Amy Walter -- NBC political analylst

Panelist on Meet The Press. Smart, attractive, lesbian (married to Kathryn Hamm). Threat to Rachel Maddow?

Always assumed she probably was gay.

Nooo, hunty. Rachel is the gold standard. Bitch's brain is like Google Earth.

And she has personality, humor, grace... things you can't buy or fake.

Amy is a Republican, or at least comes across as one on TV. Don't like her at all.

There's room for more than one smart political analyst on TV, gay or otherwise.

I saw her speak at a conference several years ago and I kept thinking, “wait, is this NOT Rachel Maddow??”

But she is not Rachel Maddow. From what I have heard from Walter, she’s less dramatic and less histrionic than Maddow is...which is a pro and a con. Rachel Maddow exhausts me. She is too much of a performer—although I generally love her investigative content when she finally boiks it down and gets to the fucking point. Walter is a more straightforward reporter and analyst, but she comes across as a little robotic to me. I think I would love Rachel Maddow if she dialed down the partisan drama and only had 30 minutes to present, which would eliminate all the filler bullshit.

Maddow may be more substantive, but she’s also too “extra,” and given a choice I think I would choose to listen to Walter on a more regular basis.

R6 is almost entirely correct. Rachel's smugness is a major distraction. She's bright I suppose, but not smart smart. Her ego is not her amigo.

Amy is perfect where she is. Steady, clear, with just the right amount of twinkle in her eye.

Rachel needs to check herself. Her flatterers are not her allies.

So tired of discussion about lesbian newscasters

R6 and R7 are correct. Rachel Maddow is the Mitzi Gaynor of lesbian broadcast journalists.

She is bright, hardworking, talented, and highly skilled. There is no problem with anything she does.

You just get so damned much of it. More than is necessary.

I knew Amy years ago. Cool, smart and matter-of-fact, and a nice wife to her rather bumbling and awkward spouse, who is also a kind person. I have gone from being a Rachel fan to getting tired of her schtick and prefer a more detached approach like Amy's.

R9 is correct to say R7 is correct.

Also I think her smugness IS a problem

In this dangerous era of competing narratives, she should stop putting so much spin on the ball. Come down off your throne honey. Your courtiers and fans are leading you astray.

OP - sure her wife's name isn't Kathryn Lady Hamm?

I don’t watch MSNBC as a rule because I don’t think opinions and constructed dramatic narratives should be presented as journalism.

I did watch Rachel Maddow when she claimed to have gotten ahold of Trump’s tax returns. I figured MSNBC would absolutely not allow such a high-stakes claim if it weren’t true. So I tuned in. 12 minutes of bullshit and then commercials. 12 minutes of bullshit and then commercials. 12 minutes of bullshit with the guy who allegedly got the tax return and then commercials. And then a disclaimer, and then an admission that it was two pages that essentially said nothing. And then spin to make it sound like it said something and was the tipping point to take down Trump. Absolute and utter bullshit pretending to be news and presented like a Ronco infomercial.

Maddow did a great thing by introducing the US to the horrible gay persecution in Uganda and doggedly pursuing that story to bring it worldwide attention. She is capable of strong investigation and presentation. She completely lost me with the Trump tax bait and switch. I don’t trust her anymore and I really cannot stand hearing her glibly talk so that she can hear herself talk.

Oh, let her do her victory lap. She'll calm down. She was one of the few voices in Nov. '16 who kept questioning Trump's win.

And as we now know: he didn't win at all. At least not fair and square.

Rachel is a one-of-a-kind presenter. She's brilliant when she introduces her topic with a lesson that brings the audience up to speed on what's happened already and why the topic is important. She would have made an excellent teacher. I don't think she has to worry about being replaced.

Walter also works for the Cook political report and is a regular contributor to PBS Newshour, Politics Monday segment. She's definitely republican.

R15 Rachel’s annoying qualities are job security, not a threat to it. I know many liberal people disagree with the comparison, but MSNBC is very much a left-wing version of Fox News. The network may adhere more closely to truthful reporting, which is a major departure from Fox, but the opinion does not always adhere to truth, and whether it does or not, it is hyper-partisan and effectively a PR arm for the Democratic party just as Fox is for the GOP.

[quote]I know many liberal people disagree with the comparison

Mostly because it doesn't stand up to close scrutiny, given the hosts that MSNBC has selected.

[quote]it is hyper-partisan and effectively a PR arm for the Democratic party

That, too, doesn't standup to close scrutiny.

R18 Find me an exception on Joy Reid’s twitter feed.

You didn't say "Joy Reid;" you said "MSNBC." There's a difference. Show me that your "analysis" applies to Morning Joe, for example, or Chris Matthews, or Brian Williams, or Andrea Mitchell, or any of another dozen or so hosts and shows.

I don't think they are rivals, because I don't see them going for the same audience. Amy Walter is an aspiring Villager, careful to "both sides" an issue whenever possible and not get too far ahead in condemning the corrupt doofus in the White House and his servants in Congress. Rachel Maddow is an unapologetic progressive laying the case for the prosecution, with a very clear point of view.

Amy Walter looks cute. She's slightly femme. Maddow looks like a goofy white ethnic guy. She.must be Sicilian or Jewish.

What!? Two lesbians at one news organization?! No one will be able to tell them apart. How on earth will they co-exist? The sky will fall...

Amy's bread pudding is not as moist as Rachel's

Amy is from heaven. Rachel remains in purgatory awaiting final judgment.

Amy is a Dem but she is less partisan and more respected.

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