Rachael Maddow v. Geraldo Rivera

[MickintheHam]

It appears Rachael has now replaced Geraldo as the pulling off the dumbest move in TV Journalism with her scoop of the Trump tax returns. At least with Geraldo, we weren't promised to see a treasure when he opened the vault.

[dan_bgblue]

I think there is a law against revealing income tax info. I seem to recall it being a felony to reveal the income and tax paid based on information gleaned from tax return documents. It would be a hoot to see her and MSNBC in court over this stunt.

[CitizenBBN]

Even the Wash Po called it a "total nothingburger". Not sure what that is, or how a paper of the supposed stature of the WaPo would use it in a sentence, but when they dismiss a Trump attack as nothing you KNOW it's nothing. You can take that to the bank.

Geraldo is just glad someone in his lifetime may be able to overtake him in the "most overhyped" category. I imagine he'd planned to take that to his grave.

The desperation to attack Trump, and the willingness of supposed "journalists" to go at it full bore, is far more disturbing to me than the worries the Left has about Trump and his tweeting.

[dan_bgblue]

The desperation to attack Trump, and the willingness of supposed "journalists" to go at it full bore, is far more disturbing to me

I do not think they will go quietly into the night, but I do think they will have to change their public appearance and attacks when the advertising money begins to dry up due to a lack of viewership and poor ratings. They will still hide in the dark looking for prey, but they no longer will be able to incite the public because of their irrelevance. Maybe that is wishful thinking on my part, but I think the left stream media is committing suicide as we watch.

[CitizenBBN]

I hope you're right.

I will say I have had a reaction to all the hollywood people ranting like big babies. I really have no desire to watch movies from people I used to like. I like the Marvel movies, but so many of their stars have mouthed off, and not just expressed an opinion but shown that over the top "it's us versus the KKK" extremism in their comments, that I just don't care to watch them in those movies.

I don't mind people who disagree, but this knee-jerk extreme reaction has worn me out. Throw in Joss Whedon in that group, he's tweeted all kinds of stuff that is just so very over the top. They've all just shown a level of myopia and extremism and intolerance I am now distracted by that when I see them, so why go see them?

[Doc]

So Trump paid $38,000,000 in taxes that year, a 25.3% effective tax rate. That's more than Obama, Clinton or Sanders paid. I'll bet its more than his secretary paid too. Sounds to me like Trump needs a new tax attorney/CPA

[KSRBEvans]

It appears Rachael has now replaced Geraldo as the pulling off the dumbest move in TV Journalism with her scoop of the Trump tax returns. At least with Geraldo, we weren't promised to see a treasure when he opened the vault.

I think she got backed into a corner and it was pretty funny. The information turned out to be favorable to Trump, but once she got possession of it she pretty much had to run it. So there she is, hating Trump but forced to reveal information favorable to him.

I don't think you'll see her, MSNBC or any other media outlet prosecuted for revealing it. They'd pretty clearly have a 1st Amendment defense and I don't think the government could prove a compelling state interest. Same as when the NY Times ran the then-classified Pentagon Papers in the early 70s. The government sought a restraining order (which the Supreme Court held was improper, on 1st Amendment grounds) and no Times entity was ever prosecuted.

[Darrell KSR]

Wouldn't shock me if the Trump team completely outsmarted th detractors here with the "don't throw me in the briar patch" plea. Genius.

[UKHistory]

I think the President allowed these two pages to be leaked.

I would like to see his full tax return. But the two pages released showed nothing improper.

[CitizenBBN]

I think the President allowed these two pages to be leaked.

I would like to see his full tax return. But the two pages released showed nothing improper.

Probably so.

His full return will show what every big time rich guy's shows: that he took advantage of every tax break and trick he could. The problem is that his opponents will make that out to be some kind of national tragedy and proof he doesn't care about the poor and is a racist, sexist homophobe.

The thing is there is a legal right to take full advantage of the tax code, and an entire industry of people who spend all day every day doing that for their clients. No doubt hoards of people on both sides take full advantage, and very few of those people send in MORE just b/c they feel like government needs more money.

But they'd pick it apart, the same BS as talking about contractors that didn't get paid, etc. That's just normal business stuff. So if I were him I wouldn't release them either, it's just giving ammo to people who will make something up about it if they dont' find anything.

I think ideally they should be, but I get why he doesn't.

[Doc]

I've never cared about tax return for any politician. Your tax returns are private information. I trust the IRS to ferret out any illegalities

[KeithKSR]

I think the President allowed these two pages to be leaked.

I would like to see his full tax return. But the two pages released showed nothing improper.

I doubt it, anyone associated with Trump would have given it to someone other than a left wing blogger, which is Maddox's source for the form.

[Catonahottinroof]

Yuuuuugggee fail on Maddow's part......