Dear Dr. Maddow,

Dear Dr. Maddow,

For the first time, I was disappointed in your show today. You interviewed Dan Stein, president of FAIR, on your show, pressing him about his organization's reputation for moderation. As always, I am glad when you have guests from differing points of view on your show. Your respectful but sharp interview style is always informative. You did not depart from that style in addressing Mr. Stein. You brought up important points about individuals that FAIR is associated with - that they are not as moderate as the image FAIR projects of itself. I am glad that this information was aired, but I am nonetheless disappointed. Here's why:

First of all, you took this issue way too far. Was that the best information you could get? Some of it was from 25 years ago? Much of it looked like a case, as Mr. Stein said, of "guilt by association." If indeed one is guilty by association, could you not have made a stronger case? I didn't see anything that convinced me that FAIR could not still be overall a moderate organization with a few kooks here and there or someone who said something kooky 25 years ago.

Since you have a PhD in political science, you of all people should know that political institutions like FAIR are not unified and monolithic or representative of a single point of view. Mr. Stein alluded to this when he said that his organization represents a "big umbrella" and has a diversity of opinions. You could have pressed him on this... how can a "moderate" organization include so many apparent immoderates? It would be interesting to hear how he would reply to that. It is an important political question given FAIR's moderate reputation and position as backer/writer of the new Arizona law that you are calling the "papers please" law.

Perhaps more importantly, you did not discuss with Mr. Stein, the supposed "moderate" on immigration, an important issue - the "papers please" law. Mr. Stein was presenting himself as a bipartisan, moderate spokesperson on immigration and yet he said that the Arizona law was NOT racist. I'd like to hear how he justifies that. Perhaps he'd convince me. More likely, you would simply be giving him the rope to hang himself.

You made a weak case, and in the process, came off looking overly partisan and obnoxious.

I am saying this in all sincerity, as a huge fan of your show. However, for this one time, I think you blew it.  I hope next time I will not be so disappointed.