The conversation on Maddow's show Tuesday night dripped with condescension, as if to say -- what losers!
Not surprisingly, both Maddow and Slater neglected to mention something that many viewers, even Maddow fans, might consider newsworthy -- the younger Bush is the sixth former president snagged by Get Motivated! to speak at their popular seminars.
Fortunately, this oversight was duly corrected by Maddow's first guest the following night -- Get Motivated! co-founder Tamara Lowe. Here's how the conversation went --
MADDOW: The Get Motivated! business seminar now features George W. Bush (wagging finger for emphasis). He will be speaking at their event on Monday in Fort Worth, Texas along with, among others as you can see here, the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, and our next guest, Tamara Lowe, executive vice president of Get Motivated! Seminars Incorporated.
Miss Lowe, you are a busy and in demand person. I really appreciate your taking time to join us tonight.
LOWE: Thank you, Rachel, great to be with you.
MADDOW: What do you expect President Bush will be speaking about? Do you expect that it will be a political speech?
LOWE: Usually the former presidents who speak for us, and President Bush will be our sixth former US president to speak at the Get Motivated! seminar, typically they will share their experiences of their time in office and the things that they learned, the challenges that they faced.
In the discussion that ensued (which can be seen here in its entirety), Maddow told Lowe that after the previous night's segment, she received "a raft of unsolicited emails" from viewers who had attended Get Motivated! seminars. The correspondence revealed a "striking consistency," Maddow said, from those who considered the seminar "essentially as a money-making event" with sales pitches interspersed between the main speakers --
MADDOW: It's not billed that way and they're very cheap to attend, but I wanted to ask you to address that perception that this is an event at which people will be expected to sign up for other things that will cost them a lot of money.
LOWE: No, that's not the case at all. I mean, we do have other seminars that we offer for people who want to continue their education, if they want to learn about various things like how to start a business or how to invest their own money, things like that. But it's certainly not required. It's simply offered as a service for people who would like that.MADDOW: That perception, because it is widespread, and I take your point that it's not meant to be the overall purpose of Get Motivated!, that is what makes it surprising I think that you've had so many former presidents ...
So "surprising," in fact, that Maddow did not mention it the night before, nor did guest Wayne Slater, a Dallas Morning News political reporter who has also written a book titled "Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential."
What isn't surprising is Maddow's initial oversight, through incompetence or deliberate omission, the latter more likely, seeing how Maddow is so bright and all. The rationale? A convenient way to diminish Bush. Disclosing that every other former president since Nixon has also spoken for Get Motivated! -- as have Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Benjamin Netanyahu, Muhammad Ali, Christopher Reeve and Hank Aaron -- runs the risk of suggesting Bush belongs on the same stage. Better not risk it at all.
Through the rest of the segment, Maddow tried to rattle Lowe, who remained poised and refused to take the bait. The conversation ended with Maddow suggesting "this isn't a comfortable interview for you," a notion Lowe rejected, telling Maddow "I'm very comfortable and very happy to be on your show, big fan."
Much of a stretch to see a motivational speaking gig in Maddow's future?
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TBWWBQ would love to be
October 24, 2009 - 22:12 ET by HockeyKidTBWWBQ would love to be able to make interviews uncomfortable. As it is, they just laugh and think to themselves, "What a lightweight!"
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Lowe was very composed in
October 24, 2009 - 22:31 ET by KevroyLowe was very composed in defending herself from what was obviously an attempted hatchet job by Maddow. She made Maddow look silly. Ohhh, Rachel was worried by assertions that the speakers were speaking about GOD, Lord forbid! Oh, and the military presence! SheMan is such joke and Lowe dismantled her.
And you gotta love the banner at the bottom of the screen, present the entire time, that pictured GW and "MOTIVATION ACCOMPLISHED".
MSNBC...not a REAL news organization.
mmmmm....mmmmm...mmmmmmm
Lack of knowledge
October 25, 2009 - 14:40 ET by Jerry MackMaddows lack of knowledge about this individual and what they do is apparent. One of the things that these seminars cover in depth is too always be prepared. Would not be surprised that he watched or had someone watch tapes of her show to prepare for the interview.
Notice how he complimented her !
I can think of one MSDNC
October 24, 2009 - 22:34 ET by bobthemanI can think of one MSDNC host who won't get an invite on the stage... not that she has any credentials to even share the same air.
Politics of Destruction
Maddow seems clumsy around healthy normal well adjusted people
October 24, 2009 - 23:18 ET by sevenmadoww ran out of words
100 percent correct
October 25, 2009 - 00:50 ET by TexndocThe guest was gracious, well spoken and a delight. Maddow had no idea what to do with her because there's never been such an animal on MSNBC before.
Bush Haters
October 24, 2009 - 23:38 ET by richb313I am tired of all the Bush Haters. He did not do or did too much or was too stupid or was too diabolical or you name it Bush Haters will have some take that is in direct conflict with thier own assertions. Pres. GW Bush did spend too much. He did not veto any spending bills in his first term. He did not cause the financial meltdown, but it did happen on his watch and as the President he was responsible for the lack of regulation enforcement. He did try to get the mess under control before the meltdown but was blocked by congress.
The real reason that the left hated Bush was because:
1. Gore could not steal the election so they said Bush did.
2. He was too popular after 9/11
3. Democrats predicted disastors in both wars and were proven wrong.
4. He would not stoop to thier tactics which they kept trying to get him to do.
He was by no means perfect. There was a lot he did that I disagreed with. One thing I could count on though was he did not lie. He was mistaken more than once, but he did not lie, a rare quality in a politician. If you think about it that was his greatest sin and that was the reason for the lefts mantra of "Bush Lied and People Died". Now that was the biggest lie that was repeated so often that people began to believe it, just like 30% to 40% of the people in this country either believe that the Govt. caused 9/11 or is hiding some big secret.
I have to wonder if that many people can be so easily misled by nonsense how can this country survive. It takes an educated and informed populace for a Democratically Republic to survive and thrive. I do not care if people have differing political philosophies there has always been a healthy debate and tension between left and right. Lately too many people just don't have a clue and are mezmorized by snake oil salesmen.
Agree totally, with
October 25, 2009 - 00:21 ET by AlanaAgree totally, with everything.
Very good Rich
October 25, 2009 - 09:52 ET by general companyI agree completely,
It takes an educated and informed populace for a Democratically Republic to survive and thrive.
Witch is exactly why the Dems have dumb down our education system. Every time they throw money at it is is to buy books that eliminate our history, and suggest others are victims of our imperialism. There is outrage when we suggest out teachers be qualified or students learn the years work before moving on. All of this, plus we give them our kids and they refuse to discipline them, so our kids drop out or worst.
I do not care if people have differing political philosophies there has
always been a healthy debate and tension between left and right.
The current Admin and his minions are setting us up for even more partisan rhetoric. They are extremely irresponsible, and the parrots will follow. No doubt that is what his privet meeting with the press revolve around.
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Let me add line item 1a.
October 25, 2009 - 10:19 ET by Tugboat PhilSomething my wife has long surmised is that the leftover hate from the election of 2000 was magnified because of 9/11. What every liberal felt that day was abject fear of the unknown, so they ran and hid behind President Bush and Sec. Rumsfeld. They knew in their hearts that it was a good thing Gore wasn't in office. They had confidence that "Daddy" Bush would take care of them, and he did.
Once the initial shock wore off and it appeared that there would be no 2nd attack, and after the anthrax scare died down, they felt "dirty" that they had lost their leftward tilt. The shame was more than they could handle and Bush hatred became a derangement syndrome.
Gun Control - The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound.
Maddow is a trashy, small
October 25, 2009 - 01:24 ET by P. AaronMaddow is a trashy, small person,
MADCOW...
October 25, 2009 - 08:35 ET by danybhoyMaddow has a couple of flaws...
She seems to believes the praise she has gotten from the MSM.
She also thinks that having her educational backround makes her smarter then most, but she is wrong. Compared to El-Rushbo & Beck, who have little college experience to speak of, but are way smarter the Maddow. Not just as broadcasters & commentators, but in the real world.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
what a lame interview
October 25, 2009 - 05:45 ET by sarainitalyI tortured myself and sat through the entire interview. So, just because they invite Bush, and Maddow hates Bush, she decides to try and take down a motivational seminar?
Pathetic.
A rose by any other name
October 25, 2009 - 06:30 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsNotice how these kooky libs get all wound up about some business 'taking' your money but when that business is Big Government (that actually does take your money) they just give it a pass.
D
Write your Congress and Senate and tell them what YOU think!
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
maddow
October 25, 2009 - 09:44 ET by charlietexasDemeaning people is her whole being. Just look at her ratings. No one is watching her or Keithy. Screw the facts and twist the dialogue. Some day, some day she will end up on the trash heap of lefty opinion shows. I can't wait for the 2010 elections.
"The real reason that the left hated Bush was because-"
October 25, 2009 - 10:26 ET by Jonah Johansen"The real reason that the left hated Bush was because-"
Actually more simple- He beleived in God and he believed in America.
It is the reason they hate you also.
If you have any doubts, simply express a love of God or Country in their presence, you will get every bit of the venom and hatred they directed at Georege Bush, Sarah Palin, etc directed at you.
Yep,
October 25, 2009 - 13:02 ET by general companyI keep an American flag on the lid of my laptop, I have had a few liberals make remarks about it. When someone makes a negitive remark about it, I lay into them pretty good, they never do it twice. I even had one guy tape a piece of paper over it when I went to lunch. When I got back I asked who had done it, and they didnt even have the courage to tell me. When one of my buds told me, I made it a point to make him feel about 3/4 of an inch tall. I really have no tolerance for American country haters.
BTW my first flag was about 1"x2" several flags and laptops later it is now about 8"x10" or so. A bigger one wont fit on this Mac
My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Village Of The Damned
October 25, 2009 - 12:56 ET by Roscoe MendagoI went to the link, (here in its entirety) and the video was scrubbed there also. Tell me, what was the point of talking to this woman, Tamara Lowe, was it to totally discredit her and her organization, sure looked that way, but would Maddow jump with both feet into ACORN, where real corruption is prevalent?
It seems that Maddow and Obermann, those "Village Of The Damned" twins have an agenda, albeit and agenda that's all-so-acceptable to the Marxist crowd and one that is "unfair and unbalanced", gratuitously delivered and enunciated perfectly.
FOX just keep doing what you're doing...
Watched the whole thing.
October 25, 2009 - 22:10 ET by pbthinkerI had to watch the whole thing to get a better idea of the demeanor of the guest and the host. I actually enjoyed the interview and, considering that Maddow probably went into it with some preconceived notions, I thought she was reasonably fair.
Now, if she could be that tough with some Obama officials it might make for some interesting viewing but, alas, that would be too much to hope for.
I don't feel you can complain about an interview like this, where the guest had a fair opportunity to answer the questions, because it leaves you little room to complain about a Lawrence O'Donnell interview where it's all about him asking the question , giving the guest no opportunity to answer. Now that would be an unfair interview. Once again, compare Rachel Maddow to David Gregory's interview of John Cornyn on Meet the Press, Maddow did a good job here, even though her research could have been better.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.