Olbermann "Special Comment" On Violent Rhetoric At McCain-Palin Rallies (VIDEO)

Tonight Keith Olbermann, on his show Countdown, offered a "Special Comment" on the violent rhetoric being heard at some McCain-Palin rallies.

[WATCH]

1:25 PM Eastern Time, today, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. During the warm-up act by a Red Meat Congressional Candidate aptly named Chris Hackett, Hackett mentions Obama and a Palin audience member shouts "Kill Him."

And Gov. Palin, as usual, does nothing about it says nothing to these thugs and psychos. She may not have heard this one. It is impossible to believe that by now she has not heard about the other ones. Her silence is deafening. Just as, Sen. McCain, you have done nothing when violence has been asserted. Correction. You have done one thing.

Asked why in real time you do not repudiate this hatefulness you act as if you are the victim. Speaking today to our NBC Station in Washington.

McCain: "Sure and I repudiated it as I have on several occasions. Unfortunately, Congressman John Lewis is an American hero who I admire who made the worst, most unacceptable statement a couple days ago that I have ever heard. He accused me and Sarah Palin of being involved in segregation, George Wallace and even made reference to a church bombing where children were killed. Senator Obama has not repudiated that statement. Senator Obama should do so immediately. Its the most outrageous thing that I have heard since in politics...it is disgraceful."

Disgraceful?

Obviously, Senator, you haven't heard your own speeches, and Gov. Palin's, and what people shout during them. And you haven't heard your state GOP Chair in Virginia, Jeffrey Frederick, giving talking points to 30 of your field-operatives heading out to canvass voters in Gainesville, Virginia. With a reporter present, telling them to try to forge a connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden to emphasize bombings and terrorism. And you haven't heard those volunteers, your volunteers Sen. McCain, shout back "and he won't salute the flag" and "we don't even know where Sen. Obama was really born."

Sen. McCain, these people are speaking for you! And how dare you try to claim Congressman Lewis was linking you to Gov. George Wallace's segregation. He was linking you, aptly, to Gov. George Wallace's lynch-mob mentality.

"As public figures with the power to influence and persuade," said Congressman Lewis, "Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all."

Sen. McCain, your supporters, at your events, are calling Obama a terrorist and traitor and are calling for him to be killed. And yet you keep bringing back these same rabid Right Wing nuts to deliberately stir these crowds into frenzies. And then you take offense when somebody who remembers the violence in our political past, calls you on it. You, sir, are responsible for a phalanx of individuals who are shouting fire in a crowded theatre. There are some things to respect and honor about you, Sen. McCain.

But on this, you're not only a fraud, Senator but you are tacitly inciting lunatics to violence. If you want to again grand-stand and suspend your campaign here's your big chance. Suspend your campaign now, until you, or somebody else, gets some control over it and it ceases to be a clear and present danger to the peace of this nation.

Comments

[Patrician]

I am so proud of Keith. He has more courage than just about anyone in the traditional media--he and Maddow. For so long I have been waiting for someone to say the "fire in a theater" example, and to call McCain and Palin for their brown shirt activities. Madeleine Kunin spoke about it yesterday in her column, but Keith reaches a lot of folks with his voice. Good for you Keith!

[SurferKit]

McCain / Palin are running the dirtiest campaign in history with lynch mob mentality. It's long past time members of the MSM address this type of campaigning. Thanks KO for the commentary.

[buzzard975]

Ahhh, nice race baiting with the "lynch mob" phrase. Typicaly liberal MO

[Mikuto]

I compare watching Keith Olbermann to listening to metal, two things that I really love. Keith gets angry so I don't have to, and the singers in death metal scream so I don't have to.

Thanks Keith.

[SaintRidley]

An interesting and, I must say, appropriate analogy.

I like it.

[DemoMom]

Wow! A good one! I wonder whether he's heard back from Sarah Palin yet? Oops, forgot - she never actually writes anything that she says - it's all written for her and she just injects her own poisonous hatred into it. I am soooo ready for November 4 - bring it on!!!

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

The poisonous hatred is even written for her,all she adds are a decent amount of colloquialisms of you betcha's,gosh darn it,and a few extra unneeded words.I bet when she told Todd to go after Wooten she wasn't saying gosh darn it.Anyone married knows you don't go sticking your nose into your spouses family business and her work environment without discussing it first.If he didn't do that as she claims,then he's a loose cannon and he would do the same as first doodie.The­y are both liars and happily even the MSM acknowledges that.

[Terriac]

Great special comment, Keith. I don't know how you do it, but nobody does this sort of thing better than you do. And I have to think they don't go unnoticed by the recipient of the comment. Well said, and badly needed to be said. Great job!

[juniorjedi]

One of the most overlooked reality about John McCain and his band of banchees suggesting that Sen. Obama pals around with terrorist is the fact that in the musilim the "Terrorist" are the equivalent to the "right wing nuts who are getting riled by the mcCain campaign..­.

Terrorist.­...are actually ..."CONSER­VATIVES".
...they are fighting to get religion in schools
...to make the government ...god base
...they are fighting to get rid of all the power that the seculars have
...they want pre-emptive wars because god says so...
...they want things to be how it was back in the days when everyone knew there place in society
...less money for education and more money for weapons...

Ths Obama presidency shoul dput "education" as the number one priorty on it list of objectives for the american people...

[Lizaveta]

CNN finally does piece on the PALINS and AIP despite McCain campaign's legal
t h r e a t http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=MODT4y90k

Contact CNN and ask why there has been no follow up on the story since it aired yesterday afternoon!!!

[Shannon2008]

I saw it. They buried it in their broadcast around 1:00 PM EST when very few people are watching. However, they spoke at length about Ayers during the primetime hour. The MSM is useless.

[castlerose]

Keith is so honest and forthright he is almost too good to be true. I think I know, however, why McCain wouldn't want him as a debate moderator. Too bad for us.

[sparkal]

Keith you seem to be the only journalist left with some real Kahunas!

[Tellecter]

KO is no journalist -- he is a hyping opinion guy. That way he doesn't need the facts...be can just complain and yell.

[ICanHasDemocracy]

Yes he is an opinion-driven persona, and your point is?Bill O'Reilly is not a journo either.
He's not a field reporter, anchor or weatherman.

Tellecter gets the Captain Obvious award.

[cnobody]

FACT: Sen. Mac and Gov. Paylin supporters have been using violent threats at their events.
FACT: Neither Sen. Mac nor Gov. Paylin have admonished those supporters who use violent language toward Sen. O.

it's disgusting when their supporters do it and it is disgusting that neither Sen. Mac nor Gov. Paylin will address it.

[Hallucinocynic]

Please define 'journalist' for me. KO might not be a journalist, but by the metrics established by ERM or Fred Friendly, neither is anyone on Fox or MSM.

[N2theblue]

Last week, when the comments shouted at McCain/Palin rallies turned aggressive and dangerous, I emailed both of my US senators (both Repubs) and stated that if they did not immediately condemn this kind of behavior, then it implied tacit approval. I'm a child of the 60s and well remember the hate, violence and fear that was so prevalent then. What's happening now at the McCain/Palin rallies absolutely turns my stomach.

KO - YOU ROCK, AND I LOVE YOU!

[Stoppassingthebuck]

I adore Keith, he is the man!

[KevM]

This video clip should be a commercial that is played during the final debate so that people can get an understanding of how ignorant McCain and Palin are.

Can someone please tell me why that in 2008 "certain" people are still falling for the same B.S.

Why are McCain and Palin allowed to use God as the reason for every decision they make? McCain and Palin would have us assume that God forced them to say that Obama is dangerous to the american people. Palin has killed animals for fun, did God tell here to do that? McCain says the surge is working, even though the surge has NOTHING to do with the "special undisclosed tactics" we use in Iraq. According to McCain we need apply the same surge tactics we used for Iraq in Afganistan or Pakistan, McCain and Palin would have us assume that God cant wait for us to apply those same "good ole'" surge tactics from Iraq.

McCain and Palin are dangerous to the american people.

[shehariah]

Thank you Keith. You are one of my heroes.

[Deputy Dawg]

One is inclined to fear for Keith's safety... looked like he could have burst a blood vessel at any second.

[justoverit333]

McCain says country first. yeah right.

[MontanaHome]

Yeah, he was more feisty than usual. But somebody in the d---n media needs to be.

[perihalailah]

It's getting really scary here in NC. About a week ago, we received a mass mailing of the DVD Obsession from some organization called the Clarion Fund. On Friday night at the convenience store across the street from my house in Mt. Holly, NC I overheard two men saying they'd watched that video at their church and were writing down the addresses of all the houses with Obama signs. Then said if Obama wins, there's gonna be some fires. Given that Mt. Holly is the home of former KKK Grand Dragon Vigil Griffin, they may be serious. This is the kind of stuff McCain's rhetoric is inspiring.

[evgolightly]

It must be depressing for you.

I'd write CNN, NBC, MSNBC and ABC about this ... although I wouldn't hold my breath that they'll investigate.

[tigs]

report it to the police,this is dangerous talk,report the Clarion fund also this is treason.