About us Login Get email updates
Quick Clip
Print

Newsweek's Alter: If not for coverage, "we might actually confuse what's going on [at town halls] with American public opinion"

August 06, 2009 10:28 pm ET

From the August 6 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player. If you are unable to install flash you can download a QuickTime version of the video.

EMBED
Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by eweston8542983 (August 06, 2009 11:29 pm ET)
         
      So its all over except for the shouting?
      I hope Mr. Alter is correct.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by ForTheLoveOfEllipsis... (August 07, 2009 12:29 am ET)
           
        No, unfortunately it just means that the shouting will get louder, with a few death threats thrown in, until someday some teabagger actually pulls a trigger...
        Report Abuse
        • Author by ForTheLoveOfEllipsis... (August 07, 2009 8:44 am ET)
             
          And with the news from Tampa of teabagging thugs trying to violently break into an already-full meeting, we move one step closer to that first shot...
          Report Abuse
          • Author by ForTheLoveOfEllipsis... (August 07, 2009 9:09 am ET)
               
            And you can absolutely bet that when the right-wing thugs fire the first shot, they will blame the Democrats for it. But no, the right is not at all like the Nazis who started World War II by sending thugs dressed in Polish army uniforms to shoot up a radio station, are they?...
            Report Abuse
            • Author by gwadsworth (August 07, 2009 10:24 am ET)
                 
              Ok if this is all phony outrage then how come only 39% of americans back obamacare? 52% oppose. Thats real numbers from real pollsters. Thats snobbish to think no one could possibly disagree with you. The numbers dont lie. Moderate dems dont even support obamacare. You have control in both houses. What are you waiting for? you have a filibuster proof majority. These town hall meetings shouldnt matter. You should be able to just pass it right along. Kinda like with the sotomayor thing. But on this you cant because the people have spoken. The majority doesnt want obamacare. Yes we want healthcare reform but not universal healthcare that is only paid for by the top tax bracket. Healthcare is a right. So is going to the movies. Doesnt mean its free. wake up.
              Report Abuse
    • Author by redfox9 (August 07, 2009 12:12 am ET)
         
      Answer this...why was Obama, Pelosi, Reid and all the liberals were so desperate to ram through the Healh Care Bill...which is neither about "health" or "care" before the recess? Because they knew that when our represntatives came home, what was waiting for them. It is a REAL GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENT...and those in congress who vote for this bill will not be returning to D.C. after the 2010 election. YES, THE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY. Doesn't it make any common sense to take the time to put together something constructive that will really help those without health care, rather than rush to vote "anything" that KING BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA places before his minions in Washington? He is using all kinds of fear tactics to take CONTROL of everything...and many items remind me of the way Hitler seized control...and by the way it appears that just like Hitler, Obama is a pathological narcasist. He has yet to to apologize for anything or to anybody including the professor or the police officer at the "stupid" Beer Summit...or the American people for sticking his nose into a local issue. And by the way...he loves himself so much that there is NOT a day that goes by that he isn't on TV. He is really making us sick. Finally, if he really wants the American people to know what the health care bill is about and answer our legitimate questions that affect one of the most significant and personal issues of our lives...our OWN HEALTH and the health of our loved ones...where is the TRANSPARNCY he promised us. He made so many promises he never intended to keep, it it simply an accurate statement to call him one of the biggest liars we have ever had as a President of this country. It is amazing how much damage he has done to the USA just since late January. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOW SWIFTLY HE HAS ACTED TO SEIZE SO MUCH POWER...IT IS BEYOND OVER-REACHING...IT APPEARS TO MANY OF US AS A BLOODLESS COUP. Many of us wish he would not apologize to the world for our nation. Mistakes we have made for sure...but most every humanitarian movement and organization in the world began right here in America....the Red Cross, etc.
      WE ARE REALLY SICK OF OBAMAS DECEPTION AND LIES AND ARE AFRAID OF WHAT OUR NATION WILL BECOME IN FOUR YEARS. FORGET ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AS NEARLY ANYONE WILL BE ABLE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012 AND BEAT THE FORMER SAVIOR AND MESSIAH...KING OBAMA.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by kydem09 (August 07, 2009 9:15 am ET)
         
      Alter and Olbermann want to dismiss these town hall attendees as crackpots and out of touch Americans. They ignore the fact that the polls show that more Americans disagree with Obama's health care reform proposals than agree with him. THAT'S what should derail the bill!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by moecephus (August 07, 2009 10:13 am ET)
         
      I love listening to Jonathan Alter. A calm voice of sanity above the shrill noise of politics as unusual. Has it ever been this crazy??
      Report Abuse