An interesting behind-the-scenes story about the Moyers Impeachment segment

[zulchzulu]

You MUST watch this:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/profile.html

I was talking with John Nichols today at a local cafe here in Madison and told him he did a great job on the Moyers show. The show has done wonders for his book "The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism" (http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Impeachment-Founders-Cure-... ).

John told me that Moyers initially wanted to do a half-hour segment on the subject. They went ahead and recorded the half-hour show...except that when finished, the camera crew did a standing ovation! Moyers then said for Nichols and Fein to hold on for a minute. He went back to the director and producer for a minute or so and then came back and said that they were going to re-do the segment as an hour long show!

What a fantastic guy John is.

[napi21]

1. Everybody did a great job on that show!

I truely hope it's the instigating information that moves Congress to take our Constitution BACK! I'd also love to see Bill do more shows like it!

[illinoisprogressive]

2. very cool. My mom saw it and thought it was great

[mzmolly]

3. Very cool. How do you know Nichols?

[zulchzulu]

4. It was a few years back...

I met him while doing tabling for Kerry in 2003 in Madison at the Farmers Market. He loves to talk politics with anyone who will engage with some knowledge. I have him talking with some rabid Republicans at the table in an upcoming documentary.

When in town, he works at a local cafe near where I work and when I stop by for a coffee to go, we talk for a few minutes on the endless topics these days. Sometimes he's calling in as a guest on his mobile phone. He's just a great guy willing to talk politics or life.

[mzmolly]

5. Well thanks for sharing that with us.

Thank him from a former "impeachment is an option" believer. I now believe it's necessary.

[rodeodance]

8. I worked for the Kerry campaign in Madtown.

[zulchzulu]

11. I probably know you

From DC?

[rodeodance]

6. State street?

[zulchzulu]

10. Not State...

At the risk of giving away where he sometimes hangs out, it's not State. The place has a majestic view.

[burrowowl]

7. This Bill Moyer Journal was

BRILLANT!

[Hissyspit]

9. .

[rasputin1952]

12. The Moyers show was an absolute gem. Rational discussion over

what and why impeachment is a part of our process, and when/how to use it, works so much better than screechmonkies incoherently screaming about the process.

I received an education during that show, and it changed my mind about impeachment, and the possibility of it being successful in removing cheney, and perhaps bush. A little less than an hour, made a distinct impression on me, and was enough to reverse my thoughts on the situation. That is the power of rtional discussion.

None but the most rabid RWer's could dismiss the arguments presented on that show. The research was there, the knowledge was there, the credentials were there. Moyers played the perfect "dupe" drawing out information necessary to make a case, and they laid it out, letter by letter, page by page. No swinging from the rafters, no yelling, no inane banter...just a realistic look at what this administration is trying to accomplish...a new monarchy, and the danger lies in their philosophy of a powerful "upper class".

We, the citizens, own this nation, not some imperial group of thugs, and if Moyers' show gets around, bush and his court of fools will be tossed into a self made, and well deserved hell.

Just before bush's first inauguration, I told people that bush would easily be the worst president this nation had ever seen, in less than a year, I was well on the way to looking like a prophet, and even people here in Nebraska who supported this jerk, now stop me and tell me I was correct. FWIW...bush's #'s are way down out here as well...and I do believe he and cheney are the catalyst for the destruction of the neo-con movement, and the GOP as it is currently known.