Olbermann awarded Rivera, Gibson "Worst Person" honors: Rivera for smearing Kerry, Gibson for falsehood about human-rights groups
SUMMARY: Keith Olbermann handed out his nightly "Worst Person in the World" awards, with Geraldo Rivera receiving runner-up honors, behind Saddam Hussein, for saying that "in the last 35 years, I've seen a hell of a lot more combat" than Sen. John Kerry. John Gibson was awarded third place for claiming that "human-rights groups" hadn't "sa[id] a word" about reports that two U.S. soldiers had been brutally tortured and murdered.
On the June 23 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann handed out his nightly "Worst Person in the World" awards, with Fox News host Geraldo Rivera receiving runner-up recognition, behind Saddam Hussein, for saying, as Media Matters for America detailed, that "in the last 35 years, I've seen a hell of a lot more combat" than Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). Rivera added that Kerry's amendment to redeploy U.S. troops from Iraq by July 2007 "only aids and abets the enemy." Olbermann awarded third place to Fox News host John Gibson for falsely claiming, as Media Matters also documented, that "human-rights groups" hadn't "sa[id] a word" about reports that two U.S. soldiers had been brutally tortured and murdered by an insurgent group in Iraq.
Olbermann noted that the competition was "close" but that both Gibson and Rivera lost the "Worst Person" award to Saddam for staging a pseudo-hunger strike that only "lasted a lunchtime."
From the June 23 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:
OLBERMANN: The bronze goes to rapidly deteriorating John Gibson of Fox News. This past Wednesday night [June 21], after the atrocities in Iraq, "Gibby" lambasted Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for not condemning the torturing and murder of Privates Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca. Except, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had both issued exactly the kind of condemnations on Wednesday morning that John then called for Wednesday night.
The runner up, his colleague, Geraldo Rivera, blasting John Kerry for talking about withdrawal from Iraq, saying Kerry was aiding and abetting the enemy. "In the last 35 years," Geraldo barked, "I've seen a hell of a lot more combat than John Kerry." Mr. Rivera, let's leave your personal and work relationships out of this.
But the winner -- and it was close -- Saddam Hussein. Remember that hunger strike he and seven co-defendants went on, the one to protest the killing of one of his lawyers? He and the other seven refused lunch last Thursday [June 22], but they ate dinner and every meal since. That's a hunger strike that lasted a lunchtime.
he should have just gone on vacation like ours does!
And in thirty-five years, I bet Geraldo has given away a hell of lot more classified information on live television than Kerry ever did.
And why does Gibson hate humanity?
I think it's a pre-employment requirement at Fox that you hate humanity.
Thanks for including Saddam in your list, Mr. Olbermann. So much for the idea that dissenters are terrorist sympathizers.
by combat Geraldo meant he had more experience with the ladies than John Kerry.
Maybe KO should have labeled Kerry the "Worst Person In the World" for this 2003 statements:
In fact, I fear that in the run-up to the 2004 election, the administration is considering what is tantamount to a cut-and-run strategy. Their sudden embrace of accelerated Iraqification and American troop withdrawal dates, without adequate stability, is an invitation to failure. The hard work of rebuilding Iraq must not be dictated by the schedule of the next American election.
I have called for the administration to transfer sovereignty, and they must transfer it to the Iraqi people as quickly as circumstances permit. But it would be a disaster and a disgraceful betrayal of principle to speed up the process simply to lay the groundwork for a politically expedient withdrawal of American troops. That could risk the hijacking of Iraq by terrorist groups and former Ba'athists. Security and political stability cannot be divorced. Security must come first, and that is why it is so imperative to succeed in building a genuine coalition on the ground in Iraq.
Is that the best you can do? I should say, at least a couple of things have happened in the past two years. Sure, the war your president started under false pretenses wages on. But after three years with virtually no congressional oversight, it's about time somebody asks King George how this is all going to end. Remember the looting in 2003? Not enough troops on the ground? Yet George seemed ready then to dump the whole thing into the laps of the totally defeated and scattered Iraqis as quickly as possible. That would have been extremely stupid (and God knows, the Bush ad. got everything else so right)! King George didn't do that, thankfully. But do you mean to say that my grandson (due this week) might end up fighting this quagmire? It's time for congress to seriously debate this issue, even it the razor-thin majority refuses to do its job.
Not only will our grandchildren be fighting this war, but they'll also be picking up the tab. Debate is long overdue, but debate is not possible when anyone who disagrees is a traitor, anyone who questions is playing into the hands of our enemies, and anyone who has served in the past is a coward.
We need a lot fewer slogans and a lot more answers from Rove INC.
Your grandson won't be fighting in the Iraq conflict unless they start drafting 2-year-olds.
He will be fighting the war on terror against radical muslims if you appeasers have your way. That is the long term war and a victory in Iraq will help keep your grandson at home chasing chicks when he's 18.
If you I want to get as many Americans as possible killed warmongers have YOUR way
What does 'victory' mean to such a keen political/military analyst like yourself? What does it mean to you? Some nebulous 'beat the terrorists' end-point? Not with human life... that's the problem. This ain't no video game. Hey, they just raised the age limit for folks who can join the military. I'll bet you can make it! Good luck to you... you should be in Iraq protecting contractors in no time.
We'll be fighting a smarter, tougher, less expensive and more effective war against extremist organizations, starting with those in Afghanistan. Remember that place?
I wish the idealouges would drop that phrase. It stopped being a war against the terrorists who attacked us the moment an American boot touched dirt in Iraq.
please note that Kerry's statement was made in 2003; three years ago. How many more years does "Stay the Course" entail?
C'mon man, can't you see that Olbermann is just joking? He's making fun of the stupid things conservatives and other idiots say and do in public. It's all in good fun (in contrast to Ann Coulter's little jokes that are downright vicious and hateful). Ya gotta lighten up, my friend. Plato
You see, these guys only understand 'sarcasm' if it's a RIGHT wing 'pundit' doing the talking. Funny how that works.
It's only funny to the right wing if it comes at the expense of someone who's poor and isn't white.
Why is Olberman obsessed with Fox News? Is it because he is jealous of their superior ratings? Why does he engage in this hate speech?
And, furthermore, stay the course, don't cut & run, support the troops, why do liberals hate America, 9/11, & what about Bill Clinton?
it must be a Neocon Holiday. I miss the "Talking Points" also.
"but dumber than a suitcase of rocks."