i have been away from the show for a few weeks. i took a hiatus to give myself a little recess and work on some other msnbc projects that i ve got cooking. i got to say you the hiatus has been fantastic. i m really grateful for it. i know it s hard to get in this business. i m grateful to msnbc and the president of msnbc for letting me do this. and grateful for the staff for doing such great work while i was gone and grateful beyond words for ali velshi in particular and other colleagues who filled in while i was away. if you can t tell from the way the rest of us talk about him, you should know that ali velshi is really a prince among men, he has been in ukraine and in bordering countries for five straight weeks. covering the war. hosting this show. hosting his own show. he has beenin doing incredible work. literally around the clock. all the while just being a great and generous and upstanding person and a great co worker to everyoneat who works with him a you should be so
welcome back rachel. how do you like them apples? were you expecting the drumroll to be a little bit longer. an extra 12 seconds. extra 12 seconds. because rachele is back, i missed her and i was sort of rushing a little bit t it isha good to be back. i mbe super rusty so i m hoping that people will stick around tonight if only to see me screw up. i doubt that will happen. two things, ali did a decent job in your absence, a totally incredible job and we missed you a tonin and great to see your fe on the screen here so welcome back, e friend. thanks, friend. much appreciated. and thanks to you at home for joining us this hour. it is nice to be back. is really, really, really nice to be back. if this face does not seem familiar, if you are now quite used to seeing somebody else at this hour, hello, it s nice to meet you, i m rachel.