This woman has a following?

Look, I admit, I'm pretty cynical about some things, but I have to admit that I am actually amazed at what I just saw.

I hadn't ever actually seen Rachel Maddow--ah--perform before;  hell, we don't even get television at home (I'm away on business as I write this).  Surfing for a bit after watching the swimming events at the Olympic trials, I stumbled on Maddow's show, saw a Fast and Furious image in the background, and figured I'd take a look.  You know, put the real deal up against what others have said and how I've seen her quoted.

Hotel Foxtrot Sierra.  This woman has a following?

It was breathtaking in multiple dimensions.  She appeared to be hyperventilating the entire time, for starters, and rushing both to fit everything in, and then repeating it all as frequently as possible.  The transparency of her content, as parroted eleventh-hour talking points from the "don't be nosy" phone tree, was jaw-droppingly laughable, even by modern urinealism* standards.  It was clear that the expectation was that if she said it enough, it would simply become true from sheer force of will and repetition.

It was embarrassing to watch.  I felt like I should look away--not so much out of disgust (which would be perfectly understandable on its own merits) but out of simple, sheer pity for the complete, on-camera abdication of her own dignity.  I'd use the "oh, bless 'er hawrt" locution, but this is way beyond just being full of shit.  What she was doing here wasn't personal bluster, it was a sortie.  (It's perfectly clear that when Master talks, she musters.)

Someone must be landing blows that hurt, or at least scare.  (Thank you again Mike and David.)

Well, I guess now I have first-hand experience to go on.  I'd figured I'd be disgusted, I admit, but this was just in a completely different category than I was prepared for.  In the end, I can't decide whether to kick myself for not being cynical enough, or to be happy that my continuing disbelief at what impersonators of human beings are capable of, might be prima facie evidence that I've still got some humanity left intact in there.

Well, let's just hope that she represents "the best and brightest" of tyranny's footsoldiers.  (Ha.  I wish.  Still.)

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* Damn, I do miss straightarrow.