Monday, July 29, 2013

Newsroom: Twitter as a Source...

Military politics was the big theme for this episode, which is sensible when one recalls that the season is really a flashback to explain the incidents leading up to the Genoa broadcast. Still, it is enjoyable to see non-op storylines, like Jim on the campaign trail. I wonder if I'm alone in being surprised that so many reporters set up their own cameras and such? It seemed a little surreal to have everyone blabbering out the same press-release facts as well, but I can relate to that... it can be difficult to add much perspective to a bland story with no new facts. Similarly, Neal had little new to say about how OWS is going, though he does make an example out of Mac being the 1%. I'll leave that alone, though, before I start a debate that will rival the many that overtook Facebook when Occupy Wall Street was big...

The Newsroom "Willie Pete" (S02E03): Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum are all candidates supporting the military in one way or another, but none really say anything when a gay soldier in Iraq pitches a question during the September 23rd, 2011 debates about whether homosexual soldiers will be treated any better in the future. [I didn't think this point was made well... more explanation or time could have been given to it.] Jim, in particular, tries hard to get information out of Romney's people (or a one-on-one with the candidate himself), but he continues to be left out in the cold, whether the topic be health care, jobs creation, or Iran relations. He finally isn't alone, however, and another reporter asks about Romney's change in stance on abortion - on April 9, 2002, he supported a woman's right to choose, but now wants to repeal Roe v Wade. [I actually have no problem with someone who changes their mind on a topic after a number of years. you learn more, your own life influences you, you meet more people with varying circumstances of their own...] Jim attempts to lead a revolt against not having access to Romney, but all that does is get two journalists and himself kicked off the bus. [the stolen turkey sandwiches made me laugh.] 

Meanwhile, in New York, Jerry brings Mac with him to talk to Sweeney, but she's still a little skeptical of the man's circa March 9, 2009 story. After he explains that that they used "white phosphorus," but it was Sarin gas, she asks him to write down as many names as he can of the people who were with him. Jerry is permitted to work on finding someone who will corroborate the story, but it's a slow process and Mac was about to pull the plug on the research when translated tweets reveal the same details. [I didn't understand why the translations were being faxed in this day and age, though...]
HBO
Nina Howard finds out why Will didn't do the 9/11 broadcast and wants to spread the story. Will tells her the truth and asks her not to be "a mean girl" about it, and she agrees. The two then makes plans to go out, but Will still isn't over the fact that someone in the newsroom leaked the information. [we also learn the contents of Will's hacked voicemail to Mac, which included "I've never stopped loving you. You were spectacular tonight..."] It was Sloan, who turned down a date with Nina's book agent before Will actually "got sick." [in all honesty, who gets married on 9/11? I kinda feel like that date is off-limits for such festivities...] She makes Don go with her to tell Will the truth, but Charlie has figured out that it couldn't have been anyone on staff, because Nina knew that Charlie removed WIll, which the staff didn't know. So, Charlie and Will go to Reese with the admission-of-hacking recording, and he openly says that he told Nina and will tell others, as he wants it out there. [he's such a terrible guy!] Turns out, they can't even blackmail him, as the admission never recorded. [...WHAT??!?] Mac calls Nina to thank her for not running the story and asks her if she remembers Will's voicemail. Nina only tells her the part about how Will thought she did a great job with the coverage. [I'm more than over Mac and Will, isn't everyone??]

Smaller stories: Maggie gets her medical stuff in order to leave for Africa, and Mac warns her about the side effects of malaria pills. [what was the point in doing that? adding frenzy was not necessary.] Maggie is told she must also cover a human interest story in Uganda while she's over there. [I thought that was more than fair.] Sloan has moral issues with suggesting a certain stock. Mac wants the blog to be better, but Neal wants OWS to get more coverage. [I thought he put it well with the $1200 shows comment!]
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