Democracy Has Prevailed.

May 3, 2008

Keith Olbermann: WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD!

Does anyone recall the last time when MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann's #5 segment was about something other than slamming Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton? Longtime viewers might remember when this was the slot reserved for broadsides at the Bush Administration.

But that's not what this post is about. This is about the program's #4 segment. On this Friday's show, the topic was how Sen. Hillary Clinton had appeared on FOX (Bill O'Reilly), had met with Richard Mellon Scaife (actually the full editorial board of one of Pittsburgh's two daily papers during the PA primary) and how Bill Clinton had gone on Rush Limbough's radio show (when Limbough was not hosting it). Olbermann pointed out how cruel the Right Wing media had been to the Clintons, but he went further. He spoke about how going on FOX was wallowing in filth, how it proves that She'll Do Anything to WinTM, and that (horrors of horrors!) demonstrates that she's trying to reach Reagan Democrats (you know, the folks that any presidential candidate will have to reach to actually win the White House).

He left out one thing:

Barack Obama was on FOX News less than a week ago.

Ohmygod!

That must mean that Obama was wallowing in filth, proves that he'll do anything to win, and that (horrors of horrors!) demonstrates that he's trying to reach Reagan Democrats (you know, the folks that any presidential candidate will have to reach to actually win the White House).

No, no. that can't be right. More importantly, you'd never know that Obama had just gone on FOX or that it wasn't even his first time on that channel by watching Olbermann. It was never even mentioned in passing.

During segment 5, Olbermann had complained that Clinton was "cherry-picking" the poll numbers that she talked about. I defy anyone to find anytime in the past month when Olbermann has presented a single poll number favorable to Clinton. He simply does not do it.

Moreover, one of his guests in segment five bitched that Clinton had wrongly tried to say that Obama had been positive towards Reagan and that it was actually Hillary who was a fan of Republicans. This is what Obama said in an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal:

I don't want to present myself as some sort of singular figure. I think part of what's different are the times...I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.
Sorry folks, argue all you like, that was a big, wet, puckering kiss to Reagan and Republicans.

Moreover, this is what Obama said on FOX News Sunday less than a week ago:

WALLACE: As a president, can you name a hot button issue where you would be willing to cross (ph) Democratic party line and say you know what, Republicans have a better idea here.

OBAMA: Well, I think there are a whole host of areas where Republicans in some cases may have a better idea.

WALLACE: Such as.

OBAMA: Well, on issues of regulation, I think that back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a lot of the way we regulated industry was top down command and control. We’re going to tell businesses exactly how to do things.

And I think that the Republican party and people who thought about the margins (ph) came with the notion that you know what, if you simply set some guidelines, some rules and incentives for businesses, let them figure out how they’re going to for example reduce pollution. And a cap and trade system, for example, is a smarter way of doing it, controlling pollution, than dictating every single rule that a company has to abide by, which creates a lot of bureaucracy and red tape and oftentimes is less efficient.

I think that on issues of education, I have been very clear about the fact, and sometimes I have gotten in trouble with the teachers union on this, that we should be experimenting with charter schools.

[snip]

OBAMA: No, look, I think this is fair. I would point out, though, for example, that when I voted for a tort reform measure that was fiercely opposed by the trial lawyers, I got attacked pretty hard from the left.

[snip]

WALLACE: John Roberts, Supreme Court.
OBAMA: John Roberts nomination, although I voted against him, I strongly defended some of my colleagues who had voted for him on the Daily Kos, and was fiercely attacked as somebody who is, you know, caving in to Republicans on these fights.

[snip]

OBAMA: On partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions. I have said so repeatedly. All I’ve said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother. And many of the bills that came before me didn’t have that.

{snip]

OBAMA: And I do not consider Democrats to have a monopoly on wisdom. And my goal is to get us out of this polarizing debate where we are always trying to score cheap political points and actually get things done.

[snip]

WALLACE: And we are back for one final segment with Senator Barack Obama. Senator, this week President Bush named David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, to be the head of Central Command, which controls overseas military operations across the Middle East and Central Asia. Will you vote to confirm his nomination?
OBAMA: Yes. I think Petraeus has done a good tactical job in Iraq.

[snip]

WALLACE: Senator Obama, thank you so much for talking with us
OBAMA: I enjoyed it.
WALLACE: Don’t be a stranger.
OBAMA: I won’t.
Pander much? Anything he doesn't like about Republicans? Anyway Olbermann could have missed all this? Anyway Olbermann would not have crucified Hillary Clinton if these statements had come out of her mouth on FOX?

Can anyone justify a segment designed to blast one Democratic candidate for "embracing" the Right Wing media that would never mention even once that her opponent has done the exact same thing?

Well, we know that Olbermann thinks he can.

Keith Olbermann: WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD!
.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Yes I can justify it. Olbermouth is consumed with jealousy. He hates FOX news as he hates any other network that ignores him. So the fact that he, along with you lefties, like to bash FOX news and pretend it has no relevance was just disproved by the appearance of Sen. Clinton. As with most of your thought processes anyone who takes an opposite view has to be discredited. Look at the manner in which you refer to me, all without a shred of proof or background info, chicken hawk, coward. Ah, if only you knew. But that is also the manner in which Olbermouth looks at FOX news. With hate and now he just had it slammed down his throat by the leader of the Demcorats appearing on the show of his worst person in the world. Like I have said before, the biggest threat to the left is not al queda or Hamas it is a conservative with access to a radio or computer. LOL LOL LMAO I WIN HUGE!

Bram Reichbaum said...

I haven't read Dayvoe's counterpost to yours yet, but here is my initial reaction:

1) Appearing on Fox once (to show he's not "afraid" of them) does not equal an ongoing pattern of coziness and coordination with the right wing media, and also,

2) Just as you have defined yourself as an activist and opinionated blogger, Keith Olbermann clearly presents himself as an advocate for what he believes to be true and right. Does this make him "bad" or "worst"? You'd be better advised to focus on where he's WRONG than to whine that he's not being "fair" to your candidate.

Bram Reichbaum said...

Eh, maybe I'm not being generous enough toward your post: it beats having to defend jumping on board with McCain's gas tax holiday.

Anonymous said...

John K. says; This is so much fun. Watching the left try to spin that their front runner and plank owner of the phrase Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, went on Fox news with O'Reilly and called it fair and balanced is priceless. And Olbermouth, who has repeatdly called O'Reilly the worst person in the world, had to eat it from no less than Sen. Clinton. I saw the interview Olbermouth gave to Ex-Prez Clinton (bubba) and he looked like a school boy pooping his pants on his potty chair. LOL LOL This is just too funny. LMAO

Maria said...

Bram,

According to The New York Times Obama has appeared on FOX News SEVEN times this year.

And, Olbermann styles himself as a journalist. He even uses Edward R. Murrow's sign-off.

Again, how can anyone justify a segment designed to blast one Democratic candidate for "embracing" the Right Wing media that would never mention even once that her opponent has done the exact same thing, especially right after blasting the candidate for "cherry-picking"???

Anonymous said...

Read dayvoe's response, Maria.

The point of the segment was NOT to point out that Clinton's been on Fox ignoring Obama's appearances, but that a high ranking member of her campaign was using the same tactics that the right-wing had used to damage her husband's administration a decade ago.

Show us where a high ranking Obama campaign operative has been sending out e-mails quoting the righwing media in his or her smears of Senator Clinton and I'll think about agreeing with you.

Until then, this is, and it is most sad to say, beneath you.

Anonymous said...

It's sad to see this. People trashing their own credibility for Hillary Clinton. Where's the post about Bush's record 71% disapproval rating? Where's the post about what is going on in Iraq? Where's the post about real energy reform? Our party has been paralyzed by Hillary Clinton and these posts are missing from most blogs thanks to her. Barack Obama will be the nominee. He came to Maryland, Virginia, Washington, Nebraska, Louisiana, Maine, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands in February, and won the nomination here. The continuation of the Clinton campaign since then has been an exercise in shooting the party in the foot.

It's sad to see Maria join in on that. Keith Olbermann is a progressive. Posts like these undermine his credibility, and ultimately undermine the credibility of all progressives.

Bram Reichbaum said...

Okay Maria. Now I have watched the Olbermann clip which Dayvoe provided.

Keith did not go after Clinton for appearing on Fox News -- he did so for a slew of behavior that included the Rush Limbaugh program and the performance with Richard Mellon Scaiffe. Likewise, I can point out that Obama dealt with Chris Wallace, who is by position and by temperament the coolest person at Fox News, whereas Clinton dignified Bill O'Reilly, who has his radio program and his hours of coarse propoganda.

Now, as far as journalism goes ... I believe part of journalism is, as I said, advocating for THE TRUTH (at all times) and what is right ... hence the Editorial departments of all major newspapers. On television, understandably, a different and more subtle form of resolution between the two sides of the coin has developed.

I'm not accusing you of practicing journalism, but I'm saying Keith *can* be a journalist with a viewpoint.

Bram Reichbaum said...

Then again, if you can talk to Achmedinejad and Kim Jol Il, you can talk to Bill O'Reilly. What are we afraid of.

Of course, it helps Hillary that they (FOX et al) want her to win -- and are going for it in an organized way. I can't figure out why the whole Republican apparatus wants her to win so badly...

Anonymous said...

Retired Millhunk says:
I understand to show her true allegiance to Hilliary, Maria is going to enlist in the Army in order to show Hilliary was right in her vote to go to war with Iraq. She will probably reenlist for the war with Iran Hilliary is hoping for.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Millhunk must have posted that blog from Darfur or some Peace Corps post. After all one must lead by example.

Anonymous said...

Bill O threatened to lynch Barack's wife. I think Barack's lack of appearance on Bill O is understandable.

Anonymous said...

I can not figure out which one of the B.O. followers is more delusional. Hillary goes on O'Reilly and stands her ground with real facts. She shows her ability to debate with with a foe with dignity, grace, humor, itelligence and strength... you know presidential qualities... and she is conspiring with Fox. B.O. goes on Fox and kisses republican butt, throws democrats, daily kos and move on( by supporting Petraus) under the bus and you still think of him as liberal democratic candidate!!!! He will do anything, say anything to get elected. And the B.O. followers are just fine with that because ... ?????? Then all that Maria does is post B.O.'s own words and she is at fault...why????

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:27: READ DAYVOE'S RESPONSE.

(How many times do I have to say this??).

Olbermann was not criticizing Clinton for going on Fox, he was pointing out the hypocrasy of one of her closest advisors using the smear tactics of the right-wing media.

Anonymous said...

Keith Olberman should be fired, he is not a credible journalist, he is no more than a ridiculous laughable hatchet man for Obama. I cannot imagine serious political observer ever watching that mess he calls his show.