Olbermann: If The Tea Party Wins, America Loses (VIDEO)

Perhaps using a reverse echo of MSNBC's new slogan ("Lean Forward"), Keith Olbermann launched into the tea party on Wednesday night during a special comment that included a bumper-sticker-ready catch phrase: "Vote Backward, Vote Tea Party."

The "Countdown" host railed against the movement, using an analogy to call their candidates, "a group of unqualified, unstable individuals who will do what they are told, in exchange for money and power, and march this nation as far backward as they can get, backward to Jim Crow, or backward to the breadlines of the '30s, or backward to hanging union organizers, or backward to the Trusts and the Robber Barons."

How strongly does Olbermann feel? He spent nearly 20 minutes on his harsh indictment of the tea party.

WATCH:

Comments

[Ruby Miller]

09:26 PM on 11/17/2010

So very true Olbermann.

[NVEnvy07]

12:45 AM on 11/06/2010

This is AWESOME!

[catriley]

05:49 PM on 11/02/2010

The biggest losers if the Tea party wins? Will be the republicans. It will take generations for them to root out those weirdos. Seriously. The tea baggers will not be able to accomplish anything, and will be voted out in flames when the time comes, but the biggest losers will be the credibility of the GOP. They invited them in, they let Fox News promote them heavily, and they let the Koch Bros taint the political process with their money. The republicans laid down with the Koch Bros money (aka tea party,) and now they're going to lose their own party because of it.

Like allowing that creepy dude on the street corner come to your Sweet 16 party because he can bring the beer. It NEVER turns out well.

[DCDave]

01:17 PM on 11/02/2010

He mispoke. What he meant is that if the tea party wins I lose because I have been openly campaigning against them from my TV bully pulpit for a year. Damn now I realize no one is even watching this.

[Rudym]

10:38 PM on 11/01/2010

Keith reminds me of what we used to call each other when we were kids and did not get our way. A SORE LOSER.

[Helanren]

06:31 AM on 11/02/2010

You remind me of what I saw around when I was a kid: the jocks ridiculing the nerds because they were interested in reading books and.studying things. Like facts. And history.

[DCDave]

01:18 PM on 11/02/2010

KO is more like the poor nerdy kid that isn't even smart. Those are the saddest ones.

[DCDave]

01:17 PM on 11/02/2010

He is a petulant little kid.

[Don Necessary]

03:25 PM on 11/01/2010

Well said! I feel sorry for my sensible Republican friend who can only watch their party get hijacked.

[allengoldchain]

12:13 PM on 11/01/2010

Man Jon Stewart joked on KO this weekend. This video pretty much says it all..

If the TEA wins KO, liberals, democrats and Obama loses. America will move on as always since it leans center right anyway.

[Helanren]

06:33 AM on 11/02/2010

If you think the tea party is even close center right, you have a pretty slanted view of the political spectrum.

[catriley]

05:52 PM on 11/02/2010

You might want to research the origins of the Tea Party. It's not a grass roots effort. It's a fake grass roots effort. Research the Koch Brothers, John Birchers, and the Koch Brothers fake citizen's group that funds the tea party escapades.

Where do you think all that money came from for buses and rallies? When they were first starting, they were hiring people (with bonuses) for organizing. Where did you think that money came from? It wasn't from $10.00 checks from angry grannies.

I'd suggest that you and the true conservatives do some quick homework on the origins and aims of the Koch Brothers and the Tea Party (it's not a we the people grassroots movement at all.) You might want to research soon, before they completely destroy your party.

[FerrellGummitt]

10:14 AM on 11/01/2010

Keith: Who do you think will have the video first of You, Chris Matthews and Big Ed crying tomorrow night YouTube or NewsBusters?

[gevan]

05:45 AM on 11/01/2010

"It's always darkest just before the dawn."
O.K. It isn't really. It just seems that way by comparison. Everythings relative, don't you know.

[LiberalDemIda]

01:20 AM on 11/01/2010

If the tea party wins, ign0rance will win. Big0try will win. H@tred will win. Anti-Americanism will win. R@cism will win. F@sc!sm will win.

In other words ... America will l0se.

[columbusbuck]

01:08 AM on 11/02/2010

To blame the messenger is to stick your head in the sand. Some of the commenters around you are apparently doing the latter.

[LiberalDemIda]

01:31 AM on 11/02/2010

Unfortunately for America, you're right.

[RussT]

12:44 AM on 11/01/2010

Well, first the Tea Party will win and no, America wins as well.

I suggest Keith Olbermann be more concerned about winning some ratings instead of condemning America based on how she votes.

[agathacallie]

05:52 AM on 11/01/2010

Proud faith in nihilism as the victory so affirmed glints like the headsman's axe.

[Ruby Miller]

09:33 PM on 11/17/2010

Are you serious RussT? You of all people should be ashamed.

[Rogo99]

08:59 PM on 10/31/2010

I'm disappointed he didn't mention Pat Toomey. More to the right of Santorum.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

07:14 PM on 10/31/2010

I see the trolls are fired up about KO's comments,yet none of these stooges disagree with him.They attack him personally,but can't attack his comments,they just say they're going to win.

[murphysgirl]

04:13 PM on 10/31/2010

Keith couldn't have said it any better!! This country is on the precipice of going backwards when we should be finding ways to move this country forward..Enough already!!

Come on Dems!! Get out and VOTE!!!

[Gary Strawley]

02:01 AM on 11/01/2010

A vote for the gop or the tea is a vote to help WALL st.and the BANKS and the INSURANCE companys and all BIG BUSINESS and the RICH ONLY. And they will raise prices on everything!
After all they believe they need money more then you do. They want a GOVERMENT FOR
BIG BUSIESS BY BIG BISINESS! So vote against your self and to screw your FAMILY, unless u are rich thats the plans they have for YOU! Wake up silly, Thats y all they did in two years is try to brain was you, by spreading hate and negitivity, The average person fell for it!! WAKE UP!! They want to go back to the bush years, which is what caused these problems we have
now Vote for them so they can make it worst. What did they tell u they would do for the middle!
NOTHING SO VOTE AGAINST YOUR FAMILY OR WAKE UP! BEFORE TO LATE!!!

[Rebecca Borchers]

04:35 AM on 11/01/2010

wut?

[inlight1]

01:28 PM on 10/31/2010

When I look and listen to the so called Tea Party my first reaction is how much our country needs to fix our educational system.
I am ashamed that the world is watching the growth of ignorance and bigotry that has infected this great nation. It only benefits the greedy corporations who want more control of our individual rights.
Thomas Jefferson is turning over in his grave.

[dustyd64]

02:37 AM on 11/01/2010

The tea partiers are trying to get rid of the public education system because said system now actually requires the teaching of the Constitution to high school students.

If I were a political party whose only trick in the bag is to lie about what the Constitution actually says, I'd be pretty afraid of people learning it, too!

Keith did an amazing job with this and many other special comments, and I'm glad he was so passionate about it...we deserve a good heavy tone for the sheer stupidity that we've wrought at the polls. America needs to stop playing stupid and treating our politics like it's a 3rd grade bonanza.

[catriley]

05:55 PM on 11/02/2010

tea partiers are libertarians, funded by the biggest libertarian/John Birchers, of all.The Koch brothers.

I find it ironic that they want to dismantle the Department of Education, when it is sorely needed (as evidenced by their signs and speeches.)