MSNBC's Abrams: Olbermann may become a model for the newscast of the future.

[Kadie]

Olbermann taps a well of discontent as the anti-O'Reilly
C.W. Nevius

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Keith Olbermann just needed to find his voice. He'd been a droll sportscaster, a serious news anchor and a bickering critic of Fox News host Bill O'Reilly. But none of those personas really clicked.

Then he found one. A little over a year ago, as the White House fumbled and botched the Hurricane Katrina recovery, Olbermann finally blew up.

He concluded a broadcast of his MSNBC cable news show, "Countdown,'' with an indignant rant in the rat-a-tat-tat cadence of his idol, Edward R. Murrow. He called it a "Special Comment.''

And just like that, Olbermann found his voice -- the angry everyman. He became a liberal counterpoint to conservative media ranters like O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, and an Internet star, too.

The result has been a cultural earthquake

snip...
"I think,'' says MSNBC General Manager Dan Abrams, "that Keith Olbermann may become a model for the newscast of the future.''

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/12/MNGV9MB4681.DTL

[I Have A Dream]

1. I love the thought of this so much that I just HAVE to RECOMMEND it!

:applause:

[Greeby]

2. Here's hoping

:toast:

[malaise]

3. And I followed Countdown from Day one

Go KO! You're the best :yourock: :yourock:

[johnfunk]

28. APJ's rave review of the debut of Countdown 3 years ago got me hooked...

They nailed it from day one...

Pundit Pap Special!
Olbermann's Must-See TV
by Dash Riprock

April 1, 2003 -- MOLINE (apj.us) -- MSNBC is exhibit A in the case of just how perverted and misguided cable news has become.

...

[N]ow that the network is absolutely dominated by hosts ranging from conservative to WAY conservative, they decided to replace Phil with Keith Olbermann.

And based on the debut show, they might have accidentally done something right.

Very right.

Olbermann has never been a liberal or conservative, but rather an intelligent talking head -- something so rare as to be almost unrecognizable when one appears. And this, of course, means that knuckle-dragging, know-nothing conservatives will be in full froth, since he tends to point out stupidity when he sees it. Since conservatives and their sainted deceiver-in-chief seem to have that market cornered these days, they're sure to go ballistic.

But Olbermann will be damn hard to pigeon-hole and demean.

...

If this first effort is any gauge, Olbermann's "Countdown" (MSNBC, Monday through Friday, 8:00 PM Eastern) could turn out to be the best daily news show to catch.

How right they were...

[jbnow]

55. I was so happy when he came back

I didn't blame him for leaving when it was ALL MONICA, ALL THE TIME on cable news, but I missed that witty, sarcastic intelligence.

[Mr_Spock]

4. I love this acknowledgment of his success

It looks like Keith is gonna be around for a while - alright! :D

[W.E.B. Du Bois]

5. Yeah, Olberman is pretty funny

A lot more fun than the No Spin Zone.

My only problem is that I have no idea which stories are coming in what order during the show. I do find the "Worst Person in the World" to be amusing though.

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. You probably know already, but for the benefit of those who don't...

People can subscribe to a free email newsletter for Countdown. Here's an example from November 6. I'll give the complete text of the email. You'll find subscription info in it near the end.

From: [e-mail]
Subject: ELECTION EVE !!!
Date: November 6, 2006 1:11:26 PM EST
To: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]

------------------------------------------------------
Tonight on Countdown
------------------------------------------------------


Don't forget: MSNBC's wall-to-wall coverage continues tomorrow, Election Day, and then comes the not to be missed event: Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews hosting election results from 6 pm until 6 am.

The full bench of NBC and MSNBC will be there.

Vote, have dinner, pop the popcorn and settle in!

---------------------------

Tonight on Countdown....

A one-time Pentagon adviser, staunch neoconservative and one of the original architects of the war on Iraq, admitted that the Bush administration has turned the situation in the war-ravaged country and U.S. policy on Iraq into a disaster. Richard Perle, who in the early days of the Bush administration chaired a Pentagon advisory committee that was instrumental in convincing the president for the need to invade Iraq, told Vanity Fair magazine if he had been able to see how the war would turn out, he probably would not have pushed for the removal of Saddam Hussein. http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20061105-043336-3805r

President Bush and politicians from both parties hailed the conviction of Saddam Hussein on Sunday but disagreed on its larger meaning as campaign strategists tried to gauge the political impact just 48 hours before hard-fought midterm elections. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15582943/

Baghdad and two restive Sunni provinces were locked under 24-hour curfew Monday in the wake of Saddam Hussein's death sentence for crimes against humanity, and officials said the clampdown would continue indefinitely. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15585751/

Just days from the midterm elections, the final round of MSNBC/McClatchy polls shows a tightening race to the finish in the battle for control of the U.S. Senate. Democrats are leading in several races that could result in party pickups, but Republicans have narrowed the gap in other close races, according to Mason-Dixon polls in 12 states. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15547023/

With the control of the House of Representatives very much in question, NEWSWEEK focuses on 25 key races that could decide which party wins the majority. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15562519/site/newsweek/

Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann broadcasts LIVE at 8 pm et, and the count is never complete without you. Join us.

The Democratic Push, now in the home stretch: Howard Dean joins us.

Investigators: Political Phone Messages May Be Illegal In N.H. It turns out that some of the political phone messages Granite Staters are receiving as Election Day nears may be illegal. The issue revolves around the national Do Not Call registry. A homeowner in Hillsboro received the same message several times in one day. It began by stating it had information about Paul Hodes, the Democratic challenger for the 2nd Congressional District. After a few seconds, the ad turns on the attack. It isn't until the end that you find out it was sponsored by the Republican National Congressional Committee. Violating the state law for the Do Not Call registry can be punishable by fines of up to $5,000. http://www.wmur.com/news/10239713/detail.html

Members of the New Life Church were stunned and brought to tears by the Rev. Ted Haggard's confessions of "sexual immorality," then accepted his plea for forgiveness with open arms. Haggard, who had been a leading evangelist and vocal opponent of gay marriage, apologized Sunday in a letter read from the pulpit of the 14,000-member church he founded. "The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality. And I take responsibility for the entire problem," Haggard wrote. "I am a deceiver and a liar. There's a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15588371/

That's some of what we're planning for tonight's show.

Get excited for the big day!

-- Carey Fox

Countdown Home: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

Other News:
New national data show school bus-related accidents send 17,000 U.S. children to emergency rooms each year, more than double the number in previous estimates that only included crashes. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15581273/

World tourism demand will cool slightly next year but still record a third straight year of healthy growth as travelers become less wary of threats like terrorism, the World Tourism Organization said on Monday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15589108/

China has an obesity problem. Newly rich China, where the wealth gap is expanding year by year, has more than double as many obese people as it has people living in abject poverty, Xinhua news agency said on Monday. The government figures about 60 million of its citizens are obese. That's the equivalent of the entire population of France. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15588280/

The legendary aircraft carrier USS Intrepid got stuck in the deep Hudson River mud Monday as powerful tugboats fought to pull it free to tow the floating museum downriver for a $60 million overhaul. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11125865/

A maritime warning has been issued after about 100 icebergs were spotted south of New Zealand, some floating in a major ocean shipping lane, officials said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15588698/

Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, who made headlines for her vast shoe collection, is embarking on a new project - a fashion line. Marcos became notorious for her shopping trips to ritzy shops in New York while her country wallowed in poverty under martial law declared by her husband. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15588375/

=========================================
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[Patsy Stone]

25. Hi, Hope!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

:toast:

[Nothing Without Hope]

35. hey, Patsy!!! It is, indeed a beautiful day.

I do think Keith's "Special Comments" and his actual reporting of news (as opposed to what happens at other "news" networks) helped to spread enough of the truth to tip the power balance in Congress.

Let's hope he's all over what is happening now, with Poppy's old Iran/Contra criminals stepping into Dim Son's mess. They're just as bad, but sneakier and smarter.

Good to see you! :hug:

:toast: TTTB

(For those who don't know, I've explained the KOEB official toast, "TTTB" in a post upthread)

[Patsy Stone]

71. TTTB!

Daddy's crew is unsettling to say the least, but, in some strange way, it seems somehow better. At least they aren't in control of Congress this time, and they've already divided up the money anyway. It's just that now the main players are center stage instead of behind the curtain. How could it really get any worse over there anyway?

Okay, don't answer that. :)

[SharonRB]

62. Hey, Pats

I'm finally starting to feel the wave of euphoria today, now that I'm feeling better.

[Patsy Stone]

69. I'm so glad!

I'm still adjusting to waking up in the morning and finding things like I left them when I went to bed.

:hi:

[SaveAmerica]

85. Can I tell you guys about the peace Keith gives me?

It's been a while since I've been able to read or check in with the KO forum, I've been running around like a chicken/head cut off working on our local campaigns and even at night when I tried to watch Countdown I would be so tired I could not stay awake for the only program I'd make time for. I have become so accustomed to Keith getting the news that is important out, I would not freak at falling asleep 10 minutes into the show. It gave me peace to know that while I was busy doing what needed to be done on the ground, the news that had to get out there was not only being told but being told thoroughly (full clips that didn't chop up comments to give them another meaning, etc.) That peaceful feeling I have that I'm not swimming against a current of lies in the media is priceless and I give credit to Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Patsy, it's been so long since I've checked into KO Forum that the last time I was there you were using the picture with the missing square. Thanks so the KOEB for getting the word out!!!

[ronnykmarshall]

136. The first thing for you Pats ..

is to figure out who's that lump next to you in the bed.

Eddie (calling Pats on the phone): Pats? Who's this? Where's Patsy? Well turn her over tell what she looks like. Oh Pats it is you.

[Missy Vixen]

143. Things are better, aren't they?

>I'm still adjusting to waking up in the morning and finding things like I left them when I went to bed.<

I'm still amazed that I wake up in the morning happy instead of feeling the dread in the pit of my stomach -- what happened overnight when I dared to close my eyes for a few hours?

I feel hope for the first time in six years. I feel that change is, finally, possible.

We owe Keith Olbermann and his "Special Comments" an incalculable debt. I firmly believe his courage caused millions to finally awake.

Julie
president for life of the PFEB, honorary member of the KOEB

[PegDAC]

100. Where, oh, where

can I officially sign on to the KEOB?

[Nothing Without Hope]

109. Here's the KOEB group:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=315

All are welcome, including the estrogen-challenged ;)

[PegDAC]

142. Alas and alack!

I can read, but not post, for I am SO broke!
:cry:

[Arugula Latte]

6. Gee, MSNBC, your panel shows with 4-neocons-and-a-moderate aren't the future?

:eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

12. Right. David Broder as the 'liberal' is a crock. nt

[Cha]

65. We shall see! ONE Olbermann knocks

out 4 neocons..or more.

[The Count]

7. Nothing works as well as sucess! Had we lost, he'd have been cancelled.

I have no doubt!

[Exiled in America]

139. that has nothing to do with it.

He would have been / will be cancelled when he doesn't draw ratings. Nothing more, nothing less than that.

Right now he's drawing in ratings, and that didn't change and wouldn't have changed november 7th regardless of the outcome.

[UTUSN]

8. Well alRIGHT, Dan. You had me worried for awhile. Stil do, actually. n/t

[Patsy Stone]

9. K&R

For Keith! :loveya:

[Coexist]

10. K&R

[rzemanfl]

11. It almost seems as though he has been reading those e-mails

I have been sending him after every special comment since "Louisiana is a city under water." K&R.

[johnaries]

17. Oh, I know the reads the emails, and DU too. Thank the KOEB

The Keith Olbermann Estrogen Brigade which formed here on DU when KO was the only one reporting on 2004 Election Fraud.

The KOEB bought him a tie, and he wore it on the next show. A clear indication of "message received, and thank you." Some of his reports were almost straight out of DU. Ask Ms. Patsy Stone, she was a founding member.

If nothing else, I'm sure he got a kick out of the "floaty-heart" threads.

Oh, yeah - K&R for KO!

[Patsy Stone]

24. Okay...

You made me blush. There were lots of people involved besides me, but I'm always happy to see more converts.

Next on the agenda: get him to sit on those jacket tails. Then I could die happy. :)

John? :loveya:

[WolverineDG]

26. I remember that one night you yelled that at him

and they came back from commercials & he was doing just that! :rofl:

dg

[Clark2008]

70. Remember those days?

The KOEB smack in the middle of the Election forum every night. We finally had to ask for our own space.

:hug: Patsy!

[Patsy Stone]

74. That's because Keith was the only one covering Ohio

:loveya: for caring, KO.

Do you realze we've already chalked up 65,400 messages? Wowwwee.

:hi:, Clark!

[flyarm]

93. Yep and i remember too ..and when he went off on bev harris

and her lying ass!!

he was really the one who outed her along with Randi Rhodes

Keith was great on the news in LA and on espn..but he has found his niche..and his power and his love of being a real journalist ..he is a brilliant man!!

And a man with incredible integrity...he can't be bought or owned!!


hi girls!!! from KOEB and guys..

i got my 1000 th post with KOEB!!

ilove you all!!

fly

;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)


:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

woooo hoooo we love KO!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

33. yes, the saga of The Tie is legend. After an online contest here at DU to

choose which of several candidate ties would be best for Keith's gestalt, the winner was purchased and delivered to Keith. We eagerly awaited his response, hoping that some time, maybe weeks later, he might wear the tie. (A tongue-in-cheek critique of his wardrobe on each show, especially his ties, was part of the nightly KOEB Countdown liveblog tradition from the start.) To our astonished delight, he wore it right away. We were blown away and the flurries of floaty-hearts were thick indeed.

Great fun, and it did help spread the word around DU - and beyond - about Keith's important work.

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

By the way, The Tie is one of the reasons (a second referring to standing together to fight for good ... and another being rather naughty, which is another KOEB story) that the official toast of the KOEB is

To The Ties That Bind!!!

:toast:

[Berry Cool]

44. Unfortunately, those were the good old days.

He's as much as admitted he doesn't read his emails anymore. Certain parties spoiled it for everyone else. (And no, I don't mean DU'ers.) And he definitely doesn't reply to them the way he used to.

Anyway, my feeling is this. Someday, Keith will be looked on the way Murrow is looked on today. There may even be a movie about him. And then the hindsighted naysayers will come out of the woodwork just like they did after Good Night and Good Luck, saying that he wasn't REALLY that big of an influence, that Rumsfeld had one foot out the door before Keith ever criticized him, that the country would have voted Democrat in this election anyway because the tide was just turning on its own, that MSNBC didn't have that much in the way of ratings, yadda yadda. Also, that Keith had the full support of his management and thus wasn't being really "brave" by saying the things he did or taking any risks.

They will ignore that Keith spoke effectively and eloquently to those feeling the wave of public discontent that began with the stolen 2004 election, Terri Schiavo and Katrina, and kept building and building over the final years of the * administration until it became a majority opinion that could not be silenced. That in these years in which swiftboating is the order of the day, anything and everything Keith has said has been grabbed, bent and twisted by his political enemies, who have used every tool they can think of to discredit, belittle and demean him and get him off the air.

Has he taken risks? You bet. Has he changed people? Absolutely.

Let's not let anyone forget that.

Decades from now, when someone asks you "But was Keith Olbermann really that big of a deal?," tell them: "Yes. He WAS that big of a deal. Because while everyone else was still parroting the Bush talking points, he was saying what I felt."

[troubleinwinter]

59. I recall those good days. Remember this?

I made it as a joke, but a whole BUNCH of people bought em at cafe press.

[SharonRB]

63. Guilty as charged!

[troubleinwinter]

76. Hahaa!!! Then I rekon you'll like this story

For a few weeks recently, my 78 yr old father was not well, so I'd be at his house to make his dinner.

I asked him to turn on Keith. He'd never seen the show. After two nights, dad set his TV to automatically turn on Keith!

One night, after KO's 'special commentary', my dad said "WOW!" and looked at me with a huge, sparkly grin.

I told him about the Keith Olbermann Estrogen Brigade and the tie. Each night after that he'd ask, "Is that the tie?"... "Is THAT the tie??"...

Anyway, it only took two shows for him to become a new and faithful KO viewer!

[SharonRB]

81. That is a great story, TIW

He wore that tie twice, I think, and never again. We bought him two for his last birthday and he hasn't worn either of them (well, DG thinks he wore one of them once, but no one else does -- sorry, DG).

It seems that lately wherever I go I overhear people talking about Keith. I went to a rally with Bill Clinton last Saturday -- he was here campaigning for Gov. Granholm and the rest of our Dems -- and the people standing at the front of the line waiting to get in were talking about him. Then last night at the MoveOn celebration party I went to a group of people standing near me were talking about him. Word is definitely spreading.

[Nothing Without Hope]

110. Thanks for this story, TIW! Please give your very perceptive dad

good wishes and appreciation from DU!

Those KOEB mugs are classic. Though, given the early history of the KOEB, STEINS might have been more appropriate...

:beer: :toast: TTTB!

[troubleinwinter]

111. Steins, martini glasses, champagne flutes, highball glasses, wine goblets, so on and so on!

[troubleinwinter]

113. Thanks for the wishes to Dad. He voted STRAIGHT DEM! Guess I'll keep him.

[symbolman]

127. Hey SharonRB

Question? Who are those people in the pic? I think I may know one of them..just curious, and if you don't want to id them in public you can PM me, it's just been killing me every time I see the pic :)

[Clark2008]

86. I HAVE one of those!

:hi:

[troubleinwinter]

89. Just goes to show.... ya got good taste!

[bear425]

94. I remember that!

To the ties that bind!

:loveya: Keith!

We made him what he is today. ;)
I kid...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

13. "Today Olbermann is hot, in every sense of the word. "

bout time the rest of the world figured that out. :loveya:

[Nothing Without Hope]

36. yeah, that line is straight from the KOEB all right. Took them long enough

to figure that out.

:loveya: :toast: :loveya:

[SharonRB]

14. Yay, Keith

It seems everywhere I go these days, I overhear someone talking about Keith.

It happened again last night at a MoveOn celebration. I think he'll finally pass O'Lielly's ratings anytime now.

[Kolesar]

16. The 2 million unquestioning zealots will be in front of Bill every night

No matter what else happens. Now, I suppose KO could keep gathering an audience, but I think there is a limit to the number of people that want to overconsume politics. Got kids to tend, jobs, and yardwork, you know. Sad is that some cable systems don't offer KO in the extended-basic format, and you have to go to $50+ packages. This sfgate article still makes me smile...a lot.

[BruceMcF]

29. That's the thing about Countdown ...

... its got Oddball, and the Celebrity news roundup that they force him to do, so its something we can point someone to that wants the anti-Replicant news without spending hours online everyday.

[Kolesar]

32. A good line for the watercooler: "Did you watch Countdown last night"

I never thought to see if "the big head" O'Reilly does anything that is off topic from politics. I never saw any point watching. I have only had Fox News for three years since I moved.

[checks-n-balances]

39. Y'mean like "Which of these stories will you be talking about tomorrow?"

You betcha, KO, we got the idea!! :thumbsup:

[BruceMcF]

45. When its a clip from YouTube, you can also email ...

... around the YouTube link, with a note, "Saw this on Countdown's Oddball segment last night on MSNBC. I wonder if ..."

[flyarm]

95. i put all keiths commentaries on my emails ..they are my sig lines..

i have them at the bottom of every email i send..and i get comments all the time..and people copy them and send them to others!!

try it..you will be surprised when you get emails from people thanking you for the KO comments from utube!!

and think how many people you will be showcasing Keith to !!..and opening their eyes!!

fly

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[Berry Cool]

46. Yeah, but the zealots can't watch Bill if they're dead, and they're dying off.

Look at how old his demographic is. Part of the reason his ratings are dropping is that his viewers die.

I do agree there's a limit to the number of people who are going to be political or news junkies, and that one of KO's problems with getting more viewers is the tier that MSNBC is found on in many cable systems, which causes subscribers to have to pay extra to get him.

But if someone at NBC wakes up, and realizes that this guy has something, well...OK, they're already doing pretty well over there at kicking Katie Couric's butt, but think how much power they'd add to their newscast if they, oh, say, kept Brian Williams at the helm but added a recording of Keith's latest Special Comment from the previous night's Countdown. Or had Keith do one for their broadcast, too. It wouldn't be all that hard, what with Countdown about to move to 30 Rock. Keith does it out of 30 Rock about two or three nights a week now anyway.

To me, the smart money for the future of news is on someone who isn't afraid to bring himself to the table and show us how he sees the news...and that's Keith.

[Kolesar]

88. That's an interesting idea: putting a KO commentary into the NBC evening news

www.salon.com noted that the really uptight, socially conservative, fag-hating part of the electorate is the oldest of Americans and are literally dying out. I think that was written on 11/5/04. BTW, who is 30 Rock?

[troubleinwinter]

90. My 78 yr old dad recently discovered KO and is now a daily viewer.

[INdemo]

15. My guess is Tucker is history

[teamster633]

20. Here's hoping he follows his soul-mates into oblivion.

[BruceMcF]

30. From your keyboard to Gaia's ears. nt.

[rppper]

58. i turn to the history channel when tuckers on.......

he was somewhat tolerable when he first aired, but he fell back into "*" zombie mode as the election drew closer and closer. "hardball" seems to be taking a cue from countdown.....hell, ever intern killer isn't so bad, at least not as un-watchable as it used to be.....it was fitting tucker was the first voted off the danceing show.....

[bling bling]

18. He should be a model for the newscast of the present, too.

Nothing like reporting the news to your viewers and then pointing out what the TRUTHS are. I got so tired of CNN et. al reporting what "some Democrats say" and "some Republicans say" and then never bothering to enlighten us on which side was telling the truth and who had their facts straight.

Keith Olbermann will be able to retire from his industry someday with a clear conscience knowing that he took his position seriously and did his best to preserve the integrity of what is supposed to be a serious and important element in the health of our socity. Most of the others, not so much.

[truedelphi]

80. Yeah, bling, he hasn't left real journalism for the

Crappy New Journalism in which you are supposedly required to give both sides of any issue

So if Bush wakes up tomorrow with Cheney telling him he can recover from the election by announcing that the earth is flat, after he makes his announcement, CNN, Fox and the rest will be diligently filming the graphs and charts and Presidentially approved science of the flat earth society.

And then they will give equal time to the real science.

olbermann would just say that the flat earth theory is something Cheney and B* pulled out their ar$e and then he'd either rail against it or move on

[krkaufman]

119. Exactly. If The Daily Show can do it in a 10-second video clip...

... there's no reason that the network newscasts can't do the same -- except for lack of spine.

[Sydnie]

21. Abrams is just discovering what we knew all along

[Nothing Without Hope]

38. Hey, Sydnie!

:hug: :loveya: :toast:

For those who don't know, the stripes in the "KOEB" in your post are from The Tie - see post #33 upthread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2694923#2695562

[SharonRB]

60. Hiya, Sydnie

Haven't seen you in the clubhouse in a while. Drop on by!


:hi:

[savemefromdumbya]

22. Why doesn't he have a shot at the Presidency in 2008?

He would also be of some use on Capitol Hill?

[PegDAC]

102. We need Keith as our Truthteller

not in politics!

[in_cog_ni_to]

23. KEITH is a MSM treasure!

I'm THRILLED MSNBC has noticed! A cultural earthquake says it nicely. It WAS and IS. Olbermann is THE Star of the MSM. He woke them up. He showed them that a Liberal voice is good for business! Too bad it took so long for them to realize it...*ahem* DONAHUE???

[PegDAC]

103. I love Phil, too

After all, I'm from Phil's territory in Ohio!

[in_cog_ni_to]

134. I grew up watching Phil Donahue. I never missed his show.

Phil's show is where Ralph Nader became a household name....THE consumer advocate. I hope MSNBC brings Phil back. He and KO could kick ass in the ratings.

My S-I-L lives in Pickerington, Ohio. My little dog Isabelle was born in Ohio.:) We travel there quite often. My S-I-L probably had a major stroke over the election in Ohio though...she's a repuke. I can't WAIT to hear her feedback!:rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

27. I KNEW Dan Abrams 'gets it' .... and have been saying so for a while ....

From last August ....

~~snip~~

Keith Olbermann - consistently, day in and day out - IS that good.

Quite some time ago, I posted here that I thought Olbermann was the prototype of the absolutely perfect network television news anchor for the current flavor of America's culture. As perfect for his time as was Murrow, he is little more, today, than a nostalgic look back in a modern black and white movie. A man right for his time, but not for ours.

Walter Cronkite was the right man for his time. Aptly hailed as 'The Most Trusted Man in America' he was all of that and more. Today ... a beloved grandfather figure to some of us and the answer to a crossword puzzle clue for others.

We had the Jennings and the Brokaws and the Rathers. All were of their time, but not necessarily perfect for the times, each being always in the shadows of their predecessors - Chancellor and Huntley and Brinkley and Smith and others.

Today we have fill-ins and Williams. Soon to be Couric. Lightweights.

Olbermann is exactly what the smartest news organization on the planet needs to have in order to, in fact, *be* the smartest news organization on the planet.

~~snip~~

[City Lights]

31. Tweety is green with envy over Keith's success.

Keith is the new face of MSNBC, much to Tweety's dismay. :D

[Nothing Without Hope]

37. I have never understood Tweety's prominence. A mystery. Putting

him next to Keith, Tweety looks as inadequate and ridiculous as he really is.

[City Lights]

40. I've never understood it either.

And on election night, Tweety's irrelevance was on display for all to see.

[Berry Cool]

47. I was sitting thinking yesterday, and it finally occurred to me what bugs me most about Tweety.

He's not a reporter, or a pundit. He's a groupie.

He's so dazzled by the politicians he gets to talk to and interview, and that he talks about with real pundits, that all he can do is hero-worship them. He can't analyze them clearly at all.

He's easily taken in by the superficial, by the aura. George W. Bush: Sunny Nobility! Cowboy Swagger! Folksy Mien! Love it! Rudy Giuliani: American Hero! Brave New Yorker! Tough Guy in Charge! Fabulous! Arnold Schwarzenegger: Tough Guy in Charge! Movie Star! Hollywood Hero! Sensational!

There's no attempt to dig beneath these guys to see what's really there. When someone else does it for him, IF someone else does it for him, then he can express his disillusionment very effectively (as he does with *). But until then, he's blinded by the light. And he even has the nerve to wonder why others are not. On election night, he talked about Arnold and asked when the Dems were going to ever realize that "people love movie stars." In other words, Democrats, if you want to win a presidential election, dump these boring policy wonks of yours and get yourself a movie star. Who cares if he knows anything? That's not important.

Tweety is the textbook example of the kind of voter who goes for the sizzle rather than the steak. Keith? He's a cynic. He never trusts the sizzle. He not only wants to taste the steak, but if he finds it too full of fat and gristle, he'll spit it out--and tell you that you should, too.

[Poiuyt]

49. That's it exactly

Don't forget Tweety's favorite, John McCain: "Brilliant!"

[City Lights]

54. You nailed it.

Tweety is a republican groupie. They way he gushes on over cons is really disgusting.

[DemCam]

56. Did you see his interview with Tester

after the election?

He patronised the newbie from Montana...embarrassingly asked him if he had seen Mr. Smith goes to Washington...asked him if he had ever been in the Senate before...and then finally looked wistfully off into the distance with longing and envy...and said, Well...(almost to himself)...you're going to be there now in that hallowed hall." Said so very much about Tweety.

[Nothing Without Hope]

112. Berry, I like your insight about Tweety. I think you're right.

He's a groupie, tuned to the surface glamour. At this point, many Americans don't have to rely on people like him to see the falseness of the people he has idolized. It's so obvious it comes through clearly despite all the blaring of the GOP PR machine. He gushes and preens as if he's a fashion reporter interviewing a movie star.

It doesn't speak to well of him that he tends to catch on so late in the game and so often misses the point. Either he is easily fooled - and then in turn helps to try to fool others - or he is dishonest.

But you're right, I think. He's a groupie, not a reporter.

[illinoisprogressive]

115. OMG! You just said what I've thought for awhile.

Yes. He is a big time groupie. He will trash someone for days about what crap they are but, if they come on he'll go all gooey.
And the way he drools about Hilary all the time. It's so irritating. There are other democrats out there besides Hilary.
Another one that bugs me is Noron. The gop head cheerleader.

[symbolman]

128. Yeah, it was driving me NUTS

I'm sitting there watching, and wanting coherent, cogent reporting, and Tweet WON'T SHUT UP. I think that Olbermann was even embarrassed for him, it looked like he was sitting there thinking, "Man, this guy is making a FOOL out of himself.." Rather than thinking, "They should be listening to ME."

He's a humble, intelligent, interesting guy with BRILLIANT commentary, and there he was hobbled my SPITTY boy, who actually should be called "Sylvester" rather an Tweety :)

I just wanted to scream at the TV 'SHUT UP, MAN..'

He took it in good stead tho, a classy guy that Olbermann..

[flyarm]

96. you bet he is and it was never more obvious than election night!!

he looked like a fucking idiot ..and Keith was the ultimate professional!!

tweety is cooked ..if we all shut him off and keep him off!!

fly

[rosesaylavee]

34. All that's old is new again...

BREAKING: Journalists are going to start doing their jobs!!!111!!

"Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it." --Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1786.

"I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents." --Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:78

[FredStembottom]

41. Ok......that's 1 in a row for my "Will the Seals in the Media Start Honking Liberal........

Now That They See Who Has the Bucket of Fish" meter!

You know, the ol' W.S.M.S.H.L.N.T.T.S.W.H.B.F. indicator.


:silly:

[texpatriot2004]

42. How awesome! It's a great model nm

[onecent]

43. K&R

[bleever]

48. K&R

for our man Keef.

[leftchick]

50. I loved Keith Before it was Cool!

cool for the non-internets set that is.

:loveya:

[SharonRB]

61. Me, too

I started watching him before the 2004 election.

[fooj]

68. Me, three.

Used to check in at five with the KOEB's! Gotta start doing that again.

Love KO! He models behavior that shows integrity and honor at its finest.:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: I don't know what I would have done without him these last few months.

[PegDAC]

104. I started watching him

in 1999. Loved his 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century.

[AngryOldDem]

51. "Model of the newscast of the future."

We can only hope.

[Lugnut]

52. K&R

I hope Dan Abrams is right.

[Blue Gardener]

53. Finally

He is getting the recognition he deserves. America needs his voice. :toast:

[kiteinthewind]

57. Hell, YES!!!

Love ya, KO!
:loveya:

[Cha]

64. Fantastic!~ I'm so happy that Dan Abrams

recognizes This! Funny how things happen.

[SeattleGirl]

66. Amen!

K&R

[Clark2008]

67. It's about damn time!

Are corporate bigwigs and advertising honchos FINALLY realizing that not everyone wants to hear news as told by rightwing hacks?

You GOOOOO, Keith! :bounce:

[proud patriot]

72. I'll be watching

:woohoo:

[Marr]

73. Yeah, but when he says "a model for the newscast of the future", he means

news stories in editorial format, not left-of-center commentary, and certainly not commentary that criticizes people in power. I would bet you a stack of $50 bills that every attempt at emulating Olbermann's show will be swiping the format and filling it with corporatist opinion.

[teamster633]

75. You better make that every FAILED attempt then.

Keith doesn't succeed due to his format and perhaps he succeeds in spite of it. He succeeds because he is personally invested in telling the truth. He succeeds because he is one of the few television journalists that care enough about their jobs to do them right. There may be two sides to every story but only one of those sides is correct. Keith succeeds because he isn't afraid to tell us which is which. Anyone can cut and paste KKKarl's latest set of talking points into their daily melodramatic show of self-righteousness. Even Bill Orally can accomplish that. And that isn't journalism. And that is ultimately destined to fail...hopefully in our lifetime.

[upi402]

77. Duh! and

Doh!


Jesus Christ -do they think we actually believe they are that stupid?
They knew there was demand, they just thought the Republicans could continue cheating us out of democracy and hold power. Now they're worried.

Whores.

[bonito]

78. The sound of truth is always welcome to my ears

Bittersweet but welcome anytime!

[jean]

79. okay, CBS - let's see Katie mimic some of Keith's style - what' ve they got

to lose?

[PegDAC]

106. She'll NEVER do it! n/t

[Lasthorseman]

82. Ya

and with what I know to be true I'd make Olberman sound benign. I'll never make the mainsteam "news", they would kill me first.

[Glenda]

83. I thought Abrams was a reporter with a show...

Now he is the General manager? I'm confused :shrug:

[Kadie]

97. He was promoted last summer.

NBC News legal eagle Abrams named MSNBC boss
By Paul J. Gough | June 13, 2006

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC News reached in front of the camera on Monday to pick chief legal correspondent and anchor Dan Abrams as the new chief of MSNBC, replacing recently departed MSNBC president Rick Kaplan.

http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/06/13/nbc_news_legal_eagle_abrams_named_msnbc_boss/


:hi:

[Greybnk48]

84. At last!! Thank you Dan.

[pat_k]

87. When a champion gives outrage a voice, Watch Out! --- a lesson our Dem "leaders" . .

. . . desperately need to learn (the sake of the nation and for the sake of future of the Party).

The position that the person who gives voice to our outrage holds makes a big difference in the effect.

When Keith gives voice to our anger, people come out of the woodwork because he gives them hope that they are not alone in their anger. They see a fellow traveler in the fight. Our anger and his anger are directed at the same target: Bush and Cheney and the elected officials who are failing to stop them.

Recognizing we are not alone is energizing, but the power is muted if we don't believe that something can be done. When the outrage is given voice by those who are in a position to do something (e.g., members of Congress who have the power to impeach) the electrifying effect is many orders of magnitude more powerful.

Thought the following post from http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2426304">Oct-18-06 Post might bear repeating here (emphasis added)

The "strange silence" does not reflect a lack of alarm and outrage

The dismay and seething anger is all around us. But our "leaders" have failed to give voice to the outrage. When outrage is given no voice in the public square, people tend to keep it to themselves, believing they are alone.

When no one gives voice to outrage, the floodgates remain closed. But when a public figure speaks out and taps into the energy, whoosh!

I saw a microcosm of this after the theft of the 2004 Presidential election. I was on a Democracy for America conference call. From the back and forth, it sounded like there were maybe 5 or 10 people on the line as they talked about this or that agenda item and possible things to focus on as we "learned lessons" and "moved forward." There was little energy.

As the moderator neared the end of the agenda someone piped up "What about Ohio? What about the stolen election? What does Burlington plan to do about that?" Suddenly there was a chorus. Dozens talking at once. It was unbelievable. It sounded like there were about a hundred people on the line -- people who had been "strangely silent."

If no one had given voice to the anger, no one on that call would have thought that anyone else cared -- they would have withdrawn in silence. And the "leaders" would have been able to tell themselves the stolen election just isn't something that people are interested in. They would have walked away from the call believing everyone else was on board with their "let's move on" agenda, which was the opposite of the truth. In fact, the mother lode of energy was with the "It Ain't Over 'Til it's Over!" people.

We see this over and over again in ways large and small.

The unprecedented and amazing response to Keith Olbermann's first "Special Comment" is one such event. When he gave voice to the outrage, outraged Americans came out of the woodwork in numbers that so shocked the programmers they realized the segment was such a powerful activator they replayed it several times, not just in response to demand, but to boost ratings.

Whenever our leaders touch on the theft of Florida or Ohio in public appearances, whenever they tip toe anywhere near a call for impeachment, the audience bursts out in cheers and applause -- usually the loudest and longest of the event. Leaving that kind of energy untapped is political insanity.

There is enormous public support for impeachment. We can see it in the anger at Bush. We can see it in our Republican acquaintances who think Bush "needs a good spanking." We can see it in the polls . . {confirmed again after the OP by http://january6th.org/oct2006-newsweek-poll-impeach.html">Newsweek 10-21}

Until members of Congress who are sworn to defend the Constitution speak the truth, accuse Bush and Cheney of their crimes, and take up the fight for impeachment and removal countless Americans will continue to seethe in frustration and silence, believing they are alone in a world gone mad.

As long as members of Congress fail to give our outrage a voice they can continue to believe the opposite of reality, that Americans prefer to trade away the Constitution to avoid the "negativity" of impeachment.

[Orsino]

91. Meaning that Big Money will be fielding its own angry rants.

Coming to a TV near you, any minute now--assuming you don't count the Fox ogres we already have.

[Time for change]

92. Keith is a true hero

I believe that he is more responsible than any one person for the Democrats' victory last Tuesday. He has brought integrity back to our corporate media, and if they had a sense of decency they would hire more people like him and get rid of their numerous hacks like Chris Matthews and Tim Russert.

[EC]

98. Remember, when we got him elected "Sexiest Newsman"?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x13200


NEW YORK, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in and it's time to set the record straight. Of the 50,000 votes cast in the Playgirl's "Sexiest Newscaster" election, where readers were asked to vote online for their favorite national newsman -- the official winner is MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Several news sources had inaccurately reported that a candidate from a rival cable network had actually won when in fact, he came in second. We still love you, Sean Hannity. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030102/PLAYGIRLLOGO ) Olbermann ran a tough campaign -- linking his website to PLAYGIRL's and urging his viewers to get out the vote. He won with 24%, sweeping both "red" and "blue" states. Hannity of the Fox News Channel has his adoring fans as well, sliding him firmly into second place. CNN's Anderson Cooper, who was in Baghdad and unable to make those crucial stump speeches, came in a close third. The full election results can be seen in the October issue of PLAYGIRL.

"Voter turn-out was phenomenal," said Michele Zipp, PLAYGIRL's Editor-in-Chief. "Our readers jammed our email server extolling the virtues of all those sexy news guys on TV. In the end, it was Keith Olbermann who brought it home. Playgirl will be honored to make a $2,500.00 donation to the charity of his choice."

There were big some surprises among the top ten. Andy Rooney tied for 5th place with a much younger Bill Hemmer of CNN. Today's Matt Lauer earned 6th place, ABC's Peter Jennings scored #7 while NBC's Tom Brokaw tied for 8th place with his colleague and successor Brian Williams. One smitten Williams devotee wrote Zipp a lengthy email explaining how she willingly bought her own satellite dish just to watch his newscasts! Fox News Channel's Washington reporter, Brit Hume placed at #9, while NBC's Lester Holt held slot #10.

AND THEN THERE WERE THE WRITE-IN VOTES...Bill O'Reilly of Fox News Channel, received about 200 write-in votes from his admiring fans followed by CNN 's medical cutie Sanjay Gupta and NBC's Stone Philips of Dateline. Oh, and Wolf Blitzer, your fans tell us you definitely have the sexiest name.

[PegDAC]

107. Intelligence and Integrity ARE sexy as hell!! n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

99. Part of his unique appeal...

Most television news anchors are the worst kind of talking head. What passes for "analysis" among this crowd is nothing more than sniffing the prevailing winds and repeating conventional wisdom. They don't have an observation or an opinion that is not simply the consensus among their peers. Ask actual voters for their opinion? Most of these "journalists" would get lost if they ventured outside Prince William County.

Example? Using the election of Bob Casey and Jim Webb to opine that the Democratic gains last week was the triumph of conservative Democrats rather than that of the progressive wing of the party. Casey and Webb were two of the more than forty Democrats who pushed a Republican out of Congress. Casey is anti-abortion (as is Dennis Kucinich) and Webb once served in the military -- so both most be conservative and must, therefore, be the model for every other newly-elected Democrat.

The analysis is a simplistic as it is just plain wrong. Olbermann's appeal is that he's smarter than nearly every other broadcast journalist out there. He seemingly has no use for conventional wisdom (other than to mock it), and his viewers are (if I may pat us on the collective back) smart enough to appreciate his iconoclasm.

Long Live KO!

[PegDAC]

101. The man has oozed integrity

in journalism since the last century. If I were not happily married, I'd pursue! After all, he's only two years younger than lovin' hubby!


I :loveya: KO!!

[livingonearth]

105. Keith is the greatest!

You hear so much crap from the right wing pundits, it's nice to hear a little reality from Keith, and he does it with such style.

[darkism]

108. Keith's comments are NOT RANTS!

"Rant" implies an unfounded diatribe, like the buffoons on Fox do.

Keith is a newsman first and a commentator second. His comments are backed up with fact and do not deserve to be lowered to the ranks of "rants."

[illinoisprogressive]

114. I had my husband read it

because he's only seen one of Keith's comments. I told him before, when he gave the first one that people were writing the blogs saying how they started crying. I wanted him to see the impact and the woman in the restraunt shows how much. My husband is liberal and likes keith but, is working when he's on. But, couldn't imagine Keith would move people that much. We are not in the 25 year old age but, long fans. And the first time I heard his commentary, the one on Rumsfield I had no idea he was going to do that. I remember looking up from my painting and just staring and feeling so much joy that someone in the media got it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

117. Yes, not only GOT it, but DARED TO SAY IT, with passion and sincerity

People have been STARVED for what Keith has dared to do. I strongly suspect that there was a similar response when Keith's idol, Edward R. Murrow, dared to speak the truth and call for human decency. His doing it has opened the way for others to break the silence and defy the propaganda and lies.

[krkaufman]

120. And one of the sad things is...

... he's doing it from a less-than-pervasive network. My Mom can't even get MSNBC through their cable provider. The only way to get MSNBC in the "town" of 35,000+ is to get DirecTV.

But, of course, both Faux News and CNN are available.

[Nothing Without Hope]

124. I live in a big metro area but refuse to buy cable. But I can follow Keith

on the internet and have for a long time. This makes his influence so much greater. But just imagine his impact if he were at a major network like Walter Cronkite. That he has done so much from such a platform speaks loudly both of the value and importance of what he offers and the starvation of the American public for it.

[stillrockin]

116. Olbermann's show

is the only tv news I can sit through. I could do without some of the dumb oddball stuff, but hey, maybe I'll be getting my sense of humor back soon . . .

[coznfx]

118. I'm kinda surprised

that he's still in the general population, much less still on the air, what with the Decider's new decisions to be decided. Decisions like who is an unlawful enemy combatant or otherwise probably deserving of two or three years of torture, or who just needs to vanish.

I hope he's got good 24/7 security! I admire KO, and have the feeling that his counsel and his courage will be much needed for many years to come.

[krkaufman]

121. Now if we could just get Abrams to dump Don Imus...

... in favor of The Young Turks, Sam Seder, Hartmann, ??? (Maybe in a round-robin line-up, instead of having the same host every day.)

[skooooo]

133. no!

I like Imus.

[farmboxer]

122. Keith Olbermann is awesome!!!!!!!

I do not miss any of his shows. He is a true American patriot.

[Nothing Without Hope]

123. This article on Keith Olbermann is now also up at Common Dreams:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1112-05.htm

[lovuian]

125. I'm so proud of him

He really stood up to Bush and Lou dobbs did a great job too along with Colbert and Stewart

[meowomon]

131. Lou Dobbs is OK

But he seems to take a rather bigotted approach to the border security issue. I mean, how important is it to have English as the national language? Pretty stupid, if you asked me.

[orleans]

126. K&R n/t

[nicknameless]

129. "A model for the newscast of the future?" So more newscasters will tell the truth now?

Honest newscasters. What a revolutionary idea.

:eyes:

[FernBell]

130. k&r

[StClone]

132. They don't have to be Librul just honest and informed

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Old Smokey]

135. He is the best

cheers to olberman


:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[Voltaire99]

137. "I'm giving the Democrats six months,'' he says.

"I'm giving the Democrats six months,'' he says. "And then they may be in for some 'Special Comments' of their own.''

So the previous six years were free, huh?

Wake up, Keith. Bushism is Bushism thanks to the lay-down Democrats.

[ellacott]

138. Great story

I love Keith.

[myrna minx]

140. Woot! I subscribed to cable because of Keith Olbermann.

Throughout my adult life, I have never had the desire for cable, but I just signed up because of Keith's 'Special Comments'. I know I can't be the only one. :loveya:

[ginnyinWI]

141. k&r