Thank You Mr. Olbermann

I still remember becoming a Keith Olbermann fan a little over a decade ago, back when he made ESPN worth watching with his infectious sense of humor and obvious passion for his work. Little did I know then that he would become one of the most important media voices in a decaying Democracy run by bantam-weight hucksters and partisan troglodytes.

Well, if you didn't see Keith last night, there is simply no way I can do it justice. He found a way to perfectly express the anger I have felt since 9/11, which fits neatly into one simple category: Betrayal. As Olbermann said on his show last night speaking for himself, for me this date will always be personal. Not just because like many people my family lost friends. But I grew up in New York, learning when I was young to look up when I exited any subway station so that the Twin Towers could be my compass. And I was unlucky enough to be in the vicinity that terrible day, as I was working on a primary campaign in New York.

I will never forget watching, with my own eyes from Delancey Street, as the second plane plowed into its target. And then saw the terrible aftermath unfold, not sure whether to run towards the burning towers or in the other direction. I had actually walked through the North Tower the day before, because I was in the area delivering campaign literature to a supporter in Battery Park City, and thought to myself that I might as well take a walk on through as it had been a while (I had moved to DC two years before).

So yes this will always be personal. And that is why, I suspended my dislike for President Bush, and allowed myself to be among the 90% desperately hoping for him to succeed in the wake of that hoffific day. And put my trust in him that he would do the right thing for all of us.

We now know that worked out about as well as trusting Rush Limbaugh with your grandma's painkillers.

We are less safe today because an ideological cadre of armchair theorists pushed us into a war that made no sense. Iraq had absolutey nothing to do with 9/11, and I am thankful I never believed the hype. This president has no trouble holding hands and skipping to the ranch with the Saudis, who enabled bin Laden, still fund bin Laden and produced 15 of the 19 hijackers. But somehow it was necessary to attack Iraq, while continuing to genuflect before the Saudis, because al-Zarqawi had apparently spent a night in the Baghdad Hilton or some other ridiculously tangential connection. Sure, that made sense.

So back to Keith Olbermann. Last night he laid out the sense of betrayal for those of us who, like him, put aside our differences with how Bush was elected and how he had governed (or more importantly not governed). We have since watched as they bribe media members to do their bidding, attack anyone who would dissent, ignore small things like Category 5 Hurricanes and generally weaken our democracy at home while bloviating about how they support "freedom" abroad. Six years after the 2000 election, we can't even get voting right in Maryland today.

Everyone should thank Keith Olbermann, and watch his show, because he has the courage to do what the entire press should be doing. Not seeking false-equality, but pointing out that yes, it is George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress who threw away the bipartisanship that existed after 9/11. Because to them this word means just blindly following their radical agenda, whether it is cutting taxes for Paris Hilton or healthcare for our veterans. Only Joe Lieberman can extol that kind of bipartisanship.

As Olbermann said, "Terrorists did not come and steal our newly-regained sense of being American first, and political, fiftieth. Nor did the Democrats. Nor did the media. Nor did the people. The President -- and those around him -- did that." And that is why you have not only betrayed those of us who have a connection to New York, but this entire nation, Mr. President. And history will judge you accordingly.

No matter how dark things seem currently, with you even converting Mickey Mouse into Leni Riefenstahl and branding those who believe in democracy as traitors--while you are the un-American coward who has spent his whole life hiding from responsibility and piddling yourself the moment it presents itself--we will endure.

This is what Olbermann expressed so eloquently last night. While most other members of the media repeat talking points or handle the abject failure of our current government in every arena with kid gloves. So once again, thank you Mr. Olbermann.