“Senator Booker,” he continued, “how we define the problem affects the approach we take. Why do you do that, and what do you say to people who say that law struck the right balance?” “Senator Paul,” he began, “this bill would roll back part of the bipartisan ‘96 welfare law that President Clinton signed that was taking away food stamps and welfare benefits from some people who had committed offenses. Melber had scored two of cable news’ prized guests, and he was reveling in the topic at hand-the senators’ just-released bill on juvenile-justice reform.Īware that he had just 12 minutes and 34 seconds for the interview, Melber fired away with precision wonkiness. On a Wednesday afternoon in late July, during his regular show on MSNBC, Ari Melber gestured across the table at US senators Rand Paul and Cory Booker. Melber is a lawyer, Huntsman worked on political campaigns, and Touré was a music writer. New kids Ari Melber, seen here with co-hosts Krystal Ball and Touré, is part of a new wave of young cable-news hosts who come from backgrounds other than news.
