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

[soundfury]

Why do you think Bush retaliated with the "Nazi" statement the following day? Karl Rove called him on his cell phone last night and apprised him of KO's attack while he was reading his favorite bed-time story "My Pet Goat". He hesitated a while and then he got it!

The next day he did not hesitate even to think before he spoke!

[RoseBlue]

You know, the same thing crossed my mind soundfury... it was as if Bush was saying, tell me to shut the hell up!
Though to your second point, one never sees Bush thinking before he speaks.

[ICanHasDemocracy]

He was going to drop the F Bomb...but switched to Hell instead...you can see the lips pursed right before.....lol.

Bush got KO'd

[dajay]

OOh, Keith you are just so bad.

too bad you lost the very little journalistic credibility you had by turning your show into the Obama Countdown and Hillary Bash fest every night for the past 6 months.

[springsm]

Oh my gosh...good for Mr. O. I think he always gets the points right and can he ever tell it. I held my breath through this whole thing and kept expecting two men in black to march up, each take an arm, yank and walk off with Keith. I hope he doesn't stop. I hope someone in bush's cabal is paid to watch these things, knowing that bush "does not watch TV, doesn't read the polls and of course, is in bed by 10pm. Wow.

[soundfury]

Why do you think Bush retaliated with the "Nazi" statement the following day? Karl Rove called him on his cell phone last night and apprised him of KO's attack while he was reading his favorite bed-time story "My Pet Goat". He hesitated a while and then he got it!

The next day he did not hesitate even to think before he spoke!

[soundfury]

Methinks that the next time Keith speaks, he will cause massive dissent and demonstrations in the streets. He is that powerful.

Rush Limbaugh eat your blubbery heart out.

[escapee]

Bravo!!

[hayesserves]

I think I need a cigarette. That was about the most emotionally satisfying thing I've seen in some time. As a professional comedian, I try very hard to put up a mirror to our world and help audiences see our frailties in (hopefully) a humorous way. Sometimes my subject matter is frivolous. In fact, in a perfect world all my material would be frivolous because there would be no need to go much deeper than the average Seinfeld observation. But the same hyperawareness that makes me a good comedian also makes me painfully aware of the nefarious subterfuge that is afoot in our beloved republic. And so on a nightly basis I struggle with how to make light of the deception, stupidity, greed, hate, intolerance, and fundementally ANTI-Christian values that our leaders (government and business- it's the same thing now) have beset upon us. It's REALLY hard to tell jokes in the Colisseum while Rome is burning. Alas, Olbermann's words could not have been more true, but I doubt you were LAUGHING. Thank God Keith doesn't have to be funny when speaking truth to power.

[hayesserves]

Pride goeth before destruction. I had such rage in my heart that I forgot to spellcheck "fundamentally" and "Coliseum" before hitting send. Mine is a woeful and contrite heart.

[bloodyhands]

Jon, is that you?

[bloodyhands]

Keep up the good work

[PAFirefighter]

Keith Olbermann:

He's one serious badass-at-large. Unlike any member of either house of Congress, any other member of the MSM, and most bloggers - Keith is willing to get in the president's face and call him out for the lying moron that he is.

"Countdown" is the fastest hour of television ON television. It's better than "House".

PA Firefighter

[dBlogger]

Right on, PA Firefighter.

I couldn't agree with you more. K.O. packs more punch and power than all the other pundits on TV combined. How refreshing, in this day of Faux News, and all the rest of the blabber on TV, to have someone who speaks TRUTH to the lying criminals in our gov't, and is not afraid to tell it like it is.

Thank you, thank you Keith Olbermann for your voice. We need you now more than ever.

[SCLib]

A-MEN Pa Firefighter AND dBlogger! Olberman seems to be the only member of the media other than Bill Moyers who will take on the war criminal rethugs who first lied, then continued to lie some more about this war/occupation of an innocent, soveregin nation. The rest of the MSM should, in a perfect world, be tried for war crimes as well for playing along and intentionally duping the vast majority of the public. So keep it up Keith! And rest assured, you ain't the only one whose pissed off at these sorry excuses for human beings.

[janeb]

I would like to see someone in Congress with the guts to stand up and tell it the way Keith does. I would also like to see America with the guts to stand behind that person.

[jgalvan]

Pulp Fiction:
"look in the bag and get my wallet."
"which one is your wallet."
"the one that says 'Bad MotherF@#ker".

[ColoradoDan]

As a long time former GOPer (got out when the NeoCons took over), I find Keith Olbermann to be the finest voice in news. One of the few who lays it on the line. Spot on.

America is sick. Look what we have allowed at the top. We are just beginning the heavy cost and it will get MUCH worse soon.The very controlled MSM, especially FOX, sold non-thinking Americans down the river long ago.

Americans are angry and frustrated. They know there is a lot wrong. War profiteering, oil barons and private policing agencies are thriving while the rest flounder. Condemning Mr. Olbermann for his stepped up emotions? Perhaps, at this time ... those emotions are very appropriate.

Great 12 minutes. I was suprised at the postive feedback on that video from several old GOP buddies who have had it as well. So many are actually pissed that they have been saddled with Bush Jr aka John McCain. The NeoCons left nothing to salvage.

Some of us find it odd that so many are numb to all the lies, the deceit and the crimes.

[janeb]

Then I suggest you become an Independent. If enough people did that, we might just salvage this country. Mind you I am a lefty, but I don't expect everyone else to be one just because I am. I just want fair minded people with a conscience to help take our country back. Together we can do it.

[kasinca]

Thank God there are some of you who have come to your senses. You don't have to vote against the interest fo this nation...just vote the basards who put us here out of office. They blew their chance by allowing this moron in the White House and his crime family destroy our constitution and our country to this point.

Welcome to sanity.

[MissingAmerica]

I love this man! He nails it on every single point. I do so wish we had a Congress that saw this truth and impeached this administration, holding them accountable for the destruction of this country and the global community.

[Nova16]

Keith's intelligence, eloquence and analytical skills are singularly notewothy as the best that network news or the media at large has to offer the American public in relation to the MSM cheerleading the phony war in Iraq and the failed policies, programs and incompetency of the Bush administration. Seventy percent(70%)of the American people know they have been duped, deceived by the Bush line of lies, deceit and chicanery that led to this endless war bankrupting the country. Bush's account of "giving up golf" is on a plane with his "mock" search of his office for WMDs for the pleasure of the Press Corps duing their annual White House dinner while our servicemen and women were dying along with tens of thousands of Iraqis. The "compassionate conservative" is neither compassionate or conservative. He's just a lout, clod and a bumpkin.

[awcbuddy8]

That time of the month I guess.

[Soundofthunder]

Nero fiddled while Rome burned, and Bush shoot off his mouth while America sinks into obscurity. It's nice to hear someone voice the cries that fall on the deaf and dumb ears of the worst leader in world history. Think about it. Bush was handed the USA at its zenith and did everything to make damn sure that was its zenith. It's like he was given a chance to pilot a boat on a pond and went out of his way to find an iceberg.

SOT

[YellowPanties]

When Obama becomes President, I hope he offers Olbermann a cabinet-level job. We need more people who are outraged at the silent, passive acceptance of Bush's disastrous rule.

Way to go, Keith, keep swinging!

[elbzee]

Director of the Honesty and Truth in Government Administration

[KGinSanFrancisco]

Press Secretary. Can you imagine the difference from air head Dana Perino?

[soundfury]

Remember the Iraqi Minister of Information, she and he should get together. More like two Ministers of Misinformation.

[Entasis]

Bravo Mr. Olbermann, bravo! We were duped into the Iraq occupation with ulterior motives by the few destined to gain from these erroneous actions. Was it not enough that we turned Afghanistan into Swiss cheese at the beginning of this farcical war?

[yoli647]

Keith, Muchas Gracias, you are the only one in the media who has the guts to challenge this Administration and speak for the people of our country.

[Ivar]

Yoli.....amen