Keith Olbermann Does The View: Explains Why He Doesn't Vote, Says Sarah Palin Has TV Future

Keith Olbermann, who just signed a 4-year contract extension with MSNBC, visited the ladies of "The View" Monday morning, where he discussed, among other things, Sarah Palin's future and why he doesn't vote.

"For my political point of view, I hope she stays exactly where she is," Olbermann said of Palin. "Because she's an unending font of material."

Olbermann also said that the former Alaska sportscaster has a future in the TV business.

"I think she's gonna wind up in television, and she's gonna kick all of our butts," he said.

The ladies also pressed Olbermann on his decision not to vote.

"I don't vote," Olbermann said, saying it is the only thing he can do to suggest journalistic objectivity. "It's a symbolic gesture."

Watch as Joy calls him a bad role model for not voting, while Barbara says, "Forgive me, master...I just don't want to be the Worst Person this week."

Comments

[WilliamBates]

Keith Olbermann has become the very thing he pontificates against night after night. He has become the Bill O'Reilly of the left. His objectivity left him long ago. Now we find that he does not vote because it will interfere with his said objectivity. I have a special comment for you Sir...

As one who used to be a loyal fan, I must state that your overbearing O'Reillyesque bombasts have worn quite thin. I voted for Obama. Yes Sir, I voted. Your revelation of your non-voting has stripped you of the right to criticize and proclaim your ideals as if they were the font of some sacred truth. Instead of your insipid countdown of the days since mission accomplished was proclaimed, perhaps you should countdown the days since the last time you entered a polling booth.

I think one of the reasons our country turned away in righteous indignation from the Republican party is our innate disdain of hypocrisy. You Sir, are a hypocrite of the highest order. Your antics remind me of Lonesome Rhodes in the movie "A Face in the Crowd". Check out that film sometime Sir, in it you might see traces of yourself.

Good night and Good luck....(a­nd by the way you are no Edward R. Murrow either)

[SarahZim]

I have heard of many journalists not voting, but because if they don't vote than they don't think about which party or candidate they prefer as much which helps avoid bias. This makes sense to me. Keith doesn't even pretend not to have a preference, not voting is an empty symbol because he doesn't report from a neutral stance. Keith just takes himself to seriously.

[wilsonf15]

Why didn't they let him answer the question? I want to know why he doesn't vote.

[djets12]

he's a phony...wh­en you tune in and see him shake in fury when he delivers his special little commentaries about whatever/whoever he's bashing..y­ou'd think he'd be first in line at 6am to vote. Then to say he doesn't vote? Well there's a phony that's just as attention-starved as Lindsay Lohan.
If he's such a firm believer in the stuff he says, and then NOT vote...the­n he doesn't deserve any viewers, and he should quit his bitchin' about everything. Hey K O...if you have a problem...­go vote. If not, then shut your pie-hole.

[larmarch5]

Olbernam is not the "news" at MSNBC; he does commentary, doesn't claim to be "fair and balanced" and is foremost an entertainer. So review his show for what it admits it is. Dick Cheney doesn't vote either and you might want to do a comparative research thesis on him and Olberman.

[SayLessDoMore]

Is this the same Keith Olbermann whose media raison d'etre is political analysis and commentary? Holding public officials and the shepherds of political punditry accountable for honest -- dare we say it, fair and balanced -- reportage?
--------
Keith Olbermann, Diogenes of the cable news age. Relentlessly collecting, measuring, weighing, and judging current events. Re-assembled into socially and politically relevant segments, stories are shared with a viewing public starved of rational commentary. Olbermann and his guests give us a road map to the moral high ground promoting, in the process, a vast constituency in support of truth, justice, and the American way.

And, perforce, billions and billions of people . . . well, dozens at least . . . thus are provoked into the most direct expression of civic judgment: They cast their ballots with renewed understanding and zeal for the men and women whose meritorious deeds and lives have been scrutinized and passed on to us, loyal students of Olbermann's lessons in civics. JUST AS KEITH WOULD HAVE US DO.

So it is we share with him our joyous participation in democracy's finest hours, days, and . . . . .

Huh? What do you mean, he doesn't vote? Canadian . . . no? Felony disqualification maybe? Also no? OK, so, he's registered "no-party" maybe, just to avoid appearance of bias? No, not that either?

"Concerned he'll be viewed as not objective.­" Yeah . . . no, c'mon, REALLY, why doesn't he vote? I mean, NOBODY IS ACTUALLY GOING

[SayLessDoMore]

Hey, I've contacted the site to figure out why my message got cut off. Twice. In the meantime, the end actually reads:

NOBODY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO KNOW HOW HE VOTED. Right?

KEITH OLBERMANN -- TODAY'S WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

[undeluded]

Nicely done – good marks for style, sarcasm, and wit.

[SayLessDoMore]

Is this the same Keith Olbermann whose media raison d'etre is political analysis and commentary? Holding public officials and the shepherds of political punditry accountable for honest -- dare we say it, fair and balanced -- reportage?
--------
Keith Olbermann, Diogenes of the cable news age. Relentlessly collecting, measuring, weighing, and judging current events. Re-assembled into socially and politically relevant segments, stories are shared with a viewing public starved of rational commentary. Olbermann and his guests give us a road map to the moral high ground promoting, in the process, a vast constituency in support of truth, justice, and the American way.

And, perforce, billions and billions of people . . . well, dozens at least . . . thus are provoked into the most direct expression of civic judgment: They cast their ballots with renewed understanding and zeal for the men and women whose meritorious deeds and lives have been scrutinized and passed on to us, loyal students of Olbermann's lessons in civics. JUST AS KEITH WOULD HAVE US DO.

So it is we share with him our joyous participation in democracy's finest hours, days, and . . . . .

Huh? What do you mean, he doesn't vote? Canadian . . . no? Felony disqualification maybe? Also no? OK, so, he's registered "no-party" maybe, just to avoid appearance of bias? No, not that either?

"Concerned he'll be viewed as not objective.­" Yeah . . . no, c'mon, REALLY, why doesn't he vote? I mean, NOBODY IS ACTUALLY GOING

[houstonbch]

say less...

[larmarch5]

KISS, people don't read long posts.

[undeluded]

I see. So you're saying that for some people, content doesn't matter.

Oops! I hope this isn't too long for your attention span. KISS, KISS

[luckylily88]

who the hell watches the view? that's pretty terrifying­... poor keith.

[msbeachwood]

Based on the opinions that KO expresses on the air, it seems pretty clear where he stands. He pulls no punches and calls it like he sees it , which of course his critics would say is just liberal bias. But why stop at voting?? His rationale makes no sense. NOT voting makes him LESS credible.

[FirstShirt]

Olbermann also said that the former Alaska sportscaster has a future in the TV business.

"I think she's gonna wind up in television, and she's gonna kick all of our butts," he said.

Could be.

[Indieguy]

Maybe Palin will end up doing a Sunday Morning televangelist show. Her first guest could be the witch doctor from Kenya who drives out witches and demons.

[FirstShirt]

He doesn't vote as a symbolic gesture. Now if he would just shut up as another symbolic gesture that would be nice.

[jeplanet]

I love KO. But I was DEEPLY disappointed to hear that he doesn't vote.

[SteveWoodward]

Objectivity? Gimme a break, Keith... You're about as objective as Fox "News." I love your work, and your passion, but it's not enough: We need your vote, too. The issues, e.g., whether we evolve as a species to live in harmony and peace with each other and Nature, or turn this beautiful garden planet into a dead rock, are simply too important for this kind of silly posturing. Besides, Keith, you vote all the time, like when you shop at a local mom-and-pop store instead of Wal-Mart, or when you buy organic food instead of the poisoned stuff, or buy a hybrid instead of a Hummer.
One more point: It's called a "secret" ballot for a reason...I­f you do vote, you don't have to admit it.

Oh, yeah, let me express my admiration for your courage under fire: Those women are mean, huh?

[GregJL]

If Olbermann can't recognize the difference between his work life (in which he SHOULD be objective if he wishes to be a journalist, which is NOT the postition he currently holds) and his personal life (in which he has a responsibility as a rational adult citizen of this country to be involved in the political process), then I believe he must submit himself for a psychological exam as he may present a danger to himself or others.

[zdg]

You all understand that a good portion of national media figures do not, and have never voted as a matter of remaining somewhat symbolically detached from that system, right? They are supposed to be completely objective in their reporting. If you knew, for example, that a major broadcaster was a registered dem or registered repub, it would skew your viewing of that person's reports forward going. I think Keith would gladly admit that he should vote and would vote were his job not almost in conflict with voting. I, too, was disappointed to hear it, but this is hardly new, hardly groundbreaking, and hardly rare.

[GregJL]

That would be MY skewing, MY lack of objectivity, then. It has nothing to do with whether THEY are objective or not. It is their RIGHT to vote. In my opinion, it is their RESPONSIBILTY to vote. It is not MY business for whom they vote. That's the reason we have SECRET ballots.

Btw, if anyone actually believes it is possible to be completely objective about anything, please let me know when you arrived here from the planet Vulcan.

[Proletarian101]

I think Vulcans are a little left of center :)

[Proletarian101]

Do you have facts that back up that statement? Also, he is not a journalist and he will be the first to tell you that. He is a commentator and a pundit. He argues from liberal/progressive perspective, so why would he be any less objective if he voted that way?

[SarahZim]

I agree he should vote because he is not a neutral journalist but a commentator. However vdg is right, the debate on journalists voting has been around for a long time, particularly if the journalist is primarily occupied in covering politics.

http://www.concernedjournalists.org/did-you-vote-gotcha

[houstonbch]

Do you understand that not voting in order to protect integrity, but then giving a 6 minute speech condemning the passage of prop 8, is a bit of a contradiction? Do you understand that Olbermann is a citizen before he is a journalist (or reporter, or broadcaster)? Do you understand that he should be able to separate his personal life from his business?

All excuses to the side, he did not do his part as an American. He did not vote. He should remain silent until he does.

[Special K]

"saying it is the only thing he can do to suggest journalistic objectivity. "It's a symbolic gesture.""

KO? Objective?

Amazing.

[Geranium]

K.O.? a journalist?

More amazing.

[BLCS]

Keith obviously leans left (so much as to topple over). But not voting is inexcusable. He is a citizen first, a journalist­/"analyst" second.

Keith take responsibility next time and do your duty as a citizen of the country you seem to love so much!

[lilkunta]

It is stupid of KO 2 not vote,
& then blast those who did ote YES on Cali's prop 8.

They exercised their right 2 vote.
U should exercise yours KO.