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Check out that hair! Watch the launch of MSNBC, 17 years ago

It's been a big week at msnbc--we just turned 17-years-old on July 15!
Lawrence O'Donnell during an msnbc on July 15, 1996.
Lawrence O'Donnell during an msnbc on July 15, 1996.

It's been a big week at msnbc--we just turned 17-years-old on July 15!

Our very own Lawrence O’Donnell was there from the beginning. Seriously, like, the morning of the launch, he was on-air—officially, by our count, making him the longest running man in makeup at msnbc. Back in the day, shows broadcast out of Fort Lee, New Jersey. In case you didn't program your VCR that morning, he was on a panel discussion with Laura Ingraham to analyze recent poll numbers between then-presidential candidates Bill Clinton and Bob Dole.

Beloved journalist Tim Russert took a "coffee break" during their segment (read: there was a major technical malfunction). It was the dawn of 24-hour news channels, and as they proved in this clip, not everything goes as planned on live TV. But, they kept it together well. And look, we're still here. Enjoy this '90s time warp.

Editors note: A version of this article first appeared on July 13, 2012.