Best Frenemies Forever!

This week at the Democratic National Convention, we saw tensions between an envious, experienced old-hand and a smug up-and-comer who now rules the roost simmer at the end of a long week. That's right, the respective hosts of MSNBC's Hardball and Countdown put aside their bickering for the sake of unity last night.

The Peacock organization's spunky liberal child has kept me enthralled with its political coverage this year. Why, you ask of this centrist? It's the talent pool, really. When the CBS Evening News and ABC's World News are off the air, no one sees those networks' fine reporters. However, when you own a 24-hour cable station, anything can happen in a big spot. Hey, Tommy B.! Not doin' anything? Here, come on camera, talk about uhh, the 1968 DNC! Bri Wi, charm us with a tale of a run-in with a PUMA. The place hasn't had mandatory watching like this since Seinfeld and Friends were riding high.

Then there's Snarky and Looney. I've now completely gotten over the departure of Chris Russo from WFAN because Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews are the new Mike and the Mad Dog of politics. Tie these two egomaniacs to a desk in Denver for twenty-six hours over four days and I hope you're not allergic to cats because the fur flies! But when the Anointed One gave his nomination speech, the Democrats weren't the only ones singing Kumbaya. These boys were complimenting each other back and forth on each other's analysis to the point where you thought this was a promo for a Brokeback Mountain Special Edition DVD. Fortunately, evidence of this has been spared from YouTube, so you'll have to take my word for it. I'm pretty sure that more often than not they detest each other, but boys and girls, this Must See TV continues at 5pm Monday in St. Paul. Granted that they both carry Senator Obama's water, however, it will be interesting to see the dynamic next week. But since Olbermann goes into spasms within twenty-five feet of a Republican, his general state of anger might be more directed at his guests than his yellow-haired (no, not blonde, yellow) co-host.

Speaking of the Red Team, America was spared the horror of a full 4% of the Senate running for the executive branch today. Senator McCain going with Sarah Palin gives us something new to look at, satirize, and spit out over the next two months. And to all those who criticize her for her lack of foreign policy ticket, look at the Democratic headliner. Subjected to a blind taste test, I don't think I have to guess whether most Americans would rather a president with no foreign policy experience, or a vice president with none.

I also like Governor Palin because she's mom-like. And moms know how to organize and run things!

My prayers and thoughts go out to the very funny Rob Bartlett this week. If you're familiar with his genius, then YOU CAN ACT LIKE A MAN and send good wishes his way at www.myspace.com/therobio.

Friday Tidbits

It's official: The Mets are once again the team to beat in the National League. Vegas actually improved their odds of winning the World Series from 8-1 to 5-1, somewhere between the Red Sox and Yankees.

In other news, I watched the whole thing. I can't believe I watched the whole damn thing. What I was hoping would be a slugfest, ending with Obama pummeling Clinton with left hooks while Michelle and Chelsea tumbled down the stairs of the Kodak theater on top of each other, actually proved civil and even pretty inspirational. And fine, fine, I think an Obama/Clinton ticket would probably be pretty positive, but as Barack said, that combination is much different when flipped around.

The following, according to "Don Corleone" on the Imus in the Morning Program the other day, is the reason why his "godson" Rudy lost in the Sunshine State:

In Florida, there are too many old people. They take sides based on what they have heard last. Rudy speaks to them and they nod as they drool in their oatmeal. They swear their loyalty and respect and then as soon as he leaves their sight they turn to one another and say, "Who was that? Where am I? When is Bingo?" I thought I made them an offer they couldn't refuse, but instead it was an offer they couldn't remember.

I'm(us) coming back!

Many uncomfirmed reports have gotten more and more detailed lately about the return of the wildly popular and tragically cut short "Imus in the Morning" program. One in the Daily News this morning that I can't seem to find online said that some I-People were in WABC's studios last week to check on logistics.

As many of you know, I spent every morning drive until this past April chuckling at the political and social musings of J. Donald Imus and his crew. I'm sure if you were to survey most young people on the street, the only thing they've ever heard about him is Nappygate. While I agree with the notion that he deserved some sort of punishment for that (the original two-week suspension that CBS handed down, for example), he doesn't get enough attention for the autism awareness he's raised in Congress - bet you didn't know that one in 167 newborns is diagnosed with it, huh? Or his charity ranch for kids with cancer. Or even his endorsement of Harold Ford, Jr. (a black man) for the U.S. Senate just last November. When the advertisers ran, CBS and NBC didn't take into consideration the full thirty-year body of work before they wussed out. Now they'll get their comeuppance in December when ABC kicks their behinds in ad revenue. The new and improved Imus in the Morning radio program will once again be a must-listen.

::pushes the soapbox back under his bed::

(I Mus)t Be Dreaming

Nappy-headed hos.

Sounds ridiculous, right? An ignorant, insensitive, irresponsible remark uttered by a major media figure whose guests include senators and journalists, and who devotes nearly all of his free time to helping kids with cancer.

Rewind to April 4th. MSNBC hasn't fired Don Imus yet. CBS Radio hasn't suspended him for two weeks yet. No one knows of the eloquence of Coach Vivian Stringer, and the I-Man hasn't been 24-hour news fodder.

OK. Now have the heads of General Motors, Proctor & Gamble, Staples, the president of NBC News, and all of the politicians and authors who have now said they'll never appear on his show again tune into the Imus in the Morning Radio Program that morning. Don Imus and his producer, Bernard McGuirk, are discussing the NCAA Women's Basketball championship matchup. Imus refers to the Rutgers team as a bunch of nappy-headed hos. Now observe how all of these people react to the remark, independently of each other. Does NBC News President Steve Capus fire him on the spot? Does Bigelow Teas pull their ads right away? Are they even going to react with anything more than a shrug and something like, "Oh, it's Imus being Imus"?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, folks, keep in mind that I was born at night. But not last night.

Point is, none of these hyprocrites would do a damn thing about this whole situation if they didn't face the prospects of bad publicity and lost revenue. People accusing Imus of damage control? Please also mention the same about American Express and Cal Ripken, Jr.

This is all happening in the wake of Michael Richards' tirade and George Allen's macacagate. Richards got nostalgiac for days of violence and lynching of blacks. Allen managed to bring up the war on terror immediately after his slur to invent a comparison. Imus got lazy and fell into the trap of his old shock-jock days. His behavior is paltry when juxtaposed with the hatefulness of the other two.

Imus has repeated the word "context" in the past week. The conversational context of his words don't justify them. But take a look at his three-decade career. I've listened to him for a tenth of that period, and during this time he has continued his tremendous philanthropy towards the C.J. Foundation for SIDS, the Tomorrows Children's Fund, and the Imus Ranch. He beat the drums of support for former-Congressman Harold Ford, Jr. who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in 2006. Harold Ford is a black man, and Imus deplored the racial sentiment which likely caused him to lose a squeaker of a race.

Some of the loudest people in this mess have been two groups who shouldn't even talk. These are those who have listened to his show for years and are somehow surprised that he makes fun of people for just about anything, and those who have never listened to the show and think that he should be fired without question.

This is between Don Imus and the Rutgers team. He dumped on an innocent target, and he's doing the right thing by meeting with them to apologize. They'd have every right to refuse, and they have shown tremendous dignity. Those who are outraged for the sake of being outraged are doing more harm than good. The race movement in this country should be about uniting, not casting someone out of society who made a mistake and has promised to change.

As a final point, MSNBC has acted wrecklessly for announcing this decision tonight. The 18th Annual Telethon for his three causes mentioned above takes place tomorrow and Friday. The telethon has been enormously successful and has raised millions for the charities. If the network really felt they had to do this, they should have waited 48 hours rather than cheating sick children and families who have dealt with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome out of something truly great. MSNBC should be held to the same scrunity for their irresponsibility.