Keith Olbermann Changes the World. Again
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Keith Olbermann Changes the World. Again.
This thread, on its shiny veneer, looks like a blatant attempt to simply shore up my screaming liberal confirmation bias. But I would like to explain why that assessment is wrong.
Or, why Keith Olbermann is not a gas bag.
Or, here it comes...why equating Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow with Glenn Beck and Michelle Maulkin is...wait for it...a false equivalency. With examples.
First, let me address style. I totally get it why people may not like Keith Olbermann's delivery, style, and personality. He is caustic to those he attacks. He mocks them. He does (bad) impressions of their voices. He calls them names. Pretty juvenile, eh? Yes. Mean, huh? It would look that way. I can see why that would be a turn off. Normally, I would consider it low-class myself. I would not personally use those tactics in a real debate. Unfortunately, I believe it is also necessary.
It's not a real debate. It's not moderated. The rules, such as they are, have changed. In the 90s the media changed. It changed because real gas bags, especially Rush Limbaugh, changed the landscape. They sold the public on the idea that the main stream media is "the liberal media." That was the greatest hit GOP talking point of the 90s.
And the MSM reacted. They were afraid that the public would tune out because of it. And they began overcompensating for it. They began scrutinizing every little tiny thing any Democrat did, and giving a pass to giant blunders by Republicans. Example: Al Gore. The MSM repeated and amplified every baseless accusation that the Right Wing media put out there. They echoed those sentiments until the public believed that Al Gore said he invented the Internet, was the hero in a movie, etc.
And who in the liberal camp was out there fighting this nonsense? Crickets. Ok, Al Franken was writing books. But that didn't change the narrative. Why? Fox News. The GOP had their own cable station that masqueraded as a news channel. But it was nothing more than an arm of the GOP, which Barack Obama has finally said and which I have been saying for over a decade.
So we got George W. Bush. Because there was no one fighting the lies and garbage spewed from the right. For eight years, Republicans destroyed our constitution, tortured and murdered, and lied us into an illegal war.
Then 9-11 happened, and it got worse. Now it was unpatriotic to say anything negative about a Republican. I was literally in fear to even be identified as a Democrat, not because I was ashamed, but because I felt as if I would be physically harmed. The MSM news organizations had memos that said to be soft on Republicans out of this same fear, except substitute ratings for physical harm.
Phil Donahue tried. He started speaking out on MSNBC. And was fired. Air America began, and preached to the choir.
Then MSNBC struck ratings gold in Keith Olbermann. Because he was entertaining. He was caustic. That put off those who longed for a post-partisan rainbow world. But that ain't going to happen. The minute liberals start singing the "Age of Aquarius" the GOP view that as weak, and attack, and that adds to the GOP talking point that liberals are pussies.
Keith was the first non-pussy liberal.
He changed the discourse of the 2006-2006 elections by fighting back. He refutes the lies of the right. He was the FIRST to do it in a mainstream way.
And now, he has changed the discourse on health care. He has been the driving force behind making free health clinics possible in now three key states with Dem senators who are not committed to a public option. His call to fund them has raised 1.4 million, and he is donating several hundred thousand dollars for each clinic himself. This has not only provided health care for people who cannot afford it but now Congress has adopted an idea he has popularized.
A couple weeks ago Keith devoted a whole hour to a personal comment, advocating the clinics and changing the name of the public option to "Medicare Part E (for Everyone)." And now Congress has started using that language. And it's more likely to pass.
So, if you do not like his style, I get it. But if that's what it takes - to be caustic to caustic people - LIARS like Glenn Beck and Michelle Maulkin and Rush Limbaugh - to call out the bullies and stand up to them - if that makes him a gas bag - then call me a balloon and fill me up.
If this is what it takes - a caustic delivery of the truth - to keep more Dubya's out of office and to get health care to everyone - to change the world - I'll take it.
As Corvid and I have challenged you - show me Keith and Rachel's lies. They DOCUMENT their claims with ACTUAL SOURCES instead of making stuff or parroting Drudge or WorldNet. That puts them in a different class.
Or, why Keith Olbermann is not a gas bag.
Or, here it comes...why equating Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow with Glenn Beck and Michelle Maulkin is...wait for it...a false equivalency. With examples.
First, let me address style. I totally get it why people may not like Keith Olbermann's delivery, style, and personality. He is caustic to those he attacks. He mocks them. He does (bad) impressions of their voices. He calls them names. Pretty juvenile, eh? Yes. Mean, huh? It would look that way. I can see why that would be a turn off. Normally, I would consider it low-class myself. I would not personally use those tactics in a real debate. Unfortunately, I believe it is also necessary.
It's not a real debate. It's not moderated. The rules, such as they are, have changed. In the 90s the media changed. It changed because real gas bags, especially Rush Limbaugh, changed the landscape. They sold the public on the idea that the main stream media is "the liberal media." That was the greatest hit GOP talking point of the 90s.
And the MSM reacted. They were afraid that the public would tune out because of it. And they began overcompensating for it. They began scrutinizing every little tiny thing any Democrat did, and giving a pass to giant blunders by Republicans. Example: Al Gore. The MSM repeated and amplified every baseless accusation that the Right Wing media put out there. They echoed those sentiments until the public believed that Al Gore said he invented the Internet, was the hero in a movie, etc.
And who in the liberal camp was out there fighting this nonsense? Crickets. Ok, Al Franken was writing books. But that didn't change the narrative. Why? Fox News. The GOP had their own cable station that masqueraded as a news channel. But it was nothing more than an arm of the GOP, which Barack Obama has finally said and which I have been saying for over a decade.
So we got George W. Bush. Because there was no one fighting the lies and garbage spewed from the right. For eight years, Republicans destroyed our constitution, tortured and murdered, and lied us into an illegal war.
Then 9-11 happened, and it got worse. Now it was unpatriotic to say anything negative about a Republican. I was literally in fear to even be identified as a Democrat, not because I was ashamed, but because I felt as if I would be physically harmed. The MSM news organizations had memos that said to be soft on Republicans out of this same fear, except substitute ratings for physical harm.
Phil Donahue tried. He started speaking out on MSNBC. And was fired. Air America began, and preached to the choir.
Then MSNBC struck ratings gold in Keith Olbermann. Because he was entertaining. He was caustic. That put off those who longed for a post-partisan rainbow world. But that ain't going to happen. The minute liberals start singing the "Age of Aquarius" the GOP view that as weak, and attack, and that adds to the GOP talking point that liberals are pussies.
Keith was the first non-pussy liberal.
He changed the discourse of the 2006-2006 elections by fighting back. He refutes the lies of the right. He was the FIRST to do it in a mainstream way.
And now, he has changed the discourse on health care. He has been the driving force behind making free health clinics possible in now three key states with Dem senators who are not committed to a public option. His call to fund them has raised 1.4 million, and he is donating several hundred thousand dollars for each clinic himself. This has not only provided health care for people who cannot afford it but now Congress has adopted an idea he has popularized.
A couple weeks ago Keith devoted a whole hour to a personal comment, advocating the clinics and changing the name of the public option to "Medicare Part E (for Everyone)." And now Congress has started using that language. And it's more likely to pass.
So, if you do not like his style, I get it. But if that's what it takes - to be caustic to caustic people - LIARS like Glenn Beck and Michelle Maulkin and Rush Limbaugh - to call out the bullies and stand up to them - if that makes him a gas bag - then call me a balloon and fill me up.
If this is what it takes - a caustic delivery of the truth - to keep more Dubya's out of office and to get health care to everyone - to change the world - I'll take it.
As Corvid and I have challenged you - show me Keith and Rachel's lies. They DOCUMENT their claims with ACTUAL SOURCES instead of making stuff or parroting Drudge or WorldNet. That puts them in a different class.
Last edited by rumike on 10-21-2009 10:38 PM, edited 1 time in total.
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bravo Rumike... but a tiny correction, Keith started the ball rolling for the free clinics of $50,000 of his money, the clinics cost several hundred thousand dollars for each one. As of tonight, there are funds for 3 and the money keeps coming in.
And they can't "document the lies" of Keith, Rachael (and don't forget Thom Hartmann).. cause they don't tell them.. they tell the truth and it makes the weak-minded insane ....
And they can't "document the lies" of Keith, Rachael (and don't forget Thom Hartmann).. cause they don't tell them.. they tell the truth and it makes the weak-minded insane ....
Thank you for correcting that figure, Rom. I remember him saying "Several hundred thousand dollars" and "I will donate" and confounded those statements. I apologize for the error.
Last edited by rumike on 10-21-2009 10:25 PM, edited 1 time in total.
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On CNN the night before last they were yakking about the fight between the WH and Faux News. Out of it came a statistic that stated that 91% of talk radio in America is still right wing. So bravo Rachel and Keith. They are an asset to their country and in the long run, the entire world.
Rachel was on Meet the Press a couple of weeks ago and NBC reported that they had high ratings for the first time since Tim Russert passed away. So, pay no attention to skewed polls that would have you believe that Faux is the leader in news. BS!! Many folks who do tune in are doing it for a laugh, like I sometimes do.
Rachel was on Meet the Press a couple of weeks ago and NBC reported that they had high ratings for the first time since Tim Russert passed away. So, pay no attention to skewed polls that would have you believe that Faux is the leader in news. BS!! Many folks who do tune in are doing it for a laugh, like I sometimes do.
Last edited by Raggedyann on 10-21-2009 10:59 PM, edited 1 time in total.
Great writeup RUMike, I wouldn't say I am a huge Olbermann fan, I think it most to do with his style, but as you write it was almost a necessity for it.
Great look back at what happened the previous decade, overcompensating to the right because they were called unfairly "liberal media". I compared to a coach getting on a ref for "called against his team" when actually the ref is doing a good job but starts second guessing himself and making unnecessary "make up calls" for the complaining team. Glad you mentioned Donahue as well, considering all the crazy stuff being said nowadays about the Prez, it's amazing how much heat he got just questioning a war.
I always thought Jon Stewart was the first to get this ball rolling, but being on Comedy central alot of people would just dismiss him because of that even though the quality of his commentary and observation is stronger than almost anybody in the MSM. But you are right, Olbermann really was the first on a national scale to really push back with the same force as what the righties have done for a decade.
A quick BTW, thank you RUMike for the nice words you gave me in a previous thread, I respect your postings and really means a lot.
Great look back at what happened the previous decade, overcompensating to the right because they were called unfairly "liberal media". I compared to a coach getting on a ref for "called against his team" when actually the ref is doing a good job but starts second guessing himself and making unnecessary "make up calls" for the complaining team. Glad you mentioned Donahue as well, considering all the crazy stuff being said nowadays about the Prez, it's amazing how much heat he got just questioning a war.
I always thought Jon Stewart was the first to get this ball rolling, but being on Comedy central alot of people would just dismiss him because of that even though the quality of his commentary and observation is stronger than almost anybody in the MSM. But you are right, Olbermann really was the first on a national scale to really push back with the same force as what the righties have done for a decade.
A quick BTW, thank you RUMike for the nice words you gave me in a previous thread, I respect your postings and really means a lot.
Thanks, OMG! That means a lot to me as well.
I always worry when I make my posts about "fundies" that I might offend Christians in general, which is not my intent. I have great respect for the teachings of Christ and think if we all lived by them the world would be an awesome place. But I think fundamentalists who reject science and advocate legislating religious law are dangerous.
As to John Stewart and Colbert - I considered adding them, but recalled a study I read in USA Today that said that Republicans think they are just as funny as Dems, which tells me that something is lost in translation. Republicans, according to the study, also think Colbert is an actual conservative.
I always worry when I make my posts about "fundies" that I might offend Christians in general, which is not my intent. I have great respect for the teachings of Christ and think if we all lived by them the world would be an awesome place. But I think fundamentalists who reject science and advocate legislating religious law are dangerous.
As to John Stewart and Colbert - I considered adding them, but recalled a study I read in USA Today that said that Republicans think they are just as funny as Dems, which tells me that something is lost in translation. Republicans, according to the study, also think Colbert is an actual conservative.
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