Maybe Fugelsang Can Talk Me Down!

I haven't seen Rachel Maddow ask anyone to talk her down recently. But I'm going to need it tonight. I am not a happy camper today.

Congressman Robert Wexler held a "town hall meeting" today (as far as I can tell, the only one that will be held down here during this August recess), and I'm blown away by what I saw.

The actual meeting was subdued, even dull. That's because the tickets were distributed by a group who obviously controlled who got them, and questions were submitted on 3x5 cards and read by a man who shouldn't have been on the microphone.

Congressman Wexler was joined by his colleague, Congressman Alcee Hastings, and both of them spoke beautifully in support of true reform, including a public option.

Outside the hall were probably a thousand people who couldn't get in, and I'd say they were about evenly split between those in favor of reform and those against it. It was those who were against it that I had the problem with.

For instance, watch this exchange with a cretin. Unfortunately, our talk was cut short by a police officer because I wasn't wearing a press badge...



Then there was this exchange with a few poor, misguided souls who had no clue what they were talking about. I really liked the sign that read "Turn off the lecturn and step away from the White House." I guess he didn't pay much attention in school either.



As we were leaving, I shot this footage of lots of people and signs. People with differing points of view standing side by side, yet on opposite sides of the fence. I guess that should give me hope.



Unfortunately, I'm so dismayed by the actions (or inactions) of this administration, that I'm just about all hoped out...

I'll talk about all the things that are bothering me tonight, and hope that John Fugelsang can talk me down. If anyone can make me laugh, it's certainly him. We'll spend the second hour of tonight's show together, talking about all the stories in the news today, and there's plenty to talk about!

I'll also be joined by Dr. Aaron Carrol, single payer advocate and Director of the Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research, who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Fellowship Director, Children's Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine. CHPPR just released the results of a survey that finds a majority of Americans believe "myths" about health care reform. We've still got our work cut out for us...

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