday of  last week when she filled in for Martin Bashir.  We hoped she would make a big splash and capture the attention of execs at MSNBC who might consider giving her a show of her own.  I doubt that any of us ever dreamed that we would see her attacked unfairly, misquoted, and abused the way we have for the past few days on Twitter.

Like some warped version of The Telephone Game,  Hate-Tweeters have twisted her words and worse claimed she said things that she did not. People whose attention spans do not exceed 140 characters retweet without checking to see what she really said.  The videos and transcripts are all available at  the Bashir Live homepage, but let us not waste valuable retweeting time looking for the truth!

Ms. Finney organized and presented some compelling programming.  Of  course she covered the story of the week, the Trayvon Martin case.  The language used by the accused perpetrator, George Zimmerman on 911 record,  not Ms. Finney, is what brought race into the discussion.   She along with her panel presented the facts as they found them.  So what did Karen do to precipitate this hailstorm of hate on Twitter?

There is a “B” word that I have yet to hear in connection with the Trayvon Martin case.  With all of the attention being paid in this country to bullying, I have not heard the suggestion that as a self-identified authority figure, George Zimmerman may have bullied Trayvon Martin.  We do not like thinking about that kind of bullying.  We do not want kids bullying other kids, but I notice a resistance to suggestions that authority figures also bully.  Some teachers do, coaches do, and yes, security and police personnel also do.   Karen did not raise this issue, but if the latest Zimmerman information, that he is injured, is true, it could be consistent with Trayvon fighting back – against a bully.

Having raised that “B” word, I find what is happening to Karen on the Twitter feed also a form of bullying.  The attacks are merciless,and the “quotes”  have no basis in fact.  It is hate talk and very dangerous.  I still cannot fathom why it is Karen who receives this treatment.  I hope it is not rooted  in sexism, racism or both,  and I certainly hope it is not because she is beautiful and brilliant.  We have seen enough of that!  Thanks to Ryan Olsen for the picture.

Read Full Post »

Karen Finney, Anchor: A Review

As you know, our homegirl Karen has spent the past two afternoons filling in as host on Bashir Live at MSNBC.  Fans hailed the choice.  Some live-tweeted which was helpful to folks like me who were stuck at work.  It provided a chance to take an occasional peek.  Fortunately, I long ago set my DVR to record this show (and others) in case Karen might be on a panel.  So I have spent two evenings watching my favorite commentator running two shows on her own and found her impressive.  More than impressive.  By mid-way through today’s show the word “expert” kept leaping into my mind.

Tweets during and after the first show on Thursday were largely encouraging.   The “Finney Fans”  were high-fiving her in all of their genius 140 or < character ways.  When I came home from an extra-long day today to look at the Twitter feed, I saw something quite different.  It looked like someone had taken a rake and knocked a wasp’s nest off of a tree branch.  Negativity rained down like someone had opened a faucet.  It may be that this Politico article had something to do with the gathering of the haters.

Democratic strategists as MSNBC anchors

By DYLAN BYERS|

3/22/12 3:55 PM EDT

MSNBC has no problem letting viewers know where its political ideologies lie, but I think it’s worth noting that Karen Finney, Democratic strategist and network contributor, is currently filling in as anchor on the Martin Bashir program.

Read more >>>>

Since I am not the resident “wingnut site snoop” (Jen holds that post), I do not know if there were other, similar articles or whether Byers simply shot around the interwebs like buckshot.   Whatever it was,  that swarm on her Twitter feed today came as a shock to me as well as to the many homegirls and homeboys who regularly visit there and encourage her efforts.

Somewhere along the line I saw the term “race-baiter” used.   Really?  Are they talking about this Karen Finney?   Race-baiter?    I can think of no term less appropriate.

I watched yesterday’s Bashir Live twice.  I have watched today’s show only once,  but is this the Karen Finney who has so angered so many?  Seriously?

Stand Your Ground Laws, posted with vodpod

As is her wont, she gave Rick Santorum credit for something well done.  She is not a Santorum supporter, but she always gives credit where it is due.   She asked an honest question on every decent person’s mind: “Where is Zimmerman?”  It is a fair question.  I just wonder what, in this segment, angered so many and where was the race-baiting?

In my book, Karen has done an extraordinary job over these two days and well deserves her own show.  Her research is deep and broad, her views are circumspect, and her presentation is clear.  She has a lot of charisma.

In the end what does an anchor do?  It holds fast while the currents swirl around it.  Karen held strong for two days while the tides built around her.  She was genial,  courteous, artful, and fair.  I say. “Give her a forum of her own!”  Five Stars, Karen.  Wonderful!   (Oh!  Wait! the code won’t give stars.  Well then I think you deserve diamonds!)  ♦♦♦♦♦

Read Full Post »

Karen Finney Fans: Take Note!

For those who are fans of this  awesome researcher, analyst, and commentator, I have a treat for you.

Karen Finney

Fans have been clamoring on Twitter for awhile for Karen to have her own show at MSNBC, but  of course, first things must come first.  As a popular guest commentator,  she has demonstrated the talents and gifts that are indispensable to success on current events talk TV.  She is animated, quick-thinking, well-informed, and circumspect.  Not to be shallow, but she is also very easy on the eyes.  She is the whole package, but that is not a direct route to a show.  What CAN be is filling in for hosts of current shows.

Karen is a regular panelist on Bashir Live at MSNBC  3 p.m. ET.  Tomorrow and Friday, Karen will be filling in for Martin Bashir in his absence.  Her fans could not be happier to see have this opportunity to showcase her her appreciable skills as a host and moderator.

So tune in to MSNBC at 3  EDT (or check your local listings)  tomorrow and Friday and catch Karen!  We wish her the best.  She’s our homegirl, and we hope this is a step to a Karen Finney show to  be aired regularly.

Here’s lookin’ at YOU Karen!

Read Full Post »

The Karen Finney Posse Forms Here

There is a person, and I will refrain from disclosing her screen name, but she knows who she is, who leads a posse of women who think that this woman does not do/say enough to defend Barack Obama.

Karen Finney

They attack her  mercilessly on  Twitter for not supporting “PBO” sufficiently while never specifying which of her remarks they find objectionable or anemic.

This past Super Tuesday, the above,  Karen Finney, was a guest on the panel at The Ed Show.  She asked this question.

edshow, posted with vodpod

Her remarks precipitated a hailstorm of criticism on her Twitter wall from southern conservative women who accused her of calling them racists – a statement she never made.

Yesterday, as a regular member of the panel on the Dylan Ratigan show, she incited the legendary wrath of Ratigan with this perfectly innocent comment delivered, I would add, with her signature dimpled smile and a sweet voice.

Ratigan, posted with vodpod

This evening, she appeared with Reverend Al on Politics Nation and had this to say.

Rev Al posted withvodpod

Looking at her Twitter wall , the more active of her social nets,  right now, I am wondering where the “PBO” posse is hiding?  Why did they not come out and defend her when the Southern Conservative Women’s posse went after her on Tuesday night and said they were called racist – which they were  not?  Why are they not up there praising her for absorbing the wrath of Ratigan for saying something nice about President Obama?   Why are they not encouraging her remarks to Rev. Al tonight?  Why do they post on her wall ONLY when they feel she is not defensive enough toward “PBO?”  Why did they not defend her against the unfair attacks by the SCW posse?  I wonder exactly what it is Ms. Finney is expected to do in order to please people.

I am not here to defend “PBO” with whom you all know I have issues.  If you read the pages about why we are here and the mission statement,  however, you will see why I very appropriately defend Ms. Finney on this page.   She is a homegirl.  She defends women’s rights with logic and passion.

She has drawn fire from both sides.  In many ways I consider that a good thing.  She is objective, logical, and analytical.  She is not pushing hard for any particular candidate – very unusual on MSBNC.  She is doing her job as she understands it to be:  analyzing the events under discussion in a circumspect way.  I think she does a fine job,  and this week I thought she deserved the support of  some who relentlessly criticize her.

Well this is one venue where I can defend her as well as promote her since I think her brand of objective analysis could be better represented on the channel where she regularly occupies one or another panel.  She should have her own show there.  I probably still would need to consult her Twitter wall to find out who else’s  show she would be appearing on, but I would know that there would be an hour in the day or week that I could DVR regularly and find Karen there speaking out on women’s issues and maybe sometimes saying the president did a pretty good job at something because nobody totally sucks all the time at everything … except maybe Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.  I won’t even bother with Newt.  Just thought I would mention her to those of you who don’t have any team-owning friends.  Now y’all in Puerto Rico go out there and learn English the way those guys mastered Southern American English!

So,  Karen, you have a posse of  homegirls and homeboys right here.  We have your back!

(Full disclosure:  The author has PR cousins, some of whom are very politically active in the Republican Party.  They have native speaker level proficiency in English.  Just sayin’.)

Read Full Post »

John Conyers at the Plate

Sorry. You will just have to bear with me on the baseball allusions now that Spring Training is in full swing (couldn’t resist  that pun -sorry).

John Conyers stepped up to the plate on this federal judge for his racist and misogynist “joke” about Barack Obama.  As you all know, I am no Obama fan, but my issues with him have to do with primary campaign activities, as well as policy moves (and lack of same) since he took office.  Racism has no role,  should not,  in ANY American discussion,  campaign,  or courthouse.

John Conyers is one of those people with whom I would trust my life without ever having been fortunate enough to meet him.  Bottom line, I guess, is that I would trust him to be POTUS.   He is not running for that, but he is rightfully calling out Richard F. Cebull for his racist remarks.

Here is a clip from tonight’s  The Ed Show on the issue.   Value added:  our homegirl,  Karen Finney comments.  She happens to have some experience in this racist arena.  I love her.  “He’s old enough to know.”  (The  judge).  Yes, Karen.  He’s  also old enough to be removed from the bench since he lives in a different century from the rest of us.  I hope Rep. Conyers extracts some payment  I hope it is the max.

John Conyers at the Plate, posted with vodpod

If this is beginning to look like a Karen Finney fan site, it might have something to do with Karen being an awesome Homegirl Warrior.

Read Full Post »

Romney’s “Buckner Moment”

As I was listening to Karen Finney explain Mitt Romney’s strategic error by not reacting far more vehemently to Rush Limbaugh’s attacks on Sandra Fluke, it suddenly stuck me. This was Romney’s “Buckner Moment.”  Karen was saying he had a golden opportunity.  Yes, and like Bill Buckner, in the tenth inning against the Mets in 1986, he let the ball roll right between his feet. No one who saw that will ever forget it.  I think, if he is the nominee, women in Massachusetts, men too – those with daughters especially, are going to show Romney as much love as the Red Sox fans showed Buckner.

the last word, posted with vodpod

1986 World Series

Buckner watches his misplayed ground ball as Wilson goes to first.

Main article: 1986 World Series

Boston was leading the heavily favored New York Mets three games to two in the 1986 World Series when Game Six of the series went into extra innings. For his part, Buckner was batting just .143 against Mets pitching, and was 0-for-5 in Game 6. When the Sox scored two runs in the top of the tenth, Boston manager John McNamara chose to have Buckner take the field in the bottom of the inning instead of bringing Stapleton in as a defensive replacement for the ailing Buckner as he had in games one, two and five.^[10]

New York came back to tie the game with three straight two out singles off Calvin Schiraldi and a wild pitch by Bob Stanley. Mookie Wilson fouled off several pitches before hitting a slow roller to Buckner at first base. Aware of Wilson’s speed, Buckner tried to rush the play. As a result, the ball rolled past his glove,^[11] through his legs and into right field, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run.^[12]

So the winning run is at second base, with two outs, three and two to Mookie Wilson. Little roller up along first; Behind the bag! It gets through Buckner! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!

—NBC-TV’s Vin Scully.

Here’s the pitch to Mookie Wilson. Winning run at second. Ground ball to first, it is a run, an error! An error by Buckner! The winning run scores!

—CBS Radio‘s Jack Buck.

…and a ground ball, trickling, it’s a fair ball..gets by Buckner!! Rounding third, Knight! The Mets will win the ball game! The Mets win! They win! Unbelievable, the Red Sox in stunned disbelief!

—Bob Murphy and Gary Thorne, on WHN.

So here is Karen having the “very last word,” after The Last Word last night,  explaining why Republicans need to stand up against Rush and say “This isn’t OK.” That includes you, Mitt. Guess you never learned in Little League “Mitt to the ground!”  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

the very last word, posted with vodpod

Read Full Post »