Olbermann Excoriates Obama's Reversal On Smog Regulation (VIDEO)

Keith Olbermann excoriated President Obama on his Friday show for halting the impending toughening of environmental regulations against smog.

The announcement from the White House that it would keep widely criticized 2006 regulations in place until at least 2013 did not sit well with Olbermann. In the voiceover introduction to his show, he thundered, "what the hell is going on in the White House?"

Olbermann said that Obama had given a huge gift to polluters and corporations, and had delivered an equally large "whack across the knees" to his base.

"It seems, in short, to reduce his campaign logic to 'what are you going to do, vote for Rick Perry?'" Olbermann said. He noted that Obama's EPA administrator had called the 2006 standards "not legally defensible," and scoffed at the president's stated excuse for not updating them -- that, since the standards were going to be reviewed in 2013, he did not want to ask states and businesses to undergo two rounds of tinkering with their environmental policies.

"So, if you're having trouble breathing, or if you just occasionally do breathe, kindly help the president out and hold your breath until the year 2013 or later," Olbermann said. Later, speaking to a guest about the issue, he was equally scornful.

"Who on earth in the White House thinks this is a positive for them and in which delusional parallel universe do they live?" he asked.

WATCH:

Comments

[dralfredotaule]

10:29 AM on 09/08/2011

I thought Olbermann hzad been out in the pasture!
He was a loust sports announcer and a worst political critic on NBC!
How did he get so smart?
He knows it all.
I guess his mother and realtives are still watching his show.
No else is!
Take a walk Keith. You are so one sided it is silly!

[rlbharman]

07:36 AM on 09/08/2011

As far 2012 Obama is in real trouble and the Democrats know it. The American people are feed up. They are taking it out on all Democratic canidates down to the local dog catcher. You all can say want you want but it is the truth. In 2012 the local Democratic parties are hoping to survive. The media is trying hard to save them but you only can blind the public with bs for so long.

[mairs]

10:30 PM on 09/08/2011

While the Republican Congress has a 14% approval rating. I didn't know approval ratings could go that low.

[Glory2]

11:21 PM on 09/27/2011

Actually it's a 12% approval rating..

[rw2233]

12:53 AM on 09/08/2011

We need to stop participating in this charade. The elite are nothing without the masses. If we all stop going to work, stop paying our bills and live in our own "shared communities" for a while and share our skills/resources, their system will break down. It is that simple. Then, they just might listen.

[MarkVA71]

11:52 PM on 09/07/2011

Just more proof that our democracy is gone, the corporations are in control and we are now a fascist state. Weep, my fellow, Americans. Weep, for our nation died of but a whimper.

[mflorian]

11:14 PM on 09/07/2011

Weird. I don't remember voting for the Republican candidate in '08. -_-

[Recalled]

09:15 PM on 09/07/2011

Nothings going on. Nothing.

[Derni]

07:22 PM on 09/07/2011

When we vote in 2012..we have to vote for Obama..wish it was Hilary..just to avoid the GOP circus..The GOP only had to find a sane centrist with intelligence in order to win this election..and they go and find people that appeal only to the tea-party (the most hated group in America)

[Recalled]

09:17 PM on 09/07/2011

Won't vote Obama so I can avoid the GOP.

[MarkVA71]

11:53 PM on 09/07/2011

There's no longer any difference who becomes president. They're all bought and paid for by the corporations.

[Turtlenewz]

05:22 AM on 09/08/2011

Not true on Social Issues

[Carolyn Robins]

07:15 PM on 09/07/2011

I'm surprised, Olberman. You didn't get all of the facts either. Bad journalism.

[rotinfx16]

06:19 PM on 09/07/2011

That rant of Olbermans was rediculous. Ozone=Smog? Ozone is oxygen with an added electron. if I remember my high school chemistry. It occurs in nature, after a lightning storm and it smells sweet and fresh. There is an area of Queens N Y that is named Ozone Park. If this clown had been there, we would never have had an industrial revolution. No steel mills, no railways or factories powered by anything other than water. Get a grip.

[mairs]

11:36 PM on 09/07/2011

Here is information about ozone, the major component of smog, at the EPA site. Oh I forgot.... the Republicans want to abolish the EPA.

http://www.epa.gov/glo/

Here, why ozone is bad at ground level, but good at high altitude. Hint: It performs a shielding function at high altitude but is harmful to life forms.

I guess I thought that everyone knew this, but I grew up in a smoggy region so I assume too much.

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/gooduphigh/

[MarkVA71]

11:57 PM on 09/07/2011

Ozone in the lower atmosphere is an air pollutant with harmful effects on the respiratory systems of animals and will burn sensitive plants; however, the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is beneficial, preventing potentially damaging electromagnetic radiation from reaching the Earth's surface. Ozone is O3, or O-O-O. At least look up the information before you pollute the internet with your lack of intelligence.

[FVMTX75]

04:28 PM on 09/07/2011

This country is going to hell in a handbasket! WTF!

[BroadwayJoe]

01:28 PM on 09/07/2011

This decision by Pres. Obama is really one of the worst betrayals in a series of betrayals. I continue to believe that the Republicans have some dirt on Pres. Obama and they're blackmailing him. It sounds crazy but that has to be the only explanation. Because I cannot (for the life of me) understand how and why Pres. Obama continues to cave in and give up on common sense policies (leave alone Dem signature policies). As one of Keith's guests said last week: If you can't sell the idea that dirty air is bad, you have no business trying to sell anything [to the American electorate].

[MarkVA71]

11:59 PM on 09/07/2011

No dirt. He's just bought and paid for by the corporations. We no longer have a democracy. The United States is a fully fledged fascist state where it's leaders and wealthy no longer are subject to the rule of law.

[rw2233]

12:50 AM on 09/08/2011

Right on, Mark. I wish the rest of the country would wake up to this fact.

[Glory2]

11:32 PM on 09/27/2011

Broadway

I think it's more to do with security for his family and himself. I can see no other reason other than fear that he has caved so meany times. But the threats are going to be there wheather he caves or don't cave.. I hope he has learned a valuable lesson, you don't cross the people that put you into office..

[connorin]

12:03 PM on 09/07/2011

...Where does he broadcast from now? His basement?

[mairs]

12:32 PM on 09/07/2011

Is that projection?

[connorin]

12:56 PM on 09/07/2011

Huh? By that do you think that I broadcast from my basement? (otherwise your comment makes no sense)

No, I do not broadcast at all, and yet his ratings are at best a couple hundred thousand better than mine

Fred Figglehorn gets better ratings on his FRED website than KO now gets on Algore's Current TV. BTW...when he blows up again (like he has at every other stop of his across the broadcast dial) where will he move to next?

[somearelost]

02:56 PM on 09/07/2011

Fail (again)

[Laxsmi de Potrero]

03:25 PM on 09/07/2011

what? so you think the captainless white house is what you want? if you are still an obama supporter, i am happy you are wallowing in the string of lies that obama told to get elected. the lesser of evils in this case appears pretty darn evil. i really don't care where ko is broadcasting from. i am just happy someone won't let this white house quietly subvert every principle on the altar of mammon.

[MaxHeadroom]

09:13 AM on 09/07/2011

But, but, but Keith... Pollution standards stifles job creation, silly man! Just think about all those jobs in the Health Care industry that will be created to take care of all those who suffer from those ailments that are created by the lax to non-existent regulations.

Thousands and thousands of nurses assistants and in-home care providers jobs at minimum wage.

Now that's chump change you can believe in.

(Geesh.)

[cuzkate]

06:41 AM on 09/07/2011

Keith, would the better ques be,"what the hell is NOT going on at the WH??"

[mynameispaul62]

12:03 AM on 09/07/2011

I'm just happy that we'll all breathe dirtier air so the rich can get richer.

[mairs]

01:42 AM on 09/07/2011

They're trying to tell us, via the right wing pipeline here, that they will give us more jobs if we let them keep dirtying the air. They said that if their taxes were lowered they would do that too, but it didn't happen.

[peptobismal]

10:53 PM on 09/07/2011

on the other hand, Obama said if we spend boatloads more of the people's money, it will create jobs. Hmmm, what were those August job numbers now? And what about those shovel ready jobs. Yeah, he shoveling....