Wednesday, August 17, 2016

John McLaughlin

My latest @ National Review: John McLaughlin, Behind the Scenes
National Review Online

1 comment:

  1. Dear Mr. Rogan,

    I just wanted to express my condolences to your, the entire TMG group, and Dr. Mclaughlin’s family. For nearly the past ten tears the TMG came into my home every Friday evening on the local PBS station. It was the highlight of my week, I could not wait to get home and finish the work week with you and the entire panel. I am not in or part of Disqus or Facebook, so this is my only means and recourse to express my grieving and final thoughts. Tom, thanks for allowing me to post this on your site.

    I watched the entire service yesterday, your reading and all other readings were inspiring and reflective. I was deeply moved, and glad that technology (You Tube) brought the funeral service to so many outside the DC area and worldwide.

    There have been many posts on the MLG web site asking to continue with some form of a similar show. I think this is a great idea, but how would it be structured and who would lead? Nobody can replace JM. With Pat and Eleanor getting on in years, the baby boomers and millennial mix means some sort of issue transition relevant to now. These past months Pat and Eleanor keep going back and referring to issues and elections around the era of Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. History is important but as the older panelist pass away or move on, how would a younger panel, unfamiliar with the past as a benchmark, deal with current and recurring political and social issues. A new show with a younger panel demonstrates this would not be such an easy endeavor to undertake. Nothing can ever replace TMG, not “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos, not the “PBS News Hour” with Gwen Ifill. And the only other issues and interview discussion show, “Bill Moyers Journal”, has also long gone off the air.

    As for TMG, I had hoped to write to JM on the web site and ask permission if I could fly to DC, sit in and watch the taping of a show. That would have been the highlight of my life. I have a sister with an Emmy, Oscar nominated film, and Oscar winning film, so having been to Hollywood/Burbank studios several times I hoped this might be the rationale that JM would to allow me the opportunity to sit in. Alas, it is now not to be.

    Best of wishes in your future.

    Life is about change, yet no matter how much things change humankind stays the same.

    To John, you changed my life for the better. Rest in Peace. We all have that same appointment in our calendar book of life, I will see you at some point in the future.

    Rodney

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