Olbermann named Morgan "winner" of "Worst Person" for claiming Soros helped Nazis "to further his own career"

On the February 28 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named syndicated radio host Melanie Morgan the "winner" of his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for, as Media Matters for America documented, advancing and embellishing the discredited claim that billionaire philanthropist and progressive financier George Soros collaborated with the Nazis as a 14-year-old boy in Hungary. On the February 8 edition of KSFO's Morning Show, co-host Lee Rodgers revived this false accusation, saying that, as a teenager, Soros "apparently very cheerfully and willingly went to work for the Nazis." Morgan added that Soros had done so "in order to further his own career."

After reading Morgan's comments, Olbermann observed: "The station's program director went on the air during their show to say the remarks and others were not accurate and that the station, quote, 'regrets that they were broadcast.' "

From the February 28 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: But our winner, Melanie Morgan of KSFO, an ABC radio station in San Francisco, whose program director had to formally correct statements on the air about billionaire financier George Soros made by the station's sleep-deprived morning hosts, led by the reprehensible Ms. Morgan. Co-host Lee Rodgers had said that when Soros was a teenager in occupied Hungry, he had, quote, "apparently very cheerfully and willingly went to work for the Nazis." A sidekick named Tom Brenner added, "[H]e just kind of complied willingly."

Ms. Morgan added that Soros had done so, quote, "in order to further his own career." The station's program director went on the air during their show to say the remarks and others were not accurate and that the station, quote, "regrets that they were broadcast." OK, a first step. Now get out there, pal, and admit the station regrets everything Melanie Morgan has ever said is not accurate. Melanie Morgan of KSFO, the ABC radio station in San Francisco, today's Worst Person in the World.

—A.I.