Olbermann again named Limbaugh “today's worst person in the world,” Bozell “a very close second”

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

On August 19, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann pronounced nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh “once again, today's worst person in the world” for saying on his August 15 radio show -- and subsequently denying having said -- that “Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's real.” Olbermann also took issue with the following statement, which Limbaugh made on August 16: “I'm weary, ladies and gentlemen, of even having to express sympathy. 'Oh, she lost her son' -- well, yes. Yes. Yes. But you know, this is [sigh] -- aaah. We all lose things.” Olbermann named Media Research Center (MRC) president L. Brent Bozell III “a very close second” after the MRC accused Olbermann, in naming Limbaugh “worst person in the world” on his August 17 program, of distorting Limbaugh's August 15 statement.

It should be noted that while Olbermann observed that Limbaugh's statement comparing Sheehan to Burkett was “mysteriously scrubbed off” of his website, the quote is, in fact, still available. It can be found in Limbaugh's show archives, available to paying members of Limbaugh's Rush 24/7 service.

From the August 19 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: But first, time for Countdown's list of today's nominees to the coveted title of worst person in the world. There's just two tonight.

A very close second, Brent Bozell. Yeah, the wacky guy from that Media Research Center scam accused me of distortion for having said that Rush Limbaugh had said on air, quote, “Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's real.” The only person distorting, as usual, is Bozell. Limbaugh said it on the air on August 15. We have the transcript. Nothing in the transcript mitigates what he said. I'll put it online over the weekend.

So, Bozell is close, but the winner is Limbaugh for saying, “I never said this,” when, of course, he sure did, especially considering the line comparing Sheehan to Burkett was a featured quote on his website for his paying subscribers, until it was mysteriously scrubbed off.

And having now added about Sheehan's dead son, quote: “I'm weary of even having to express sympathy. We all lose things.” Like your career, Rush. You're finished. Credibility spent. Get lost.

Rush Limbaugh, once again, today's worst person in the world.