Blog Roundup On Olbermann's "Fascism" Commentary

[Syrinx]

Just a small sampling. If nothing else, Mr. O sure has the "blogosphere" buzzing.

Olbermann delivered this commentary with fire and passion while highlighting how Rumsfeld’s comments echoes other times in our world’s history when anyone who questioned the administration was coined as a traitor, unpatriotic, communist or any other colorful term. Luckily we pulled out of those times and we will pull out of these times.

Remember - Rumsfeld did not just call the Democrats out yesterday, he called out a majority of this country. This wasn’t only a partisan attack, but more so an attack against the majority of Americans.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/08/30/keith-olbermann-delivers-one-hell-of-a-commentary-on-rumsfeld/

I have tried, vainly, for the past two days to write something, anything, about the attacks of Secretary of Pretense Donald Rumsfeld upon his own fellow citizens. In the end, better that I failed to do so, because I would have been hard pressed to top the relentless and unapologetic counter-attack levied by Keith Olbermann on Countdown tonight.

Don't merely read the transcript at the linked Crooks and Liars item. Watch the captured video in its entirety, because the tone of Olbermann's delivery is part of the message.

Addendum: Two other comments. First, this piece clocks in at an astonishing 6 minutes and 41 seconds of flat-out news commentary. In this day and age, that's simply unheard of. Second, while he may think it "presumptuous" to invoke Murrow as he does, Keith Olberman likely is the only person in television news today with the right to do so.

http://www.furiousnads.com/2006/Aug/olbermann_savages_secretary_of_pretense

Keith Olbermann makes no bones about Edward R. Murrow being his journalistic role model. At the same time as he can't decide whether he wants his show to be The Daily Show with real news, or real news with snark, the ghost of Ed Murrow never strays far from his shoulder. Tonight, Murrow whispered in his hear, and what came out is the kind of masterful, important news commentary that is also a cri de coeur -- the likes of which we haven't seen since Murrow took down Joe McCarthy. The target tonight is Donald Rumsfeld. Crooks and Liars has the video here.

http://brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com/2006/08/keith-olbermann-gets-in-touch-with-his.html

It is time someone spoke out like this and Olbermann has done a near perfect job of it. It is good hear words like this coming from someone in the MSM, now when are we going to hear a leading Democrat (any Democrat?) talk like this? Maybe the Party should look elsewhere for its 2008 candidate.

http://spectrum.wordpress.com/2006/08/31/keith-olbermann-on-rumsfeld-and-the-administration/

You probably already know what a very courageous Keith Olbermann said last night on his MsNBC show Countdown, in an unusual and very poignant response to the speech given by Donald Rumsfeld at the American Legion Convention. If you haven't watched Keith's commentary yet or read the transcript, here's a link to Crooks and Liars which has the video. A transcript of the most brilliant on air broadcast political essay since the days of Edward R. Murrow can be found at Keith's blog HERE.

After reading or listening I'm sure most of this community will agree with me that this was a seminal event in broadcast journalism history. However I was curious about how the rightwing side of the blogosphere was reacting to Keith remarks. At this hour the only major right wing site that had a story up about Olbermann's commentary was at Free Republic (Sorry, no link provided. You can find it on your own if you wish). Here's a few representative comments from the posters there, unedited and unabridged:

To: governsleastgovernsbest

Come the next Islamofascist attack on America can we start a real war against the real enemy?

8 posted on 08/30/2006 7:35:24 PM PDT by muawiyah

To: governsleastgovernsbest

The variations of it have faced our forfathers when men like Nixon and McCarthy and Curtis Lemay have darkened our skies and obscured our flag.

Curtis LeMay? He was a great hero and did a lot to win the war against the Japanese. Olbermann probably lost half his viewers tonight- i.e. two! None of the four even got the LeMay reference either.

Olbermann is a truly contemptible little man.

GLGB, you have a lot more patience than I!
24 posted on 08/30/2006 7:45:20 PM PDT by Rummyfan

(cont.)

To: dirtboy

Olbermann is a crapless feckweasel....no lessfeck weaselcrap.......no feckless crapweasel...that's it. He is stoned or something and is nothing but a useful idiot of the enemies of our nation.

14 posted on 08/30/2006 7:41:08 PM PDT by shankbear

To: governsleastgovernsbest

Keith Olbermann is morally and intellectually bankrupt, he was scolding and blaming America. Basically he said, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." = The jihadists against Bush and America are his friends.

42 posted on 08/30/2006 7:58:48 PM PDT by FreeRep

To: governsleastgovernsbest

The closer a critic gets to the truth of these people; the more vitriolic. . .inauthentic; pathetic and extreme, their response.

Rumsfeld has hit a 'truth nerve'. . .and they are bloody screaming. . .

. . 47 posted on 08/30/2006 8:02:45 PM PDT by cricket (Live Liberal free. . .or suffer their consequences. . .)

To: governsleastgovernsbest

The "peace and love" crowd seem to get hostile when the truth is hinted at. I'd love to see their reaction to my view that THEY caused the war in Iraq by giving Saddam a false sense of security. That they encouraged 9-11 by being vocal wimps when we were in Somalia. That they encourage the terrorists to fight on by dividing us, and making it look like we are 50/50 on this war when we are not.

48 posted on 08/30/2006 8:07:53 PM PDT by logic101.net (Support OUR troops, NOT their's!)

To: governsleastgovernsbest

I wonder if oberman has children;or nephews/nieces etc. All of these idiots that refuse to allow the front loading of a looming confrontation will be directly responsible for the fact that in all likelihood OUR children will absolutely be involved in a life or death struggle to preserve OUR nation. The very same elitist , do nothing but babble , morons that decry every use of force , every vengeful indiscretion, every PERCIEVED slight, of a murdering Islamofacists rights, will be the very same people that squall like stuck pigs , when all of our children are fighting and dying because of the aformentioned idiocy.

I just hope the marksmanship I taught my children can keep them alive when it becomes the difference between those that make out alive and those that don't .

The really terrifying aspect of all this is the open borders issue and how it darn near grandee's that 5th columnist are or will be in place to harm us in a much more personal way than Hitler ever did. 56 posted on 08/30/2006 8:16:31 PM PDT by ping jockey (radical islam; the great evil of all times.)

To: okie01

Well, at least if it comes to civil war, it will be the first civil war in recorded history where one of the parties is fighting for gun control. Which should make the battle mercifully swift and decisive.

67 posted on 08/30/2006 8:25:32 PM PDT by dirtboy (This tagline has been photoshopped)

No editorial comments from me. I think what they post speaks for itself, don't you?

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2006/8/31/1177/47029

Tonight, on NBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann“, Olbermann scooped up Donald Rumsfeld like a field mouse, and bopped him good and hard on the head.

It was one of the most impressive things I have ever seen on TV, and reminded me once again why I watch his show so devotedly every single day.

http://www.1115.org/2006/08/30/olbermann-hits-a-walk-off-grand-slam/

On the basis of this savaging of SecDef Rumsfeld, Keith Olbermann would have a strong claim to be the Edward R. Murrow of our day -- if only he weren't so self-conscious about it.

Update: Robert Waldmann makes a convincing case that Olbermann slanders Neville Chamberlain in the clip I linked to above: "He was a truly aweful prime minister but comparing him to Donald Rumsfeld is going too far."

http://www.discourse.net/archives/2006/08/olbermanns_edward_r_murrow_moment.html

This blogger gets Keith's name wrong... sigh.

Ken Olbermann has given his most powerful piece of political commentary, yet. What set him off was Donald Rumsfeld's remarks at the American Legion National Convention.

The fact that Rumsfeld is comparing himself with Winston Churchill is mind-boggling. Great leadership requires one to take responsibility for his actions. Not blamed others for condemning others for pointing out your incompetence. That includes Republicans like John McCain and Chuck Hagal.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL: I have no confidence in Rumsfeld's leadership.

http://pushingrope.blogspot.com/2006/08/ken-olbermann-on-donald-rumsfeld.html

All day today, after hearing about, and reading, the latest “fear-o-grams” from President Vice President Dick Cheney, and his Vice PresidentSecretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, I could feel another “Garlictorial” percolating - That is until I watched MSNBC’s most prized program - Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Hence, only Minced Garlic, since the main focus of the post will be Olbermann’s eloquent dissertation.

Cheney and Rumsfeld... Jeez, there are infomercial actors that have stronger morals and higher ethics regarding what they will say on-camera then these two cretins.
Excluding the first 5.5-years of this Bush Administration, we’d have to go back quite a ways (Nixon Presidency? ... McCarthy?) to find an elected, sitting Vice President and a sitting Cabinet member of the United States utter such un-American speech

http://puregarlic.blogspot.com/2006/08/minced-garlic-keith-olbermann-special.html

Much like Murrow confronting the witch hunter McCarthy, Olbermann delivers an eloquent commentary which devastates Rumsfeld and BushCo’s inverse projected allegations of “fascism.”

http://www.theittlist.com/site/ittlist/ind/olbermann_reinvigorates_the_spirit_of_edward_r_murrow/

Keith Olbermann is the only real Media

A few days ago I coined the slogan 'Copy Boy Media' because (the majority of) it sure isn't investigating or reporting. They're taking the copy provided to them and running it to the presses.

old and tired: the So Called Liberal Media
new and fresh: the Copy Boy Media

The first message is a tool of the Republican meme machine. The second is our tool that shows our derision for what the industry has sunk to. Tonight, Keith Olbermann broke out of the Copy Boy Media crowd and turned in a performance that, hopefully, will be THE watercooler discussion tomorrow morning.

This evening, Mr. Olbermann took Donald Rumsfeld to task for his comments yesterday to veterans. I know I buried the lead, but here is the big story. Go, read, and be amazed that commentary of this level has retuned to television. For the video inclined, here is where crooks and liars comes through again.

http://weberblue.blogspot.com/2006/08/keith-olbermann-is-only-real-media.html

[Greylyn58]

1. Great Post

Don't you find it intersting when comparing the comments of those praising Keith to those that try to belittle him.

Those that praise his words give reasoned, well thoughtout responses. Then we have the dreck spilling forth from FreeRepublic.

Like you, I think I'll let their incredible ignorance speak for itself.

[Syrinx]

2. good and accurate observation

Thanks. :hi:

[Syrinx]

19. I meant the observation in the body of your post

I just realized that it appeared that I was calling your subject line, "Great Post" a "good and accurate observation." For the record, that's not the observation I was referring to. ;)

[cry baby]

3. Thank you for that compilation.

Great read...and some new blogs I can hit!

[Syrinx]

6. I don't necessarily endorse all those blogs

Most of them are new to me. :)

[fasttense]

4. Wow, I just watch Keith Olbermann on crooks and liars.

That man can certainly turn a phrase. He was very stirring and very correct. He tore apart Dumsfeld’s silly little statement and showed us all how brave men respond to unjust attacks. In this day of sound bites and jingoism, it is refreshing to see a journalist be so eloquent. He certainly made a place for himself next to Edward R. Murrow.

[Hieronymus]

5. I saw Keith deliver this Wednesday, and I've saved it.

It's really awesome. Thank you, Keith.:bounce:

[Chipper Chat]

7. We should thank NBC as well.

The network seems to have grown some balls this week. Brian Williams stuck his foot in the bush/lies/exposure door, but Keith blew it open like a tornado.
Hey Katie, Charles, and Lehrer - we're you watching?

[MagickMuffin]

8. Thanks for the all the great info,

I watched last night and was very proud that Keith Speaks Truth to Power.

I had to do my blog on this as well. Keith is courageous and deserves to have the blogosphere give him support. i'm sure it isn't an easy task knowing you could be the target of the Reich-wing attack machine. I also linked to an article by Thom Hartmann who also wrote an excellent article on the fascist movement occurring in our country. However, he was able to spell it out in a more drastic nature. Had an interesting excerpts from VP Wallace from 1944. Well worth the read.
Here's a link:
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0828-23.htm

[malaise]

9. From the article:

"Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power." Mussolini, however, affixed his name to the entry, and claimed credit for it.)

As the 1983 American Heritage Dictionary noted, fascism is: "A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism." (The US dictionary definition has gotten somewhat squishier since then, as all the larger dictionary companies have been bought up by multinational corporations.)

Mussolini was quite straightforward about all this. In a 1923 pamphlet titled "The Doctrine of Fascism" he wrote, "If classical liberalism spells individualism, Fascism spells government." But not a government of, by, and for We The People - instead, it would be a government of, by, and for the most powerful corporate interests in the nation.
-----------
The question is why MSM continues to repeat Bushco's bullshit when there are a gazillion peer reviewed texts available with the correct definition.

We must bombard them with the correct use of 'the word'.

[MagickMuffin]

10. Well you may consider Wallace's words about Fascism:

..."The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power."

" If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States. There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful. ... They are patriotic in time of war because it is to their interest to be so, but in time of peace they follow power and the dollar wherever they may lead."

"American fascism will not be really dangerous," he added in the next paragraph, "until there is a purposeful coalition among the cartelists, the deliberate poisoners of public information..."

If Wallace were here today, I'm sure he would be appalled that what he said 60 years ago are ever so present today. The Corporate take over of the media and they're continual mind speak about the liberal media, plays into the hands of disinformation. If you know what I mean....

[malaise]

11. Spot on.

We need a serious discussion on Air America on what fascism is and what it isn't. To have MSM merely parrot words without informing the public about the correct meaning of them is beyond unacceptable. The silence from respected Political Scientists suggests that they have no respect for their own discipline.

We should bombard MSM with this subject.

[leftchick]

12. TPM: "Olberman Our New Murrow"

By Larry Johnson | bio

If you missed Keith Olberman's commentary on Donald Rumsfeld's accusation that Americans who criticize the Bush Policy in Iraq are basically traitors, then you missed a chance to witness history. Olberman's courage and genius should be celebrated and cherished. God bless him. The man has a set of stones.



http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2006/aug/30/olberman_our_new_murrow

[Olney Blue]

13. Great summary- thanks!

:kick:

[sinkingfeeling]

14. I doubt that those on the 'other side' could even understand what

Mr. Olbermann said.....he used a lot of big words with complex language. They just know that he said something 'bad' about their king and his tools.

[Hailtothechimp]

18. Bubba don't know what "Omnishunts" is

But then again, Bubba's already watching Fox, anyway.

Keith was speaking to our side, not theirs. Their side is a closed shop, and has been for years.

[indepat]

15. I take pride in having severely chided ESPN for driving this rare genius

to greener and more fruitful pastures befitting his intellect. Keith, you make me proud there is at least one voice of sanity and patriotism in the MSM wilderness, or would it be cesspool, so infested with sniveling reichous sycophants? Edited: typos

[young_at_heart]

16. KO gave those of us in despair a renewed hope

The depression we all feel over the state of our country has continued to build as each month and year goes by and we are all collectively.....sick. Thank you Keith for reviving us!

[TygrBright]

17. Especially liked the "Little Rabbit Foo-foo" reference... n/t

[grasswire]

20. yes, that was masterful

There are many layers of subtlety in Olbermann's tele-essay.