Olbermann named Kristol "Worst Person" "runner-up," McCain and Hume the "winners"
On the March 24 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, Keith Olbermann named New York Times columnist William Kristol the "runner-up" and Sen. John McCain and Fox News' Brit Hume the "winners" in his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment.
On the March 24 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named New York Times columnist and Weekly Standard editor William Kristol the "runner-up" in his nightly "Worst Person in the World" segment for asserting on the March 23 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday that there are "no comparisons" between Sen. John McCain's association with televangelist John Hagee and Pastor Rod Parsley, who have both endorsed McCain for president, and Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. As Media Matters for America has noted, Hagee has made controversial statements about homosexuality, Islam, the Catholic Church, and women; furthermore, Parsley, in his book Silent No More (Charisma House, 2005), wrote that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion [Islam] destroyed."
Olbermann noted that "Hagee and Parsley each appeared with McCain at campaign events in the last two months." He also asserted: "We in the media have largely given McCain a big, fat pass about these nut bags of his." As Media Matters for America documented, contrary to Kristol's assertion that Hagee and Parsley are "just individuals who've endorsed Senator McCain," McCain embraced Hagee's endorsement, saying in a joint appearance with Hagee: "All I can tell you is I'm very proud to have Pastor Hagee's support." And in an interview with New York Times reporter Deborah Solomon, Hagee stated: "McCain's campaign sought my endorsement." Additionally, McCain reportedly called Parsley a "spiritual guide" during a Cincinnati campaign rally.
In addition, Olbermann named McCain and Fox News Washington managing editor Brit Hume the "winners" for McCain's admittedly false claim that "Al Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran" and Hume's assertion that the claim was "just a blip" and "kind of a senior moment."
From the March 24 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:
OLBERMANN: The runner-up, William Kristol of The New York Times, claiming there are no comparisons between Jeremiah Wright and Pastor Rod "destroy Islam" Parsley and Pastor John "the Catholic Church is the great whore" Hagee. Quoting Kristol, "[B]ecause these are just individuals who've endorsed Senator McCain. But leaving that aside, no, this would be like attacking Obama because random individuals in the Democratic Party have endorsed him."
Once again, Bill, you can't take 45 percent of the facts and call them truth. Hagee and Parsley each appeared with McCain at campaign events in the last two months. And Hagee didn't just endorse McCain; Hagee says McCain solicited his endorsement. And after it, McCain said he was very honored, very proud of the endorsement.
We in the media have largely given McCain a big, fat pass about these nut bags of his.
But our winners tonight, Senator McCain and one of his press spokesmen, Brit Hume of Fixed News. After McCain four times said Iran was training Al Qaeda for missions in Iraq, then was corrected by Senator Lieberman , then said not Al Qaeda, extremists, then went the next day back to saying it was Al Qaeda, not just extremists. Spokesman Hume said, "It's probably just a blip. The feeling was not that he's a dope, didn't know his way around. He might have had a senior moment there."
So taking your best-case scenario there, you want we should elect a guy who has senior moments about starting wars? These are my choices? He's a dope, he's a liar, or he has senior moments? Senator McCain and his press spokesman Brit Hume of Fox: today's "Worst Persons in the World."
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Why not take advantage if someone else is already doing your work for you? Didn't you ever copy a friends homework in school? Cheating, it beats work.
Media Matters covers many people and news sources who echo reports from Media Matters. They've done it countless times.
Here's one example
http://mediamatters.org/items/200803210013?f=s_search
ABC News corrects its false claim that McCain released tax returns
All Media Matters did here is provide a link to another source that agreed with their take on a item of misinformation.
Here's another
http://mediamatters.org/items/200803050002?f=s_search
Olbermann to Matthews "Especially you should distance yourself as far as you can from the word 'Bitch'"
This is not an example of conservative misinformation, but is an example of another media source echoing something that Media Matters has said.
Here's another example
http://mediamatters.org/items/200801200006?f=s_search
MSNBC's Shuster: "[C]able-news organization that rhymes with 'clocks' " distorted Bill Clinton's exchange with reporter
Media Matters covered this commentary from David Shuster back in January when he highlighted the lowlifes at Fox. This was not an example of conservative misinformation. It was another media source covering the same story that Media Matters had covered.
They have a history of doing this.
I defended MMFA's Worst Person In The World items all the way up to the point where MMFA passed on the opportunity to criticize Olbermann for his take on Hillary Clinton's response to the question of Obama being a Muslim. This was something that MMFA was absolutely belaboring every time someone in the media so much as sneezed.
MMFA had an opportunity to show their most hardened critics that they have no allegiance to Keith Olbermann or anyone in the media, and they blew it.
You're missing the forest for the trees here.
The fact that Olbermann is not perfect (either in your eyes or in reality) really doesn't have any relevance.
As I clearly explained, Media Matters covers others when those other media sources echo what Media Matters said. I included an example from David Shuster.
It really doesn't change the point of this posting if Keith Olbermann didn't get dissed for his Hillary comments that you found so offensive. No one is perfect. Good people do bad things, and if you think that we cannot recognize the good things that imperfect people do, then you need to really examine how you evaluate people. Your current methods are not fair.
"As I clearly explained, Media Matters covers others when those other media sources echo what Media Matters said."
I used to defend every WPITW item from the ire of the WITH Patrol with this exact sentiment. Go ahead and Google my tag and mediamatters.org, you'll see my history speaks for itself. Since MMFA neglected Kieth's Special Comment, I will defend the WPITW items no more.
"It really doesn't change the point of this posting if Keith Olbermann didn't get dissed for his Hillary comments that you found so offensive."
The point of this posting really doesn't change my assessment MMFA's alleged allegiance to Olbermann, which I clearly laid out my basis for. I did not find Olbermann's comment nearly as offensive as I did MMFA's refusal to criticize him for it. After being such a long-standing defender of MMFA's work and the WPITW items, I found it insulting.
"No one is perfect. Good people do bad things"
MMFA's existence banks on people doing "bad things," and their mission statement makes little distinction in terms of who they criticize, only that they do "bad things" in the media. I believe they are loopholing their mission statement by refusing to criticize someone that does the exact same "bad thing" that MMFA has criticized countless others for. There is no doubt that MMFA watches Keith Olbermann intently, and they blew their opportunity to clearly show that they are not allied with him in any way.
Their failure to point out his (offensive to you) comments does not invalidate other commentary he makes.
It's that failure on your part that I am pointing out. For some reason, because there has been one glaring error in your estimation, you assume that everything from now on is invalid. That's black and white thinking and is totally illogical and unsupportable. I tried to explain that to you, but you are so stuck that you cannot recognize your own failing logic. That's your problem.
Why would Olbermann need to come HERE to see politicians and other media figures making fools of themselves? They do it in PUBLIC, for all to see, and the double-standard/irony is obvious to thinking persons.
It's no more surprising than two paparazzi covering Brittney Spears coming up with pictures of Brittney Spears; they didnt' NEED each other to get the shots -- THEY'RE COVERING THE SAME BEAT.
"I hope Obama makes him his press secretary."
I second the nomination.
Obermann's stock varies to the posters.
I'm glad he did this one. Though I don't see him, I'm glad he's here, usually.
who died and gave ko the right to pick the worst people. such an exaggerated sense of self importance. i like chris, but ko leaves me cold. he's so angry and negative.
Obviously, no one died, and KO has the right to say what he wants on his show. And, as opposed to OxyLimbaugh or Doctor Weiner, he corrects his mistakes.
I know why Oxy, Wiener, et al don't correct their mistakes. They make so many and are so constantly wrong their programs would have no more content.
of course, ko can say whatever he wants. i just don't want to hear it.
btw, how are the imus ratings since he returned?
No one's making you watch his show or click on the links that show the clips.
Or are they?
Savage would mop the floor with Olberwoman.
Hardly. Hotheads like Savage and the equally useless Mark Levin simply yell louder when they find themselves on the losing end of an argumnent. Hopefully, they'll both wind up with coronaries - the would would be a far better place without both of them.
I had to laugh while I was listening to Mark Levin on my way home from work last night. He was having one of his "capitalism is best" arguments with a caller who identified himself as a "Troskyite". Levin started equating communism with fascism - the caller told him that communism and fascism were diametrically opposed. Levin shouted him down, saying that fascism involves government control of business - just like under communism. And they both have dictators.
He's supposedly an educated man, but every time Mark Levin opens his piehole, he sounds more and more stupid.
It's called satire you dolt! If you had a sense of humor, you'd recognize that exageration is often an essential part of humor]\.
Otherwise Osama Bin Laden, or Kim jong Il, or Robert Mugave (etc...) would be the "Worst Person in the World." I might be truer, but it doesn't make for very enteraining or even informative television.
Don't hate on Keith just because he points out Conservative Hypocrasy (which is about as easy as putting on a hat) in a thoughtful, ACCURATE, bitingly witty and satirical, not to mention downright entertaining way. Or that's it's in his contract that he can't name NBC employees (other than himself) as "worst persons." (The man's gotta keep his job after all.)
Why is OLbermann still on the air? He has put his foot in his mouth so many times that he's getting treadmarks on his tongue. He has been discredited to the nth degre and there are plenty of video examples of his blatant mistakes and complete disregard for something called research or fact checking. You ay not like Al Franken, but at least he has people check stuff out before he speaks or writes about something.
Olbermann is as far from a journalist as you can get. He is an insult to people that actually know how to research and report legitimate news.
I don't know about that. But he is clearly biased against Hillary Clinton, and he likes to beat up attractive, sexually active young girls on his show, too. He calls them "sluts" and "tramps" as well.
My favorite KO moment recently was a week ago, when he spent almost a full hour indignantly reporting the Obama passport breach.
But the next day-- when news came out that both Hillary and McCain had had their files breached as well, he spent a bare minimum on this revelation.
His inconsistency was hilarious.
Do I have to seperate you two all the time ?
Jeez, one bridge one troll
Why did Olbermann spend almost a full hour reporting the Obama passport breach, but the next day glossed over the same problem when news leaked that it happend to both Hillary and McCain?
Do you guys honestly think that MSNBC and Olbermann don't play favorites? If so, you're the only ones.
I mean, you won't even accept that? That MSNBC pumps for Obama, and slams Hillary whenever they can?
No, that would be just about any well know RIGHTWING (self-proclaimed) "Journalist" these days. (Or "Columnist, Analyst, etc...)
How you can say that KO is anywhere near as incosistany, hypocritical or factually careless as the people he criticises is beyond me. It's sheer lunacy.
Why is OLbermann still on the air? He has put his foot in his mouth so many times that he's getting treadmarks on his tongue. He has been discredited to the nth degre and there are plenty of video examples of his blatant mistakes and complete disregard for something called research or fact checking. You ay not like Al Franken, but at least he has people check stuff out before he speaks or writes about something.
Olbermann is as far from a journalist as you can get. He is an insult to people that actually know how to research and report legitimate news. Cannonball
Why is that people like you think that you can make claims like you do above and not provide a shred of evidence on a site like that which holds itself to the standard that every claim it makes is backed up by evidence?
He has made errors. He's human, after all. Much of the time when he makes on the air mistakes, he publicly corrects those mistakes. You could not provide evidence to back up your allegations above, so you are only namecalling without cause.
okay, i admit, tonight was the first time i saw ko's worst person segment. about three minutes ago.
now, why doesn't he choose robert mugabe, prez of zimbabwe. he has had 9mm ballots, i think that's right, for an actual voting public of less than three million. the country has confiscated property, primarily from white farmers, killed thousands of political opponents, and is running an inflationary rate of 150,000% (that is no typo).
why is he not the worst person.
maybe tomorrow. There's so much competition. Call him up and tell him he needs to do some new atrocity to get the media's attension. That may help. There's people in Dufor, China, and North Korea giving good competition.
The Worst Person in the World is an award that is not entirely serious about covering the whole world. Or MSNBC even.
Actually mm is often used to represent million. That is what we always used in finance at least, because historically m and not K was 1000 (mille). That means that mm is a thousand thousand which is important to spell out so there is no confusion.
And now you know. ;)
Keith Olberman is the "Worst Person in The World". Get your facts straight.
If he doesn't disparage Fox News in his puny broadcast he isn't doing his job.
Get a Grip
It's been well documented that KO is getting-- let's say-- a little tedious. Check out Daily Howler on this.
Only rabid Obama supporters refuse to see that KO has some problems there.
His job requires having the gall to call people out. He's the media's counterbalance to O'Lielly.
The key here is that he is quick to apologize. As for his being "sexist" I gotta say I think he just has a general disregard for Hillary's character, which is pretty common (and no, I'm not slamming her).
Loved the idea of Olbermann being Obama's Press Secretary. I always felt sorry for Bush's, having to go out there in front of everybody telling falsehoods every day.
If you don't like KO, then go back to BO.
Olbermann is angry and negative because there is a LOT to be angry and negative ABOUT! As previously stated, my helplessness is a bit relieved when I see SOMEONE voice ANGER for ME! I have seen Keith step over the line, but not very often. And when he makes a mistake, he is a MAN about it. Let's put it this way: the guy has BALLS. Who else does? If you are an extreme Bushite and buy into this mean-spirited and dishonest administration's every silly statement, of COURSE you are going to dislike Olbermann. Media Matters must drive you NUTS. Good.
In fact they appreciate it when others try to promote the same mission they are promoting.
Only a fool would claim 'ownership' of the truth, and refuse to allow others to disseminate the truth. That must be why you thought they would object to it - because you are a fool.
At least Hume is admitting that Great Great Gramps McSame is having 'Senior Moments." That should have been the headline.
Great Great Grampaw McSame having Senior Moments while campaigning for President.