Olbermann To Bush: "This War Is Not About You...Shut The Hell Up!"

Tonight, Keith Olbermann unleashed what may well have been his angriest, most blistering Special Comment yet, aimed squarely at his favorite target: President Bush. Olbermann was responding to Bush's claim that he had given up golf in honor of the Iraq war — and his assertion that a Democratic president withdrawing from Iraq would "eventually lead to another attack on the United States" — a statement Olbermann called "ludicrous, infuriating, holier-than-thou and most importantly bone-headedly wrong." Olbermann continued in that vein for a full 12 minutes (or 2,000 words), frequently raising his voice and spitting out his words in disgust.

Olbermann turned Bush's reference to "cold-blooded killers who will kill people to achieve their political objectives" around and threw it back at him, saying that such killers were "those in -- or formerly in -- your employ, who may yet be charged some day with war crimes." It didn't get any milder — saying that, to Bush, "freedom is just a brand name," and pointing out that al Qaeda in Iraq was a result of the invasion: "Terrorism inside Iraq is your creation, Mr. Bush!" Olbermann also criticized Bush's statement that he was "told by people" that there were WMDs in Iraq: "People? What people?... Mr. Bush, you destroyed the evidence that contradicted the resolution you jammed down the Congress's throat, the way you jammed it down the nation's throat."

Olbermann saved his most vicious scorn for Bush's no-golf pledge. "Golf, sir? Golf sends the wrong signal to the grieving families of our men and women butchered in Iraq?...You, Mr. Bush, let their sons and daughters be killed. Sir, to show your solidarity with them you gave up golf?" He then went on to lambaste Bush for failing to keep to that pledge — ostensibly made in August 2003 — and showing photos of Bush playing golf in October 2003. "Mr. Bush, I hate to break it to you 6 1/2 years after you yoked this nation and your place in history to the wrong war, in the wrong place, against the wrong people," said Olbermann (using slightly odd math), "But the war in Iraq is not about you....It is not, Mr. Bush, about your grief when American after American comes home in a box." The directive to "Shut the hell up!" came soon after.

Watch the video below; the full transcript is available here.

Mr. President, the war isn't about you -- or golf [MSNBC]

Related:
Bush Warns of Iraq Disaster [Politico]

Comments

[bobseay]

Amen.

[Redrover666]

Good grief!

It was just a predictable, histrionic, anti-Bush rant from an entertainer who found a niche. He works on a network that has declared itself liberal and an unabashed supporter of Obama. News flash kids. He's going to give you guys another rant next week. So try to contain yourselves till then.

Now, I will concede, if he gets your liberal little hearts all aflutter and makes you feel giddy, I suppose that's a good thing . Sort of. But just to be safe... get some fresh air from time to time.

[BobEvansZombie]

I notice that people never attack the factual basis of Olbermann's . They just whine about him ranting.

I wonder why that is.

[Redrover666]

Who's whining. He's just an entertainer, like O'Reilly, or Hannity, that's all.
Don't take it so seriously. He has found a market and sells well to it.

[BobEvansZombie]

*factual basis of Olbermann's special comments.

(We need an edit button)

[Shayrae]

Redrover66­6...Don't tell me you voted for Bush. Keith is the only anchor willing to tell it like it is. I wonder if all those millions who voted for Bush are happy at the way things have turned out in Iraq. I didn't vote for him, but for the people ( dummies who did) you should feel as guilty as he is. I feel so bad for our service men and women who are so noble and dedicated. They are the true patriots here. I seethe with anger when I see this idiot tap dancing while parents, fathers, sons, daughters are getting visits from the military telling that their loved one has been injured or worse. I would hate to be GWB when devine judgement is meted out. My love and prayers to these brave men and women and to heck with our ''fearless leader''. I am thankful that his nightmare tenure is almost over.

[Redrover666]

It's besides the point here who I voted for.

I'm going to say something that will shock you now, so sit back in your chair.

O'Reilly and Olbermann are entertainers.

There. I said it!

Are you OK?

[RoseMerry]

What a great American! What a wonderful Patriot!.

Barack Obama! We have your Vice President!

And is the 6 and a half years not an obivous reference to Sept. 11, 2001?

Me, I count the start of the MidEast War to January 17, 1991, 2:38 a.m. Baghdad time.

but the history can be sorted out later, right now the important thing to restore the Republic, then

IMPEACH (or arrest if the Decider is out of office)
CONVICT
and then EXECUTE the traitors for their mass murder. Megadeath cannot be forgiven.

[emmaspeaks]

Keith Says what i would like to say.

[JaneW]

Well, let's hope that President Bush has to listen to this, preferably two or three times. Maybe something would sink in, but probably not. He is certainly leaving the next president the responsibility of cleaning up the results of his irrational policies.

[TAC]

"Well, let's hope that President Bush has to listen to this, preferably two or three times."

They would never let him hear it...

[RoseMerry]

...and with passion and fire and yet still mets FCC standards. I have such trouble restrainting myself, I could not do the job he did.

Every citizen near voting age and above needs to hear this and understand that every single word is the pure, awful truth.

[bigfro]

NO MATTER WHAT EVIDENCE IS SHOWN TO YOU FLY OVER PEOPLE, YOU STILL THINK THERE IS NO PROBLEM> PEOPLE SHOW YOU FACTS AND YOU SAY YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. AS IF 2 +2 is = 5 if O'Reilly says so. So you'll kill the dream of our forefathers just to say I told you so to New York.

Most of the money in New York Is betting on you inbred folks to choose religion over freedom so they CAN STEAL YOUR MONEY> Anyone who works in advertising or politics know they write books on how to keep you rednecks superstitious and ignorant so you can be used and thrown away. You notice all your states look old delapidated and falling apart. You notice no help came when Katrina hit. Your job is to die in our wars, pull our tractors, and vote republican. You are the slaves of big business and Any God will blame you for 4000 deaths when you knew better, but let your hatred doom us all. So burn, or beg for forgiveness 4000 times.

Too many cowardly rednecks thinks that they will trade our freedoms for security. Well Whaaaa! Run and hide children and let the adults run the country. I can handle making my owns choices.

[frvale007]

ADULT! surely ur not refering to anybody in this current administration as an adult, SIR!!!!!

[bigfro]

It's true George Bush is not the only Murderer. anyone who voted for him is also. A man who has more mercanaries and contractors than soldiers in Iraq. A man who pays up to 5 times what the soldiers are amking to these mercenaries. We could have brought enough troops to win the war if Blackwater wasn't there. But no.

[realpolitic]

Keith Olbermann's show is fast paced and very well written, but his digs at O'Reilly are the best part of the show. Why pretend O'Reilly is anything but a dishonest propagandist and a bully?

[Jason357]

That picture he uses of O'Reilly is good too, with his head all cranked.

[prverde]

I am not a republican but will vote Mccain if Hillary is not nominated, All my friends (many) and family are doing the same, Again I say I respect President Bush ial thogh I disagree with him. Because of people like you is why other countries hate America. If we cannot respect our president. why should other nations respect us. So shame on you. You are unpatriotic.

I will respect Obama if he becomes president eventhough I feel that he will destroy America.

As a journalist. you are suppose to give the news and not your sentiments. You and Chris Mathews are so unprofessional. Mathrws with his hatred and lack of respect for Hillary Clinton and you for our president.­. I was a newsroom assistant for a major network and they never ever and still don't let the viewers know who they supported for any presidential race or whatever. So I am shocked to hear you. I will not watch MSNBC.

[Khal]

I find it difficult to believe that anyone could state that they still respect President Bush. I believe this calls into question the validity of any other opinion stated.

When this country was founded, many felt the same as you do, that the King of England deserved respect just because he was King. Fortunately our founding fathers held the opposing view that being King did not automatically confer respect, but that what the King did was the issue (see Declaration of Independence). This country was founded on the principle of questioning current government.

As for other countries hating America, this occurred in the last 8 years, due to the poor judgment and policies of our current President. These other countries gave us the benefit of the doubt the first 4 years. They knew that we the voters knew little about Bush prior to his election. They were less forgiving when we voted him into office for a second term when we knew him better.

As for being a journalist, Keith reports the news each night. If he wants to insert his own opinion about a subject he clearly delineates this from the rest of the broadcast in a special comment. He even helpfully has the words “Special Comment” on the screen to let you know. This versus O’Reilly and Hannity whose entire shows are their own opinions which they attempt to pass off as news of the day.

[Redrover666]

I think prverde is correct in at least that whether we disagree with Bush or not, it doesn't serve us well to denigrate someone we chose to be the leader of the free world. The entire world views our media and the bashing and vitriol from the left has been unprecedented.

You have a right to call your mother a whore too, but it's not likely to do your rep much good in the neighborhood. Same deal here. You can't have nearly half the country screaming Bush is an idiot and expect our enemies and allies to be as cooperative as they might. However, you could do that, then blame him.

I disagree with prverde and you in that Olbermann, O'Reilly etc. are not journalists. They provide analysis of the news based on their own feelings and bias. You or I tune in to one or the other depending on who's bias agrees most with our own.

[Shayrae]

Very well said, Khal. I couldn't agree more.

[rthom]

Olberman was good, but his credibility is gone, now that he's played the fool in the Obama game...

[Forest]

Yes, Olberman's detour to Mathew's giddy anti Clinton campaign seemed premature and immature.

[lboucher]

Little schwanz Olbermann gets really mad like only really "little" men can!!

[EGNY]

If you're not spitting mad at Bush, then the "little" in this case is your brain. Stop calling silly names at men who speak truth to power, little brain. Run along, now. You're out of your depth, little brain.

[jonmonbuckeye]

Bush and Cheney should be turned over to the Hague for war crimes. Better yet, let's turn them over to the Iraqi courts.

[djelimon]

Or try them in Texas!

[Forest]

And I forgot to add, why does MSNBC (owned by GM who gave big bucks to the GWBush campaign)
continue to malign Hillary Clinton? Are Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews leading us down another dangerous prim-rose path? If the media fear Clinton, we might consider WHY?

[SanFran1]

Nobody is watching you Blowberwoman.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/04/01/olbermann-flops-primetime

[EGNY]

Is that you, Bill-O? Foolish oafs who can do no more than call names like children in a schoolyard are so self-revealing. If you have nothing to say, best run along.

[Fernando]

If I was gay I'd marry that man!

[SanFran1]

Shut your man pleaser blowberman, nobody is listening accept the 3 people on this site. The ratings prove it. What a d i c k.

[Fernando]

Yeah right, keep your head in the sand and ignore reality like the morons you undoubtedly support.
Suck on this:

http://nbcumv.com/msnbc/release_detail.nbc/msnbc-20070501000000-msnbcratingscontin.html

[jonmonbuckeye]

SanFran1- what's the matter. Disappointed that you won't be able to wear your Hillary outfits in the local bars?