Maddow Takes McCain to Task for So-Called Internet Freedom Legislation

by Zeke Turner | 12:35 pm, October 24th, 2009

» 14 comments

Rachel Maddow took time on her MSNBC hour last night to take a closer look at some of Senator John McCain‘s latest legislative activity: his net neutrality bill, The Internet Freedom Act of 2009.

The branding at work in the name of the The Internet Freedom Act is impressive, but the bill is aimed at preventing the government regulation from affecting corporate Internet strategy. From McCain’s Press Office:

“Today I’m pleased to introduce ‘The Internet Freedom Act of 2009’ that will keep the Internet free from government control and regulation,” said Senator John McCain. “It will allow for continued innovation that will in turn create more high-paying jobs for the millions of Americans who are out of work or seeking new employment,” McCain continued. “Keeping businesses free from oppressive regulations is the best stimulus for the current economy.

Maddow broke it down like so: “The government says the internet should be free — big companies should not be able to rig the Internet for their own purposes. John McCain’s bill says they should.” And then she cut to a clip of McCain confessing his computer illiteracy and pointed to a recent report that identifies McCain as the single largest congressional recipient of campaign contributions from the telecom industry.

Because the term ‘net neutrality’ doesn’t readily explain itself, it’s worth saying that the recent debate raises the question of whether or not telecom should be able to control the speed of Internet access to favor themselves and their content. For example if a telecom company owns stake in a media company, the telecom company might speed up internet access to the media company’s content and slow down access to content from competitors.

Maddow raised these questions to Boing Boing‘s Xeni Jardin, who said simply “all packets are created equal.” Or at least they should be. Later Jardin added:

“Whenever there’s a fight on the Internet it’s always good to side with the geeks who actually built the Internet rather than fat cat telecom lobbyists … the Internet is a basic right, it’s a basic necessity, such a fundamental way for communicating and accessing info now. Telecoms shouldn’t be able to throttle, to slow down or to block our access to something that might not be in their corporate interest.”

Rachel Maddow discusses John McCain’s net neutrality legislation last night:

Boing Boing, Internet Freedom Act, Internet Freedom Act of 2009, John McCain, msnbc, Net Neutrality, Rachel Maddow, Xeni Jardin

http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Steele/1147844375 Chuck Steele

Dozens of people will have seen Maddow’s broadcast.
More will have read it here.
hkyplayer

Maddow has so much hate in her. She distorts facts more then any left or right wing host out there… Just one Example: when people wanted to have there voice heard (even if its not what she believes in). She makes fun of them for exercising there American rights. Like laughing every moment calling them teabaggers and racist… I think she still brings up and blames Bush for everything in every show still.
Jim R

Good for Rachel, she’s the best reporter on cable. Utterly fearless in reporting the well substantiated facts however they come out.

I wonder if Liz will be debating her anytime soon?
timzank

I don’t know enough about McCains bill or “net neutrality” yet to comment on that subject. I’ll need to research the pros & cons, but I will say Maddow is usually ill-informed, over-reactive, narrow-minded and an all around pain in the arse to listen too. She’s extremely one-sided (read partisan) and spent waaaaay to much time being mentored by by Olbermann. The term “hack” comes to mind when I think (ever so seldomly) of her.
homie

Wow, Could you be more wrong? Maddow has more knowledge in her baby finger than the rest of the media combined.

“…mentored by by Olbermann.”
There is no mentoring by Olbermann.

“…She’s extremely one-sided (read partisan)…”

Really?

Rachel Maddow Takes on Obama on Indefinite Detention
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=18693

Rachel Maddow Takes On Obama Over Defense Of Marriage Act
http://www.demesnes.net/2009/06/rachel-maddow-takes-on-obama-over-defense-of-marriage-act/

Rachel Maddow Takes On Obama Over Gay Rights Lack Of Progress
http://features.outinamerica.com/2009/06/09/rachel-maddow-takes-on-obama-over-gay-rights-lack-of-progress/

Rachel Maddow: Public Option Dying Because of Democratic Political Collapse
http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/FBABDBC0-E493-4C55-B778-81F4A13214A8/

Rachel Maddow: The Conservadems | Video Cafe
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-conservadems

Democrats ‘Outhustled’ on ObamaCare Protests and 2000 recount in Florida
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jack-coleman/2009/08/10/rare-candor-maddow-show-democrats-outhustled-obamacare-protests-2000-r

Rachel Maddow puts Democratic Party on suicide watch
http://www.rumproast.com/index.php/site/comments/rachel_maddow_puts_democratic_party_on_suicide_watch/

Wow. Looks like you are wrong. Imagine that.
Gianrico

timzank should inform himself before venturing an opinion. Maddow is well informed and does her homework. If she gets something wrong, she’ll correct it or have the aggrieved party on air to talk her down. She’s a liberal commentator who speaks the truth without parsing content irrespective of paraffiliation. If you have any interest in the continuing free internet access, read McCain’s bill. It favors the corporations eventually being able to keep individuals from free access. Not all regulations are or need be oppressive.
timzank

As I Said, I haven’t read the bill, hence no comment on that. My comment on Maddow, is MY opinion, nothing more , nothing less. Your are certainly entitled to your opinion as well.

Lighten up
Nachi

But it’s always mildly interesting to observe what McShame is blundering forth into. Vapidity.
m

Net neutrality must be defended at every cost. McCain, unfortunately, is a complete tool. Can’t blame him at that age though to absolutely know nothing about what he’s doing.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Maggie-Denson/100000117356468 Maggie Denson

How can this woman, and a poor excuse for a woman, live with herself with the hatred she has in her body.
I cannot understand why anyone would want to be near her, much less be a friend to her. I know she probably has only ONE lover and how that woman can stand her, I don’t know. I cannot see any way she could possibly sleep knowing what a hated woman she is. Maybe she should see a psychiatrist and he/she could straighten her out and she could become an ordinary citizen. But, with the hatred she has in her, it is almost impossible for her to be an ordinary person. Of course, I’m sure Olberman would love her, except he is not gay, I don’t think!
CaptainAmerica

Too bad you didn’t have the video of MADDOW flat out lying about Fox News actually being snubbed for the interview. Fox News was making it up….she was going on and on about that. Woops, flat out wrong as usual. Of course, you won’t see her issue an apology. That woman is clueless.
CaptainAmerica

Also how come there was no write up about Rachel Maddows long winded FOX NEWS IS NOT A NEWS CHANNEL b .s. story? She goes on and on about it. One of the things she said makes FNC not a news organization is because they promoted the tea parties.

Huh….. you mean like MSNBC/NBC promote LEFT WING b.s. “global warming events”??! And they do lying faux documentaries about global warming. Not to mention the money GE can profit from the scam. But GLOBAL WARMING events are ok. Tea Parties arent.

WHY DID MEDIAITE MISS THAT STORY and FAIL TO CALL OUT Maddow on that total b.s.
ImNotBlue

Jim R says:
October 24, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Utterly fearless in reporting the well substantiated facts however they come out.

Gianrico says:
October 24, 2009 at 4:38 pm
timzank should inform himself before venturing an opinion. Maddow is well informed and does her homework. If she gets something wrong, she’ll correct it or have the aggrieved party on air to talk her down.

BUZZZZ… FALSE!

Recently, a quote from Maddow was brought to light where she spread the same lies that a bunch of her collegues had spread about Rush Limbaugh.

When called on it, did Maddow take the Rick Sanchez way out, and actually apologies on air? Nope! Instead, she discussed some “other things” Limbaugh had said! Her point being, “Maybe he didn’t say those things I said he did… but he did say this stuff!” A non-apology.

http://insidecablenews.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/maddows-limbaugh-mis-quote-update/

So much for “correcting the record.” She is a hack… no better than anyone else.

(Hey, Captain… interesting how Mediaite missed this story too…)
jitterbugh

To Maggie Denson: Wow, You are a very angry person!!! You put a lot of thought and negative energy into your comments and questions, here are some of your quotes, maybe reading them back will help you to see that it is you who may have a problem….

“How can this woman, and a poor excuse for a woman, live with herself with the hatred she has in her body.
I cannot understand why anyone would want to be near her, much less be a friend to her. I know she probably has only ONE lover and how that woman can stand her, I don’t know. I cannot see any way she could possibly sleep knowing what a hated woman she is. Maybe she should see a psychiatrist and he/she could straighten her out and she could become an ordinary citizen. But, with the hatred she has in her, it is almost impossible for her to be an ordinary person.”

Hmmm…Only a very trouble person could write such a thing about anyone, who cares if you aren’t her fan, that’s a lot of hatred toward someone who is on a television screen when you have a HUGE amount of power at your fingertips allowing YOU to change the freaking channel!!!!