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John Gibson: The Real Reasons Behind the KSM Trial
Gibby has a theory, and he tries to explain it to callers. And there's even a passing reference to the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann, just to keep it on topic. Listen up, listen uppers, and then recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to key stories and issues over the past week. Here is what our keyword searches found:
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
Congratulations Sarah Palin! You are once again the most important story on Countdown--in fact Sarah Palin was more important than Afghanistan, Iraq, Nidal Hasan, Iran, Pakistan, and unemployment combined! It looks like Keithy has a krush on someone. Awwwwww. Get ready to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Flashback: Keith Olbermann's Love/Hate Relationship with Nazis!
Among the many videos that were purged from youtube when the Olbermann Watch account was nuked was this look at Keith Olbermann, so ready to pompously object to Nazi comparisons, and so eager to use them himself. Here's the post from February 3, 2008, and a freshly uploaded version of the video:
This is the same Edward R Olbermann who slammed Condoleeze Rice for suggesting that Saddam might have been like Adolf Hitler. The same Keith Oralmann who sermonized that such comparisons must be stopped: "There's no place for the reference in this culture. Not about the Republican tactics, not about the Democratic tactics, not about Guantanamo Bay."
Keep those words in mind. Because in his latest Special Education Komment, Olby does it again. Yes, he compares the Bush administration to the Third Reich! A more stunning example of Olbypocrisy could not be imagined. This video explores Herr Olbermahn's love/hate relationship with Nazism:
Edward R Olbermann spent Wednesday's Hour of Spin without reporting on Fort Hood, emails to Al-Qaeda, Hasan, or anything else that didn't fit his talking points. Because on OlbyPlanet, if Olby just decides not to report it, then it didn't happen! Prepare to recap tonight's propagandarama right here. Comments are open!
The infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann couldn't be bothered yesterday to report on Malik Hasan or all of his contacts with jihadists and repeated emails to Al Qaeda. He didn't even bother to do a segment on the Fort Hood memorial. Instead, he devoted over seven minutes to grade-school vulgarities directed at Carrie Prejean. More of that OlbyPlanet news judgment. No doubt he'll have something really special for Veterans Day. You can recap it right here. Comments are still open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how what kind of attention was paid to key stories and issues over the past week. Here is what our keyword searches found:
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
Hmm. An awful lot of coverage of Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann, and Fox News. Not so much about Fort Hood, which got relegated in each case to a non-leading short segment. In fact, on yesterday's Hour of Spin, Edward R Olbermann didn't even mention Fort Hood, with no reporting whatsoever on all the new developments regarding Nidal Hasan's background and troubling contacts. Truly, another Dog That Did Not Bark. Such is the vaunted news judgment prevalent on Olby Planet. We'll wait for next week's chart for a fuller spectrum of Oralmann's "journalism". But we pretty much know what to expect tonight--and chances are it won't include an apology to Peter Johnson for Monkeymann's repellent, still uncorrected smear. Comments are open!
Will Keith Olbermann Apologize for Smearing Fox's Peter Johnson Jr?
To understand how Keith Olbermann concocts his ritual character assassinations of people on his enemies list, one must appreciate the modus operandi involved. More often than not, Olby spots an attack in a blue blog, preferably a Fox hating one, lifts it without checking, contorts the content even further to suit his own agenda, and then for a big finish tosses in a healthy dose of name calling, ridicule, and personal attacks.
This week brought us an egregious example of OlbyCarthyism, one that appears to have had its genesis at one of David Shuster's favorite sources, Talking Points Memo. They excerpted a few sentences from a four hour program: an exchange the Fox & Friends hosts had with Geraldo Rivera regarding the Fort Hood massacre. The article links to, but does not embed, a snippet of video. But even this skimpy documentation was too much information for Olbermann, who attacked all three hosts by cropping things even further and just quoting their questions and ignoring the answers. Here he cites Gretchen Carlson:
CARLSON: Could it be that the military was exercising political correctness in not approaching him as seriously as they would have had he not been a Muslim?
Why does this question make Ms Carlson a "worst person" nominee? After all, MSNBC's employee Clift van Zandt made a similar point about political correctness, and just today NBC's own David Gregory asked a question that echoed Carlson's about the military missing warning signs. Will they be named "worst persons" by Olbermann? There was a lot more that Gretchen Carlson said--not merely the questions she posed (the job of an interviewer) but her own analysis--that Keith Olbermann neatly avoided telling his viewers about. Before asking that verboten question, she noted:
CARLSON: It puts any Muslim American in a tough situation here because by all accounts most Muslim Americans living here are living here peacefully. I mean, this is the extreme element--potentially--of this religion, and we don't know exactly if the religion was his motivation or not, or if it was the act of war, or that he went nuts. I mean, we don't really know right now.
There's no way Olby is going to let that be heard! Olbermann's distortion of Carlson is pretty bad, but his defamation of Peter Johnson Jr is even worse. Here is the quote as Olby cites it:
JOHNSON: You won't countenance special screenings for Muslim soldiers, will ya?
Olbermann attacks Johnson for this cropped quote as if Johnson were calling for such screenings. Again, neither Olby nor Talking Points Memo (which frames this statement as Johnson "grilling" Geraldo, as if they were disagreeing) bothers to note anything Johnson said before that interview, which just might shed some light on the situation. Here is what he said after a statement from a CAIR spokesman calling for Americans to remain calm because the motives of the attacker are not known:
JOHNSON: Well that's absolutely accurate, and it calls for restraint, and it calls for concern for fellow citizens. And obviously whether an assailant is Christian, or is Muslim, or is Jewish, is irrelevant.
What? How can that be? Olbermann wants you to believe Johnson is some sort of depraved racist! Well Keith did have that one-sentence quote as "proof". But even that one sentence has been falsified--doctored to change its meaning and intent. Here, in context, is precisely how the exchange between Peter Johnson and Geraldo Rivera went down. After Brian Kilmeade asked if there should be special screenings for Muslim soldiers, Geraldo disagreed. After Geraldo rambled a bit away from the question, Peter Johnson jumped in:
JOHNSON: You can't, you won't countenance special screenings for Muslim soldiers, will you?
RIVERA: You know, it's a hard--
JOHNSON: You can't. As a civil libertarian, can you countenance that, Geraldo Rivera?
RIVERA: It's a hard step for me to take, to countenance. This is an American born person.
JOHNSON: Yeah it is!
RIVERA: This is not a naturalized citizen.
JOHNSON: Right!
This is the exact opposite of what Olbermann claimed. Peter Johnson Jr was not supporting "special screenings". He was agreeing with Geraldo Rivera and arguing against them! But that doesn't matter to Olbermann, who slanders him as a "worst person" based on his dishonestly cropped quote. Par for the course on Countdown.
But wait, there's more. We haven't yet dealt with Olbermann's specialty: over-the-top insults and name-calling. In this instance it was to accuse Fox News of, among other things, racism:
OLBERMANN: Since we're asking questions, I have one for Carlson, Johnson, and Kilmeade. You guys ever wonder if you all succeeded inside a company like Fox mostly because you're not Muslim or black or Asian or Hispanic?
We noted above that Olbermann was careful to quote only questions, but not answers. This of course made it easy to strip all context from the discussion, but now we find there was another reason. Because the person the Fox hosts were talking to was Geraldo Rivera. You know, the fellow whose successful Fox News program beats MSNBC and CNNweekend after weekend? Now we're not sure, but we think Geraldo is Hispanic. You know, like Julie Banderas. That's the other reason why Olby avoided even mentioning Rivera. Because if he had, how could he wail that Fox News won't allow Hispanics to succeed? Oh that racist FNC! If only it could be more like MSNBC, where Hispanic anchors are plentiful. Why MSNBC is a veritable haven of Muslims, blacks, Asians, and Hispanics:
Keith Olbermann owes someone an on-air apology. Big time.
Red Eye Gang Plus Ann Coulter Beat Up (Figuratively) Keith Olbermann!
Greg Gutfeld and Andy Levy were filling in for John Gibson on the radio today. They got in some good shots at the infamous, deplorable one, then kicked it up a notch by bringing in Ann Coulter. It's perfect Friday fun listening, so listen up, listen-uppers.
Olbermann Election-Night 'Hospital' Excuse Starting to Unravel
It was an odd moment when the time rolled around for MSNBC's "special live edition" of Countdown on election night at 10:00 pm. Because show host Keith Olbermann wasn't there. A hasty pre-recorded Olby tossed it to Lawrence O'Donnell, who proceeded to update viewers on the elections for about 20 minutes, then a rerun of the 8:00 pm showing of Countdown was joined in progress. The first apparently official explanation from MSNBC or from Olbermann came from mediaite:
We hear Olbermann was visiting his dad in the hospital...
But why did MSNBC promise a live Countdown, if they knew they weren't going to air one? For that matter, why did Olbermann himself claim that he would be back at 10:00 pm?
Lawrence O'Donnell and I will be back with the latest on the votes in New York 23rd, Virginia and New Jersey at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific. Until then, I'm Keith Olbermann...
There was one thing that changed between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm: the Corzine loss in New Jersey. Keith already had to endure the victory of Bob McDonnell in Virginia, whose electoral chances he had previously dismissed with a sneering: "Good-bye, Mr McDonnell". He would then have to report another Republican victory at 10:00 pm. If he stuck around.
Was his father's condition so serious that he had to bail on his responsibilities at MSNBC and skip the 10:00 pm show? If so, there was a miraculous recovery because less than 24 hours later KO was merrily blogging at Yankee Stadium, snapping pics and cracking wise. Remember, Olbermann has a pattern of ducking his job when there's news he doesn't want to report. After all there's a reason he's called "bathtub boy". Just ask John Gibson.
Most telling of all is how flimsy and ephemeral the hospital excuse turns out to be when you look at it more closely. Mediaite's only reference is "we heard"...exactly what you would expect when someone is tossing out a BS excuse but doesn't want to get caught having done so. Why wouldn't Olbermann, or someone from MSNBC, say this on the record? To Mediaite's credit, they did try a second time. And MSNBC's non-response speaks volumes:
Mediaite's Steve Krakauer reported that he "heard that Olbermann was visiting his dad in the hospital, which accounted for his absence." When asked for confirmation of this an MSNBC spokesperson provided no comment.
Isn't it time for MSNBC and/or Olbermann to address this , and do it on the record?
MSNBC boasted that on election night they would present a "special live edition of Countdown" at 10:00 pm. But with bad news for the Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a funny thing happened on the way to the bonus Hour of Spin. Keith wasn't there! After a live update (not from Olby but from Lawrence O'Donnell) A-Mess-NBC ("the place for politics") proceeded to rerun the 8:00 pm showing.
Keith had obviously left the building. But why? Where in the world was Keith Olbermann? We don't know yet, but we think we have a pretty good idea:
Around 10:15pmET, there was a commercial break, and the repeat 8pmET Countdown kicked in. It aired the rest of the hour. We hear Olbermann was visiting his dad in the hospital, which accounted for his absence. But that doesn't answer why O'Donnell or Matthews didn't fill in during the prime results hour. In the MSNBC release Monday, it was listed as a live edition of Countdown.
Update update: Does anyone really believe what is almost certainly an MSNBC leak, that he was visiting his sick Dad? Especially when nobody is willing to go on the record to say it's true? Keith announced at 8:59 pm that he and Larry O'Donnell would be back at 10:00. So what happened between 9:00 and 10:00 pm that might have sent Olby to the bathtub? Could it have been Corzine losing? Ya think? Will Oralmann show up tonight? Or will he end up at Yankee Stadium? That would be peculiar, if his dad's illness prevented Olby from staying at work past ten o'clock, but allows him to spend all night at a ball game. We'll know a few short minutes from now, and we're counting on you to recap tonight's festivities in this thread.
Update Update Update: Well Keith is just where we thought he'd be: Yankee Stadium, merrily posting one blog entry after another at tonight's game. So either his Dad made a miraculous recovery from just 24 hours ago, or MSNBC's PR line explaining away Keith's sudden disappearance on election night is even shadier than we suspected. Discuss and resolve. Comments are still open!
Great thanks to all the websites that linked to this post, including:
Um, Tell Us Again Who Is a Propaganda Arm of a Political Party...
The Olbermann Watch Research Division chuckles every time it hears someone on A-Mess-NBC attacking Fox for being a partisan operation, since we know there are more opposing views aired on any given hour of Hannity or The O'Reilly Factor than you will hear in a month of Edward R Olbermann. Having just finished one such month, here's the proof. We poured through the MSNBC online transcripts and tallied up the Hour of Spin guest list. Take a gander at the results:
Behind the numbers Democratic and Republican politicians: these are office-holders invited on Countdown for tough, aggressive grillings. Actually, that was a joke. Since they are all Democrats, they are trademark Olbermann blue-dress interviews. These included Ron Wyden (4 times), Anthony Weiner (3), James Clyburn (3), Alan Grayson (2), and one each for Maria Cantwell, Sheldon Whitehouse, Charles Schumer, and Sherrod Brown. Strangely, not one Republican.
Democratic and Republican strategists: These are partisan "experts" who have toiled in the partisan vineyards to get candidates of their persuasion elected. The big winner here is Democratic strategist "Crazy" Larry O'Donnell: ten appearances, either as a guest or guest-host. Plus we find Chris Kofinis (4), Howard Dean (2), Joe Trippi (1), and Markos "Screw 'em" Moulitsas (1). And then there were the Republicans: zero.
Liberal / Progressive vs Conservative / Traditional: These guests are not officially identified with party activisim but they appeared on OlbyPlanet to promote a political viewpoint. People like Wendel Potter (from the Center for Media and Democracy--two appearances), Shannyn Moore of Huffpo (1), Eric Burns of Media Matters (1), and so forth. We included three appearances from the National Association of Free Clinics, since they were present not to promote a philanthropic effort, but rather to hold free clinic events "in five key cities, in five key states represented by Democratic senators who have not yet said they will oppose a Republican filibuster of the public option." Yes, A-Mess-NBC organizing, promoting, and sponsoring political events to oppose Republicans and promote Democratic legislation. Gee, that sounds a little bit like, what would you call it, acting as the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party? In the interest of fairness, we didn't include the washed-up "comedians" and vulgar "entertainers" who also used their Countdown appearances to further Olby's partisan agenda. We have our limits, even if the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann does not.
Discuss, resolve, and then recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to important and not so important stories over the past week. Here is what our keyword searches found:
Notes: Olbermann only worked two days during this week. References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
It's a new week for the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann and the start of yet another chart. Will Krazy Keith actually show up on a Monday? Does anyone really care? Do your part by recapping the longest 60 minutes in television--right here. Comments are open!
From his radio show today. Enjoy the mockery, and the inside references that true Olby scholars will understand--like the allusion to KarmaBites. Then use this space to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
John Gibson: Who's Biased? Fox, or Olbermann and MSNBC?
Gibson lays out the facts in one of his best dissections of the infamous, deplorable one. Maybe he'll be named WPitW tonight, an honor we're still hoping for here at OlbyWatch. Recap tonight's Hour of Spin right here. Comments are open!
John Gibson Blasts Keith Olbermann and the Fox Haters!
Listen and enjoy as Gibby again analyzes The War on Fox, and wonders if people who call Fox 'talk radio' have ever hard of some guy called Olbermann. And we haven't forgotten this week's Olbermann Week That Was: By the Numbers. We poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to various stories over the past week and here are the results of our keyword searches:
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
Who will Keith Olbermann attack tonight? Post your predictions here, and then recap use this space to recap The Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Gibson: Olbermann Part of Obama's 'Pet Media', Does White House Bidding!
Listen as John Gibson paints the picture we know so well: Keith Olbermann as an extension of the White House PR office, dutifully avoiding the stories Obama doesn't want covered. Be amazed as Olby's parrot-like guests completely go along with him! Then use this space to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Listen and enjoy as Gibby analyzes The War on Fox, and wonders about MSNBC and its status as a news organization. And we haven't forgotten this week's Olbermann Week That Was: By the Numbers. We poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to various stories over the past week:
Notes: Friday's Countdown not included as it was a rerun. References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
Who will Keith Olbermann attack tonight? Will we get another "mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick", or something not quite so intellectual? The possibilities are endless: Fox News, Glenn Beck...Juan Williams would seem to be a likely target. Post your predictions here, and then recap use this space to recap the longest 60 minutes in television. Comments are open!
Gibson Defends Rush, Tells Caller 'I Never Worked for Olbermann'
John Gibson has a field day with another batch of clueless callers as he goes after media geniuses like Rick Sanchez and Dr Maddow for airing fake Limbaugh quotes. And there's a nice bit about our pal Olby in there to give it some OlbyWatch relevance. Listen, enjoy, then prepare to recap the last first-run Hour of Spin of the week. Comments are open!
A New Entry in Keith Olbermann's Misogyny Hall of Shame
On Tuesday night's Hour of Spin, the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann did it again. In attacking Michelle Malkin, the new Edward R Murrow once more indulged his diseased psyche to unleash demeaning, personal invectives against women, referring to Ms Malkin as a "big mashed-up bag of meat with lipstick on it". This is what passes for journalism on today's Peacock air. It has not gone unnoticed. Inside Cable News said "Yuck!" and noted:
Um, what's the difference between this attack and the "Ho-Pas" incident, which Olbermann subsequently apologized for even though he had nothing to do with that incident?
Liberal blogger Tommy Christopher, writing at mediaite (a website run by MSNBC legal analyst Dan Abrams), was also taken aback:
[Malkin] is not known for parsing her words, either. None of this, however, explains why Keith Olbermann would refer to her in such dehumanizing terms, even as he's decrying that exact behavior.
All this is nothing new. Olbermann's Misogyny Hall of Shame has been adding exhibits for years:
Olbermann deplorably mistreated Suzy Kolber at ESPN driving her to tears
said of his colleague Rita Cosby: she's "dumber than a suitcase of rocks"
laughed and joined in on a gross, creepy attack on Carrie Prejean
Even Olbermann's progressive allies recognize that there is a septic streak in Keith's soul when it comes to the opposite sex. TomPaine.com summed it up well:
So, to Keith Olbermann, who will be sternly moralizing into the camera for at least another four years, I have this to say: There is no excuse for how irresponsibly you are using your position of influence. The fact that you are a petty, disrespectful misogynist discredits you. You are not a progressive and you never will be, unless you drastically alter your attitude toward women. All of the brutally honest political criticism in the world does not make up for the shallow, sexist tripe you use to boost ratings. You, sir, are no Edward R. Murrow.
Is there any recourse for Keith Olbermann's many victims, male and female? Broadcasters have been censured, even fired, for much less. Yet Olby seems to be impervious to the standards that are applied to everybody else. Why not start fighting back? The first step might be to contact MSNBC and their news honchos to express outrage and request than an apology be made. But why stop there? What if Olbermann's victims demanded that they be given equal time--on Countdown, with Olbermann (not one of his stand-ins) present--to answer to the smears? Being allowed to face one's accusers is the American way. Every request to MSNBC, Countdown, and Olbermann should be made public. Every response should be published as well. Transparency.
What are the chances that Malkin, or anyone else who is a victim of Edward R Olbermann's vile hatred, would be permitted to face him on Peacock air and have it out? Slim and none--and Slim just left town. But seeing all the demands, responses, and rejections published online would make the effort worthwhile. All the world would know how morally corrupt MSNBC's news operation is. And as for Keith Olbermann? His cowardice and refusal to have on guests with opposing viewpoints--especially people he has viciously smeared--would be another vivid demonstration that he is more than just a misogynist. He's also a sissy.
Discuss, resolve, and then use this thread to recap tonight's unapologetic Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Chutzpah Beyond Belief: MSNBC Accusing Others of Bias!
John Gibson couldn't believe it: Olby Clone/Parrot/StandIn "Crazy Larry" O'Donnell complaining about media bias while hosting the most one-sided program not heard on radio North Korea. Listen as Gibby lays out everything that's wrong about the White House (and therefore MSNBC's) war on Fox, and explains it all to several highly confused callers. Good stuff, and the perfect appetizer for the much less nutritious Hour of Spin to come tonight. Use this thread for opinions, your Countdown recaps, and more. Comments are open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to various stories over the past week. Here is the raw data on what our keyword searches found:
letterman:69
palin: 55
baucus: 24
beck: 21
steele: 17
limbaugh: 15
fixed / fox (news): 8
afghanistan: 3
iran: 2
pakistan: 0
iraq: 0
zazi / terror / plots: 0
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
It's a new week for the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann and the start of yet another chart. Will Krazy Keith actually show up on a Monday? Does anyone really care? Do your part by recapping the longest 60 minutes in television--right here. Comments are open!
Olbermann Watch has obtained this exclusive footage of Keith Olbermann and his team of analysts, writers, and sycophants doing last minute preparations for tonight's marathon one-hour Special Education Komment:
It's the eve of Edward R Olbermann's daring ratings experiment: his marathon Special Education Komment, set for Wednesday night, that will run not ten, not 20, not 30 or 40 minutes. It will run for a full-hour! Can you imagine all the Pauses of Significance? Just think of all the camera pivots: enough to induce whiplash! But for now we will have to content ourselves with the joys of anticipation, coupled with Oralmann's cleverly inserted plugs for tomorrow night's stunt, which will be ever so subtly placed at multiple strategic points throughout tonight's Hour of Spin. Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division poured through the MSNBC online transcripts to see how much attention was paid to various stories over the past week. Here is the raw data on what our keyword searches found:
olympics: 62
palin: 61
beck: 38
iran: 23
afghanistan: 22
fox (news): 20
joe wilson: 7
iraq: 3
zazi / terror / plots: 1
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
It's a new week for the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann and the makings of yet another chart. Do your part by recapping the longest 60 minutes in television--right here. Comments are open!
When the news about GE wanting to dump NBC-Universal broke yesterday, it found Krazy Keith trying to deal with the credulous groupies from his blog of choice. Edward R Olbermann led them to believe hey, it's no big deal. They're only talking about 20% ownership of NBC. Of course today it became public that no, it's not about a 20% share at all. It's about Comcast taking a controlling (greater than 50%) interest in NBC. Olby's notion that it was a mere 20% was either based on his own ignorance (why should anyone at GE entrust him with sensitive information anyhow?) or else a deliberate lie to spin things to his favor amongst the rocket scientists who populate the Daily Kos.
Today he's back at it again, this time posting a lengthy, convoluted apologia for allowing the dreaded Richard Wolffe back on Countdown. Oralmann is all but pleading with the basement-dwellers to give poor Richard another chance. Well, you'll have the opportunity to recap it all right heah! Comments are open!
Once again the Olbermann Watch Research Division has carefully analyzed the MSNBC online transcripts (it sure beats watching the infamous, deplorable one) to see how much attention The Hour of Spin paid to various stories over the past week. The results, as before, were interesting and revealing of the prevailing mindset on OlbyPlanet. Here is the raw data on what our keyword searches found:
Palin: 56
Afghanistan: 45
Joe Wilson: 34
Iran: 28
Glenn Beck: 21
Fox News: 13
Iraq: 6
Zazi / terror / plots: 0
In graphic format:
Notes: References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's the end of the week so let 'er rip! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
Another night of deranged mendacity from the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Who will he smear? What lies will he tell? It's up to you to identify Oralmann's biggest liea of the night! Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
The Olbermann Watch Research Division thought it might be instructive to pour through the MSNBC online transcripts (it sure beats watching the infamous, deplorable one) to see how much attention was paid to various stories over the past week. The results were interesting, to say the least. Here is the raw data on what our keyword searches found:
racist/racism/racial: 83
palin: 67
beck: 43
acorn: 7
iraq: 2
afghanistan: 1
Here it is in graphic format:
Notes: The references to ACORN were part of attacks on O'Reilly, Fox, etc. None represented any actual reporting on the ACORN scandals. References to Iraq do not include Olbermann's ritual closing mantra.
It's a rotten job but somebody has to do it. Use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Special bonus points to the recapper who identifies Oralmann's biggest Lie of the Night. Comments are open!
Keith Olbermann Pours Gasoline on the Fires of MSNBC's Race War
Tuesday was day two of MSNBC's campaign to fan the flames of racial division in the USA. Listen to John Gibson lay out how the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann eagerly played his part, then use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
John Gibson looks at Monday night's Hour of Spin to answer that question. Listen, enjoy, then use this thread to recap tonight's Meltdown. Comments are open!
What better way to insulate yourself against a week of the infamous, deplorable one than by listening to Glenn Beck make fun of him on national radio? We have the clip for your listening pleasure. Enjoy, then use this thread to recap tonight's intolerably repellent edition of The Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Gibson Replies to Olbermann Special Comment: 'You Got It Wrong!'
If the thought of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann lecturing anyone on "civility" isn't irony-drenched enough for your 9/11 weekend, how about Olby tossing in his own special brand of "fact-checking", that turns out to be...well, shall we say, somewhat fact-challenged? John Gibson explains it all. Listen, enjoy, then use this thread to recap the week's final Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
We know what tonight's dog that did not bark will be. So with that out of the way, use this thread to recap Thursday's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. We get a bonus tonight: Edward R Olbermann as impartial news anchor of the Prez's speech, and then Krazy Keith as deranged Kossack for an hour afterwards. Now here's a fun game. Let's take the official White House talking points (reprinted below courtesy of Major Garrett) and try to predict how many of these talking points will be echoed during tonight's 9:00 pm Hour of Spin? Comments are open!
Talking Points: President Obama's Address to a Joint Session of Congress Tonight
• When the President is finished speaking tonight, everyone who listens will understand that his plan has at its core two overriding goals: to bring stability and security to Americans who have insurance today, and affordable coverage to those who don't.
o The President's plan will bring reforms that will reduce the unsustainable growth in the cost of health care, which has doubled in the last decade and will continue to rise at that untenable pace unless we act.
• From the beginning of this process, the President has said that he believes reform should be bipartisan. And the plan he outlines tonight will be consistent with that goal - it will contain Republican proposals and Democratic proposals.
o So the Republicans will have to decide whether they are genuine in their wish to work in a bipartisan manner, or whether they will continue to vote against proposals they have said are key to reform.
• He will clearly lay out what health reform means to Americans - both those that have insurance now and those that don't. He will also be clear about health reform doesn't mean - clearing up the confusion that has been fomented by the special interests and defenders of the status quo.
• He will also answer the big questions about how to move the health reform process forward and make clear exactly what he considers real reform to be.
• It is important to recognize how far we have come.
o Four of the five House and Senate committees have marked up bills. Today Senator Baucus, who chairs the fifth committee, announced that his committee will move to markup shortly. Among those bills there is, essentially, 80 percent agreement, and each of them is in line with the principles the President has laid out.
• We are entering a new phase in the debate.
o Now is the time to begin pulling together the various strands of the bills that have been written and the solutions that have been proposed to create a final product that lowers costs, ensures that Americans cannot be denied coverage because they get sick, and provides access to affordable health care for all.
o As the President will say tonight, he is not the first president to take up the cause of health reform but he is determined to be the last.
• Members heard a lot from their constituents over August - including stories from people who are struggling with the rising cost of health care or who have been denied coverage because they or someone in their family got sick. One thing has became crystal clear to any member who really spent time talking to constituents last month: Doing nothing is not an option.
• After this speech, opponents of health reform will need to either propose their own plan or explain why they think it is best to do nothing while health care costs continue to rise 3 times faster than wage, millions of Americans continue to be denied coverage because they got sick, and insecurity continues to grow. In just 2 years, 1 in 3 Americans experienced a gap in coverage. What the President will offer the country is stability and security in our health insurance system.
On Gov. Palin's Attacks:
• Every non partisan organization that has looked at her claims say they are false. And the ideas in her op-ed are both scary and risky. Eliminating Medicare and giving our seniors vouchers instead is a bad idea that we shouldn't adopt.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. This is the show where the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann unveils his special snitchers' tipline:
Tuesday we will expand this to the television audience and have a dedicated email address to accept leads, tips, contacts, on Beck, his radio producer Burguiere, and the chief of his tv enablers, Ailes...
How exciting. Unless, of course, A-Mess-NBC is a little uncomfortable with Oralmann's tactics and tells him to put the breaks on, and Olby again defers to his corporate masters and forgets all about his snitchers' tipline. What do you think will happen? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
Join the Keith Olbermann Smear Campaign: Post Your Glenn Beck Dirt Here!
Keith Olbermann has put a bounty on Glenn Beck. Van Jones has quit his White House position and Edward R Olbermann will not let the unacceptable treatment of this 9/11 truther go unavenged! He wants all the investigative journalists who post at his blog, the Daily Kos, to send him any Glenn Beck dirt they can dig up, postulate, or concoct. So it's up to you, the loyal, patriotic readers of OlbyWatch, to pitch in and help Krazy Keith in his deranged jihad. Post your dastardly Glenn Beck information here. Since Olby reads this site, and gets his "news stories" from blogs anyhow, you know your scoops will be read by the infamous deplorable one. Comments are open!
Another night of deranged mendacity from the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. What lies will he tell? Who will he smear? Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
It's a rotten job but somebody has to do it. Use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. You know the show with the "news anchor" who lies about his ratings. Hey Olby, when it comes to Nielsen numbers, size does matter, something Katy has also explained to you by now. Comments are open!
Enjoy this audio from Beck's Wednesday radio program, as he responds to Olby's fatuous claim that Countdown to no ratings is actually (perhaps on Bizarro planet) the #1 cable news program (thanks to Mike C for the clip!). Then settle back and prepare to recap The Hour of Spin. Don't worry about trying to figure out what dog didn't bark. We know Edward R Olbermann so well we can predict ahead of time the story that will get spiked by Herr Olbermahn. Enjoy Beck, and then grimace through an hour of the infamous, deplorable one. Comments are open!
UPDATE: Be sure to check out this report from mediaite, a website that happens to be run by MSNBC legal analyst Dan Abrams. Olbermann's claim about being the #1 cable news show in some impenetrable, never-before-seen demo? Guess what? It's Another Olbermann Lie!
Keith Olbermann Breaks "Tony Soprano Rule", Drags O'Reilly's Dad Into Latest Attack
Just when you thought Keith Olbermann could not descend further into his warped, twisted, misogynistic pursuit of ever-elusive ratings glory, he goes and does this...
In [O'Reilly's] nightly round of self applause last night, designed to drown out the echo of daddy hitting him...
At what point does someone at NBC/Universal stop to consider whether it is appropriate for a "news anchor" on its cable news network to launch personal attacks against a public figure's family?
Levin: Watching Olbermann Like Having Poison Ivy on Your Genitalia!
On his Monday night program, Dr Mark Levin responded to the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann's latest smear. Enjoy, then use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. And don't forget to order your Olbermann Sucks t-shirt, courtesy of zazzle.com! Comments are open!
An update on Herr Olbermahn's call for a boycott of Fox News, announced on July 1:
If there is a solution, it is perhaps an indirect boycott. It is probably your experience, as it has been mine, that stores, bars, restaurants, waiting rooms often show Fox News on their televisions. Don't write a letter, don't make a threat, just get up and explain, if they will not change the channel, leave the place and say calmly why it is you are taking your business elsewhere.... Fox News Channel will never restrain itself from incitement to murder and terrorism, not until its profits begin to decline, when its growth stops. So not so much a boycott here as a quarantine, because this has got to stop.
So how's Olby doing? Has he got the eeevil Fox News on the run? The power of Keith Olbermann and his societal influence is clearly demonstrated by comparing the Fox News numbers from June 1 with the latest ratings available (August 18):
Another night of deranged mendacity from the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. What lies will he tell? Who will he smear? And most important of all, what glasses will he be wearing? Ashleigh Banfield is still waiting for hers to be returned! Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
OLBERMANN: The outrageous treatment of our injured vets.
GEORGE W BUSH: We owe our wounded soldier the very best care and the very best benefits and the very easiest to understand system.
OLBERMANN: Too bad they're not getting it....the embarrassing news stories of shameful medical treatment and crumbling facilities for badly wounded war veterans...It has gotten so bad that this week two veterans groups sued the government over how it treats injured vets, especially those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.... One lawsuit claims that the VA has a backlog of 600,000 disability claims....
vs Keith Olbermann on the subject of veteran's health care tonight, August 17 2009:
OLBERMANN: Today the President addressed veterans, a segment of the population that already receives public health care, and superlative health care at that....the President promising the vets that their excellent government provided benefits will not change.
What will make it into tonight's WPitW segment? Could it be this? Maybe, but we're placing on bets on this. It yanks almost every one of Herr Olbermahn's chains, and deservedly so. Read it now so you'll be prepared for tonight's Hour of Spin, then do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Lou Dobbs blasted Keith today, and yet Olbermann's Worst Person segment tonight had no reply. The reason is simple: Media Matters had helpfully posted all the previous Dobbs clips for him, but MM posted their highly edited clip too late in the day for KO to see it in time. And since Krazy Keith gets his material from MM, he didn't know about it! So for this weekend at least, Lou Dobbs (with a brief assist from Mark Levin) gets the last word on the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Keywords include: punk, despicable, clown, vicious, vile, wretched, psychotic. Listen and enjoy. And Keith, if you can't wait for Monday to respond, our comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's the end of the week so let 'er rip! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is what set off the infamous, deplorable one tonight. Even though Dobbs never mentioned Olby's name, little Keith still whined about it and cranked up his attack machine. Now you can hear the full context of what Dobbs said, not the handful of sentences mumbled by Herr Olbermahn:
Beck/Gibson Tag-Team Take-Down of Keith Olbermann! Update: Dobbs Joins In!
The appetizer is Glenn Beck's sidebar shot at Olby. Then the main course: John Gibson examines the 'thugs' and 'mobs' who are protesting the Obama health care program. Gibby makes the case that the real thug is: Keith Olbermann! Be sure to listen through to the caller who challenges Gibby . Enjoy this delightful clip, then use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
UPDATE: Lou Dobbs goes nuclear on Olby; Hat/Tip to Politico.
Olbermann Celebrates Return by Lying About Glenn Beck
There may have been a truce, but it never applied to Keith Olbermann lying. That's a constant as reliable as the rising sun, and sure enough he marked his return today by lifting a story from a blue blog, reporting it as fact without bothering to check, and then embellishing it with his own brand of reckless demagoguery. In other words, Another Olbermann Lie.
In his 'best persons' segment, he told the story of Nancy Genovese, arrested outside an air base taking pictures. Actual news reports, like Newsday, the Long Island Press, and the Southhampton Press, tell the straight story, one that would have been of no interest whatsoever to Oralmann. But the version he came up with was considerably juicier, and ripe for a gleeful attack on Fox. With the caption reading "as heard on tv", Olby cackled:
Proof that watching crazy man on tv will make you crazy... She apparently decided that the base was actually a secret FEMA detention camp. Do you know where she got that idea? From Glenn Beck. She says so on her myspace page.
The bigger question is where did Krazy Keith get that idea? None of the news reports says anything about her thinking it's a FEMA camp. Well you know Olby is devoted to his blue blog sources, and that goes double for his own blog of choice, the Daily Kos. And sure enough, that's where we find this:
Glenn Beck Fan, Highly Armed, Busted For Casing National Guard Base, Thinking It Was A "FEMA Camp"
Now did this Kossack have some inside information about the incident that eluded all the actual reporters on the scene? No, he found a mention of FEMA camps on the woman's myspace page. How does that turn into she thought the base was a FEMA camp? It doesn't. They made that part up! It was, as mediate reported, pure speculation. But hey, when wasn't speculation enough for Edward R Olbermann?
Wait, there's more. Her myspace page also had a video from Glenn Beck. Yes, "a" video. It wasn't about FEMA camps. But wait, didn't Olby claim that she admitted, right on her myspace page, that Beck said the airbase was a FEMA camp? Yup, that's what he said. That's the part Olbermann made up. Her myspace page has been locked, but all of the blue blogs that scoured it beforehand came up with nothing regarding Glenn Beck's views on FEMA camps. Zero. Zip. Nada.
In fact, if she watched Beck on tv, as Monkeymann's caption claimed, and if what he said affected her beliefs, as he also claimed, then Keith has some more 'splainin' to do. Because on his tv show, Beck has debunked the FEMA camp theory--not once, not twice, but three times! See the appendix below for video of all three segments (not including a fourth with Ron Paul, who also rejected this conspiracy theory).
So let's see...Olbermann claims she acted based on what she heard on tv--without evidence. He says she decided the base was a FEMA camp--based on nothing more than empty speculation in a blue blog. He adds that she got the idea from Glenn Beck--also made up. Finally he asserts that she admits on her myspace page that Beck told her about FEMA camps--blatantly and utterly false. Back from vacation, Rip 'n' Read Olbermann lifts another story from a blue blog, doesn't bother to check facts, embellishes it with more fiction, and belches out another red-hot, steaming Olbermann Lie.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Countdown: Olbermann Promises Special Comment, and a 'Surprise'!
He's finally coming back from two weeks of reporting in the field. The baseball field, that is. And he's already stirring up the Kossacks with a promise of a 14-minute Special Education Komment about healthcare, and a vague, amorphous 'surprise' concerning the so-called MSNBC/FNC truce.
What do you think the infamous, deplorable one has in mind? Will he launch another Howard Beale tirade at the eeevil O'Reilly? Start an extra-early campaign to prevent Mr Bill from speaking at Alexa next year? Or will he bow to his corporate masters and downplay his greatest Olbsession? Post your predictions right here, then use this thread to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
The final part of our Olby vacation thread continues on where part two left off. Post your comments about Bathtub Boy, his substitute hosts, or whatever and vote in our special weekend poll!
Part two of our Olby vacation thread continues on where part one left off. Post your comments about Bathtub Boy, his substitute hosts, or whatever. And we have a new song! Click on the image above for another audio tribute to Edward R Olbermann.
The Hour of Spin keeps spinning even when the infamous, deplorable one is spending weeks at a time in the bathtub. Your guest hosts this week include The Wolffe Man, "Crazy" Larry O'Donnell, and the one and only Dr Howard Dean. What, Markos wasn't available? Use this thread to post your show recaps or comments on other, more agreeable, topics. And click the image above for an audio tribute to the hard-working Edward R Olbermann.
If it's Thursday, this must be OlbyPlanet. Document the lies and smears of Monkeymann in tonight's recappers thread. Then move on to take care of Friday's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's the end of the week so let 'er rip! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's up to you to document the spin and lies of Keith Teabaggermann. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
Gibson Needles Olbermann, Tangles with Caller from MSNBC
At least the caller claims he's from MSNBC. We report, you decide. Anyhow, enjoy this appetizer and then get ready for the infamous, deplorable one on tonight's Hour of Spin. Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Olbermann Speaks, on the Subject of Michael Jackson
Yes, the infamous deplorable one is on an hour early tonight, covering the death of Michael Jackson. So what better time for a stroll through the OlbyWatch archives, for a few choice quotes from Keith Oralmann on the subject of The King of Pop. These are all genuine by the way, taken straight from the transcripts:
Is Michael Jackson nuts?...We turn as usual to our nightly recreation Michael Jackson puppet theater....
Speaking of oddballs, Michael Jackson has something to say about what happened to him while he was under arrest....
Michael Jackson. He has discovered a super secret conspiracy hatched by former associates to bankrupt the king of pop, it's hidden on the back of the Declaration of the Independence, too. All right, not the last part....
And Michael Jackson is rolling up new records for weirdest conduct in the shortest period of time...
Exclusively yours for the bidding, six--count them, six Michael Jackson Puppet Theatre stick puppets, the originals. No substitutes accepted here, please. There's Michael, the defendant, Mesereau, the lawyer--with the long hair--Sneddon, the cold man, Melville, the judge--yes, you don't recognize him--Bubbles, the monkey, and of course, the accessory, the comfy jammies. Each signed personally by me, and ripe for the picking, starting at the top of the hour on eBay....
And snakes not the only ones hopping a plane in the near future. There's also Michael Jackson. That's a segue and an apt one it is...
Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann: what a great choice to host Michael Jackson coverage! Recap tonight's Hour of Spin right here. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Post your analysis of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann right here. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from the infamous, deplorable one tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
It's the recappers thread for tonight's installment of The Hour of Spin Hate. We need you to document the scurrilous lies and fruit-loop theories of the infamous, deplorable one. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
UPDATE: Yeah I forgot to post a thread for tonight. So keep using this one. Soldier on, soldier onners!
Use this thread to recap The Hour of Spin, starring the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann, and tonight featuring (no doubt) Sarah Palin, Carrie Prejean, and some eeevil person from Fox. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Post your analysis of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann right here. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
A statistical note from the Olbermann Watch Research Division. Over the last three days, the numbers of times Herr Olbermahn has mentioned the murdered late-term abortionist George Tiller: 61. Same time period, the number of times Edward R Olbermann has mentioned Army recruiter Wililam Long, murdered on US soil by an Islamic terrorist: zero.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's up to you to document the spin and lies of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
Gibson: Why Isn't Olbermann Responsible for Murdered Soldier?
John Gibson asks the question of the hour: if you use applied OlbyLogic, why isn't Bathtub Boy responsible for yesterday's assassination of a US soldier? Ponder this philosophical paradox as you listen to Gibby lay it all out. Then get ready to recap the non-stars on tonight's Hour of Spin right here. Comments are open!
Keith Olbermann to Boycott Major League Baseball?!?
On Monday night the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann delivered a keyed up diatribe about the evils of Fox News in general, and BIll O'Reilly in particular. The illogic of his Kevin Bacon-style linkage of the killer of an abortion doctor to O'Reilly speaks for itself. We're more concerned with the logic, and logical implications, of Keith's call to action--a secondary boycott of anyone who dares permit FNC a presence in their establishments:
It is probably your experience as it has been mine that stores, bars, restaurants, waiting rooms often show Fox News on their televisions. Don't write a letter, make a threat, just get up and explain if they will not change the channel leave the place and say calmly why it is you are taking your business elsewhere.
One might wonder if that means Olby will no longer have a monitor embedded in his desk tuned to Fox News and O'Reilly that he can keep an eye on as he broadcasts Countdown, posts comments to Daily Kos, and bids on baseball cards. But there's an even more outrageous catering to Fox that goes far beyond a tv set in the lobby. And Olbermann himself is inextricably linked to it.
Ever since he began blogging for Major League Baseball, Krazy Keith has been reporting on his own visits to the local ball parks. Here, for example, he gives a tour of the new Mets stadium, complete with his own snapshots as illustrations. But now everything has changed. Oralmann demands a "quarantine" of Fox News. And this leaves him but one option.
Announced this week was the fourth annual Fox Fan Day. It will be held on June 20th at Citi Field, for a game between the Mets and the Tampa Bay Rays. This is no mere case of having FNC playing on a tv set somewhere. This is bringing Fox News itself into the ball park, live, in person. How else can it be described other than as a blatant endorsement for the enabling of terrorists and murderers? And it's done with the express written approval of the NY Mets and Major League Baseball!
For a person of intellectual consistency, for one who lives by the same principles he demands of others, for a commentator who isn't just a poseur and truly believes in the truth of what he speaks, there can be only one course to take. Don't write a letter. Don't make threats. Just announce (tonight on Countdown would be the ideal time) that if they do not immediately cancel this event and sever all ties with the murderous traitors of Fox News, then you--Keith Olbermann--are taking your business elsewhere. You will quit your MLB baseball blog. Turn in your season tickets. And never set foot in one of their tainted ball parks again. Anything less would be Olbypocrisy of the highest order.
We know that the Mancow controversy will be featured on OlbyPlanet tonight: he was waterboarded by someone who didn't know how to waterboard, then the Jerry Springer producer who set it up said it was really just a hoax. Mancow reacted by denying it was a hoax, while simultaneously admitting that, well, it was really a "simulated" waterboarding. Confused? Maybe that's the intent.
The infamous, deplorable one will not stand for anyone impugning his superb Edward R Murrow credentials as a crack journalist, and so he'll be bringing Mancow on tonight to tell us that yes, it is too waterboarding. Why does Mancow rant about the left taking advantage of this incident, and then sign up for a second appearance on OlbyPlanet? Just what is his endgame? By the end of The Hour of Spin will Mancow be screaming: "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!"?
Do your Countdown recapping right here. It's the end of the week so let 'er rip! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
Zurawik Responds to 'Rabbit-Punching Swine' Olbermann
After being nominated in the 'worst person' segment, Baltimore tv writer David Zurawik has published his response. But Olbermann Watch goes the beyond the headlines to bring you Zurawik's comments on public radio from just hours ago, where he laid out in detail exactly why he has little use for the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Listen and enjoy, listen and enjoyers!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
Video: Red Eye Rips Olbermann and his Special Comment!
The Greg-a-Logue sets the stage, then the panel launches into another fun disembowling of Olby's latest Special Education Komment. As usual, Andy Levy gets the last word. All we can say is: enjoy!
John Gibson Smacks Down Olbermann Over Cheney Attacks!
Before you make this tonight's open thread to recap and ridicule The Hour of Spin, enjoy listening to Gibson destroy Bathtub Boy. Before he gets to the latest Special Education Komment, Gibby makes reference to this report from the Obama administration about how 1 in 7 released Gitmo prisoners join up with jihad again. Another Olbermann embarrassment. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's up to you to document the spin and lies of Keith Teabaggermann. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
UPDATE: Here's Oralmann's Special Education Komment in a dramatic reading by the OlbyRobot:
Is one of Keith Olbermann's most embarrassing moments about to be re-ignited? New readers may not be aware of Olby's unpleasant spat with one of MSNBC's own miiltary analysts, so here is a quick recap of the dust-up between Krazy Keith and Colonel Ken Allard.
It all began with another MSNBC analyst: William Arkin. He wrote an op-ed piece claiming that US troops are being given "obscene amenities". They should be "grateful" that they get any respect at all despite "every rape and murder" they commit. Soldiers hold the American people "in contempt" because our troops are "badly schooled". They should count themselves lucky: after all, they are not being spat upon.
Colonel Allard was astounded that such a diatribe would be penned by an analyst for NBC, and on Feb 7 2007 wrote a blistering column in response. Based on that column, he was invited to appear on The O'Reilly Factor, and did so on Feb 8. That was too much for Oralmann, who blasted both of them the next day, claiming that Arkin's bizarre tirade was legitimate, "valid criticism" of US troops, and dismissing Allard as little more than a ventriloquist's dummy!
This was the final straw for the decorated war hero. On February 15th Allard formally severed all ties with (MS)NBC, and cited Olbermann's attacks as a precipitating cause:
Not only were no apologies given and no pink slips issued for Arkin's outburst, but on his MSNBC show last week, Keith Olberman went out of his way to defend this "valid criticism" of our military.
What brings all this back to the front burner now? After over two years, Col Allard is returning to the airwaves. He will appear on this weekend's edition of the FNC program Huckabee, airing Saturday/Sunday evening at 8:00 pm Eastern. And the topic: according to the promos, he will discuss how he has been viciously smeared by the media. A New York Times article was specifically mentioned, but can a discussion of attacks directed against the Colonel possibly be complete without bringing up the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann? We will see tonight.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from the infamous, deplorable one tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
Tank-Dweller Olbermann Covers Up for His Guy Again!
Wow. At least Rachel Maddow has the stones to criticize The One. She even gets a Countdown regular to help her out. But it's not like The Perfessor had a prior engagement, because as John Gibson explains, the infamous, deplorable one is so far in the tank for Barack Obama that when it comes time to cover his most recent flip-flop, well, what better time to change the subject?!?
After you enjoy this bit of fun, prepare to recap tonight's Hour of Spin. Are we taking bets for the WPitW segment? After all, someone dared to report on the real reason for Herr Olbermahn's strange three-day absence. Even worse, when Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann tried to rebut the story using the sympathy card, that little ploy got blown out of the water with photographic evidence! A bad night on OlbyPlanet fer sure.
This is the recappers thread for Monday's Hour of Spin. If you can stomach the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann, post your analysis of his outrageous fictions right here. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from the infamous, deplorable one tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
John Gibson Rips MSNBC's Ratigan on Countdown with Olbermann
Listen and enjoy as John Gibson picks apart new A-Mess NBC hire Dylan Ratigan's debut appearance on The Hour of Spin. Then use this thread to recap tonight's skulduggery from Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use our valuable bandwidth to document the deceitful spin and hateful lies of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin.Will Bathman be back or will his faithful sidekick Robin again fill in? Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's the end of the week so let 'er rip! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It's up to you to document the spin and lies of Keith Teabaggermann. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. You won't see "Man on Fan" Olbermann until 9:00 pm tonight, so set your alarm clocks. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Somebody has to watch the 3rd place cable news show at 8:00 pm, and that sad duty falls upon you, the loyal OlbyWatch recappers. Comments are open!
Olbermann Eliminates Dissent...Even On His Baseball Blog?!?
We know how assiduously Keith Olbermann keeps opposing points of view from contaminating the Countdown echo chamber. But isn't it a bit much to apply the same heavy hand to a blog about baseball?
In his latest MLB entry, Olby responds to a reader's question. It appears that Mr Humility attended opening day with an unusual fashion accoutrement. He actually wore his Super Bowl press credential to carry his ticket to the Yankees opener, stylishly draped around his neck for all to see! Keith gave this explanation:
This refers to a photograph from opening day. That is not in fact a Super Bowl media credential around my neck. It is a Super Bowl laniard. Apart from the phenomenal price changes, the biggest switch in the new park is the number of times one is forced to present one's ticket. So I needed something to carry it in, and that's what I happened to have lying around.
Another questioned his wearing of a suit to the game, and Olby had a comeback for that too:
Frankly, the only times I've ever gone to a game in a suit, I was either doing a broadcast or a report from it, or, as it happened on opening day, I was heading straight down town to do my news show.
Apparently a commenter ("circuscatch") took issue with KO's responses, and a loyal OlbyWatch reader saved what he wrote:
Can't you even be honest in your baseball blog? In response to a question about your game attire, you state that you wore the suit because "...as it happened on opening day, I was heading straight down town to do my news show." In your show that night, you wore a black suit, not the blue one you are wearing in the picture. You wore the suit (and the Super Bowl press credential) to boost your fragile self-esteem. If you look important, you feel important.
The press credential response was just as ridiculous! You stated, "That is not in fact a Super Bowl media credential around my neck. It is a Super Bowl laniard." Look what's clipped to the laniard - a media credential!! C'mon, you needed something to carry your ticket in? I was also at the home opener and was asked for my ticket a grand total of one time. You must have taken several trips to the concession stand to require a laniard to display your ticket! You're not funny very often, but using a Super Bowl laniard (including the press credential) to carry an admission ticket is one of the funniest things I've ever heard. Doesn't that expensive suit have any pockets? The Super Bowl XLIII laniard and media credential was what you "happened to have lying around?" Was it lying right next to your Cornell AG degree? If so, they were both on the front seat of your car.
The following sentence is in the article introducing you as a member of MLBAM: "Given the nature of his political commentary and the highly charged emotions of that crowd, Olbermann offered this advice for any fans eager to flame him on the comments of his MLBAM content: 'I don't care.'" Well, prove that you don't care and leave this post in the comments section...or were you dishonest with that statement as well?
As of this morning, the above comment has vanished.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from "Chicken and Waffles" Olbermann tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is your recappers thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. But if you watch the video clip above, you may decide to forgo the infamous, deplorable one this time to catch the story that Mr Bill O'Reilly is teasing. Looks like a must-see Factor, one that will certainly impel Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann to whine uncontrollably tomorrow night. If you do decide to stick with Bathtub Boy, you can do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Audio: Inside GE Shareholders Meeting w/Tom Borelli and Glenn Beck!
Shareholder activist Tom Borelli gives a first-hand account of the rowdy shareholders meeting where stockholders berated NBC's Jeff Immelt over the embarrassment that is A-Mess-NBC:
It's the recappers thread for tonight's installment of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann. Yes, he's back from that mysterious illness, the only known symptoms of which are attending baseball games and blogging about them all hours of the night. We need you to document the scurrilous lies and fruit-loop theories of the infamous, deplorable one. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is your Monday night open thread, but not a recappers thread--unless you want it to be. Yes, the infamous, deplorable one is out, and replacing Bathman tonight is his sidekick Robin (aka Slippery Shuster). So if you want to suffer through the teabag-obsessed Shuster you can do your recapping right here. Otherwise, treat this as an open thread. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
It's your Friday night recappers open thread! And to make the concept of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann a bit more tolerable, we have a delightful clip of Lou Dobbs as an appetizer. Listen as he goes after Krazy Keith, Goofy Garofalo, and that cesspool known as A-Mess-NBC. Then do your recapping of tonight's Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Make this your Thursday night recappers thread as you enjoy watching Joe Scarborough, ever so careful to protect his paycheck, clearly slam just about the entire primetime lineup on his own network! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
It's your Friday night open thread. Robin is subbing for Bathman tonight, so you don't even have to watch The Hour of Spin! Instead you can listen to Lou Dobbs who has a few choice words about the infamous, deplorable one. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for the Wednesday Night Hour of Spin. Post your analysis of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann right here. And don't spare the adjectives! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Post your analysis of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann right here. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
The recent (3/25/09) Keith Olbermann/Howard Dean/Fascism segment on MSNBC's Countdown offered an embarrassing, and to many, humorous, display of Mr. Olbermann's deeply entrenched hypocrisy. Now that the schadenfreude has faded, an examination of the, so far overlooked, underlying cause of such frequent episodes is past due because the obvious hypocrisy is but a symptom of a pathology which inevitably produces Olbermann's stock in trade, his modus operandi.
Let's take a close look at the setting for last week's manifestation of Olbermann's chronic condition. The March 25th Countdown began with a two-part segment, the first entitled, "Grand Obstruction Party." Jonathan Alter joined Olbermann to discuss, among other things, a speech given by Gov. Bobby Jindal at a large Republican fund raiser and minority whip, Rep. Eric Cantor's appearance on CSPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the administration's budget.
Olbermann played a truncated clip from Washington Journal of a female caller:
CALLER, "But what really is scaring the rest of us, the other half of us, is the fascism.
I mean, the true fascism that is happening in this country today."
CSPAN HOST, "What do you mean by that, caller?"
CALLER, "The belligerent takeover of a one-party system."
That was followed by a truncated clip of Rep. Cantor responding:
Now, as far as the one-party government in here, I think what the public is doing they're finally waking up and everybody is realizing that checks and balances are part of the system and dividing government is something that is beneficial to a balanced debate and something that can produce a better outcome.
FACT: At no time did anyone call President Obama a fascist. Rep. Cantor never uttered the words, "fascism" or "fascist." The caller never even mentioned the President, by name or by office. Although the caller did express a fear of "fascism that is happening in this country today," it was not directed at or disrespectful of any individuals, ergo there was no compelling reason for Rep. Cantor to admonish the caller.
Now here's where the illness kicks in.
During the Olbermann/Alter conversation following the clips, this exchange took place:
ALTER: ...whether it's a good idea or a bad idea, at least it's something big that they can stand on rather than name-calling.
OLBERMANN: And where is the individual credibility here? Thirty-eight million Americans saw the president's news conference just on TV last night; it doesn't count radio; it doesn't count the Internet. People are supposed to take Eric Cantor seriously about finance or about fascism or about anything when instead of even watching it as it happened, he's at a Britney Spears concert? You know, oops, they did it again?"
For the record, Rep. Cantor attended the concert as part of a scheduled Republican congressional fund raiser.
The second part of the opening segment was titled, "Fear and loathing as GOP strategy;" co-starring the new CNBC hire, Howard Dean. Mr. Olbermann introduces this conversation with:
OLBERMANN: The Republicans slapped anybody who questioned President Bush with--if not using the word treason, essentially the elements that make up treason for the better part of his administration, and yet we are now seeing this--I don't know--the sky is falling reaction to everything that President Obama does. Is there something of a double standard here or am I being a little--a little oversensitive?
Not only is the above a blatant lie, it is also totally irrelevant to the actual words spoken by Rep. Cantor (R-VA) and Gov. Jindal, (R-LA) which Olbermann completely misrepresents and intentionally distorts! Remember now, no one has called anyone any names. The two Republicans highlighted by Mr. Olbermann, never, not once, used the words "fascist" or fascism." There is a double standard and it clearly applies to and is applied by Mr. Olbermann.
Howard Dean's response to the bizarre intro ended with:
DEAN: So, you know, the Republicans are going to have a long way to go here if they--if this is their first tactic. They've got to figure out how to reach the moderate middle. And you don't do it by calling people fascists and all this other kind of business.
Which was immediately followed by this exchange:
OLBERMANN: So, is Jon Alter right, every time something like this happens, you and the other leaders of the Democratic Party sit back and try to stifle a loud, braying laugh?
DEAN: Well, I don't laugh at the Republicans because they were pretty effective in winning elections for a long time. But I just scratch my head and think, you know, what are they--obviously, polling does not tell you to call the president of the United States a fascist. So, they must be doing something very peculiar at the RNC. And I'm not sure what it is. But I think their problem is that they're just in disarray.
Followed closely by (remember, now, the caller never mentioned Obama and never called anyone a fascist):
OLBERMANN: Instead of--when that call took place on C-SPAN today, with the minority whip, Mr. Cantor, listening as this caller attempted to demonize President Obama and his agenda and throw every ism she could think of except Nazism, I suppose. The congressman certainly by proxy embraced her attack.
Certainly! Embraced an attack that never occurred, by proxy no doubt!
The remainder of the segment consists of the beautifully prepared, deliciously presented dish of crow, served cold:
DEAN: If somebody called President Bush really dreadful names like that," and "but he is the president and we are going to be respectful of him.
OLBERMANN: Or if you have a case to call somebody a fascist, lay it out, define your terms... at least put some meat on the bones. And just don't throw the word out, right?
DEAN: Well, look--I mean, even in the darkest days of the Bush/Cheney administration, I don't think there was any reason to call George Bush a fascist nor do I think it's--I think it's patently ridiculous to call President Obama a fascist. ...if you are in politics and you aspire to be the leader of your party, you can't let that kind of stuff pass because it diminishes you and it diminishes the Republican Party [or your own network] when you don't correct it.
As Howard Dean is quickly given the hook, Keith, ever the trooper, adheres to the maxim, "The show must go on," by closing the segment with, "The real problem for the Republicans though is not Obama the fascist, socialist Martian..."
At first glance, this appears to be a simple case of partisan pox, targeting the loyal opposition with lies, misrepresentations, distortions, and false accusations based on false premises. However, a closer examination of the next segment, titled "How will the Obama team pass the budget?" reveals a more complex condition. The real target of the Olbermann Syndrome is any dissent or criticism or even mild disagreement with President Barack Obama or his policies, regardless of the parenthetical party letter or network acronym attached. Case in point, one Sen. Kent Conrad, (D-ND), Budget Committee Chairman.
OLBERMANN: In our fourth tonight: The main event--the reason for President Obama's big publicity push, the battle over the budget, which if it fails to pass Congress, takes with it change, hope and 'Yes, we can'.
One of the main players, Senate Budget chairman, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, defending the Senate version of the budget, pointing out that it keeps Obama's big priorities alive. But as you'll notice, he says his budget makes them possible as opposed to say, makes them happen.
OLBERMANN: Obama's budget director, Peter Orszag, declared the Senate and Obama budgets if not twins, then at least blood kin. But the White House, nevertheless, is now e-mailing supporters to get them to push Congress. Liberal progressive groups pursuing the same goals: Move On with the radio ad, Americans United for Change is paying $700,000 for an ad pressuring Congress to back Obama's budget. The ad does not name names but if the gentleman from North Dakota, Senator Conrad, had any question who that ad is targeting, it will air in 11 states and in major markets in those states such as Fargo and Bismarck.
Is it possible that the host of Countdown, MSNBC's "news hour," that pays tribute to Edward R. Murrow at the close of every episode is attempting to intimidate a powerful member of Congress, who is also a member of the President's own party, simply because the congressman prefers a slightly different version of the trillion dollar budget proposed by the administration? Has Mr. Olbermann read the two versions of the budget? Does Mr. Olbermann have a monopoly on all the facts? Does Mr. Olbermann even have a grasp of all the facts? It appears he believes he does. Someone once said, "The man who sees absolutes where men see nuances and shades of meaning is either a prophet or a quack."
Every examination and test after test leads to the conclusion that Mr. Olbermann suffers from an advanced stage of an acute case of The Olbermann Syndrome.
Any thorough examination of someone must include a study of the subjects history. Since the March 25th episode is most likely Howard Dean's final appearance on Countdown, a look at his very first appearance might prove enlightening. This episode from two and a half years ago focused primarily on a speech given by the then Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld to the 88th Annual American Legion National Convention. Once again. Mr. Olbermann utilizes the tools of his trade, distortions, personal attacks and outright lies, to falsely accuse Sect. Rumsfeld of, as he self promotes, "...a special comment on his attack on your right to disagree":
OLBERMANN: And about Mr. Rumsfeld's other main assertion of that this country faces a new type of fascism as he was correct to remind us that a government that knew everything could get everything wrong. So too was he right when he said that. Though probably not in the way he thought he meant. This country faces a new type of fascism, indeed.
Now, it needs to be made clear that Mr. Rumsfeld never attacked anyone's right to disagree, to dissent, to protest, to speak out against, or any other forms of the precious speech specifically guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, placed at the very top the Bill of Rights. The Secretary, speaking to the group of war-time veterans, called upon them to speak out against lies and distortions, to correct the record, certainly not to squelch dissent or to attack "your right to disagree":
RUMSFELD: Those who know the truth need to speak out against these kinds of myths and distortions that are being told about our troops and about our country. America is not what's wrong with the world. (Applause.) One of the most important things the American Legion has done is not only to serve and assist and advocate, as you have done so superbly for so much of the past century, but also to educate and to speak the truth about our country and about the men and women in the military.
For this, Mr. Olbermann chooses to vilify his target. He also puts forward a passionate defense of the people's and the press' right to question and to disagree with the government, adding the folly of someone believing they have "a monopoly on all the facts." August 30, 2006, Countdownexcerpts:
OLBERMANN: Back to Mr. Rumsfeld's remarks yesterday. Is there not something in them, though, that transcends political parties? Do we not need opposition and critics questioning policy, whoever's policy that is? I mean, during a Democratic administration, don't you want Republicans and media and citizens saying, Hold on, prove what you just said?
Special Comment
OLBERMANN: The man who sees absolutes where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning is either a prophet or a quack. Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet. We end the Countdown where we began, our No. 1 story with a special comment on Mr. Rumsfeld's remarkable speech to the American Legion yesterday....
Worse still, it credits those same transient occupants, our employees, with a total omniscience, a total omniscience which neither commonsense nor this administration's track record, at home or abroad, suggest they deserve it. Dissent and disagreement with government is the life's blood of human freedom and not merely because it the first roadblock against the kind of tyranny the men Mr. Rumsfeld likes to think of his troops still fight this very evening in Iraq. It is also essential, because just every once in a while, it is right and the power to which it speaks is wrong.
Donald Rumsfeld, in concluding his speech, told the assembled group:
RUMSFELD: Your watchdog role is particularly important today in a war that is to a great extent fought in the media on a global stage, a role to not allow the distortions and myths be repeated without challenge so that at the least the second or third draft of history will be more accurate than the first quick allegations we see....
A soldier who recently volunteered for a second tour in Iraq captured the feeling of many of his peers. In an e-mail to some friends, he wrote the following, and I quote: I ask that you never take advantage of the liberties guaranteed by the shedding of free blood, never take for granted the freedoms granted by our Constitution. For those liberties would be merely ink on paper were it not for the sacrifice of generations of Americans who heard the call of duty and responded heart, mind and soul with 'Yes, I will.
Keith Olbermann chose to close his Special Comment in this manner:
OLBERMANN: Note, with hope in your heart, that those earlier Americans always found their way to the light and we can too. The confusion is about whether this secretary of defense and this administration are in fact now accomplishing what they claim the terrorists seek, the destruction of our freedoms, the very ones for which the same veterans Mr. Rumsfeld addressed yesterday in Salt Lake City so valiantly fought.
But back to today's omniscient ones, that about what Mr. Rumsfeld is confused is simply this, this is a democracy, still, sometimes just barely and as such, all voices count, not just his.
Although I presumption use his sign off each night in feeble tribute, I have no utterly no claims to the words of the exemplary journalist, Edward R. Murrow. But never in the trial of 1,000 years of writing could I come close to matching how he phrased a warning to an earlier generation of us, at a time when other polarities thought they and they alone knew everything and branded those who disagreed confused or immoral.
Thus forgive me for reading Murrow in full:
We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty he said in 1954. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who fear to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular. And so, goodnight and good luck.
Well said Mr. Murrow. Well read Mr. Olbermann. But, were you listening?
Much has changed in the two and a half years since these two men spoke to their varied audiences. Donald Rumsfeld resigned from his post as Secretary of Defense shortly after the 2006 election that brought a different party into the congressional majority. Rumsfeld was replaced by Bob Gates who continues to serve in the cabinet of the new administration.
The new administration is the product of the historic campaign, election and inauguration of President Barack Obama. The war in Iraq has changed significantly, as President Obama told the nation recently in his 60 Minutes interview, explaining his laughter:
OBAMA: There's gotta be a little gallows humor to (LAUGHS) get you through the day. You know, sometimes my team-- talks about the fact that if-- if you had said to us a year ago that--the least of my problems would be Iraq, which is still a pretty serious problem--I don't think anybody would have believed it.
I can think of a few people who would have believed it, but Mr. Olbermann is most certainly not one of them. Perhaps a quick review is in order.
Olbermann, Aug 30, 2006, apparently being the prophet he spoke of earlier "...with a total omniscience, a total omniscience which neither commonsense nor this [reporter's] track record, [on television or on the web] suggest [he] deserves it."
Yes, two and a half years have brought much change; a new administration, a new congressional majority, a war in Iraq that can only be lost by intent, worldwide economic turmoil, and on and on and on. Yet, in spite of all this change, there remains a constant, the Olbermann Syndrome: a full blown case of hatred for anyone who voices any dissent against or disagreement with the current administration, hatred aimed at a rival with a more successful program on a competitor's more successful network, hatred spewed at anyone who disagrees with or criticizes the infected.
This is a contagious disease and it is spreading rapidly in certain communities. The specific contagion has been isolated; a particularly virulent strain of arrogant hatred.
Barring intervention and prolonged rehabilitation, the prognosis is not promising.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What blue blogs will Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann lift from tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
Another night, another Hour of Spin. Are we having fun yet? Hey Olby, when are you going to apologize for your Twitter smear? You might as well ask when the sun is going to go SuperNova. Document the outrageous lies and ugly smears of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann right here. Comments are open!
Yeah, it's another recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and ugly smears of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann. Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin of Krazy Keith. Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Olbermann Smear of Twitter and Fox: It Was Worse Than You Thought!
Major props to Caleb Howe for exposing just how ignorant and reckless Edward R Olbermann's ravings about The Great Fox Twitter Conspiracy really were. He interviews the man Olby fingered as behind the "conspiracy", researches all the Twitter accounts associated with Krazy Keith and The Hour of Spin, and concludes:
The incompetence that led to Keith Olbermann naming Twitter the "Worst Person in the World" is staggering. He smeared the popular service and a fellow liberal Democrat enemy of Fox News, because he got an email he didn't understand, about a technology he didn't understand, and neither he nor his staff did a click of research.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What blue blogs will Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann lift from tonight? How many times will he attack Mr Bill? Will he finally tell the truth about his Twitter account, or allow his lies to stand? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
Howard Dean Deliberately Embarrassed Olbermann?! (Thursday Recappers Thread)
Well, that's John Gibson's theory. Give it a listen and see if you agree. And Get Ready to Recap the Stars...of OlbyPlanet that is. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
Howard Dean Says Don't Call a Sitting President 'Fascist'--As He's Talking to Olbermann?!?
Did Dr Dean know whom he was talking to? We did, and this will serve as a little reminder to the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann that even his own guests think he is a sleazy creep:
Thanks to OlbyWatch regular ramjet who came up with the concept for this video.
Lots of news tonight (an Obama press conference, a new power grab of dubious legality) but Edward R Olbermann has bigger fish to fry. Tonight he will devote an entire segment of The Hour of Spin to his ultimate Olbsession. Watch the video below (it's unedited, unlike the ones that have proliferated on the blue blogs) as your show prep. Pay special attention to the second half and ask yourself how much coverage "Man on Fan" Olbermann will give to that portion of the discussion. Remember, the infamous, deplorable one begins an hour later tonight, but he'll still be up against NCIS and Mr Bill. (Do the math!) Post your comments on tonight's propaganda fest right here. Comments are open!
He's really from Cornell, you know.
Like he said on the Jay Leno Show.
But tonight Bathman's out,
Little Robin will spout,
While Keith soaks from his head to his toe.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What blue blogs will Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann lift from tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
The above video sets the stage for tonight's Hour of Spin. The AIG bonuses have been the topic on cable news, and particularly MSNBC, all day. The question is: how will the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann cover this story? Especially considering that Countdown fave Sen Chris Dodd has just admitted that he approved the language protecting those bonuses, and his own staff actually wrote the language? That after having angrily denied that he knew anything about just 24 hours earlier! Translation: Sen Dodd caught in a lie. This is a tough one for Edward R Olbermann. Does he call out Dodd for lying? Does he try to shift the responsibility to someone else? (Sorry Olby, Bush was already out of office.) Or does "Man on Fan" Olbermann discretely, delicately, completely avoid making any mention of the lie (the classic Dog That Did Not Bark)? See for yourself, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
John Gibson wonders when did Keith Olbermann become an authority on tough, hard-hitting interviews? Good question. Listen and enjoy as you prepare for tonight's Hour of Spin. We need you to document Monkeymann's lies and duplicity, so be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Blue Blogs Dramatized: The Cheney Interview (Monday Recappers Thread)
It's not hard to predict what the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann will cover tonight. Cheney, Cheney, Cheney. Maybe he'll demand "Dick" leave the country again! Toss in the third recycling of the same story ("torture" at Gitmo: i.e. three terrorists waterboarded) and there's another block accounted for. Wait, the Simpson's made fun of O'Reilly? Olby can't turn that down. Of course we know what he won't cover. We're going out on a limb here and say there won't be a segment devoted to the Cramer/Stewart showdown. And if Bathtub Boy is bowing to his corporate masters to spike that story, then it's not likely he'll say anything about the anti-CNBC petition that has just been launched. Even though it's being backed by two of Oralmann's most reliable Blue Blog Sources: Media Matters and Daily Kos (Monkeymann's own blog of preference).
Since we know it's going to be a Cheneypalooza on tonight's Hour of Spin, why not enjoy a selection of dramatized comments from the blue blogs? These are Olby's sources after all, and now you can hear them without having to go through the repellent middleman. Use this space to recap tonight's show. Comments are open!
Olbermann Takes on Cheney 'Assassination Squads': Special Comment Coming?
Last week the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann went to town on his latest wet dream: Dick Cheney's "assasination squads". Olby got this notion from a talk given by Sy Hersh, and because that kind of thing is always too good to check on OlbyPlanet, Keith ignored the fact that Hersh, who claims documentation and evidence for his written word, is willing to embellish the truth and fantasize when giving a talk. As New York Magazine put it: "Sy Hersh Says It's Okay to Lie (Just Not in Print)".
Yes, this was Olby's Big Source for his grand expose on the evil Cheney. And if what he hear is correct, Oralmann isn't done yet. Apparently there may be a Special Education Komment in the works, and Caleb Howe has somehow got his hands on a copy of Monkeymann's script:
Mr. Dick Cheney, I direct tonight, sir, this missive unto you. So monumental is your, sir, guilt, that indeed I was not able to confine my commentary to a Countdown, nor even, sir, the very Special Comment portion of my show for which such acts as yours I first, indeed, the segment designed, sir! So forthwith I bring you tonight's "SPECIAL COUNTDOWN!" [Turn 180, camera 4. Look Angry!]
Olbermann's Masculinity Quotient: Now in Negative Numbers
You know there's trouble brewing on OlbyPlanet when his own blog calls him out. The subject matter: Jim Cramer and his ongoing flap with Jon Stewart. More to the point, Keith Olbermann's pointed avoidance of the story:
If this story is ignored, or given a light touch in passing such a Best Person in the World, we will know that even our best and bravest news shows have been significantly censored. We will know that Keith and Rachel are not free to report on the compormised state of television journalism in America.
Well, that's exactly what Keith did. He ignored it completely. (While on that other channel, Bill O'Reilly and a panel of financial reporters analyzed the debate, and what's more, came down on Stewart's side.) That shouldn't surprise anyone. Olby didn't mention Cramer on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday (he was off Tuesday). Why would you expect him to do it on Friday? Besides, TVNewser reported that the suits at MSNBC had told their producers to lay off discussing the Cramer/Stewart showdown. And of course they complied.
The Kossacks were so upset with Olby that Mr Humility felt he had to explain himself. And in true Edward R Olbermann fashion, he does so by attacking the writer:
Steve Krakauer ("SteveK"), is well known around the industry as being entirely in Fox's pocket. His "MSNBC producers have been told" not to mention this, is, frankly, bullshit.... Rachel could get the cover of Newsweek and he wouldn't link to it.... So, did Stewart do a good job? Obviously. Did we get ordered not to run it? Nope. Was stirring up rumors about a ban in the interest of a Foxophilic blogger with the credibility of a bush league Drudge? You bet.
Of course that doesn't make one minute of sense. And even the kommenters weren't buying it:
It may be bullshit, but the stats say otherwise. MSNBC was covering this "feud" during the day all week before last night, then suddenly went completely silent today. It's like hyping a big boxing match ahead of time and then not bothering to tell your viewers what happened in the actual fight.
To make such a big deal about it on Morning Joe for a week, then after last night crickets, something had to be up.
Boy was it illuminating that you didn't cover the Stewart-Cramer throwdown. Almost as illuminating as the many excuses you're here offering up as to why you didn't now.
The NBC families total blackout of discussion about it was the story of the day. KO should have done better. A word, a comment, a wink, anything would have been better than what he's given us so far...
I don't really care about a TVNewser post that said you guys were told to lay off. I didn't need to read that on their site because I could see with my own eyes as I watched MSNBC that you guys laid off the story all day long.
All you had to do was to rely on your own eyes to see that MSNBC had an almost total black-out of the story. And when you have almost a total black-out of one of the most popular stories of the day it doesn't take much to figure out that someone at NBC made sure to communicate that they didn't like the story.
But, Keith, my friend, you have so much time to zap Bill O'Reilly or talk about Rush Limbaugh billboards or allot another whole segment to your Worst Person in the World schtick -- a weekly recap to boot -- yet even 30 seconds to give a back pat to Jon Stewart for saying what needed to be said, especially when no one else on MSNBC (save a few seconds blip from Rachel) mentioned the story. This concerns us as your actions (1) creates some doubt in our minds about a possible NBC blackout on this story, and (2) causes us to wonder if Countdown just jumped the shark.
Olby's defense was weak tea:
I'm not going to publicize a Fox-controlled blogger at a low-volume site on national television.
Right. Because he never calls out "Fox-controlled" commentators, writers, or bloggers.
Our show is primarily about trying to give airtime to stories that are not on ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox.
Say what?!? Has KO tactfully refrained from citing Jon Stewart in the past--when he's going after people not on (MS)NBC? This might be Keith's most preposterous claim since he asserted "I am not politically biased". To tell the truth, Countdown is the very model of modern pack journalism. As Politico reports blue blogs and partisan left-wing groups coordinate their targets, and Olby seems to have been one of their most reliable marksmen. When their conference call targeted Betsy McCaughey, so did Olbermann. When it's decided to make Rush Limbaugh the "face" of the GOP, Oralmann dutifully starts calling him "Boss" Limbaugh and hammers it home for seven straight days: March 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th, and 12th (he was off on the 10th).
The truth is, despite all of Keith's attempts to explain himself, we already know that he's in the corporate pocket of his bosses. Remember the Imus flap? Another case where Olbermann was strangely silent for night after night...until after Imus was fired? Here's KO in his own words explaining why he said nothing about Imus all those years:
I'm constrained by a large degree to the fact that I work at the same place....We try to avoid shooting people on our side of the fence, whether we like them or don't.
Funny Keith, you didn't say that to the Kos kommenters. It would have made more sense than the drivel you tried to foist on them. In fact, protecting (MS)NBC bosses and KO's on-air buddies is one of the most consistent "features" of Countdown. Can you think of one time when any (MS)NBC talent has been named "Worst Person in the World"?
That's why we talk about Keith's Masculinity Quotient. The term springs from Olbermann complaining about the OJ Simpson book deal, and castigating O'Reilly for not opposing it. Of course that was Another Olbermann Lie; O'Reilly railed about it day after day, and even announced a boycott. But it's not that lie, but rather Keith's sanctimonious smear that makes the Olbypocrisy go to 11, as KO lectures the world about how important it is to take "your own network" to task:
If you are going to take such an I'm right and the rest of the world approach is wrong to everything, and especially broadcasting, you really do find yourself in a position of it being incumbent on you to take your own network to the same degree of task.... Bill just chose not to do it, which doesn't say much about his manhood.
Right now, Keith Olbermann's manhood quotient is looking pretty limp.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What blue blogs will Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann lift from tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
[Image courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter who published this interesting article about O'Reilly, General Electric, and the stock market.]
This is the recappers thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use this space to post your comments on the latest egregious insults to journalism from Edward R Olbermann. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
No, you won't see the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann tonight. Bathman is out, and his faithful sidekick Robin will be hosting The Hour of Spin in his stead. Where oh where is Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann? In a seedy hotel room with a bottle of cheap Merlot and a disposable tie? Or cowering in his bathtub for fear that he might run into Gary Bernsten? Whatever the reason, Krazy Keith will not appear tonight. And for that we are literally, dreadfully sorry. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from "Chicken and Waffles" Olbermann tonight? Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Will the infamous, deplorable one go four-for-four tonight in his continuing attempt to sabotage a charity fund-raiser being held to aid rape victims? When Krazy Keith is dealing with the greatest Olbsession of them all, anything is possible. Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Countdown. Post your analysis of The Hour of Spin. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin that emanate from The Face of the Democratic Party (aka Krazy Keith Olbermann). Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Red Eye Reams Olbermann, Garafalo for Racist Comments!
Great thanks to MikeC for the tip, and to Andy Levy for his dryly devastating final comments. It all happened on Friday night's Red Eye and we have the video for your viewing pleasure:
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. What can we expect from "Chicken and Waffles" Olbermann tonight? It's clear Olby should do another Special Apology, this time for his rip 'n' read smear of Gov Jindal. But we're going out on a limb: don't hold your breath! Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
If nothing else, Thursday night's Hour of Spin will be remembered for the day when the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann defined racism. And, not surprisingly, that definition includes Olby himself:
MORE: Olby and Garafalo yuck it up about about how Rush is like Hitler, and Michael Steele is another "self-loathing" black man. Hot Air has the repellent details. Apparently the all-forgiving Oralmann has given Garafalo a pass for appearing on 24. You recall how Krazy Keith launched a jihad against the show for being "right wing propaganda"? It seems there is nothing "Man on Fan" Olbermann won't flip-flop on, as long as he can smear a few more people with personal attacks.
This is the recappers' comment thread for The Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
MSNBC: "Oh God" and Laughter as Jindal Began to Speak
It sure was a great idea letting Krazy Keith and his lunatic posse anchor hard news coverage, right? Listen as they groan "Oh God" and laugh as Gov Jindal begins to speak:
Politico sez it's Oralmann. We're not convinced. What say you?
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Countdown. Not only will be have the regular installment at eight, after that Edward R Olbermann will play an impartial newsman and anchor coverage of the Presidential address and Republican response. Yes, even though actual journalists find this prospect to be absurd and revolting. Then, a bonus Hour of Spin at 10:00 pm. The Obamavision lenses at A-Mess-NBC will be working overtime tonight!
Post your analysis here. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
Keith Olbermann: Worst Political Analyst in the World
It's pretty bad when Keith and his "expert" (i.e. Democrat) guest are both totally clueless, but that's par for the course on OlbyPlanet. Do you think there will be a correction and apology for getting it stupefyingly wrong yet again?
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin of Krazy Keith. Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Reality Bites: Olbermann's Special Comment Embarrassment (Friday Recappers Thread)
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. First, listen in delight as John Gibson takes a classic Olbermann Special Education Komment and forces it to collide with a concept rarely encountered on OlbyPlanet: reality! Then get ready to recap the lies and spin spewed tonight by Krazy Keith. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
Enjoy the latest from The Great One (Dr Mark Levin) as you prepare for tonight's Hour of Spin. Use this thread to document the reckless pseudo-journalism of the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. Comments are open!
Olbermann Readies Attack on Malkin (Wednesday Recappers Thread)
UPDATE: Our pre-emptive strike did its job. By exposing Krazy Keith's sordid history of Nazi slurs against people he disagrees with, we shamed him into not attacking Michelle Malkin on tonight's Hour of Spin. It's another victory for the power and influence of Olbermann Watch! The original post follows below...
It's not hard foretelling what the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann will do on any particular day. Just check the blue blogs. Krazy Keith is as predictable as Pavlov's dog in a bell-testing factory. Tonight, you know he's going to attack the NY Post (cue the embarrassing Pirate accent) for a cartoon that portrayed the writers of the stimulus bill (note: not President Obama) as a chimp. But we think he won't be able to pass up a smear of Michelle Malkin, who had the audacity to be photographed next to someone whose anti-Obama sign used over-the-top Nazi imagery.
Now we know Olby's never shied away from such comparisons himself. To wit:
It was Herr Olbermann who hurled the fascism smear at Newt Gingrich.
It was Herr Olbermann who called the administration of "Mister" Bush an example of fascism.
And it was Herr Olbermann who likened "Mister" Bush's administration to The Third Reich.
So to smear Michelle Malkin for this photo would be a daring bit of chutzpah on the part of Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann. After all, Merkle goes far beyond just appearing next to someone in a photo. He's an esteemed diarist at The Daily Kos. And you know how Olbermann's blog avoids Nazi comparisons. For example, like these:
That's just a sampling of what you can find at Olbermann's blog. So, will Olby ignore all that and still launch his attack on Malkin? Is Edward R Olbermann really going to go there? We predict yes, because Oralmann is so blinded with hate and self-unaware that he no doubt has forgotten all about this:
Watch for the moment of supreme irony when Olby pours the hate on Michelle, for allegedly associating with the sort of people Bathtub Boy has been cavorting with for years!
Use this thread to post your analysis of tonight's Hour of Spin. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss! Comments are open!
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Countdown. Post your analysis of The Hour of Spin. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin of Krazy Keith. Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
If you thought the big news from last night's Hour of Spin was Keith's pseudo-apology for his Rupert Murdoch quote, think again. It's what happened just before his weasly correction, where he makes the exact same mistake--lifting information from a blue blog without bothering to verify its accuracy.
The "apology" itself was pathetically limp attempt to blame a website (the one extensively quoted by Olbermann's blog, The Daily Kos) for the error:
Turns out SeekingAlpha.com got it wrong, Murdoch in fact said 'we've never been a company that tolerates fat.' SeekingAlpha.com has yet to correct or apologize for its mistakes, so we will.
That's nice, Olby. But how about apologizing for your own mistake: not even bothering to listen to the audio for yourself? Still, the supreme irony in all this is that just before this spineless self-serving apologia, Edward R Olbermann committed the exact same sin: lifting a story from a blue blog and presenting it as true, without bothering to fact-check or verify.
This time the blog source was Huffington Post, and to say that Keith did another "rip 'n' read" job would be like saying American Idol is an obscure tv show struggling to find its audience. You won't believe just how recklessly wrong Oralmann was until you read this meticulous blow-by-blow destruction from a physician/scientist who actually knows what he is talking about. A few quotes to whet your appetite:
Stick a fork in Keith Olbermann. He's done....
Olbermann let himself be played like a fiddle...
Kirby played on Olbermann's hatred of Rupert Murdoch, inducing him to embarrass himself so completely and utterly that I can never--ever--take Olbermann seriously again...
Because he hates Murdoch so much, Olbermann slimed an excellent journalist, Brian Deer, who brought to light something that desperately needed to be brought to light...
Olbermann lapped up David Kirby's talking points like a dog lapping up spilled gravy, and then let his emnity with Rupert Murdoch undermine what little critical thinking skills he has left by parroting nonsense...
Worse for Olbermann, he didn't even bother to check whether the key talking point he had been fed by Kirby, namely that Deer had made the complaint against Wakefield to the GMC, was in fact true....
If Olbermann can be so completely and utterly pwned by a propagandist like David Kirby, he is nothing....
Olbermann was completely wrong, and Kirby's claim that Brian Deer initiated the complaint is a lie--a lie that Olbermann mindlessly parroted.
To understand the full impact of Keith's pitiful performance, please read the entire article. It confirms everything we've been saying for years about Keith "Rip 'n' Read" Olbermann.
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin of Krazy Keith. Supposedly Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann plans to correct one of his two lies perpetrated last Friday. Another demonstration of the Power and Influence of Olbermann Watch! Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
The infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann has a track record of lifting stories from blue blogs and reporting them as true. Fact-checking? Verification? Not required on OlbyPlanet!
Olby's latest bit of rip 'n' read "journalism" happened Friday night. Olbermann Watch was first to report that Keith smeared Bill O'Reilly and Rupert Murdoch by rewriting what they said to fit his storyline. Bill O'Reilly did not state that NBC News is disgraceful, and Rupert Murdoch did not say that his company does not tolerate "facts".
It's not like any of this is in doubt. We linked to the video of O'Reilly as well as the audio of what Rupert Murdoch actually said. But Edward R Olbermann can't be bothered with original sources when he can just rip 'n' read from his own blue blog. Our research on this story was analyzed by the nonpartisan News Cycle, who concluded:
So, Olbermann Watch did indeed get it right, and Keith Olbermann and the Daily Kos, both of whom have advanced this story got it wrong.
You would think that having been caught yet again smearing people with false information, a responsible journalist would correct his error. Instead, on Tuesday night's show, Herr Olbermann doubled down. That's right, he ignored the truth and repeated the false Murdoch quote again!...
As Rupert Murdoch says of his own shop, 'We have never been a company that tolerates facts".
Maybe Keith Olbermann got this wrong the first time due to sheer incompetence in not fact-checking a story he lifted from a blue blog--all that was required was to listen to the audio, and he didn't bother. But to repeat a quote after it has been proven false, just to smear Fox News? That's more than journalistic ineptitude. It's outright lying.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Countdown. Our mole in the enemy camp whispers that tonight should be a banner evening for attacking Fox. Possibly because Oralmann's special 10pm countdown last night finished in a miserable third place, losing to both Anderson Cooper and by an even larger margin to Greta van Susteren. The infamous, deplorable one will be looking for revenge tonight!
Post your analysis of tonight's Hour of Spin. Be an Olbermann Watch blogger--without all the muss and fuss. Comments are open!
This is tonight's recappers thread for The Hour of Spin. We need you to document the outrageous lies and vertiginous spin of Krazy Keith. A-Mess-NBC has put impartial newsman Olby in charge of anchoring tonight's press conference. But tonight's Hour of Spin will not air until 10:00 pm. So we need you recappers to stay up late to see if Keith "Man on Fan" Olbermann corrects or apologizes for his two lies perpetrated last Friday. (Don't hold yer breath!) Watch Oralmann if you dare, and do your recapping right here. Comments are open!
Notes on Last Night's "Worst Person in the World"...
The bit on Rupert Murdoch served two purposes for Keith, since picking on one media organization's profits being down when all companies are losing money is blatantly unfair (with Keith admitted):
1. Keith wanted to brag that his and Maddow's shows were the only news shows that exceeded revenue projections. Which makes one wonder either how little faith NBC actually has in Keith and Maddow, or that NBC is lying about the expectations.
2. Keith wanted to read a quote from Murdoch, "Even on [finance] terms, we have never been a company that tolerates facts." Upon reading this quote, KO got as giddy as a college boy anxiously awaiting his first hand job, immediately declaring it to be the new Fox News slogan. So clearly Murdoch was probably taken out of context on this, but I haven't bothered looking up the original documents, nor do I really care at this point.
[For the record, Murdoch's exact quote was reported by the UK Independent. Murdoch was discussing cutbacks at News Corp: There would be "rigorous" cost-cutting, including job cuts. "We have never been a company that tolerates fat," he said, but added that this wouldn't be at the cost of future growth, should the opportunity arise. UPDATE: You can listen to the actual audio of what Murdoch said (something Oralmann didn't bother to do) here. The relevant portion is about 18 minutes in. --J$]
Bill O'Reilly was attacked for taking on Russell Tice. KO pretty much accurately described Tice's exchange with Jesse Watters, but Olby completely distorted the transcript of O'Reilly's comments.
Olby brings up that Tice told Watters to camp outside Bush's ranch and ask him these questions, saying "I love Russ Tice" (well duh, Keith, you brought the wacko on your show twice to spout his BS). KO doesn't care that Watters and O'Reilly were asking Tice to present the evidence of his claims, which he apparently doesn't have. Nor does Olby seem to realize or care that Russell Tice saying it happened is not proof of anything. Thus, Tice is basically saying "Go stalk Bush because I said these things happened."
KO reads this as O'Reilly's response to Tice after the video:
The bottom line on this is that Tice made some very serious accusations. He went on NBC News and he cannot back them up. Now if we are wrong he can join us at any time. But he cannot back them up. He is disgraceful and so is NBC News.
The bottom line on this is that Tice made some very serious accusations. He went on NBC news and he can't back them up. Now if we are wrong, he can join us at any time. But IF he can't back them up, he IS disgraceful, and so is NBC News.
See how KO's leaving out the word "if" completely changes the meaning of O'Reilly's statement? Olby doctored the quote to make it seem as if O'Reilly was declaring NBC News to be disgraceful in general, when O'Reilly was simply stating that NBC News should have to present proof when airing such wild accusations. Otherwise they are just muckrakers in the worst tradition of journalism. But we all know Olbermann seems to think he is above such ethical standards.
Olby also chided O'Reilly for saying Tice appeared on "NBC News" and not MSNBC. "Pay Attention." Yet O'Reilly first mentioned it as "NBC's cable news station," and later cited it as NBC news when talking about how they didn't challenge Tice on the accusations. O'Reilly skillfully never bothered to mention Olbermann's name, or show his picture in the clip, at all. Point to O'Reilly.
I don't know where Keith gets this delusion that MSNBC is not NBC news. The URL nbcnews.com re-routes to MSNBC.com
KO also puts forth that Bill O had the ulterior motive of stalking Tice because when asked about his interview on MSNBC, and given the chance to appear on The Factor, Tice insulted O'Reilly as a scumbag or something. KO ignores the obvious point, which O'Reilly made, that if Tice were so eager to publicize these wrongdoings about the NSA spying on Americans illegally, that he should be going on any news shows, especially the highest rated one on cable, to get the message out, instead of selectively choosing only the station and host that would be inclined to air his inane comments without a shred of proof or a hint of a challenge to his credibility.
It just means that Keith is showing no signs of dropping his personal vendetta against O'Reilly. The ratings sure do reflect that paying off for him.
Oh, and the Glenn Beck attack was about Beck saying the S-CHIP program was socialism. Olby repeated earlier attacks about Beck in promos for his new show deriding partisans who use the term socialism as an easy attack on Democrats. Olby then made several personal attacks, how there's no evidence Beck was using his brain, and that Olby believes Back may be crazy. Stay classy, Keith.
This has gotten old a long time ago. What great crimes did these people commit to be labeled the Worst Person? The other day he defended the New York Times against O'Reilly, who declared the Times wanted an agenda in which illegal immigrants could become citizens who could register as Democrats and ensure Liberal policies are enacted. Maybe even pure socialism. O'Reilly is completely correct in this, as this kind of social engineering has been happening far beyond the issue of illegal immigration. It's as basic as what is taught in schools.
But how does O'Reilly attacking the New York Times earn a status of WPitW? I can only think that Keith is in such agreement with the NY Times that he must defend them at all costs, and that O'Reilly's attempts to bring them down are an obstruction to his agenda, and thus in his mind are worst than an Al Qaida bombing.
So, they are WPitW because they disagree with Keith. And that in my book actually makes them among the Best Persons in the World.
We bring you these installments of John Gibson's Blue Blogapalooza because they are a window into the character of the "news sources" used by the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann. The netroots are in an uproar about Dick Cheney, and sure enough, Herr Oralmann is doing a Special Education Komment tonight on...Dick Cheney! Dutifully pre-pimped on Keith's blog, of course. So listen to the ravings of the blue blogs, then use this thread to recap tonight's ultra-excruciating edition of The Hour of Spin. Comments are open!
Olbermann's Latest Lie Is Going to "Get Him Into Trouble"?!
We know that the infamous, deplorable Keith Olbermann cannot resist attacking people on his "enemies list", and the more sleazy and personal the attack, the better. Now one of broadcasting's most honored and respected professionals, Jim Bohannon, joins the chorus of those who see Keith Oralmann for what he is: a slovenly political hack.
Mr Bohannon had Bernard Goldberg as a guest on his radio program, and Marty C Davis (aka Chickaboomer) mentioned the appearance on her website:
Looks like maybe the MSNBC gremlins have altered Goldberg's Wikipedia entry. This morning Bernie's Wikipedia headline was the Keith Olbermann quote erroneously claiming CBS News had fired Bernie. Bernie was on Jim Bohannon's syndicated radio talk show Thursday night and Jim tells me Bernie was "steamed."
What?! Olbermann lie about someone? Shocker! But there's more, as Mr Bohannon himself weighs in on Herr Olbermann:
Bernie was on my radio show last night and I brought up Olbermann's "WPitW" citation. Having been on tour, Bernie hadn't seen what Keith had actually said. When Bernie noted that Olbermann concluded by saying, "no wonder CBS fired Goldberg", Bernie left the studio pretty steamed, indicating "he's going to get in trouble for this one". Why? Well Keith - You blew it AGAIN - (Lord, how many times now?). GOLDBERG WASN'T FIRED BY CBS. Keith Olbermann has got to be one of the lamest buffoons on the air in the last half century. He comes in just shy of "so bad he's good" status.
This is the recappers' comment thread for tonight's Hour of Spin. It falls on you--the clear-thinking readers of Olbermann Watch--to document Keith Oralmann's diseased rantings for posterity. Comments are open!
Olbermann Gets Almost Everything Wrong in Latest O'Reilly Smear
Countdown: Wednesday January 28: Keith starts off Worst Person in the World with a totally wrong recap of the Jessica Alba-Bill O'Reilly "feud." KO says:
She now famously called him the hole word, and when Fixed News [Ding!] chased her for a response the network should 'Go Sweden about it.' By 'Go Sweden About it' she said she meant be neutral.
And KO adds that Bill fired back by saying she was "uninformed and a pinhead."
Seriously. Keith is actually going there?
Oh my, yes.
Then Keith reads from Alba's blog that "It's so sad to me that you think the only neutral country during World War II was Switzerland." Then Keith brings up Billo's mistake about Malmedy again. "Now proves to know less about the second World War than does the star of the movie Sin City."
Holy crap, this is like the Holy Grail of KO f-ups.
Let's start with the easy one. Alba was not the "star" of Sin City. She wasn't even in it that much. Try saying the star of Honey or Into the Blue. So KO proves he doesn't know much about movies.
Now, let's take a look at what really happened between Alba and O'Reilly.
O'Reilly sent his producer Jesse Watters to interview celebrities who went to Washington DC for the inauguration. O'Reilly showed two clips on his show. One was of Jamie Foxx complimenting O'Reilly and speaking intelligently about George Bush and moving forward. (KO doesn't mention this part of it). To contrast this for fun, O'Reilly shows the Alba clip in which she sounds like the total dunce that she no doubt is, and refuses to give a shout-out to O'Reilly because "he's kind of an A-Hole."
KO doesn't mention that Watters then asked Alba to clarify that statement and say what's so objectionable about O'Reilly, to which she stumbles upon an answer before settling on "if I answer that I'm admitting I watch Fox News." So she doesn't even watch the damn show, but she wants to open her big mouth and insult the guy. Which just goes to show you how far a hot body and no talent gets you in Hollywood. Then she does a little mea culpa about Fox being good to her movie-wise. Cuz who else would cast her in two crappy Fantastic Four movies. I mean really.
So, what did KO say?
She now famously called him the hole word, and when Fixed News [Ding!] chased her for a response the network should 'Go Sweden about it.'
ERRRRRR. Wrong answer, douchebag. So sorry.
The Watters confrontation took place I believe at the red carpet entrance of the Jan. 18 Declare Yourself event.
Later, as Alba and her hubby were waiting for a cab to go home, a different reporter started to talk to Alba, who turned on her cell-phone camera and began interviewing the reporter about what he liked about Obama. When he tried to claim objectivity wouldn't let him answer, she told him "Be Neutral. Be Sweden about it."
KO would have you believe she was telling Jesse Watters to be Sweden. But no. A simple Internet search shows the "Be Sweden" was directed at Nicholas Ballasy of CNS News, which is not Fox News, but it's conservative leaning, so I guess in Olby's mind it's all the same, right?
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