We linked to this video last night but we really want to make sure everyone gets a chance to see it. So here it is, in all its glory: Rachel's escalator interview with Alaska Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller.
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I can't even imagine how hard it was to not crack up when he said that. I mean, really.
That's exactly what I was thinking! I was looking at both faces going, "Wait...did he do that on purpose? Is she going to start laughing?"
I doubt it was on purpose. I mean, right-wingers just don't do irony.
I choked on my dinner when he said that to her.
She should have said, "Are you asking me out?"
I'd have dropped dead laughing.
This was so unprofessional. I don't mean on your part, Rachel. I mean on Joe Miller's part. That a candidate running for senate would refuse to speak with a major news person who came all the way to freakin' ALASKA to interview candidates just smacks of cowardice and callousness. And then when he finally grudgingly agreed to an "interview" (if that's what you can call that awkward walk and talk session) that he would force you and your crew to chase him through a conference center also smacks of a disgusting sense of...I don't know how to describe it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
The whole time I was worried about your poor camera person. I was sure that he/she was going to tumble down those escalators, or trip from walking backwards so much. I'm so glad he/she made it without injury! Give him/her a raise! The fact that Miller didn't seem to give a thought to you and your crew's safety or convenience just came across as really unprofessional and almost inhuman.
He wants Alaskans to vote for him, but he doesn't want to let them or the rest of the country hear his opinions in an interview? He isn't interested in showing the country how he handles difficult situations by doing a tough interview? But he still thinks that people should vote for him. Is he on crack?
He wants Alaskans to vote for him, but he doesn't want to let them or the rest of the country hear his opinions in an interview?
The rest of the country would have learned nothing from that interview. She only talked about the gay issue which not many people care about nor find it a deciding factor on who to vote for. Looks like she wasted a trip.
You didn't watch the entire interview did ya Mark? She asked him multiple questions; she only stuck to that one because he didn't give a direct answer. And no your 2 gay friends didn't tell you it was their choice to be gay unless they were being sarcastic. I'm going to guess you're about 12? Please let the adults do the talking, you can't vote anyways.
Thanks for backin' me up, Mickey. I think you covered all the bases nicely.
Rachel, you are truly amazing! I can't even walk and chew gum at the same time, I don't know how you were able to stay so focused on the "interview" with this guy while walking through all that. I don't think Joe Miller realized who he was dealing with. What a rude, unprofessional person he is.
That's nothing. Think of the photographer (camerman)! He/She was walking backwards, and getting on the escalator backwards. Wow...impressive.
So, what I can and cannot do with my uterus is something that must be banned at the federal level. He's a pro-life candidate, after all, and he wants to defend innocent life. There is absolutely no doubt that the fetus is a life that must be defended. OK, fine. But then barely between breaths, he takes pains to describe how DIVERSE our country is, and how the definition of what marriage is should be left to the states so that some states can decide if marriage is between two consenting adults or only between a man and a woman.
So when it comes to the rights of gay people, we must respect the diversity of opinion on the matter. But when it comes to the rights of women, we don't give a crap that there's a difference of opinion about when life begins.
What a paternalistic jerk-off.
Of course, he thinks the definition of marriage should be left to the States, but he also supports the Defense of Marriage Act and would vote for a Constitutional Amendment limiting the definition... seriously, What The Funken-Wagnall?
Yeah, the diversity thing was a strange, incoherent ramble. The best I could make of it was: America is becoming increasingly diverse, so the states must have the unfettered right to discriminate and oppress as they see fit. I doubt Miller would ever admit to that, but it's what any "states' rights" argument is really all about.
The escalator interview needs to be incorporated into the next OK Go video, methinks.
As a homosexual who grew up in Anchorage, let me tell you what I know about gay rights politics in Alaska. The majority of people here are at least tolerant of gays. That means they don't think that being gay should be illegal, or can be cured, or that people should be fired for being gay. These are nice, decent people. So you can't be very politically successful in this state by being anti-gay. However, a lot of those same tolerant folks don't think that gays should have the right to get married. They don't see it as a fundamental human right the same way we do, and running on an anti-gay marriage platform will get you everywhere as a conservative in Alaska (as in most states). Also the only people in this state who will care about Joe Miller's hypocrisy on federal versus state power surrounding marriage aren't going to vote for the man anyway.
@Chemgirl that's totally what I was thinking. Maybe the Gregory Brother's can do an OK Go spoof with this Maddow interview. That'd be sick.
Also did anyone catch Rachel's joke- "Otherwsie we'll be on a bridge to nowhere..." That was classic Rach lol
I thought the bridge to nowhere comment was brilliant! I love how she can throw those zingers in there with such a straight face (so to speak).
I caught that too, it was brilliant, I hope he thought about that later on.
Karen, that would require thinking skills- something he doesn't seem to have.
"I wanna be straight with you." - I don't have a clue and I don't have a stand
At the very end, someone yells "you're a rotten liar!" What was that, who was that directed at, I want to know. Hopefully not Rachel.
As for Miller, his hand movements reminded me so much of $arah palin. I guess they have been spending time together. He also rambles on and on, just like her. two peas in a pod I guess.
Watching this again was just as hilarious as it was last night. What a freaking douche! The way he hopped into his SUV and shut the door to get the hell away. Totally epic, Rachel.
I don't understand why it is a state's right to determine who is gay or not. Miller just doesn't listen and/or doesn't think. Reminds me of Chatty Cathy, the doll that said a limited number of rote things by pulling on a string. Is Palin's church pulling the string?
Can someone please send that clip to the Daily Show? Hilarious! I guess it's not actually funny at all, but that's kind of why you have to laugh at it. I was in the audience in Anchorage last night and I was blown away by how seamlessly this show was put together. You guys are amazing! How you can put this together 5 days a week blows my mind. Thank you so much for coming to Anchorage and bringing attention to this senate race. The best part of last night was how genuinely excited people were to be in the crowd watching the show. I've never been in a room with so many people with huge smiles on their faces chatting with complete strangers. Thanks for bringing us all together for a great night. Now we all need to donate to Scott McAdams!!
Where do these Republicans get the idea that being gay is something you choose to do, like getting right through you nose to freak you parents? Every gay person will tell them it is not so. There are a dozen reasons why it could not be so.
Read a list of reasons in the gay glossary entry:
http://mindprod.com/ggloss/choice.html
I have two gay friends that both told me it was their choice to be gay.
Imaginary friends don't count, Mark.
But, for what it's worth, RG, here's my non-Republican take on why they insist that homosexuality is a choice. It's because they want/need to demonize and delegitimize the movement toward gay rights, and it's much easier to demonize people for entering an evil cabal to undermine liberty if it's something those nasty deed-doers voluntarily signed up for. Or, in other words, it's much harder to beat the snot out of someone if they've broken your grandmother's vase because of an involuntary spasm than if they had done so as a deliberate provocation. The right needs homosexuality to be a deliberate provocation in order to justify their extreme hate. So I think, anyway.
So Mark, when did you choose to be heterosexual?
I've always been
Point Daroswene
This was his plan from the get go. He did not want Rachel focused and primed with good questions, so he attempted to throw our mighty Rachel off balance, but failed miserably and looked a fool for doing so. Please, if it would have been Hannity instead of Rachel, he would have sat down and made time. I think he sent the message that I am to important to sit down and talk seriously with an intelligent reporter that does not see eye to eye with everything I utter, sputter, attempt to articulate or do and looked arrogantly foolish in doing so. They are just scared of Rachel. Good luck with Angle.
OK, added the ringtone.
Y'know what I just realized makes Miller look even worse in this interview is the contrast with the other candidates Rachel talked to there. McAdams was friendly and open and welcoming. Murkowski spoke patiently and thoroughly to describe her position and answer Rachel's questions. Miller apparently missed the "act like a human" memo.
I watched this last night and again today. Did that guy ever LOOK at Rachel after they shook hands?
What a warm human being........
I guess Rachel could have said "I would like to be gay with you" as a retort, but that would have been tortured by the press.
Rachel and TRMS hit Miller with a stone cold stunner, and I don't know if Miler stammered, got the brain freeze from hell, or had an Elmer Fudd moment, but the pause is just brilliant; I think that Miller really went off of his game, and it was worth the trip to AK. Excellent reporting.
LMAO, let me be straight with you!!!!!!!!!
Joe buddy I'm pretty sure Rach is fine with you being straight and all.
Funny thing - I missed the show last night and have attempted to watch it on-line multiple times. Each time the segment with the Joe Miller interview is just about to begin, the show freezes. What's up with that?
It might be MSNBC's player. If you load the Maddowblog webpage and then scroll down, on the right hand side you'll see an insert that says "podcasts." Click on it and then click the appropriate player. If you aren't sure what player, MP4 should work. You can then watch the entire show downloaded to your PC and it shouldn't interrupt. If you give the program time to download (as indicated by the little blue bar above the player icons) you can skip to the end of the show to where she interviews Miller. You should then be able to watch it uninterrupted. If that doesn't work you'll have to ask @Willatwork (Will Femia). He's the IT guy. Hope that helps.
Just saw someone on Twitter refer to this as a "pediconference." Makes sense. Or maybe an "ambulogue."
I thought this interview was amazing and mirror many of the other commenters here that Rachel looked like a pro, while Miller looked like a smarmy ass. That finger-tent thing he kept doing with his hands was hard to watch even just after a few seconds of it.
Miller looked unprofessional and like a mean doofus at the end when he jumped into the SUV and didn't end the interview properly.
Also, if Rachel could have gotten one more question in, I would have loved his response on how he, and other conservatives, are able to justify their calls for small government while simultaneously wanting the government to monitor every woman's womb and pregnancy. That seems like ginormous government to me.
I will give Joe Miller credit for at least allowing Rachel to interview him (even if it was the fast food form of an interview). Remember that Christine O'Donnell wouldn't even allow an interview, so for that he gets a little credit. The interview on the run was hectic looking, but I thought that Rachel composed herself well and asked some very poignant questions.
Mr. Miller did the typical politician generic answer to every question, but couldn't seem to explain how everything should be left to the states but yet he still supported a federal ban on gay marriage? That was talking out of both sides of the mouth, but what else should we expect from a radical candidate.
Your camera crew deserves a medal. That had to be hard/nigh-impossible to shoot.
They were all trained by Ginger Rogers