The Olbermann Factor

Tonight on his show, indignant liberal pundit, Keith Olbermann, plans on attacking Mrs. Clinton. In Keith's defense, the Clinton camp has offered America a smörgåsbord of divisive comments from supporters like crazy Geraldine Ferraro, who has confused the struggles of privileged white women with those of African-American men. Clinton also has Mark Penn in her camp, former PR-man for Blackwater, the private mercenary firm. So Keith has a lot of material to work with, and I'm sure hilarity will ensue.

I'm glad to see Keith is willing to criticize liberals. For a while, I was really concerned that he had become the left's answer to Bill O'Reilly - yet another loudmouth, egotistical windbag, who confuses his position as an entertainer with legitimate journalist. Legitimate journalists, who we haven't seen since the likes of Edward R. Murrow or Sey Hersh. Thank goodness that hasn't happened.

Since Keith is on this whole balanced journalist kick, I offer a list of other Democrats ripe for investigation:

1. Governor Mike Beebe of Arkansas

It was in Beebe's state where an Arkansas women was left in a holding cell for 4 days, without food or water. She used her shoe as a pillow and drank her own urine to survive. Adriana Torres-Flores, an illegal immigrant, was being held on the very serious charge of selling pirated DVDs and CDs. Far from an isolated incident, Rita Sklar, Executive Director of the A.C.L.U of Arkansas voiced her concern:

"There certainly have been a lot of problems in that corner of the state, in terms of police treatment of Latinos and bigoted statements by government officials," Ms. Sklar said. "We're looking into the general problem in northwest Arkansas of racial profiling and abuse of power."

2. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid

Holy shit, if we think Bush is unpopular, Pelosi and Reid somehow make him look comparatively competent after they sunk Congress's approval rating to the lowest since...well...McCain is probably the only one who remembers the last time the American people had faith in their government. 'Cause he's old. So, so old.

If Bush can dance to the tune of 31%, what crimes of humanity did the Congress commit to receive a stunning 23% from the American people? In short, the Congress has done nothing. They have done nothing to impeach Cheney, Bush, and Rumsfeld. They have done nothing to protect the American people by freezing home foreclosures or holding telecommunications companies accountable for spilling their private records to the government. They have proven themselves to be lazier than the "Do-Nothing" Congress of 1948, gluttonously greedy, and good-for-nothing.

3. Joe Lieberman

Shut up, I know he calls himself an independent, but he's still a LIBERAL independent. Plus, I hate him and would love to see Keith rip him apart on air. Other than selling the Democrats out, I hate Joe because he recently compared hate-monger and obese despot, John Hagee, to Moses. Joe is a political traitor and conniving weasel. He'll say whatever it takes to get donations. Also, he sounds like the dad from Alf, a notorious wet-blanket who constantly cock-blocked Alf's brilliantly hair-brained schemes.

4. Charles Schumer, lover of all hedgehogs

As reported in the Times, Schumer has been busily defending his donors (hedge fund and private equity managers). As part of this brilliant scheme, he has resisted efforts led by members of his own party to single out the industry with a plan that would more than double the taxes on the enormous profits reaped by its executives.

Why were the big, bad Democrats picking on the little hedgehogs? Well, they mainly wanted to raise taxes on hedge funds and private equity firms because the new revenues would go towards "helping to pay for health and education programs and begin to reduce the impact of the alternative minimum tax on the middle class," according to the Times.

Thanks, Chuck. Nice to know whose side you're on.

5. Any Democrat who opposed the FISA bill, including Diane Feinstein

Ms. Feinstein's solution to the illegal wiretapping scandal was not to deny the phone companies immunity, but to establish a secret court that oversees government surveillance inside the United States "the power to dismiss lawsuits if it found that the companies acted in good faith and on the request of the president or attorney general." Mmmm, taste that Democracy.

(I have more, but I figured everyone would stop reading at this point to leave me angrily incoherent replies in the comment section. Fire away.)

If Keith Olbermann is so hellbent on being the anti-O'Reilly, he first needs to actually debate people on his show. O'Reilly is a prick because he invites individuals with viewpoints counter to his own onto his show, and then yells at them before cutting off their mics. Olbermann is a prick because he never invites them in the first place. He lectures his viewers in a classic example of preaching to the choir, huffing and puffing his mantra of "Shame on you Mr./Mrs. ______." We all feel warm and fuzzy, and then we turn off the television.

But that accomplishes nothing, which is why I'm glad to see him go after Hillary. It's an encouraging first step toward the world of journalism that could use an articulate, spirited voice like Olbermann, if only he manages to stay fair, balanced, and all things truly un-O'Reilly.

Comments

[rojo7449]

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080331/berman

I read many of the threads on this site and find the name calling and accusations between the Clinton and Obama camps very concerning. When the Obama camp accuses the Clinton camp (and vice versa) of starting these damaging distorted stories in motion, it is bad for all democrats. The link to the article above gives some very interesting opinion/facts (depending on how much you believe from the media) about where these damaging claims and rumors are really coming from. I, for one, prefer not to be a pawn in the game. Discussing the information is one thing, but maybe reserve the name calling until we are sure who really exposed what. Democrats need to think Rove and Republicans and eliminate that source first before they attack either of the democratic campaigns.

I'd like to see Keith Olbermann issue an apology to Hillary Clinton that is as passionate and lengthy and loud as his scathing criticism was a few nights ago. One doesn't even have to be a Clinton supporter to see how horridly out of balance his reaction to the Clinton/Ferraro connection v. the Obama/Wright connection. Quite frankly, neither connection deserves what KO did, but for him to not even follow-up with Obama on a simple question that didn't get answered when asked is about as uneven-handed as journalism can get. That interview was a joke.

[GrammyinPA]

Olberman is a BIG bag of wind. I don't watch him any longer. He is an O'Reilly wanna-bee.

I have been saying this for a long time now "If the Obama haters and the Hillary haters" don't stop all this venom, we will end up with McCain for president.

Isn't that enough to scare my fellow Democrats??

[mellene]

There will always be both Dems and Repubs that are dishonest. But the main difference is that the Dems are willing to actually try and help all Americans where the Repubs are out for themselves, that is the richest amongst us. My vote any day is to support a Dem for that reason but continue to uncover all of those who are dishonest in politics. Oh dear, maybe there wouldnt be many left standing.

[MizJ]

Keith has become just another gasbag in a field of many. He is in love with the sound of his own voice and probably considers himself the resurrection of Edward R. Morrow. He is not. I used to like Keith. No more. His objectivity has sadly become AWOL.

[pilgrim7]

Seems to me the real reason Bush/Republicans are so bent on getting uncontrolled wiretapping is for political upmanship - monitoring the activities of Democrats and other dissidents opposed to their agenda. If Bush with his lazy self is so adamant about pushing this bill through, you can be sure there's nothing noble about it. It must involve money or some other selfish ends. Any Republican ever been exposed under this unconstitutional wiretapping? Coincidence?

[itmaybetoolate]

Would you be so supportive and admiring if he had gone after Obama?

[milo9]

In the catergory, "any dem who would oppose the fisa bill." I would submit the elitest prick, Senator Jay Rockerfeller, who has been the biggest stumbling block to a FISA reform that would be consistent with the Constitution. Besides being the beneficiary of Telecom largesse, why is he the designated water bearer for the Bush Administration? What dirt do they have on him? Girls, Boys, Sheep? An enquiring mind needs to know.

[1question]

Jay Rockerfeller: Senate Chair Intelligence Comt...follow the money...!!!!

His donations from the telecom industry have increased 1000% since he became chairman.


Who knew...!?!?

[goodfoot08]

As the Sesame Street game goes: Which one of these is not like the other ones?

Joe Lieberman is NO liberal. I would love to see him skewered for his sanctimony and his lies but please. Don't confuse him with other Democrats, even ones who may need to be criticized. He is a different sort of animal entirely. Maybe we can look at how he has been tolerated and even allowed to do his dirty work, but not as a Liberal.

[1question]

Joe Lieberman is a liberal...wow...!!!!!!

Who knew...!?!?

[coolmaiden]

As usual, Ms. Kilkenny, you had me in stitches. I also take issue with those on your list, especially Pelosi and Reid, who talk smack but in the end don't want to piss off the bully because they're afraid of getting a black eye. Lieberman is Huckabee with a yarmulke and his weasly entrance into the 2006 senatorial election made me want to hit him. Olbermann is on the right track, and I agree he needs to invite those with counterviewpoints. However, I don't think they have either the courage nor the intellect to win a debate with him.

[1dogs2]

You need to watch Olbermann more often. He has railed against the positions taken or the conduct of most of the persons on your list. I haven't heard him speak about Beebe, but since I don't see the broadcast every day, I might have missed. Where do you get your information about the content of his programs? YouTube? You might give some attention to one of the first rules of journalism: do enough research to support your basic premise.

[texanna]

yes, but he hasn't launched into a self-righteous state of indignation over them and devoted himself to an over-the-top, hyperbole filled diatribe about them. And, believe, me if anybody deserves some self righteous indignation it is at least Lieberman, or Pelosi or Reid or Schummer - who we have to thank for Mukasey.

[TJinSoCal]

Thanks for the laugh. When you compared Lieberman to the dad on Alf, I actually laughed out loud.
Perfect.
I pretty much never watch television news, local or national. I get my info from the tubes to my computer, but with with all the anticipation of Keith's commentary, I had to watch it.
I liked it. He didn't really go after Clinton as much as he did her campaign staff, it was pretty nuanced actually. Too bad it will fall on deaf ears.
Early on, I knew I was going to vote Democratic no matter who was the nominee. But now... If Clinton manages to go into the convention without the delegate lead and come out with the nomination, I absolutely will not vote for her.

[anywho]

Voluminous rubbish...not worth the the time it would take to read. Keith was absolutely correct......Hillary's camp has been injecting race since New Hampshire....and I have no doubt it will continue...mores the pitty.

[longislandlol]

Keith is the new Edward R. -- he is brilliant..

[Zanti]

Learn to write.

[strifeknot]

Translation: I got nothin'.

[Zanti]

No, I'm asking her to improve her writing skills. Learn to read.

[conservicide]

people use the word liberal as if it is a point of view
perhaps, at one time, it was
now propaganda has swung ideology so far right
that liberal has a new definition

reality.

all the sudden, neocons spend more money than all administrations combined
all the sudden, that hippy environment thing, well, they were right!
all the sudden, religion shows its colors by trying to stifle science

Olberman's comments have 99% proven just plain true
He backs it up with reason, citations, logic
as all 'real' journalists should
and yet
there are still suckers using this liberal word
to describe the reality based community
tut tut

[IndieGirl]

I wish there were more outspoken liberal commentators like Keith. I love talk radio and I actually settle for Sean Hannity and Limbaugh (in disgust) just to have something to listen to in my commute. I wish someone would give Keith a radio show. The right has tons of talk radio personalities and the democrats has a few only because no one stands up and defends progressive thought and state opinions.

Keith stated his opinion tonight. Even if you don't agree with Keith, I enjoy the fact that he speaks his mind.

[SteelMaggie13]

Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes are excellent too... Although.. you gotta have that satellite radio stuff to hear them... its' a damn shame...

[cindyw]

It's worth the $10 a month I have to pay for XM. In addition to Maddow and Rhodes, there's Bill Press.

[TucsonEd]

oKay can you explain the attraction of talk radio??? I'm serious. I get way too much "input" from people yammering doing my job. I can't imagine WANTING to subject myself to conversation. Give me an isolation chamber anytime.