Time Critic: Olbermann's Special Comment Shows He's "Just Another Of The Cable Gasbags He Used To Be A Corrective To"

Last week on "Countdown," Keith Olbermann gave a special comment blasting Hillary Clinton for her remark that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June, which she claims was a historical referenced intended to show that the length of this primary is not unusual but which many took as an implicit announcement that she was staying in the race in case Barack Obama was assassinated.

The special comment was intense, and the video can be viewed below (transcript available here).

At least one critic thought Olbermann crossed the line regardless of the appropriateness of Clinton's comments. Time's media and television critic James Poniewozik wrote of Olbermann:

Even if we concede his argument--that Clinton was at best callously and at worst intentionally suggesting she should stay in the race because Obama might be killed--every time he turns up the volume to 11 like this lately, he sounds like just another of the cable gasbags he used to be a corrective to.

Read Poniewozik's entire column, which includes an interesting analysis of what it means when a viewer is "annoyed by someone you used to constantly agree with" here, and let us know what you thought of Olbermann's Special Comment in the comments below.

Comments

[Richard729]

Sure, Olbermann may be just another "gasbag" but one thing for sure he has done: he has given a voice and alternative to those of us who have been victims of a constant drumbeat of Right Wing screechers intent on painting everyone as unpatriotic and traitors if we even breathed a word of criticism of the Bush mob.

Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, Charles Krauthammer, Morton Kondrake, Tucker Carlson, Karl Rove (hired by Newsweek and Wall Street Journal, Bill Kristol (hired by the New York Times), ex-Bush bootlickers Fran Tonwsend and Tony Snow (both hired by CNN) practically the entire conglomerate of the all-Republican militant Evangelicals and of course the always predictable anti-U.S. Constitution coterie of partisan, activist, right wing ideologues on the U. S. Supreme Court, Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Scalia (RATS) and so-called swing vote, Anthony Kennedy.

To Keith Olbermann: keep on gassing because the blowhard right wing and their Republican thralls are squrming. We need your voice, loud and clear.

[mskttylttr]

RIGHT ON!

[writeaway]

Now we have a left wing screecher. His overblown comment on Sen. Clinton after the Ferraro thing was left of left field. His playing of the "race card' called for an equal , fair and balanced special comment following the Rev. Wright blow-up . He should have called for Obama's separating himself from Wright. It didn't happen. Yes, KO is just another cable blowhard who continues to strike out in my book. I no longer watch anything on NBC or MSNBC.

[georgieboy]

Point 2. When I return to the States in the late 1980s, after having been out of the country for about 6 years, I found that those of the democratic party had become the whipping boys of the republican party. This was true in every aspect of life, but specially in the media. Last year I had decided that it no longer mattered to me that I disagree with most things republican, I was going to become one. I was simply tired of being part of a party of cowards. Recently I found MSNBC and KO. I am for the first time in years feeling that maybe, just maybe the democrats have a spine after all.

[conned]

I agree with most of what you say, but I must point out a bit of hypocrisy in your statements. You state that the country has lost its moral compass, and that Republicans are mostly responsible. But then you BECAME ONE because you became apathetic and tired of being beaten.

[fitconnection]

Conned - I agree wholeheartedly.

Georgieboy - you decided to join the gang of thugs rather than fight against them. I'm speechless. That could be the dumbest thing I've ever read.

[georgieboy]

Point 1. Too many people in the US have lost all sense of right and wrong. I mean that literally. A lost of the ability to "feel" that someone has deliberately done something egregious and potentially harmful to others leads to apathy. When one is in a state of apathy, one is easily shocked by another person who has actually not lost their "sense" of what is moral and correct. It was not easy to listen to KO the other day, but because I have not lost my ability to feel a true moral outrage, I was able to hear him and understand what he was saying. Obama is a black man with several guns pointing at him from all direction. I also mean this literally. The Clintons, like most of us common folks, know this. Anyone with one iota of common decency would know not to make that reference. Hence, only two answers are possible to what Clinton did: 1) She has no sense of common decency, or 2) She did it deliberately. The result KO's complete and honest discuss with her. There are three types of people who would not understand his reaction: those whose "senses" are blinded by their passion for another candidate, those who have lost their "sense" of common decency, and those whose nervous systems are dulled by mood altering drugs and can't stand strong emotions on any issue or at any time.

[conned]

Whoever this no-name, no accomplishment, "journalist" is, he should ask himself these questions:

1) If I am media critic, why am criticizing one of the only voices expressing the anger and frustration of millions of people? Aren't the voices that got us here still trying to keep us here? Why not spend my efforts on them?
2) Is my astonishingly inappropriate even temper innapropriate in itself?
2) Is it possible that Clinton and other political figures have concepts behind their statements? And if not, are people that see context and consequences wrong for pointing it out?
3) Is ANYTHING a big deal? And if not, why?
4) What IS the appropriate level of outrage to express?

[Mike O.]

"2) Is my astonishingly inappropriate even temper innapropriate in itself?"
"4) What IS the appropriate level of outrage to express?"

Perhaps he should ask you what the answer to #4 is. You obviously know since you know that his "even temper" is "astonishingly inappropriate".

Are you the arbiter of others' feelings?

Jackass.

[conned]

Mike O., it might be worth noting that you are criticizing me for criticizing the criitic for criticizing Olbermann's condemnation of the level of outrage. Kind of circular logic, don't you think? But somehow you believe that the critic IS the arbiter of others feelings? I disagree. I think KO's level outrage is wholly appropriate considering the damage done to this nation over the past eight years by a right wing, complicit, enabling media. Maybe if others in the media acted in concert with KO and did their jobs, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.

Jackass

[dawlishgal]

How ...errr...­interestin­g that this little screed appeared just as I was deciding whether or not to renew my subscription. Byeeeeeeee Time Magazine. I have been reading your rag for close to 40 years, but this is finally the last straw!

[BrickSykes]

I watched the Comment live and did feel that Keith was letting a little too much emotion come through. I watch him when I can but am not obsessive about it. I'll tell you one thing...the kids watch him a lot! Tomorrow's adults will not be the clueless bunch most of us old timers are. They're engaged. Some are realizing just how much the draconian tactics of Big Money is hurting higher education. The "Everything is for sale" mentality of the Corporate World is not being missed by them. My kid tosses every 'come on' letter from the Credit Card companies. They're being treated like they're unable to read the fine print on the backs of the credit applications. Even the mention of 20% plus interest figures simply runs them off. They readily perceive that Big Money is the source of today's meltdown. They will not be friends to that 'Industry' when the time comes.

Brick

[Mike O.]

Yeah, they'll be completely clueless after years of Olbermann's drivel.

"...Big Money is hurting higher education."

College boards of trustees are largely controlled by liberals. Why is the cost of education so high? Shouldn't colleges be liberal nirvana? Why don't liberal professors lower their salaries voluntarily for the common good? They certainly don't seem to be too concerned for the students' welfare when it comes time for tenure and all of the benefits that come with it. This is confusing to me. How can a professor on one hand demand that I pay more in taxes and then accept more in benefits?

Idiot.

[sassafra]

i'll take an olbermann commentary any day for honesty, accuracy, grit, and candor.
time inc.? meh...not so much. i haven't actually *bought* a time magazine since about 4 years ago when i realized just how far in the bag of the administration they actually were. their railing against keith rings hollow in my ears.

[Sloppyseconds]

OB speaks truth to power. Unfortunately some people can't handle it.

[Lolasmom]

His commentary, as all of his comments, was ABSOLUTELY DEAD ON!
He is honest, brilliant and has the courage to tell it like it is.
HE IS THE ONLY ONE.

The best thing on TV. I never miss his show and most days watch the repeat as well. He makes me feel reassured that at least 1 person out there will tell the truth.

BRILLIANT AND TO THE POINT.

THANK YOU KEITH.

[vocalist]

Oh come on...do you really believe that ?
No offense, Olberman`s eyes are dead give away, no sign of intellengence, and all the reason why he needs to makes such facial gestures...a bit annoying...
Actually I would give a point to Mathews, never a fan but has some smarts...

[Plutodog]

No offense? My you-know-what. You claim to have read KO's eyes and yet based on what you say, I have to ask: Are you blind? (No offense.)

[Sukiyaki]

I'll bet my money if Obama said something so stupid, Keith will be ranting about it too.

The thing about keith's commentary­/reporting is that he is objective, unlike others whose reporting are more subjective.

Left or right. Say something remotely stupid and non-sensible and keith will rant about it.

[Idahomie]

I guess you're not very attached to your money.

[ViperVisor]

It was about the apology mostly idiot.

[Probus]

Olbermann's comment on Clinton was well written, thoughtful and honest. The issue here is that Olbermann had the reaction that many on the left had over Clinton's ridiculous assertion for staying in a race she has clearly lost. Never use assassination as a justification for staying in a race you have lost which is what Clinton did. Olbermann is a hero on the left and should be thanked for his honesty and integrity in telling the truth.

[Girardo]

Keith Olberman.....

Chris Mathews......

MSNBC.......

All have sadly become irrellevant.

The FOX News of the left.

[Kencleanersystem]

Baloney. Just because they've pointed out the hypocrisy of your phony, dishonest, crappy nepotist candidate, you've got your little feelings hurt. Get over it, you big baby.

[StephenJK]

No they really ARE irrelevant. LOL My how desperate these dunderheads have become.

[Mike O.]

Yeah...Olbermann hasn't been this outraged since the last time he was this outraged. What's it like to have constant mood swings? Don't they have medication for that?

[monique]

My eighty-year old mother used to say "I gotta go, Keith is coming on."

My sister used to think she wanted to marry him -- or at least sleep with him.

I used to look past the rabidness of his over-the-top attacks on O'Reilly -- even though I thought they were weird -- and watched him without fail.

None of us can stand him any longer. I literally can not stand to hear him say "Bushed" because he loves the sound of his own voice too much.

He is way too far gone. In love with himself. Self-righteous. He never has a guest that offers a viewpoint different from that of his own.

Like he says Clinton is "just sad?" That's how I see him.

[Kencleanersystem]

Olbermann has done a fantastic job as virtually the only voice of truth in the Main Stream Media, the only one with the balls to stand up to the corruption of the Bushes and the Clintons and the Oligarchy they both represent. The others - including Dave "Stretch" Gregory on MSNBC - merely tow the status quo, trickle-down, propaganda line. We need more like Olbermann, and we should all be ranting with him, shouting, and tar and feathering our way to Washington.

[monique]

Wait. Gregory does propaganda? Then Keith does what? Excuse me?

[StephenJK]

Couldn't agree more, m'dear! Sadly Keith doesn't have a good grasp on himself let alone his "message". Just like most of the talking S-heads over at BSNBC (which over the course of the primary has made itself the butt of many a joke). Chris Matthews slobers and offers up morsels of spittle while KO stares indignantly into the camera while saying "blah blah how DARE you blah blah!" Chuck Todd and his magical mathematical beard and his awe shucks demeanor when Tweety Bird compliments him for the 35th time in two minutes. Rachael Maddow is claiming she is Mary Magdalene of the democratic party who is enlightened and knows all relevant "blah blah".

[vocalist]

right you are...Sadly he appears to be a person with a huge head and loves to appear furious...
When someone loses their credibility , their imperfections , all we see....

[beckperson]

Agree wholeheartedly. Keith has become a parady of himself.

Yes, I agree with most everything he says, but I vehemently object to the way he says it sometimes. His ego is now completely out of control.

Yet, i will still watch him because it is refreshing to hear my own thoughts being said out loud on national tv.

[liam2009]

Olbermann was brillant! Nuff said!