Media Star Maha

Posted on by

I’ve been invited to appear on C-SPAN tomorrow, live, on the Washington Journal program, beginning at 8 a.m. EST. I anticipate spending the rest of today hiding under furniture and muttering to myself. If I manage to pull myself together I may blog about something later.

Update: I understand I’m to appear by myself (and with the interviewer) and there will be call in questions. So please have your questions ready (suggestion: “What is your favorite color?”) and call, and be nice. Don’t let the righties bite me!

64 thoughts on “Media Star Maha”

  2. Try a hot bath. It’s more comfortable than hiding under furniture. Good luck, and knock ’em dead!

  3. Way to go. Maha….If you want stardom, just keep making outrageous statements like Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin do. Tell them that the only way we’re going to win the war on terrorist is by a nation policy of mandatory castration of all muslim males..that ought to bring you some notoriety. You’ll capture the blogosphere.

    I read an article this morning about the Cartoon protests and how the blame is being laid on blogs, text messaging, and e-mails for blowing the incident up larger than it should have been. I see in that excuse a triumph for blogs as a power to be reckoned with. So, if blogging is the topic of your invite, let them know that bloggers are literate and have varying degrees of sophistication. We’re not uninformed and we know what a fraud the Bush administration is. Give ’em hell and take no quarter, Maha

  4. I’m setting up the old VCR. Good luck. I am sure you will be your eloquent, literate, and witty self.

  9. Maha, I just checked on-line for tomorrow morning’s C-Span’s Washington Journal …..it says it is on at 7am EST…..followed by another program at 7:45 [New Hampshire Dem. Party speech by Mark Warner] Just thought I’d get that info to you! Don’t want you to be late by an hour and miss the program.

    I plan to have my Mom tape it for me…..I have no TV.

    Just be your usual great self!!!

  10. Donna — I think we’re ok — the New Hampshire thing is on in the evening. The program is a 3-hour program and I only (only!) get a half-hour chunk beginning at 8 a.m.

  11. Good luck! I recommend dropping large quantities of saracasm on the program. Like, “I’m shocked that white, consverative Republicans would react negatively to what was said at the funeral of a black, civil rights activist. Shocked!”

  12. Ok….just checked C-Span again and it’s a now-changed screen for tomorrow…..Wash. Journal, 7 am….. then 9:30 am. Leadership During Katrina with Michael Brown [ugh] and yes, the New Hampshire thing at 7:45 pm.

    I think it is wonderful you will be on tomorrow morning! I will have my Mom tape the whole of the Wash. Journal…….

  13. Congratulations! Doesn’t C-SPAN always have a live online feed? Seems like they do, I haven’t checked yet, but I will plan to watch you that way. Good luck! You’ll do great!

  14. OMG Maha this is wonderful!!!!!Congrats!!!!!You are going to be GREAT!!!!!I don’t know if you as big of a c-span junkie as I am but you get to be on with “THE”Brian Lamb,,, this man is a national treasure!!!!(I have you BOTH on my list of the 10 people I would most enjoy having dinner with)Brian Lamb is the father of C-span, Maha please tell him THANK YOU FOR C SPAN – this country owes Mr.Lamb a great deal- he is a smart,charming,gem .
    You two will get along great…

    Anyone who does not have cable can watch or listen on line at c-span.org… they have real time or on demand , both free…

    Watch out for those righties , though,their hate for “liberals” can get a bit intense,…..Maha, I guess the question is , what would YOU like to talk about..? (I will be the one gushing how great you both are..lol)….give us some topics at least…..You have a great chance to say what EVER you really want to say tomorrow,,so what do you want to say?…..any chance for a plug of Feingolds new line about Bush’s “pre-1776 mentality”?….I really want that line to get heard by more Americans,it’s catchy..lol…

    Gee yesterday I won 500.00 on a lotto ticket and I wasn’t this excited…lol Congrats Maha,I am so proud of you!, thanks for making my day.

  15. We’re all so proud of you. Forget the blog for awhile, pull yourself together, center, and relax. Visualize yourself handling the interview + questions with poise and calm. Go in peace.

  19. I don’t want to get you too nervous, but please try to get upto speed regarding the National Journal story today that says Libby told the Grand Jury under oath that Cheney authorized him to divulge classified information to journalists for the specific purpose of bolstering Bush’s reasons for attacking Iraq – both before and after we went to war. If I can get through I’ll try to ask my question about it.

    As to your appearance, C-SPAN only keeps archives of most shows for I believe a month. Try to save a copy of the show and upload it to youtube.com once C-SPAN deletes it. Will the host be Brian Lamb? Friday is his usual day to host and he is one of the best interviewers in the business and has talked to some of the greatest historians, political and media figures of our time both on Washington Journal and on his Book Notes show.

  20. Oh, one more thought. When Washington Journal has bloggers on they invariably show the blog on screen for viewers who aren’t familiar with the site. So you might want to have a nice juicy lead story up for them to see. Also, expect serious amounts of traffic including probably a bunch of Freepers.

  21. Good luck. Go get’em girl! I’ll have to tape it ’cause I’ve got an appointment for a massage and relexology session.. It helps take the kinks out of weeks worth of lies, spying, corruption, abuse of power and other hell coming from this batshit crazy administration.

  22. Congratulations, Maha! I will be listening on WCSP-FM, which is the C-SPAN radio station in the Washington/Baltimore area (and is also on satellite radio). You picked a good week: your competition on National Public Radio is a pledge drive.

  23. You? Nervous? About speaking the truth? Nebber hoppen GI! You are the mighty Maha!
    Seriously, good luck and we’ll try to have your back.

  25. How nice that you’ll be on C-SPAN. Heard the announcement when I tuned in this morning, and discovered a wonderful new blog! Thanks. I’ll be a regular visitor. I like the style of your posts.

  26. To: U.S. Congress and the FCC

    We, the undersigned, while believing in the importance of a Free Market and Freedom of Speech, also believe in the importance of The Public Airwaves to be used as mandated by the FCC “…In the Public Interest, Necessity, and Convenience.” We believe the use of The Public Airwaves is crucial to spread knowledge, culture, and civics. We therefore write to petition you to consider major changes in the allocation of the Broadcast Spectrum.

    The Public Airwaves are a Vast Toxic Wasteland.
    Congress needs to hold hearing on THE STATE OF THE AIRWAVES.
    They would find:

    1) That the Broadcast and Cable companies have not lived up to using the Public Airwaves, as the FCC mandated “… in the spirit of Public Interest, Necessity, and Convenience.”

    2) That the FCC and Congress have ” given away, rent free”, the Public Airwaves.

    3) That the Broadcast and Cable companies have “… made so much money doing IT’S worst, IT can’t afford to do better.”

    In the 1990’s the FCC, with much support from the Congress, auctioned off portions of the Broadcast Spectrum. One portion of the Spectrum that was being auctioned would potentially reach 16 million customers (citizens). Almost as many people as the population of the state of Texas.

    That particular portion sold for $3.00. Three dollars! When former FCC chairman Reed was asked to comment, he said “…I wish I had three dollars”.

    This cavalier policy and stewardship of the Public Airwaves has been good for the Broadcast and Cable companies, and their stock holders. And absolutely hideous for Civics, Public Affairs, and Democracy.

    Before 2009, the FCC will give away more of the Public Airwaves, worth between 80-100 billion dollars. Once again, the Public will be outside, looking in, as the Broadcast Spectrum goes to the highest campaign contributors.

    What does the Public receive from the License holders, for their use of the Broadcast Spectrum? Inexpensive Cable and Satellite packages? Intellectually stimulating programs broadcast into our homes at no charge? Choices and Diversity? Event coverage and programming with redeemable qualities? Or is it “…500 channels and still there’s nothing worth watching”.

    There are many Independent, Grassroots, and Localized ways to use the Broadcast Spectrum. But on the National level, the Country needs more Public affairs, more Civics. The unedited, undefiled paradigm C-SPAN has perfected, is the only thing We can all agree on. It promotes Democracy and Participation. Not even the corporate media conglomerates can be against Democracy.

    We therefore call on the Congress, and the FCC, to hold hearings on the benefits of more C-SPAN. And to take steps to move forward with the endeavor of creating more C-SPAN Companion Networks. When there is more than enough Broadcast Spectrum to dedicate to Civics, Culture, History and Democracy, We should not allow greed to get in the way of the Public Interest, Necessity and Convenience.

    Put the Public back in the Public Airwaves.

    http://www.petitiononline.com/cspannow/

    SUPPORT MORE C-SPAN

    http://www.cspanjunkies.org/

  27. I am watching cspan right now and you are doing an excellent job! I’ve also checked out your blog and it is great. Many thanks for being a active liberal.

  28. Barbara, Watching now. Good job, and have just put your space on my Favorites” next to KOS. The biggest benefit of progblogs is to point out what the media leaves out. For instance– how exactly would someone who blows up the bomb in his shoe along with half the cockpit steer the plane into the tallest target in LA? Also yesterday, nothing about libby’s fingering Cheney on cable news. Has he been cuffed yet? Has the shoe bomber been arrested? WHEN WHERE HOW? Bush is such a great story teller!

  30. Jeeze, Where did Brian dig this one up? Lamb musta owed someone a huge favor to have this one on WJ. Now back to your regularly scheduled liberal sillyness..Watch out for those black helicopters!

  31. Next time you fax, email or call a senator or representative, include this in with your demand:

    Until the legislation or action I demand gets done I will boycott products from Republican contributors Walmart, Wendy’s, Outback Steak House, Dominos Pizza, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Eckerd, CVS and Walgreens, Curves for women health clubs, GE and Exxon/Mobil.

    Hold Republican contributors accountable for their officeholders opposition to progress.

    So you say that a boycott will take time or will not work?
    Nonsense.

    Idiot conservatives called CBS 3 or 4 years ago in droves to protest the airing of a Reagan movie they did not see but heard that it would not portray Reagan well. They threatened a boycott of CBS and the advertisers.

    That did not take long to get CBS to shift the movie over to showtime which had a much smaller viewership.

    Many progressives called Sinclair Broadcasting in droves before the 2004 election threatening a boycott of them and their advertisers if they would not take a movie smearing John Kerry off the air. It worked quickly.

    If we can get a movie off Sinclair stations then whey can’t we call companies in droves that give money to the Republican party and their candidates and Republican senators and representatives and threaten them with a boycott in order to get a comprehensive progressive agenda passed?

    Why?

    People must CALL their senators and representative AND these companies in droves making the connection between a boycott of these companies and a demand that they want a progressive agenda passed in congress.

    Do you want to increase the minimum wage?
    Write your senators and representative and demand they increase the minimum wage.

    Browse http://tinyurl.com/bl2fa

    Do you want to scrap the current meager Medicare Part D discount and replace it with 80 percent medication coverage under Medicare Part B?

    Write your senators and representative.

    Browse http://tinyurl.com/7zj69

  32. Republicans do better htan Democrats on National Defense? That myth EXPLODED with the first plane that hit the world trade center on Sept 11, 2001.

    I hear alot of Republicans blame Clinton for 9-11. That appears alot of trash. Under Clinton no attack on America occurred from 1994 until Jan 2001 so Clinton kept Al Qaeda from attacking us again for 7 years. Also the Towers did not fall under Clinton.

    They fell under Bush and Buish failed to defend us oin Sept 11,2001. We cannot trust Republicans to keep us safe and defend America.

  33. I just saw you on c-span and I thought you were great! Congratulations! Don’t pay any attention to jz those righties are afraid of any one who doesn’t agree with them and they can’t help themsevles they just have to be rude. It’s their only defense they crack me up ! You go girl!!!!!!!!!!

  34. You did wonderfully! Cool as a cucumber and wonderfully articulate and on the ball. Nice to see a blogger on the screen. I like the way C-SPAN is beginning to recognize blogs. With the press becoming the enemy (look at AP’s assertion about a so-called relationship between Reid and Abramoff), blogs are becoming the best source of good analysis, and, in a case like TPM, a great source of original reporting.

    You’re so right about the two “realities”.

    Keep up the great work!

  35. Watched you on C-Span and enjoyed your comments.According to the conservatives we should not be able to voice our opinions and when we do they assault us and use tactics to keep us scared
    and claims that we support the terrorists. Their corruption has gone too far and we will bring them down.

  36. Just saw you on C-Span and have found a new “favorite”! You so articulated what I have been thinking since this crowd took office, especially the part about them being in charge and yet being so angry. Also, the fact that they really are trying to destroy the 2-party system of government. When you said you liked Wesley Clark, it made my day. He has always been my favorite and I supported him during the last election. Looking forward to checking in quite often.

  37. Saw you on C-span this morning…fine job…not added this site to my growing blogroll. I find interesting the contrast between your appearance and that of the representative from the “right” who very slickly is presenting all Bush’s “talking points”…Much preferred your conversational style and the fact that you, like so many of us on the “left”, are TRUTH SEEKERS! Something that is becoming harder and harder to accomplish. Stay strong and blogging…great links BTW…

  38. Barbara:

    Saw you on Washington Journal this AM and became a first time reader of your blog this AM.

    What the world needs now
    Is hate, Bush hate
    It’s the only thing
    That there’s just too little of…

  39. Saw you this morning on C-Span. I was happy to see someone on there from the left also to see your blog address. I was watching the riots of the 60’s on TV last night. I found it interesting that the students who protested Vietnam war were called communist and now anyone who speaks against this president and this illegal war are also called communist.
    Also the republicans keep saying to democrats come to the table with some ideas. To me they are saying we are in such a mess we need you to help us get out of this.

  40. I saw your appearance on CSpan this morning and found you witty, intelligent, poised and courageous. So leave the furniture and come back. “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Your comments regarding the right which seems to justify tyranny with terror and left, which accepts the fact that freedom isn’t free. If you aren’t willing to stand up for freedom, freedom won’t be given to you. One last observation, Eric Fromm wrote a book “escape from Freedom,” some time ago. People who are fearful, by nature or persuasion, are the ones most will to find comfort in autocracy.

  41. I saw you on C Span this morning and I thought you presented a very level headed position. These days we are so divided right or left it is hard to sort out the truth. I believe the truth most likely is on the edges near the center. I always find it more meaingful when someone from either side agrees with the position of their opponents.

  42. I watched for a time over breakfast and thought you held your own quite well, thank you. I’ve often wondered why C-SPAN doesn’t screen out the RNC volunteers who routinely call in and read from the RNC’s daily talking points.

  43. Now girls, Let’s not forget that it was JFK and his li’l brother Robert who ILLEGALY wire tapped MLK. That seems to be a conveniently forgotten FACT by the self-righteous left. It isn’t the Republicans you fear, It’s the self loathing you carry so heavily upon your sleeves, knowing that yes, even your blessed hero’s were criminals and charlatans. Robert “KKK” Byrd ring a bell under that tinfoil hat? Don’t blame the Great Satan Boosh for your woes, Blame yourselves for ignoring history.

  44. Now girls, Let’s not forget that it was JFK and his li’l brother Robert who ILLEGALY wire tapped MLK.

    Unlike righties, I don’t assume that if my side does something it must be OK. Wrong is still wrong, no matter who does it.

    I’m not sure if JFK had anything to say about the wiretap although I could be wrong. It was actually J. Edgar Hoover who was determined to wiretap MLK, and RFK as attorney general signed off on it. There are conflicting opinions as to why he did so, but according to this guy, who was there, RFK didn’t want to wiretap Dr. King but signed off because he believed the wiretap would prove to Hoover King was not a Communist. Whatever.

  46. Btw Maha, I thought you did very well under all the pressure. It takes alot of guts to take and answer questions on C-Span from righties like me. I don’t understand you leftists but I do recognise a trooper when I see and hear one. Good job.

  47. Barbara O’Brien, I saw you this a.m. on Cspan….very interesting..I am curious about how much you address the problems of our foriegn policy…I noticed that one of your Blogger colleagues, Juan Cole, of Informed Comment is listed in your index of other bloggers…He is my favorite on the Middle East and if more people sought out his calm, learned well reasoned and open minded thinking, it would help unravel the deception that confuses so many of us. He corrects himself occasionally or modifies an original opinion he had on something ..which may indicate that he actually thinks as he writes. I’ve added you to my list…I thought you were terrific and after all the years I’ve been watching Brian Lamb’s face I discovered he is not the Sphinx he thinks he is…I think he may have been amused by some of your very skillfull commentary…Ruth MacDonald Wilson

  48. Barbara, Saw you for the first time on my favorite channel this morning! Right on.We need communication, selection of leadership by concerned citizens, holding the Bushies accountable for massive corruption and INCOMPETANCE, and restraint from emotion driven name-calling.
    Having said that, since this is my first time here, please let me indulge myself a little! It feels so good to call a spade a spade.

    I also live in Westchester and also come from a prepublishing background–Photoshop facial retouching of image files is my greatest strength. A corporate merger put me out of work last July, with hundreds of others. A real slaughter that must have pleased Bush, the corporate greed con-artist.
    Do you know anyone who needs someone with retouching and scanning experience???
    >>May I send you my resume? I need help!

  49. Since Bush took power, I have become much more politically energized. I still can’t believe my fellow Americans let this happen to all of us. “Bush-Rove-Cheney” is something which future history will say was a tragedy that happened to America and the entire world. Much more than Osama or Sadam, who are evil little midget clones, flip sides of the same arrogant coin, compared to these jokers.
    We the People will do our best to stop them by using our constitutional rights of free speech and assembly. We each must do all we can, here and now, to fight the good fight, with the goal of defeating these ignorant, greedy, hypocritical, lying, deceiving bastards. (and that’s putting it nicely, expletive free!)
    Blogs and C-Span must be discovered by millions more of our deceived, mass-mediated, info-tainment-dumbed down fellow American citizens.We need more concerned citizens, not child-like, uninformed consumers.We must speak to our fellow Americans, and continue to awaken them. America, this Christian Republican pro-business American says tune in Air America Radio!
    I am a registered Republican but never voted for this false “Republican” and false “Christian” in the White House. I first saw this shrub in June of 1999, and pegged him for a second rate mind, a well-funded corporate front man, within five minutes of watching his debate with President Al Gore. Big deficit mis-spenders are equivalent to thieving child enslavers, from my “family values” perspective. Any loving father or mother should be as alarmed as I am.
    Reagan, the smiling old gent, never got my vote either, for the same reason. Child abuse. Spending away our future for the benefit of the ruling elites of this country who have stolen our federal government, is a recipe for massive failure. It is treasonous subterfuge. False patriotism.
    The top five media outlets are about reciprocal right wing greed. Short-term thinking, unsustainable corporate “profitability” now, but not in the long-term. Therefore, the facts are twisted or ignored. Dumb-em-down. Easy profits reporting. Corrupt the long cherished democratic process through Machiavellian tactics, as Bush-Rove-Cheney-DeLay-Frist-Santorum and many more small-minded men and women (Rice) epitomize.
    Only communists and fascists belief that the end justify the means. Arrogant statism has snuck into America’s high places of power, and we the individuals who can not and will not conform, know that we are all threatened.
    I am a “progressive” Republican. Theordore Roosevelt is my political hero. The words “liberal” or “left” are equivalent words that are neutral to thinking people, but corporate marketing techniques for the past 30 years have us distancing ourselves from such “commie pinko” words. The Right’s propaganda organs, such as Rush, Sean, and Ann-“Crazy Eyes”-Coulter have worked with fanatical zeal for years to turn Americans into unthinking Archie Bunkers.
    Because I am a progressive who believes that the least big government is the best protection of freedoms for living human beings, not souless corporations, I strongly oppose the direction my Party of Lincoln has taken. It is heading up a perverted, hypocritical, Great Apostate Delusion. The spirit of anti-christ in full awesome horror for those who will see:

    Fear for courage, statist comformism for individual idealism, short-term greed for sustainable wealth creation, reckless incompetence for hard-earned merit, ugly filth for beauty, sacrificing our children (on false idols of jingoistic Orwellian phrases) for salvation from evil, escalating war for open pathways to peace, death for life, Satan for Christ.

    I know you favor Buddhism. I also respect those who uphold compassion. Christianity has deservedly earned a bad connotation from “organized religion” in the past 1800 years. But believe in the possibility that He Lives! Keep a scientific, open, rational mind, and don’t let religion become am excuse for rejecting true Chrisitanity. I for one took that approach and discovered He is the Truth 22 years ago.
    Hope, compassion, beauty, faith, balance, responsibility, reason. These inner core values define true human adulthood to this rational egoist. Ayn Rand and Aristotle are closer to Christ than money hungry televangelists ever will imagine. Conservative politicians like Robertson and Falwell are just two examples of wolves in sheep’s clothing!
    There is no Hell to fear, just Life to embrace. An unexamined life lived for short-term gain (just as a corrupt oil or “defense” corporation chooses not to take the long-term, sustainable view), is by self-definition, unsustainable. Such a life is (unknowingly) self-ended by choice. DEATH. He warns us and encourages us to love life and truth with ALL of our hearts. No lukewarms accepted.

    I know this is not the mainstream view of reality, but if anyone can think this through, using open-mindedness, rational thought, and the humility to allow the possiblity of God, this new, freeing world view awaits you. The path is known and well-travelled: pray or meditate, read the Good Book in expectation of blessing, think at a higher level. God made us able to do this. The world tries to stop us from getting there. The world is Satan’s for now.

    If you perservere, well then, there’s no worries, mate.

    May God bless you and your spirited bloggers!

  50. I’d never heard of your blog, but caught you on C-Span today. Good work getting the message out, and I’ll be reading regularly now.

Comments are closed.