Olbermann’s Obfuscation
I admit it, every so often I used to watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann a long time ago. His sarcastic style of delivery was entertaining at times.
Then he started getting on my nerves.
His show and his schtik went progressively downhill culminating in his OBSESSION with Bill O’Reilly – WHAT’s with THAT? It’s a one sided competition. Why does he feel so compelled to be so competitive with Bill O’Reilly? You can only imply someone is a ‘nazi’ so many different ways before it starts sounding a little creepy. It started getting really old.
Still Olbermann managed to get some news this week. It appears Olbermann was on vacation this week and returned from his vacation for the express purpose of selectively editing and slamming Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld’s speech to the American Legion.. The progressive blogsphere is all a twitter over it. Frankly, if Rumsfeld made that many people mad, he must be doing something right.
Maybe he’s gone off his meds, or is desperate for ratings, or both.
You can find Olbermann’s response to Rumsfeld’s speech here.
h/t and photo Olbermann Watch
Hot Air has the video and writes:
It’s an instant classic of nutroots porn, second only to Colbert’s faux-dissident burlesque at the White House correspondents’ dinner. In fact, Olby goes further than Colby: we’re all used to the comparisons of Bush to Hitler and the Democrats to Neville Chamberlain, but never before have I heard someone compare Bush to Chamberlain  and to Hitler (or some generic “fascist,†if you prefer), both in the span of a few moments.
Sister Toldjah says Olbermann has turned moral equivalency into an artform.
More: memeorandum, Newsbusters, National Review, The Political Pitbull, Riehl World View,
Linked to: Stop the ACLU, The Median Sib, Robinik
August 31st, 2006 at 3:53 am
GREAT post about this. I was so upset when I had him on TV tonight.
I too used to watch him for his sarcastic style of delivery. It used to be funny and entertaining just as you said. But he has changed or maybe he is now being himself more then ever. But very disappointing.
Thank you for your post about this!!
August 31st, 2006 at 4:51 am
I’ve watched Olberman once, and that was enough to convince me to leave my TV on FoxNews.
August 31st, 2006 at 5:11 am
Analysis: Olbermann vs. Rumsfeld …
Olbermann is chasing a will o’the wisp through cloudcuckooland. There is no argument here, no attempt to analyze what Rumsfeld actually said and to voice a rational disagreement. What Olbermann offers instead is an emotion-laden reaction to his percep…
August 31st, 2006 at 6:13 am
Great post and good point. This man needs some serious professional help; or get addicted to a computer game like Virtual Villagers, or Sim City — this sick hatred he has for Bill does nothing to hurt Bill; but Olbermann is the one being damaged. Maybe it’s high time we start a prayer circle for the loons on the left. Someone needs to intervene
August 31st, 2006 at 9:34 am
You people are doing exactly what we are being warned of. Dissent is met by questions of sanity and morality; marginilize the speaker so that you don’t actually have to use any energy to consider the substance of the debate.
This is both intellectually lazy and immoral. Fascim on the rise in USA.
August 31st, 2006 at 9:39 am
It’s ironic that conservatives have adopted that hallmark of Soviet political manuvering by dismissing critics as crazy/loony/mentally ill etc. I must say, it is enjoyable watching the right contort itself with imaginative logic as it’s grip on power and popularity in america is slipping through its fingers. I can’t wait for November.
August 31st, 2006 at 9:40 am
I thought Olbermann was spot on. Bravo to Olbermann for pointing out Rumsfeld’s (and the administration’s) own insidious and anti-democratic tactics.
August 31st, 2006 at 10:04 am
Oh, man. I gotta start turning on MSNBC more often. There IS a real journalist left in America. God Bless the USA.
August 31st, 2006 at 10:13 am
Olbermann calmly, methodically, and precisely shredded the arguments make by Mr. Rumsfeld. The current administration and its apologists use fear and name calling to disparage its critics and gather support. How about rational debate for a change? Listen carefully to Olbermann’s quotation of Edward R. Murrow at the end of his talk. Those words apply today more than ever. Anyone who attempts to gain your support by appealing to your fears and insecurities, and that includes Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Cheney, should be rejected completely and without pause. They are not serving your’s, nor America’s interests.
August 31st, 2006 at 10:22 am
Another poster nailed it: if someone forcefully disagrees with this Administration (which now, apparently, includes a convincing majority of this country) they are either a nutroot or “off their meds” or, of course, on the side of the terrorists. It’s exactly how dissent was dealt with in Soviet Russia and it is appalling. Olberman’s controlled anger is an entirely appropriate reaction to Rumsfeld’s outrageous and expected assertion that you are either an appeaser or with the Administration in regards to Iraq (thus tossing the 65% of Americans who think things are going very badly in Iraq and disagreeing with this Administration on how they are running things into the camp of the Chamberlains). You criticize Olberman for a lack of facts: he has them all on his side and Rumsfeld, sadly, has little in his defense. As Americans, you should be outraged by Rumsfeld’s repeated failures in Iraq (and Afghanistan). I’m not sure how far you have to go back to find a Sec of Defense who has made more mistakes or been more wrong. To criticize failure on this scale and to recognize that Iraq is a fiasco of the highest order is not only common sense, but in America’s best and truest interest. I’m not sure if there will ever come a time when you realize how very, very wrong you are or un-American, but most Americans are getting it. Thank God.