Olbermann named Melanie Morgan "Worst Person" for suggesting NY Times' Keller might deserve "gas chamber"

On the June 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann dubbed radio host Melanie Morgan the winner of his nightly "Worst Person in the World" award. Morgan received the award for asserting, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, that if New York Times executive editor Bill Keller "were to be tried and convicted of treason" for the Times' publication of an article about a Treasury Department program designed to monitor international financial transactions for terrorist activity, she "would have no problem with him being sent to the gas chamber."

As Media Matters for America noted when the Chronicle reported Morgan's remarks, Morgan is a frequent guest on MSNBC. In the past 11 months, she has appeared six times on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews (6/26/06, 10/21/05, 8/19/05, 8/16/05, 8/11/05, and 8/1/05).

From the June 29 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: But our winner: San Francisco radio host Melanie Morgan. Not only has she suggested seriously that New York Times executive editor Bill Keller be jailed for treason, but now she tells the San Francisco Chronicle, quote: "If he were to be tried and convicted ... I would have no problem with him being sent to the gas chamber." Hey, somebody want to check Ms. Morgan for light bulbs? Melanie Morgan: today's "Worst Person in the World."

—B.F.