Olbermann named American Spectator's Tyrrell “Worst Person” runner-up for saying Limbaugh apologized

Written by Jeremy Holden

Published

During the October 4 edition of MSNBC's Countdown, host Keith Olbermann named American Spectator founder and editor-in-chief R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. the “runner-up” in his “Worst Person in the World” segment for, as Media Matters for America documented, asserting that Rush Limbaugh “already apologized” for his September 26 "phony soldiers" comments “in the event that he offended anyone.” As Media Matters noted, while Limbaugh apologized “to all of the members of the United States military, both in uniform and out, active duty and retired, for Media Matters for America,” he has not apologized for characterizing service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq as “phony soldiers.”

Olbermann said that “Emmett Tyrrell Jr., the editor-in-chief of the lunatic fringe publication American Spectator ... visited the Fox News whorehouse to defend comedian Rush Limbaugh in the 'phony soldier' cover-up, insisting that Limbaugh's, quote, 'already apologized in the event he offended anyone.' ” Olbermann continued: “No, what Limbaugh said was, 'Since you won't get an apology from Media Matters for America ... I want to apologize to you for them. ... I apologize to you on their behalf since they won't.' Now, to be fair, if Limbaugh had to apologize every time he made a mistake or uttered a horrific insult, he would have to be on the air 24 hours a day.”

From the October 4 edition of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann:

OLBERMANN: The runner-up tonight: Emmett Tyrrell Jr., the editor-in-chief of the lunatic fringe publication American Spectator, who visited the Fox News whorehouse to defend comedian Rush Limbaugh in the “phony soldiers” cover-up, insisting that Limbaugh's, quote, “already apologized in the event he offended anyone.” No, what Limbaugh said was, “Since you won't get an apology from Media Matters for America ... I want to apologize to you for them. ... I apologize to you on their behalf since they won't.” Now, to be fair, if Limbaugh had to apologize every time he made a mistake or uttered a horrific insult, he'd have to be on the air 24 hours a day. He'd probably have to take stimulants or -- oh, sorry.