Olbermann named Beck "Worst Person" for speculating that Kucinich's wife under influence of "date rape drug"
On the June 5 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named Glenn Beck the "winner" of his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for "questioning what caused Elizabeth Harper to marry Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich [OH]." As Media Matters for America documented, on the June 4 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Beck said of Kucinich and his wife: "How did that happen?" Beck went on to speculate whether she was under the influence of "dope" or "some sort of ... date rape drug" and described the drug he had in mind as "not powerful enough to actually knock you out, but it's powerful enough to, like, make you think that you're not standing next to Dennis Kucinich and making out with him." Beck further speculated that the drug might be "cyanide," adding: "That would be the only thing that would really dull the senses enough. Even then, your dead body would be like, 'Dennis Kucinich has his tongue in my mouth.' "
On Countdown, Olbermann quoted from Beck's June 4 comments and said: "Now that's wit, huh? It's as if Shakespeare were living in our times. Glenn Beck, today's Worst Person in the World."
As Media Matters has noted (here, here, here, here, and here), Beck is a frequent finalist in Olbermann's "Worst Person" competition.
From the June 5 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:
OLBERMANN: That's next. First, time for Countdown's latest list of nominees for Worst Person in the World.
The bronze to Bill-O [Fox News host Bill O'Reilly], denouncing The New York Times for putting the JFK pipeline pipe dream terrorism scare Sunday on Page 37 instead of Page 1. He even showed the front page -- well, the top half of the front page anyway. "No, I'm not making this up. You see it. This is not The Colbert Report. This is the Factor, and this is the fact."
We know that. The Colbert Report is entertaining and occasionally factual. You see, the Times put a paragraph-long headline about the so-called JFK plot on its front page. And in the main story about it on Page 37, where, as you heard aviation expert Mike Boyd point out here last night, is probably where it belonged.
No wonder Bill-O only showed the top half. So, when he said, "No, I'm not making this up," what he really meant was, "So, I am making this up."
The runner-up tonight, Vice President Cheney. Speaking of making it up, he's still doing it. Addressing 100 Wyoming high school students over the weekend, he again lied about an Iraq-Al Qaeda link, again citing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, ignoring last year's conclusions of the Senate Intelligence Committee and its then-chairman Pat Roberts [KS], the Republican, that Saddam Hussein wanted to and tried to capture Zarqawi.
Reduced to telling it to 100 high school kids? Before this is over, the vice president may start going door to door, asking if anybody wants to hear a story.
But our winner, Glenn Beck of CNN and ABC, questioning what caused Elizabeth Harper to marry Republican [sic] Congressman Dennis Kucinich nearly two years ago. Quoting Beck, "I'm wondering if it's some sort of -- some sort of, you know -- what's that date rape drug? ... What would be the drug that would be just powerful enough to make you not really realize that you're making out with Dennis Kucinich? ... I was thinking cyanide. That would be the only thing that would really dull the senses enough. Even then, your dead body would be like, 'Dennis Kucinich has his tongue in my mouth.' "
Now that's wit, huh? It's as if Shakespeare were living in our times. Glenn Beck, today's Worst Person in the World.
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Someone would have to be given a date rape drug to get involved with the hideous Glenn Beck. What a turd.
Get a life. If you can't take a joke about an ugly guy with a hot wife then you HAVE to be a loser.
Glad I don't waste my time watching him.
That goes for both Olbermann, Beck, and Kucinich.
Oh, I see that Olbermann was referring to Beck's radio show. Glad I don't listen too..
I am sure Sue/Ellie will attack me for this but I have to disagree with Olbermann in his statement about the JFK Bombing plot. I watch Olbermann and he loves to downplay any threat to America. You can bet your behind however if there is an attack he will be the first to spout out his venom toward Bush about allowing an attack and not keeping us safe. The guy is a phony and his attacks on others is getting old. Has MSNBC realized they are as bad as FOX with allowing thsi type of division to be aired? Where are the days of great reporters like Bernie Shaw on cable news. Is this what we are left with , the FOX liars and the MSNBC dividers? Matthews , Olbermann, O'Reilly, Hume, Hannity , Beck. God they are all gross.
Ok Sue go ahead and attack now. I probably will not respond.
Jlyons,
A small point. The group you mentioned are not reporters. They are simply pundits.
J I agree with you in theory but you are going alittle strong on Olbermann. I see your point though but the days of cable news reporting the news is over and done. That ended in the late 90s with the Monica BS.
JLyons,
Don't you worry, if the poster *NotThatGeorge* [who for those that weren't here yesterday was unmasked as Sue/Ellie717] gives you ANY trouble there are plenty of us here that will come to your defense.
I stopped watching O'Reilly awhile ago & switched over to Olbermann. Though Keith isn't quite the pompous ass Bill is, I finally got fed up with his obvious bias as well. Now I watch neither.
These gangs that couldn't shoot straight that are being found & arrested before they can do harm may not be tied to the big boys [al Qaeda] but still pose a threat. Those that belittle or downplay these arrests as unimportant are kidding themselves. Even idiots can do a lot of damage if left to their own devices.
That said, I blame Bush for this attitude. During the 2004 election campaign the terror alert was elevated more than several times, leading many to believe it was all staged to keep Americans frightened.
You cry wolf too many times, people get complacent or suspicious or both.
Now On Topic: Beck tries to be funny. He rarely is. He wasn't here.
Exactly, I do not agree with JLyons on this one however I support J right to speech without being harrassed and personally attacked by Ellie/Sue/NotthatGeorge. As I stated I will no longer allow posters with honest disagreements to be verbally attacked on here and get away with it by Sue.
Solidarity forever against haters like Sue.
Haters like you, you mean.
I don't know if Sue was a hater or not, but I'm not.
I don't hate anyone. I hate behaviors, like your deceitful comments about your posting of a Olbermann-hating site, or like Doris' deceitful comments about her stance on Olbermann.
You're the one making unfounded personal attacks.
Sue
I think you have proven you are a hater. You engage in smear tactics similar to the FOX team. Your obsession with Olbermann and what people think of him is disturbing.
Sue
Please explain to me and the other posters if I made any comment on this thread, and why AGAIN you feel it is important to bring my name up on threads that I do not comment on? Am I that important to you?
i dont think it was downplayed i believe a high ranking new york police officer said these people did not have the capacity for such an attack it was all conjecture (spelling checks welcome) if anything it was hyped by sensationalist media
You could not have unmasked me.
You mean when you said that I had used the word numbskull and I then pointed out 21 other posters who had used the word numbskull?
Did you used to work for the Bush Administration proving that Saddam had WMD's?
You mean when you said that I had used the word numbskull and I then pointed out 21 other posters who had used the word numbskull?...by George/Sue/Ellie
So where's this *List*? You wrote you had such a *List* on the: UPDATED: The Hill called Jefferson "first lawmaker to be indicted since 2001 -- but DeLay was indicted in 2005" thread...BUT conveniently didn't leave any *List*
HERE'S WHAT YOU WROTE:
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I looked through several pages of posts that included the words numbskull or numbskulls. Here's a list of 21 different posters who used that. Ellie came up once, as did Sue. Several posters had multiple times they used those words. Are we all the same poster?
I don't know why some people would think that using a common insult like that would be restricted to only one poster here! Anyone who did that would be a..... numbskull!
- NotThatGeorge / Tuesday June 5, 2007 07:28:17 PM EST - Reply to this comment / Flag this comment
http://mediamatters.org/items/200706050001?offset=60&show=1#comments
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That's like me saying I have a Lamborghini in my garage, but won't show anyone. I'm just so sure everyone would just take my word for it. ::eye roll::
List aside, your writing style & personal attacks are vintage Sue/Ellie717.
Sue
If it were one or two posters who had an issue with you , you could claim you were being harrassed, but you have turned off countless posters with your personal attacks. You crossed the line with me when you attacked good progressives and attacked me as a Right Winger.
According to experts, this wasn't really a threat to America.
So, Olbermann agress with the experts, and you don't? You agree with the scare-merchants?
You said it. I didn't.
And you lied about me being Sue, too, but you likely did that because you have nothing if you don't have someone to bash!
So the NYPD and the FBI are engaged in scare merchant activities , is that the case Sue?The 3000 Americans who died on 9/11 including my sister were victims of scare merchants?
You Sue are disgusting, I let you get away with Bullying these boards in the past and stayed away becuase I was disgusted with the partisan hate that flies on these boards. Not any more.
Tell the victims on 9/11 that no threat is real. You and Olbermann can go around and play partisan politics with threats but I trust the police the NYPD which lost many men and women that day over you or a former Sports Broadcaster who treats women like dirt.
Chrm-chrm: He was pointing out that experts agreed with Olbermann. If the experts say that the recent story was no major threat (and I heard one of those experts on NPR) then maybe they're right.Remember that President Bush wants it to look like he is stopping terrorism, so that his tactics are justified. For this, it's convenient for people to think that there is more of a threat than there is. Sure, 9/11 was horrible, but since then, it's been pretty quiet in America, except for the occasional plost to bring down the sears tower without weapons (and the culprits were recruited by the CIA). Besides, FOX loves to scare people (as does most media--think of Bowling for Columbine).So NotGeorge has a point, and to pull out the emotions of 9/11 is not just misplaced, but patently unfair because he can't really argue against it without seeming heartless. But please, no one is saying it didn't happen!
Who are the experts?How dare you even mock JLyons personal loss.
There is an effort in America today by some media types to hype threats (FOX etc) NO DOUBT. However FOX was not the only one covering this event on Saturday, MSNBC (Home of Olbermann) hyped it as did CNN.
We are all stupid if we do not believe that there are people who want to kill us because we are Americans.
Olbermann and some posters on here want to make this a political issue, it is not. Did the 9/11 hijackers care if you were a Conservative or Liberal? No.
The threat may not have worked but it was a threat. Threats need to be reported, and people need to stay on the look out.
JLyons- Solidarity forever against haters, we have your back!!!!!!!
As more and more comes out about this "threat", it indeed looks less and less feasible. 2 of the 5 members turn out to be a drug addict and a homeless guy. When the mayor of the city says "Hold on, now..." maybe we ought to take a breath and think. KO will turn out to be correct on this.
Recall how those "gel/liquid" bomb threat turned out, remember? Impractical, and nearly impossible to produce anything dangerous, much less something that would 1) explode 2) create any sort of damage. And recall the "poisen pen" thing that FAUX Noise freaked out about. Total nonsense.
Not every threat needs to be treated as an imminent mushroom cloud, as this media has a tendency to do.
Listen, if we couldn't keep one dude with TB off a plane THAT WE KNEW ABOUT ahead of time, what makes you think we're any safer at all?
Constant, unrelenting fear is corrosive to the soul, and destructive to Freedom.
"The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself."
I was not mocking anyone. If it came across that way I apologize.
I will not reply to someone who does not know what I feel. Obviously you are biased .
I realize Beck uses his brand of humor for schtick affect, much the same as Limbaugh......but can't they broaden it to say for example, liberals, if they must, instead of personalizing against people they just don't like.
I also realize these people Beck and others skew are public people and that comes with their territory, but does their audience really laugh at this kind of stuff and somehow feel superior in some political sense - even if they absolutely despise Kucinich?
It's just not funny.
I am not a big fan of "Kucinich is funny-looking" jokes any more than I am of "Bush is dumb" or "Limbaugh takes Viagra" jokes.
If it's mean, it's mean. If you're mean to a mean person, what does that make you?
I don't know what picking on Kucinich makes Beck.
Plus Dennis did not lie and cause American troops and Iraqi civillians to die in the hundreds of thousands.
Yeah, and I'm all for breaking his balls about that. So if one is inclined, one could make fun of Kucinich's "Department of Peace" idea (which I personally support) and not his jug ears.
Kucinich is as far away from me politically as probably any candidate running.......but I respect a man/woman who stands by their principles and convictions as he does. He is not a phony, in my opinion, but a true liberal. I admire him.
You said it best, you can never attack him as being phony.
Consider the small minds of the people who criticize someone's looks because these same people are incapable of addressing the issues in an intelligent, thoughtful manner. Be glad you're not them, the poor lost mean spirited souls. And to think that they consider themselves adults!
Rush is a drug addict who harbors lots of hate, and I don't know who the other guy is, but he certainly doesn't sound "nice". However, Dennis Kucinich is in Congress, whereas the other two are just blow hards who contribute nothing to society. Another difference between Rush et al, and Kucinichis is that Kucinich is not a mean person. If anything, he is one of the nicest representatives we have in government. That's why he could never win, although the world would be a much better place if people would actually think about issues, as he does, instead of calling each other names.
Being dumb is relevant to whether one is qualified to be president and is fair game for criticism of anyone who aspires to that office.
Being a drug abuser is a choice people can make and similarly, fodder for criticism.
Being tall/short, attractive or not, etc., falls into neither of the above categories.
PS, sorry, I mean to add that taking Viagra, if prescribed for someone, certainly isn't drug abuse and whether it should be the subject of public scrutiny and criticism depends on the situation. In Limbaugh's case I think an argument can be made that it is fair game.
Well, looks like Beck's ratings continue to take a pummelling:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/the_scoreboard_monday_june_4_60409.asp
What happened to all that crap about the free market being sufficient to correct for poor unpopular shows? It sure don't look like it works that way...
I can see from the lack of defense that y'all no longer believe the free market works in regards to media. Explains why a loser like Beck, who's ratings are in the toilet, is now under consideration for another radio gig:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/07/washington-post-beck/#comments
Don't let that fairness doctrine bite ya in the @ss on the way out, dudes...
Yet another waste of media time on both Olbermann's and MMFA's part. Beck is an entertainer, not journalist. He simply said what millions of men and women say when they see a couplewith one attractive person and one unattractive person. Anna Nicole and the old guyis just one example. You know how it is... "sheeze... what's she doing with him? Must be rich or hung like a horse." "gawd... what's he doing with her? Must be rich, or she puts out like an ATM."
It's silly talk. Beck hasn't written a book called "so-and-so is a ig fat idiot" yet either. (Frankens' book is great, btw)
Keith needs to get off his high horse.
People talk like that in private amongst themselves. You can't compare bar humor to a nationally syndicated radio/TV show. How would you like it if i said your wife/girlfriend must be on drugs to be with you to your face?
I'd be kicking his bony little gibbons behind all over the place and I'd be justified doing it. Beck is like that school yard nerd who taunts you from the protection of his teacher's skirt. C'mon, Becky, you're gonna have to go home sometime...
in my work i see men and women that dont fit together in the eyes of the material pblic all the time but i have never thought that guy must be raping her thats a whole new low cannon
I laughed for 5 minutes at KO's expression at the end.
But, maybe that's just me.
Is it just me or did Keith say "Republican Congressman"? If I'm not entirely mistaken (chrm-chrm) Dennis is a democrat. Of course, he could have once been a republican, but his convictions seem a little too strong for that. Anyway, all Democrats should vote for him. This is the year they can vote their conscience, not the lesser of two evilsm since the dems should win no matter what--if they don't f*ck up the campaign but that's just as if not more likely to happen to any other Democratic candidate...
Yeah... (sic) after a word means - I don't know why - that there was an error that's bring knowingly reproduced.
As far as voting one's conscience - the primaries are still winner-take-all. If Kucinich doesn't win the nomination, then writing him in for President in November would almost certainly take votes away from the Democratic nominee.
Me, I'll vote Dem only if California's electoral votes are seriously in play. Otherwise, I'm sitting this one out.
Unless Kucinich is the nominee, of course.
Sic: not an acronym] Latin: thus; so (not a mistake and is to be read as it stands)
Now I know what that means. Of course, I didn't see that anyhow, as I simply viewed the segment, not actually taking the trouble to read the report ;-).
Anyway, if the democrats vote for him in the primary they still don't risk losing the election, so they should. Electability matters almost not at all this year, and Dennis may be more electable than others--if they frame it right which...*sigh*
Strange but I don't see Beck as ever having a sense of humor. He's just plain mean.
I was very impressed with Dennis, and even more so with his wife. What a babe and GOOD FOR HIM!!!Just shows intelligence, humor, and ambition can land you a hottie without looking like Matt or Ben.
Right on Dennis.
The Becky Boy is just jealous..as am I. Tall, thin redhead..Atta boy, Dennis.
The Becky boy probably hasn't seen the latest photo shoot of Dennis..Becky's mouth would water when he notices that Dennis used to be the BMOC. (sic 'em)
Becky, just leave or quit following in Rushs' wake.
Dennis Kucinich is a Democratic Congressman, not a Republican. Glenn Beck is an ass. Kucinich is my dream guy, and I'm a twenty four year old, not half-bad looking woman. For sixty, he is in really good shape. Hell, for forty he's in really good shape. He is also the hero our country desparatelty needs.
I don't believe you. He looks like a troll. What do you compare him to?
Where is the MMFA comments about Olbermann being a regular psycho. What days of the week does is he in analysis. If one truly believe he has much of worth to say, then they are as nuts as him. If it wasn't for Fox, little psycho would be out of a job. It must be sad and pathetic to hate as much as he does.