Olbermann Rips Into Clinton For Praising McCain

Via AmericaBlog:

Tonight on his show, Keith Olbermann eviscerated Hillary Clinton for a good ten minutes for promoting John McCain's presidency over her fellow Democrats. He compared her to Joe Lieberman. He asked "is she equating her time in the East Wing with McCain's time in the Hanoi Hilton?" You have got to watch these videos. They're devastating in only the way that Keith can be.

Comments

[the964kid]

02:04 PM on 03/07/2008

What party is Hillary running for?? This isn't a slip of the tongue - she's praised Mccain several times and clearly would rather have Mccain win in November over Obama. It's amazing. Is the GOP paying her??? She's literally creating GOP ads for the general election. Hillary you're a traitor!!

[grumbles]

02:00 PM on 03/07/2008

Keith, you have been spending too much time with Chris Matthews. You are starting to sound just like him.

[veracity]

01:57 PM on 03/07/2008

MikeMidCity over on the Larry David "comments" section has a great point:

HILLARY JUST _ENDORSED_ the "EXPERIENCE" and "Commander in Chief Threshhold" of the guy who sang, "BOMB BOMB BOMB, BOMB BOMB IRAN" !!

Wow! Talk about stunning! In one little comment, MikeMidCity laid to rest ANY doubts re Hillary's temperment, much less her foreign policy and national security judgement. She, like McCain, is an inside-beltway, K. St. shakedown artist who thinks she is entitled, "It is her turn."

==============================================
HuffPost reader MikeMidCity wrote:

Hillary, why would we want you to answer the phone at 3 a.m.? ........ You think that the guy who sang,"Bomb, bomb, bomb .... bomb, bomb, Iran" and said that we could be in Iraq for another 100 years has passed the commander in chief test?
What TF are you talking about?
Ok then, can we stop talking about whether or not Hillary is a liberal politician and start talking about if she is sane?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/profile/MikeMidCity
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-david/on-the-red-phone_b_90338.html

[robXdion]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

Its sad a news anchor has to step out of his objectivity and say what Nancy Pelosi, Howard Dean, Harry Reid, and legions of Dems are scared to say.

Can Republicans imagine Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani saying Obama is a better candidate than McCain while running in their primary?

[distant mirror]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

The Bush administration just spent 8 years blaming "The Clintons" for 9/11. If she does run against McCain, you can bet he will hit her hard on that and drag the country through the whole lead up to 9/11. Whether it's true or not a lot of the country believed The Clinton administration was responsible for 9/11. She is leaving herself wide open.

[nazgul]

01:47 PM on 03/07/2008

Once again Olbermann sees the truth in a situation and speaks to it plainly.

Hillary has endorsed McCain.

Laura Bush has Commander-In-Chief credentials.

[Toerag]

01:43 PM on 03/07/2008

Thanks KO, great work!

There are a lot of comments about Clinton bashing, but it seems to me that Olbermann is the only reporter not giving her a free pass. Her comments and tactics over the past week or two have been deplorable. It seems that she's focused less on winning the POTUS herself, but that she will do anything to make sure Obama doesn't - including switching sides!

[terraprieto]

01:40 PM on 03/07/2008

WHY did Hillary Clinton, with her brains and Bill’s mega-Rolodex of Democrats all over the country, NOT contest the caucuses? WHY did Hillary not even try to organize her supporters to attend and win the Idaho and Nebraska and all other caucuses?

Even extreme hubris is not a workable explanation – wouldn’t the ‘inevitable’ candidate want to roll up big wins everywhere, to show her strength?

Instead of running a campaign designed to achieve a big, clean victory, she has run a campaign so incompetently that the only win available to her now is an ugly, divisive, guaranteed-to-lead-to-Democratic-loss-in-the-fall, split-the-Democratic-party-for-a-generation bloody win.

Now, in the last couple of weeks, her strategy has become more obvious – she’s running a campaign to elect McCain!

Her below-the-belt comments praising McCain’s experience over Obama’s and her disingenuous answer to the question about Obama’s faith on 60 minutes now make sense. A very smart woman like Hillary should have been able to give a straightforward answer to a simple question about whether Obama is a Muslim – but instead, she weasled on the question and then whined about her own difficulties.

Hillary has been around long enough to know that respectable Democrats do not provide sound bites for the Republicans – it is fine to criticize Obama, but it is NOT acceptable to denigrate a Democrat in comparison to a Republican. Not amongst mature adults with good judgment, for certain.

The only reasonable explanation remaining is that Hillary is working to elect McCain. She’s just not honest enough to join the Republican Party and work openly toward her goal.

Hillary Clinton: Working for McCain’s election since Day One!

[Phaedrusnyc]

01:39 PM on 03/07/2008

Clinton claiming that "McCain has crossed the Commander-in-Chief threshold" is just as bad as Obama threatening that his voters will not vote for Clinton if she is nominated. She should be ashamed.

[nazgul]

01:43 PM on 03/07/2008

"Obama threatening that his voters will not vote for Clinton"

I've heard some of his supporters say that; I've never heard him say that. Evidence?

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

he has publically stated that he is sure he would be able to get her supporters, but is not sure she could get his.

And, remember his statement that the republican party was the party of ideas for the last 10 - 15 years? Don't you suppose McCain, being part of that party during those years, would be able to use that against Hillary?

[Toerag]

01:53 PM on 03/07/2008

I've heard denizens of Clinton supporters say the same as well - although she's never said it either. After seeing her praise McCain so much, I think it's implied.

[editrix66]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

I am an Obama supporter and always intended to vote for Clinton if she won the nomination, but after her dirty campaign tactics these past two weeks, I don't think I could stomach it. It certainly wasn't an organized campaign on the part of Obama, though. Just my own personal revulsion that she would be my president.

[gwhizz]

01:38 PM on 03/07/2008

I'm sending my copy of Olbermann's book back. I think he hit his head again.

[Ramirez]

01:33 PM on 03/07/2008

This is a silly story. Hillary is not praising or "supporting" McCain; she is playing smart politics.

There are a hundred ways to attack McCain, and Hillary will use them all. However, McCain is bulletproof on several issues. One is "character" (heroism, patriotism) and the other is "experience". Hillary recognizes this and is using McCain's strengths to contrast with Obama's weaknesses.

This is smart, powerful, triangulation politics. The Obamians recognize this as well and they know they are helpless against it. Thus they are screaming like little girls.

[Jacee]

01:35 PM on 03/07/2008

You support the Democratic Party being betrayed from within?

[sarainitaly]

01:41 PM on 03/07/2008

oh please. dramatic much?

they have to work with the republicans. obama praises the republicans. obama has said he would fill many positions with republicans.

honoring someones service to their country is not betryaing the party. that was stupid.

isn't obama the uniter, mr. cross party lines, mr. bring the republicans to vote for me, guy?

nothing wrong with honoring a life time serving member of the US governement.

[in4success]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

doesn't have the mental capacity to comprehend the dynamics.

pretty fucking discouraging in the grand scheme of things.

[Toerag]

01:46 PM on 03/07/2008

Smart politics if you want your party's nominee to lose in November, no matter who that nominee may be...

[Ramirez]

02:05 PM on 03/07/2008

No, seriously. Hillary is just shaping the battlefield. McCain has the character and experience necessary for the job; everyone knows that and it's a waste of time to claim otherwise. So why not take the high road and just admit it? Hillary loses nothing and she establishes cred she can use for attacks on McCain later.

This is advanced politics, perhaps.

[spindr]

01:32 PM on 03/07/2008

Good for Olbermann, now what about the rest of the press?

Hillary Clinton is so bent on winning the White House that she will put Obama and the entire Democratic Party under the bus if necessary. I mean, how sad is it to declare John McCain would be better for the country than her Democratic competitor? And just look at her face when she's saying it! It's the look of blind ambition and someone with no conscience whatsoever.

A key Obama advisor resigned today after suggesting Clinton was a monster. Well guys, one definition of monster is "One who inspires horror or disgust; i.e., a monster of selfishness." Seems like a very apt description to me.

[sarainitaly]

01:37 PM on 03/07/2008

McCain served his country. He put his life on the line for his country. He has spent his entire life working for his country.

You find absolutely nothing worthy in that? You do not see that for some, he proves his loyalty to his country. People know where he stands.

Many people do not feel that secure about Mr. Unknown Obama, and question his judgment.

[Toerag]

01:49 PM on 03/07/2008

McCain's history and record have little to do with it. The fact that Clinton praises the competitor of the Dem. nominee to such a degree, while saying the eventual candidate of the Dems (yes, I know math...)... well, you see, that kind of hurts her own party.

[CRX]

01:43 PM on 03/07/2008

Right on spindr! This is Unbelievable! She is promoting the other party's nominee (Mccain) over the Democratic nominee (Obama)! She has lost her frickin' mind! I mean this is the nutzo clinton parade we are watching folks!

[CarsonM]

01:27 PM on 03/07/2008

I posted a diary on Feb. 25th at daily kos with a poll asking, "Should there be a new Clinton rule ala Zell Miller?" There were 3 no options and 3 yes options. Only 21 people voted , indicative of my diary status, but the trend is still there. 4 voted NO and 17 voted YES.

So I repeat (AND THANK YOU KEITH OLBERMAN!!) should there be a new Clinton rule after the Primary ala Zell Miller? My vote is yes.

I'm 49 and volunteering in a political campaign (Obama) for the first time in my life. Honestly though, Hillary and Hillary alone (well, with her staff) has polluted the playing field in such a way that it almost makes me want to go back to my 'disenfranchised' state rather than remain aware, angry and disgusted on a daily basis. This woman is ugly, ugly, ugly. And that is not in any way a reference to how she looks. Is this what she thinks the youth of America would be better off learning? To lash out, lie, back track , alienate and, in essence, be as dirty as you need to be and as self-centered as you need to be to fulfill your personal ambition? Oh yeah, my idea of leadership. I just pray I'm not alone while there's still hope.

In the beginning, I was a Hillary supporter. Now, I'm ready to buy a "I'm a Hillary Hater" bumper sticker.

[Marlyn]

01:31 PM on 03/07/2008

You are not alone.

[sarainitaly]

01:33 PM on 03/07/2008

I always see these charges lobbed at her, but never have seen them backed up with proof. People love to call her a monster, but what has she done to deserve it?

[boombox]

01:42 PM on 03/07/2008

behaved monstrously?

[Krazime]

01:50 PM on 03/07/2008

you hillary sheeple are truly delusional, take off your rose colored glasses and you just might SEE the proof. They call her a monster because thats exactly what she is.

sending out a flyer saying Obama is against abortion, against a womans right to choose in NH....that was a blatant lie, but that is the kind of politics you sheeple like? You want proof of that? Ask the people in NH about the flyer....only to find out the day after, they realized they had been duped. Idiots.

this NAFTAgate was hillary's doing, not Obama's....with all the proof in the world y'all will still walk around with your rose colored blinders going.....'what?' Looks like she was the one doing the winking and nodding to the lying canadians, and thats the type of leader you want? The sheeple in Ohio are so stupid....they thought NAFTA was bad, they should sit back and wait for the next one. They will all be fat, dumb, happy, and unemployed. The frickin idiots.

when you ask for her taxes, you get compared to Ken Starr? how disingenuous is that? but you hillary sheeple just eat it up, so that's the kind of leader you want? One that will lie and distort at the drop of a pin? But then you wonder why the country is in the shapes its in....look at the dishonest leaders you choose. The behavior you see now, will be what is dished out to you later, so yeah....continue to choose the george bushes of the world. Distorting the truth and manipulating the illiterate, that's what you call a strong leader?

I've had it with the Dems....I'm out, Howard Dean and sneaky lying hillary can go take a hike.
I think writing in Obama in November is an excellent idea, and I will spread the word.

[sarainitaly]

01:27 PM on 03/07/2008

So, Obama can compliment the Republicans, but Hillary can't?

Hillary can't give due credit to McCain?

So, you can compare her to Leiberman, but Wolfson can't say Obama is acting like Starr?

So, an Obama spokesperson can say Hillary is a *monster*, but Wolfson can't say Obama avoids this issues, and attacks Hillary using Ken Starr tactics?

So, Hillary can't comment on what she thinks she should happen with Michigan and Florida? They were both on the ballot in Florida, there is no reason they can't count those. They should do a revote in Michigan.

We all know you are in the tank for Obama. You might as well wear an Obama 08 button on your lapel. But, I think you were getting your panties in a knot over nothing. Hillary isn't endorsing McCain, she is recognizing his service to his country. Many people value his accomplishments. He actually has accomplishments, unlike Obama.

[Marlyn]

01:37 PM on 03/07/2008

"she is recognizing his service to his country."

oh yeah, like 30 years of doing the lobbyists' bidding. Thanks John, for ONCE UPON A TIME being opposed to torture, and for supporting publicly financed elections.

[gwhizz]

01:40 PM on 03/07/2008

Hear hear!

[roncraw]

01:26 PM on 03/07/2008

you could live with Keith bashing Clinton for a portion of his show but it is every night the main theme.