Keith Olbermann appreciation thread

[mindseye]

I've been a fan of Keith Olbermann for some time now, but tonight's Special Comment was impressive. Courageous, pertinent, and passionate, and one of the few public figures who can approach my level of seethe at the nefarious and utterly squalid Bush administration and his enablers.

If you missed it, you missed an extraordinary moment in broadcasting. On the east coast (west coast, too?), it will be rebroadcast a few minutes past 12:45 am tonight.

 

[joyboytoy79]

I have downloaded his thoughts on 9/11, from this past year. I still watch it, every now and again, when i need to be riminded that there are people in this world who do notice the big white elephant in the living room...

 

[lgej]

I've been a fan of Keith Olbermann for some time now, but tonight's Special Comment was impressive. Courageous, pertinent, and passionate, and one of the few public figures who can approach my level of seethe at the nefarious and utterly squalid Bush administration and his enablers.

If you missed it, you missed an extraordinary moment in broadcasting. On the east coast (west coast, too?), it will be rebroadcast a few minutes past 12:45 am tonight.

Absolutely RIGHT ON, Mindseye. Your comments are articulate, well thought-out, and pertinent. This is a scary administration, made more so by what appears to be a growing "fuck you" attitude on the part of this White House (as of that attitude could get worse!). Fortunately, only 18 months to go and the republic will survive. Thanks for your words of wisdom!

 

[agnslz]

I'll add my appreciation for Keith Olbermann. Last night's focus on the president's commuting of Scooter Libby's prison sentence was a prime example of why I like him so much. He talked about it for 27 minutes straight, without a commercial. In the same time slot CNN spent barely a few minutes on it. Fox News Channel didn't even mention it, instead they focused on some local-type story about a child abuser or something. It really is great to know that he is there willing to shed light on this administration's misdeeds.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

Text at:

Special Comment: It's Time to Resign

Libby will pretty much walk. GWB has given us yet another reason to lower the flags to half mast on July 4th.

At least Nixon resigned.

 

[mindseye]

Thanks for the link, SG.

 

[faceking]

I have downloaded his thoughts on 9/11, from this past year. I still watch it, every now and again, when i need to be riminded that there are people in this world who do notice the big white elephant in the living room...

Those comments somewhat discredited him....

I'd love for him to disclose his full personal beliefs and interests... so we know once-and-for-all where this ALLEGED fair and balanced unbiased mainstream media guy stands. Don't mind his opinions... but let's call a spade a spade, here. It's like Fox News or NPR... we all KNOW where they stand and where their support comes from...

Maybe I missed Olbermann's true colors..

 

[lgej]

Those comments somewhat discredited him....

I'd love for him to disclose his full personal beliefs and interests... so we know once-and-for-all where this ALLEGED fair and balanced unbiased mainstream media guy stands. Don't mind his opinions... but let's call a spade a spade, here. It's like Fox News or NPR... we all KNOW where they stand and where their support comes from...

Maybe I missed Olbermann's true colors..

You have to be kidding. He's never portrayed himself as unbiased. And, if you can't see what his personal beliefs are, you're not paying attention. Do you have a retort for what he said???

 

[mindseye]

What faceking's missing out on, is that Keith Olbermann manages to convey his opinions without blurring the line between fact and opinion. And he gets his facts right: whether or not you agree with his opinions, he doesn't bolster them with made up "facts" in order to mislead you.

In fact, during last night's comment, the words "Special Comment" appeared in a caption at the bottom of the screen for (almost) the entire time (ten minutes!). Almost? When did the disclaimer vanish from the screen? At approximately the 6:30 minute mark, when a verbatim quote about the Archibald Cox firing was displayed on the screen. Once the quote ended, the disclaimer returned.

Olbermann and the producers of Countdown have maintained these practices through all of his Special Comments:

• The words "Special Comment" appear throughout the entire broadcast, to indicate that what's being broadcast is commentary and not factual reporting. These words are only suspended when an actual quote from another source is being displayed.
• For the visually-impaired (or for audio-only rebroadcast, such as through radio), the words "Special Comment" are also spoken at the beginning of each Special Comment.

Faceking wrote, "Don't mind his opinions... but let's call a spade a spade, here." Olbermann is calling a spade a spade, and responsibly identified his opinions as opinions. Find a prime-time journalist of any of the other major news networks who is as scrupulous and consistent about doing so.

 

[dong20]

Near perfect timing.

Slapping one's nation in the face, almost on the eve of the day one should be celebrating it's very existence - with a act so in in keeping with those it was formed to avoid?

Happy 4th of July.

 

[datdude]

Yes Kieth is great!!
I also like Lou Dobbs!!

These are the only great mainstream newsmen left now.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

Happy 4th of July.

Thanks, but its not, really.

Amid all the silly fireworks, flag waving and sappy country music songs that usually accompany the 4th of July, I am dismayed by what I sense as a creeping aura of denial about the increasing number of serious problems this nation is facing. The war being only one of them (which, by the way, has required few sacrifices or inconveniences by any except the military members and their families bearing the brunt of the costs). Its almost as if people are hoping our problems will go away if we just ignore them.

 

[SpeedoGuy]

What? Why aren't there any conservatives sternly reminding us that even the smallest lies committed by senior administration officials during the investigations of a Special Prosecutor are serious crimes and need to be dealth with harshly?

??????

 

[dong20]

Thanks, but its not, really.

Amid all the silly fireworks, flag waving and sappy country music songs that usually accompany the 4th of July, I am dismayed by what I sense as a creeping aura of denial about the increasing number of serious problems this nation is facing. The war being only one of them (which, by the way, has required few sacrifices or inconveniences by any except the military members and their families bearing the brunt of the costs). Its almost as if people are hoping our problems will go away if we just ignore them.

I know. I omitted the because the wish was meant both genuinely and ironically (in the context of my other remarks). I decided to err on the side of genuine.:biggrin1:

 

[zgrog2000]

Olberman is an ass and so is O'Reilly.

 

[dong20]

Olberman is an ass and so is O'Reilly.

Very inciteful, you should run for office.

 

[bobabooey69]

* applauds *

 

[Boobalaa]

he was in his prime on ESPN....i.e.."....for those of you scoring at home or if you're just alone.." he was great..After he left, they tried out a few more comic/broadcasters..but he was the original..rumor has it that ESPN wanted him to move to L.A. and he said no..

 

[B_spiker067]

Madame President Pelosi...

That is what Olbermann is advocating. If I was a Republican I'd jump at this chance to save my party from the upcoming 10 year hiatus

 

[mindseye]

Madame President Pelosi...

That is what Olbermann is advocating.

Do you have evidence of this, or is this just a talking point smear? (Note that advocating that Bush and Cheney both resign is not the same as advocating that Pelosi become president: Cheney could resign first, and Bush could nominate a successor, and then resign as well.)