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Bush Gives Up Golf, Olbermann Goes Off, and I Fret
If you didn’t catch Keith Olbermann’s screed last night — inspired partially by President Bush’s commitment (which he didn’t really keep, apparently) to give up golf in honor of those servicemen killed in the Iraq War — it’s worth watching. Oh, and buckle yourself in — it’s a pretty wild ride:
As genuine as Olbermann intends it to be — and as right-on as he is about it all — his tone and self-righteousness bother me. Olbermann condemns Bush at the end of the piece for thinking that the Iraq War is all about Bush himself. Well, I’d like to say to Olbermann that criticism of the Bush administration and the war machine it perpetuates is not all about Olbermann.
And that’s the larger problem with a personality-driven pseudo news show. It’s never really about the news. Olbermann, even at his most poignant, feels more like an entertainer than a social critic — and I’m not sure that inspires much action or even critical thinking in his audience.
I could be wrong …. What’s your reaction?
Posted at 9:05 AM | Permalink | | 
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Mister Olbermann is problematic at best. Rush Limbaugh (a frequent “Worst Person In The World”) used to say that the highest function of a liberal demagogue was to “Keep The Kooks Kookified.” Olbermann fits Limbaugh’s bill in this nicely. One could grant Olbermann some points on merit when ideas first pop out of his mouth, but once they’ve existed for a minute or two they grow monstrously out of their original shape and become figments of Olbermann World. In Olbermann World, they then exist to grow into a shape that best fits Olbermann’s perceptions and outlooks and cease to resemble the truth.
OR Maybe he’s just tired of giving other people the “Worst Person” award every night.
Posted by Andy Anderson on May 15th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Watching Olbermann’s rant made me uncomfortable on several levels, in part because my (and most of the country’s) anger with the current resident of the White House regarding the Iraq War faded months or years ago.
Either GWB was a willing puppet of the neo-con deception regarding the War in Iraq, or the “I was a sucker” act hides a deeper involvement in the lies that led to the war. In one case the man neglected his duties, in the other, he abused his office- and either way, the vast majority of the country has realized this and decided he was a bad president.
However, I think the country has more or less moved on from this realization, and is angry with Bush for entirely new reasons. The economy has melted down- at least from the point of view of the investment bankers, and low and middle income homeowners who’ve lost a significant portion of their wealth- and Bush’s War now offends the American psyche as much for the dollars wasted as the lives lost. The temporary bump in approval Bush received as the troop surge began to reduce casualty rates was wiped out by plummeting housing prices and stagnant growth.
Watching Olbermann get red in the face and indignant about the “road to war” and GWB’s callousness seems behind the times and a little vindictive. The country has given up on the current president and his failures, and is much more concerned about the next. Watching Bush try to express empathy for anyone, be they victims of Katrina, or the families of fallen Marines, leaves one feeling hollow and sad after years of listening to these lies. Olbermann’s insistence on pointing out the obvious reminds the viewer of the Republican continuing fascination with Bill Clinton’s sex life- no one doubts the fact, but we have recognized the man’s failings and moved on with our lives.
Olbmermann’s one legitimate, forward-looking motivation seems to be to tie Bush to McCain, and hence argue that the country needs to elect a Democrat in November. Unfortunately for the Dems, lumping John McCain with the worst parts of George Bush simply does not ring true. McCain seems to care, legitimately, about the soldiers and their families. He did not evade the draft, but stood up to serve; his son is in Iraq now. While he certainly supported the rush to war, there is no evidence that he helped set the agenda, or manipulate the intelligence. Opposing a McCain presidency based on his vote for the war ignores the far more important question of what the US should do now, both in Iraq, and at home. These are fundamental, deep questions about the country, and need to be discussed. I do not believe either Obama’s call for near-immediate pullout, or McCain’s 100 year plan are the answer. Neither man has the economic experience to argue convincingly that they will be a better steward of the economy than Bush. America and the world needs these men to rise to the occasion, and it is not obvious which one is better equipped with the intelligence, ideas and humility needed to fix George Bush’s mess.
As the only avowedly Democrat demagogue on TV, Olbermann can be forgiven for sticking to his guns. But it is now time to turn the page, and start framing the debate for this fall.
Posted by Mark Borgschulte on May 15th, 2008 at 11:01 am
That’s a great point, Mark. We certainly need to start articulating the same anger about Bush’s economic failings. It’s amazing how low the Iraq War has been showing up in recent exit polls, even among Democrats.
Posted by Bernie on May 15th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I wonder if the families of the hundreds of thousands of people who have died in this war feel like it’s time to move on. I wonder if they feel calling out Bush on national television is too vindictive. I wonder if they’re okay with the fact that he has taken no responsibility for their loved ones’ deaths, and may very well never be asked to.
It isn’t time to move on. It never will be until this war criminal is brought to justice.
Posted by M. on May 15th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
If Bush’s failings in regards to Iraq have been relegated to old news in those exit polls, then that deadened nerve needs to be retapped–especially in light of Bush’s “appeasement” comments today and McCain’s endorsement of those comments. Olberman’s rant should be taken as a call for the Democrats to take the intiative in framing the Iraq and War on Terror debate. He was not just rehashing Bush’s “road to war” but reminding us of how the administration’s policies continue to take us down that same path to perdition. We cannot accept any notion that we have somehow “moved on” from Bush’s failures in Iraq. How we reverse the course his administration established and continues to pursue should be a front and center campaign issue.
Posted by Steve Schwartz on May 15th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Keiths piece was excellent and true. History will tell us that we were misled by this president. And I voted for the guy - what a sucker I was! As for the first comment. How typical to hide behind a truth by spinning another ‘liberal’ story. How contrived. How predictable. Invoking Rush Limbaugh into this story as if he was anything other than fat. Is that all some people have to say? My fellow republicans, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
Posted by C. Carlson on May 16th, 2008 at 5:11 am
“…
lumping John McCain with the worst parts of George Bush simply does not ring true. McCain seems to care, legitimately, about the soldiers and their families…”
With Regard to Sen McCain’s Voting Record:
“…Not only has he refused to support the 21st Century GI Bill, which the Veterans of Foreign Wars endorsed last June, he has consistently voted against increasing funding for the Veterans’ Administration, which oversees all medical care for veterans:
– Voted AGAINST an amendment providing $20 billion to the VA’s medical facilities. [5/4/06]
– Voted AGAINST providing $430 million to the VA for outpatient care “and treatment for veterans,” one of only 13 senators to do so. [4/26/06]
– Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.5 billion by closing corporate loopholes. [3/14/06]
– Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.8 billion by ending “abusive tax loopholes.” [3/10/04]
– Voted AGAINST FOR a $650 million increase in veterans’ medical care funding. [8/1/01]
Though McCain has derided progressive universal health care plans as “a government takeover,” he is mum on the success of the VA, a government-run, integrated approach that, as Paul Krugman put it, is “one of the few clear American success stories in the struggle to contain health care costs.”
McCain’s zero-regulation, every-man-for-himself approach to health insurance would in effect “dismantle” the VA — what Krugman calls “a completely wrongheaded approach to health care.”
Posted by SMMH on May 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
LETS FACE IT!
WITH LEADERSHIP LIKE THIS
THIS NATION IS PHOCED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEEMS TO BE A GREAT NEED FOR “SPIRIT OF OF 1776″
AGAIN!!!!
WE NEED TO JUST START OVER!
Posted by pitbull on May 16th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
look i know that no one will look at this and i know no one will really care at this point but im going to put it out there anyway. my father a a veteren. he died 2 years ago when i was 16. when he died we were suposse to get a pention from his death. not only did the goverment not give it to us right away they claim that we didnt require the money. i guess its because they thought my mom (who is losing her eye sight) could still work even though she could no see very well. add on to that they took away my medicare and my dental care. my father was a solder and a policemen he put his life on the line ever single day of his life and they couldnt even give a family some SOME help just to by food or something. when my medicare went out about 5 months ofter the fact i got cut really bad the only reason i’m able to type know is not the hostiple or the goverment it was because of my dads teachings!!!!
its pretty sad when a man who has worked his ASS off for the goverment to keep this county safe doesnt get the honor he deserves. he worked for 24 years on the police force and he didnt even get his HEADSTONE for one year.
so Mr.Bush im glad your giving up golf that really is great…..now why dont you try doing something more important like GOING to Iraq all the time.
GO TO THE MORGUE AND LOOK AT THE BODYS. WHY DONT YOU ATTEND A FUNERAL OF A 21 YEAR OLD BOY WHO WAS BLOW UP SOME BADLY HIS MOTHER CANT SEE HIS FACE BECAUSE THERE IS NONE!
humph……………although im pretty sure anyone who will read this will say “hes only 18 he doesnt know what he’s talking about”
o well i said my piece i’m done………..
Posted by Bryan on June 3rd, 2008 at 6:16 am