Limbaugh (30 yrs of name-calling via US airwaves) still has a job, but Olbermann is fired???

[shcrane71]

Coulture is on Sunday morning "news" shows. Her books are entitled things like, "How to talk to a Liberal if you absolutely have to".

I usually find myself laughing, or at least, smiling during Jon Stewart clips, but not his assessment of Olbermann. To anyone that says that progressives should take the higher ground, I say I agree. But where is the parity? Limbaugh should be fired as well. Stewart's clip reminds me that I can be berated, and fired for having a non-Conservative political voice while Conservatives can sully anyone's character with impunity via our public airwaves.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-january-21-2010/special-comment---keith-olbermann-s-name-calling

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. This country seems to be in love with pigs. nt

[polichick]

9. Yep - from the bullying football captain and mean girl cheerleader to...

...CEO's, politicians and hate radio jocks - sociopaths are put on pedestals in this country.

In the book "The Sociopath Next Door" there is a story about traditional Eskimos, who saw the danger to their society in sociopaths - instead of elevating them, they lured them out on hunting trips and shoved them under the ice. Too bad this society doesn't see the danger.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. You're right. The more repulsive the individual, the more this country idolizes him. nt

[polichick]

19. I guess it's seen as bold and powerful - when it's just sick.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

20. It's a that sick, right wing view of power nt

[dkf]

2. Current was overly ambitious with Olbermann's salary. It happens.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

3. How about Phil Donahue? One of his farts has more intelligent insight than 30 years of Limbaugh

[rfranklin]

5. Yes, but he is not useful to the right wing oligarchs...nor is Olbermann...

Limbaugh can direct the anger and resentment of the "useful idots" on the right. He's worth every penny they pay him.

[obey]

4. The difference is that Limbaugh owns his own program

and would have to "fire" himself, how likely is that?

Olbermann was an employee of Current and Gore/Hyatt determined that he wasn't living up to his employment agreement and terminated him, he wasn't fired for something he said. The right or wrong of it will be decided in court.

[MrScorpio]

6. Unlike Limpbags, KO was working for other people

Therein lies the dilemma.

K. needs his own gig.

[HughBeaumont]

7. America's in love with "The Shitbags" by default:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101720120

[shcrane71]

8. Aren't we just shooting ourselves in the foot by firing Olbermann?

I mean if knee-jerk, name-calling is what wins arguments in America then why fire people who are willing to throw shit? It doesn't seem that we'll get any sort of political power if we aren't willing to play hardball.

[HughBeaumont]

10. And what happens when we DO throw it back?

Football-Field Jaw Hannity will say "See? You liberals are so ANGRY, so filled with hate!"

You can't win with a corporate-compromised Fourth Estate.

Silencing a major progressive voice sure does wonders in closing debate.

Meanwhile, opposition-void propaganda outlets like CNN, CNBC and Faux can devote hours of network time to spread the corporate and Republican economic/government message unhindered.

[shcrane71]

17. I had hope that the Occupy movement was going to change our national dialogue.

But I fear that Occupy has been pepper-sprayed and beaten into submission.

[southernyankeebelle]

11. and they say the media is liberal,huh? Many on the liberal side hate him because he speaks the

truth. I should say the bosses.

[Arkansas Granny]

15. I've always said that if the media truly was liberal, we wouldn't have been

subjected to 8 years of GWB. He might have "won" the first election, but he damn sure wouldn't have been re-elected.

[southernyankeebelle]

21. I keep asking where are the Woodard and Brenstein? Corporations own newspapers and this

is what we get now. Really sad. We need more light on what is going on.

[Blue_Tires]

12. Maybe Olbermann could just go on radio and really let loose...

[otohara]

14. and Fired, and Fired, and Fired Again

I trust Al Gore.
Keith Olbermann, troubled bridge burner, vindictive.

[shcrane71]

16. Troubled Bridge Burner & Vindictive are what Americans are coming to expect.

I took a business Organizational Behavior class once where character assassination was all but encouraged. If name-calling is being taught in our business schools, and the graduates bring that into the workplace, then what can Progressives and Liberals do? Won't taking the high road leave us without any political power?

[fishwax]

18. I found myself laughing during that assessment of Olbermann

Of course, it doesn't follow that Olbermann should be fired for his views. But, in the case of his most recent separation, there's not much indication that he was.

As some others have said, KO might do best just developing a show as his own property.