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June 30, 2008

The Keith Olbermann-Glenn Greenwald Catfight
— Ace

In case you hadn't heard, Gleen is taking Keith to task for his remarkable flip-flop on FISA/telecom immunity.

Both were wrong on this issue initially. Gleen, however, is at least consistently wrong, and does not flip-flop in order to keep up with Obama's flip-flops.

Keith Olbermann called Bush a traitor, fascist, and ally of terrorists for demanding immunity for telecoms. Now when Obambi supports the same measure, he's called... "strong." Strong to not allow himself to be rolled by the Republicans on the issue. Strong to stand up to the "far left" on the issue.

Uhh... why wasn't Bush similarly "strong" for advocating immunity? Why wasn't he "strong" for standing up to the "far left"?

(It's also interesting that Keith Olbermann's mind can only discuss the subject in terms of political advantage. You would think that maybe he could address the issue in national security terms, but, alas, no. Not anymore. Oh he was able to discuss what he would call "national security" implications when he was bashing Bush -- "siding with terrorists!" -- but now that Obama has joined Bush, such considerations are no longer considered, and the question simply becomes another horserace/political positioning one.)

Keith Olbermann has gotten around to defending his own amazing flip-flop -- on the Daily Kos, of course. He claims Obama's position is different than Bush's, and hence supportable, because while the measure provides civil litigation immunity for the telecoms, it does not foreclose the possibility of future criminal prosecution by the state, and that makes all the difference.

Of course Olbermann did not make any reference to this being a key consideration in his previous rants, nor did he mention it in calling Obama "strong." Obama himself doesn't cite that this as reason for his flip-flop, either, to Keith Olbermann's chagrin.

It's also simply stupid. There's a doctrine forbidding this -- entrapment. Entrapment is defined legally as the undertaking of a criminal act, but only due to the urging of an agent of the state; without that urging, the crime would not have been committed in the first place. Obviously entrapment applies here; the telecoms didn't offer up their records to the Bush Administration like a dealer hawking crack in the street; the Bush Administration came to them, urged/demanded they assist in the War on Terror, and provided legal opinions that this was lawful and proper.

Obama can't prosecute them for an alleged "crime" that occurred only due to the state's urging and with the state's reassurance that it was in fact not a crime at all.

Duh.

So Olbermann can continue to spin, but the fact is, when Bush does it, it's fascist, treasonous, and "siding with terrorists." When The Chosen One does it, it's "strong." And understandable. And even... praiseworthy.

He's always been a joke, a carnival barker hawking political pornography. But some on the "far left" (also known as "his audience") finally seem to be noticing.

Maybe the "far left" will demonstrate "strength" similar to Obama's by tuning him out.

Posted by: Ace at 09:59 AM | Comments (39)
Post contains 510 words, total size 3 kb.

Olbermann: telecom amnesty was a "shameless, breathless, literally textbook example of Fascism -- the merged efforts of government and corporations that answer to no government."

What do the enlightened ones call it when a zealot screams that political extremists have taken over the government? McCarthyism?

We need a word for leftists who see Fascists under every bed. Seriously. Plenty of people believe and are inspired by these rants. Mainstream journalists appear on his show to lend him credibility.

Olbermann has a list of known Fascists in the Bush administration. He's just waiting for Howard Fineman to ask him about it.

Posted by: CJ at June 30, 2008 10:10 AM (9KqcB)

2 That would be the "far left" as opposed to moderate centrist unbiased nonpartisan journalists like Olby, I presume?

Posted by: hhuummbbeerrtt at June 30, 2008 10:22 AM (f7A+e)

3 Keith is trying to buddy-back-up with the nutroots & has called for another one of those speshul comment things (I saw the commercials for it this morning) where he's hoping to cozy back up with his minions. I mean, what's going on is so pathetically blatant that it's sad. "They're getting up in arms....I'd better do a special comment and say what they want, otherwise I may lose what little audience that I have. Can't make 'em mad, after all". (see: Cole, John)

I honestly wish I could buy those folks for what they're worth & sell 'em for what they think they're worth....

Posted by: RW at June 30, 2008 10:46 AM (5L9k4)

4 Yeah it's pretty funny stuff; the Drum Principle is to abandon your stated principles if sticking to them helps the enemy (President Bush), the Olbermann Principle is to abandon your stated principles if it helps your allies (insert Democratic Party nominee here).

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at June 30, 2008 11:12 AM (0+Ggj)

5 I just can't friggin wait for today's Worst Person in the World segment. The suspense is killing me waiting for today's segment. Who's is it going to be? Will it be O'Reilly for the Worst, ..... or will it be ... O'Reilly for the Worst? Or will O'Reilly get Worse, Worser and Worst as the grand trifecta as he did on 11/30/2005?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown_with_Keith_Olbermann

This guy is ground breaking yellow journalism - just keep on urinating on the grave on Edward Murrow. The journalist you think you are modeling.

Posted by: sergei at June 30, 2008 11:35 AM (BUDOM)

This guy is ground breaking yellow journalism

What Olbermann does isn't journalism of any color. He's merely Michael Moore with a smaller audience. Smaller everything, for that matter.

Posted by: hhuummbbeerrtt at June 30, 2008 01:10 PM (f7A+e)

7 Maybe the "far left" will demonstrate "strength" similar to Obama's by tuning him out.

I don't think tin foil hats come with channel selector knobs.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at June 30, 2008 02:08 PM (dcqty)

8 Is it wrong for me to want to push Olberdouche down in the mud, and then kick him over and over again in the head with steel-toed boots? Because every time I see or hear him on TV, that's what I want to do.

Hard to believe that I find anyone more palatable than The Gleens, but I guess I do.

Posted by: Just Wondering at June 30, 2008 02:10 PM (EQYOq)

9 Let's try that again:

Hard to believe that I find anyone more less palatable than The Gleens, but I guess I do.

Posted by: Just Wondering at June 30, 2008 02:12 PM (EQYOq)

>>Is it wrong for me to want to push Olberdouche down in the mud, and then kick him over and over again in the head with steel-toed boots?

Yes. It is wrong. You should also have horshoes nailed to the heel.

Posted by: Tushar at June 30, 2008 02:14 PM (Q7Ugu)

I was wondering how long you were going to ignore this catfight. I thought it would be like catnip to you.

See, what I did there, catfight - catnip.

Seriously, the Olbermanns of the world are going to find it a lot harder to write their special comment and action alerts when they are in power. It's easy to pick apart the opposition when you are sitting on the sidelines. If Olbermann has to spend the next 4 years defending Obama his head will explode. Which, I think we can all agree, is one of the few benefits of President Obama.

Posted by: JackStraw at June 30, 2008 02:15 PM (VBon8)

The Keith Olbermann-Glenn Greenwald Catfight

catfight?

Good Day, sir!

Screw you, ace.

Posted by: Cats Everywhere at June 30, 2008 02:16 PM (UeP9e)

13 Let the scratching of eyes out begin!

Posted by: wiserbud at June 30, 2008 02:19 PM (wWwJR)

14
If Andrew Sullivan jumped into the fray, a guy could make a lot of money on a "Super Fabulous Battle Royale" pay per view.

Posted by: FreakyBoy at June 30, 2008 02:21 PM (4s1it)

15 I doubt this will affect the Obamaniacs. They're voting for this image they have in their heads at this point, rather like Obama and his lost Daddy, and nothing will sway them.

Posted by: richard mcenroe at June 30, 2008 02:22 PM (pmtKk)

16 I realize Ace has to document this stuff as it happens but it's really just too obvious to comment on. Olberman flip-flopped for pure political expediency -- the sky is blue.

Posted by: Eleven at June 30, 2008 02:23 PM (7DB+a)

17 Rawr!

Posted by: Animala at June 30, 2008 02:25 PM (Q1lie)

18 This is not fair to Mr. Greenwald, whose brilliant commentaries have been read on the floor of the Senate. He takes it in the squeakhole from you, though.

Posted by: Rick Ellensburg at June 30, 2008 02:25 PM (5aa4z)

You're right, Rick, but let's qualify that- Gleen takes it in the squeakhole as a hate-bang from you, and it's usually a kick-fucking...

tmi3rd

Posted by: tmi3rd at June 30, 2008 02:30 PM (WG2sq)

20
Rick:

FreakyBoy likes the chicks, or so I have heard.

Posted by: Socky McPuppetersim at June 30, 2008 02:31 PM (4s1it)

21 Don'tcha just wish you could compile all this stuff, put it on youtube and people would look at it and say, "Wow, these guys really are a couple of tools."

Posted by: Farmer Joe at June 30, 2008 02:37 PM (n29BA)

22 How DARE you all.

Grenn Hussein Gleenwald is a certified Master of the Universe, and you're all lucky to share the same planet as m... *cough*... him.

And if I have to chide Keith Hussein Olbermann for his countless contortions, at least he's doing it in the name of Barack Only-Bigots-Would-Ever-Say-His-Middle-Name Obama. And though Barack MiddleNamelessOne Obama may be flip flopping more than my gerbils come tea time, he's still way better than all you bigoted conservative stuck up nasty un-gay peoples.

Good DAY, sir.

Posted by: Thomas Hussein Ellers at June 30, 2008 02:46 PM (MN787)

Is it rutting season already?

"Brazilian Rump Ranger Pounces Teletubbie in Estrous. Film at 11."

Posted by: Fritz at June 30, 2008 02:49 PM (zAvxs)

24 Maybe the "far left" will demonstrate "strength" similar to Obama's by tuning him out.

Did you skin your knee when you fell off the turnip truck?

Posted by: Ace's liver at June 30, 2008 02:50 PM (XIXhw)

25 Jeepers, what a douchefest. Olbyhack vs. Gleenwad. What's not to hate?

Posted by: OregonMuse at June 30, 2008 03:01 PM (FO+YO)

26 And by the way, I have it on good authority that you is Gleen Greenwad's personal but boy.

Posted by: OregonMuse at June 30, 2008 03:02 PM (FO+YO)

27 Also, his butt boy. With two t's.

Posted by: OregonMuse at June 30, 2008 03:07 PM (FO+YO)

28 On my screen, that read as:

"And by the way, I have it on good authority that Thomas Hussein Ellers is Gleen Greenwad's personal but boy."

...and I have no doubt that's true... in his mind.

Qwinn

Posted by: Qwinn at June 30, 2008 03:13 PM (MN787)

29 Will Gleen make Worst Person in the World? I sure hope so.

Posted by: Dogstar at June 30, 2008 03:27 PM (FgxdU)

30 Hey, I think we need a [ random user ] tag for the mindless to play with!

Posted by: mojo at June 30, 2008 03:39 PM (g1cNf)

31 What do the ketchup packets think about all of this?

Posted by: eddiebear at June 30, 2008 04:36 PM (wnU1W)

32 Just heard Olbermann's going to address this in a Special (at long last, sir!) Comment tonight.

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