WH spokesman praises Olbermann, Maddow as 'invaluable'

[edbermac]

On the heels of President Obama's criticism of Fox News in an interview with Rolling Stone, his Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton has gone out of his way to praise rival network MSNBC.

The Upshot's Michael Calderone reports that Burton was talking to a group of reporters on Air Force One when he was asked if Obama felt that people didn't appreciate or recognize his achievements. Burton said the president didn't spend time thinking about it, but that he wants people to know that his administration has "done a lot."

Then Burton praised MSNBC:

"And if you're on the left, if you're somebody like Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow or one of the folks who helps to keep our government honest and pushes and prods to make sure that folks are true to progressive values," Burton continued, "then he thinks that those folks provide an invaluable service. But at the same time, we need to focus our energy and our efforts on the choice that Americans have this fall."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/29/bill-burton-white-house-s_n_743503.html

SUCK IT, FAUX!!!

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, edbermac.:thumbsup:

[old mark]

2. Mr. Obama, say this yourself - It will make a nice ....change.... rec.nt

[SargeUNN]

4. good job of ambushing

find a way to make a negative no matter how positive.

[old mark]

24. No "ambushing" intended - I thought the positive message should be repeated

straight from the top.

mark

[Parker CA]

3. Kick and Rec! Great to hear this from the WH!

[MadHound]

5. But wait, aren't Maddow and Olberman members of the professional left,

The same professional left this administration was demonizing just a few weeks ago?

[Larkspur]

6. Yes, and you notice it was not Gibbs who gave this praise.

[MadHound]

8. Yeah, I noticed this

Is this some sort of back door apology, damage control or combination of both?

[SargeUNN]

7. See no matter what

we have attackers that will not accept a compliment without making a slight of it. This really isn't very progressive is it? Is the rule now, you say something and you are locked into it and no matter what you say we will only accept what we want to. Come on let's be more mature.

[MadHound]

10. How is asking a simple question about a statement that the WH made in anyway an attack?

What, we're not supposed to remember those inconvenient utterances made by this administration? Just live in the present?

Sorry, but actions have consequences, and you can't demonize the professional left one week and then praise them the next without having a lot of eyebrows shooting up and people going :wtf:

[SargeUNN]

17. for the record

I had Marsha Blackburn pay a compliment to me when she was a guest on my show. I took it as a nice tribute even though I disagree with Marsha almost completely, and true to form one person asked me why didn't you tell her to cram it? A compliment is a nice thing and to cheapen it with finding a negative in it is sad. Once when I was coaching a coach of another team that openly stated his hatred for me after the last game we had against each other, said to someone, I hate his guts but I have to admit he is a hell of a coach." Later his daughter came to me and said, "Thanks for not being a jerk like my daddy, I respect you for that." I did go over to him and thanked him for the compliment. Sometimes it just pays to accept things as they are.

[MadHound]

18. Nowhere did I state that Maddow or Olberman should refuse this compliment,

All I asked is a question. That, and pointed out that this is one of those what the fuck moments, which it is. If you think that I'm somehow attacking the administration with that, that's your problem, not mine.

I'm certain that a lot of people who are members of the professional left, including Olberman and Maddow are having their own :wtf: moments over this compliment as well. It is a natural response after one has been so recently attacked by the administration.

[SargeUNN]

20. forget it

you obvious will continue to ambush any statement or twist it anyway you can find. However I will say this in hopes you get it, the compliment to Keith and Rachel were nice and others refusing to acknowlege it as good just cheapens it. When Blackburn complimented me I thought it was as nice to get as when Alan Grayson paid me a compliment, but the guy who asked me why I didn't tell her to cram it embarrassed me. It really made Marsha look more mature than him. Now hopefully you get it and won't bother to twist things again. Thanks

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MadHound]

12. Professional victim? LOLOLOLOLOL!

You know nothing about me, yet have the utter gall to say I'm a professional victim. Right, I was a professional victim when I was a volunteer firefighter, rushing into the flames as others fled. I was a professional victim when I started becoming involved in political campaigns at the age of eleven (do you even know who McGovern was?). I was a professional victim when I unionized two workplaces (and how many have you unionized there pal?).

It is by these sorts of insults you betray yourself. Betray the fact that you have nothing of substance with which to rebut my arguments, so you rely on insults instead. Weak pal, really really weak.

[Uzybone]

14. you are a good man and of value to your community

I hope you can accept that.

[MadHound]

15. Thank you,

If you wish to disagree with me, that's fine, but do so on substance. I hope you can accept that.

Peace:hi:

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

21. Nope. People like Huffington and Hamsher are.

[SargeUNN]

9. Nice of them to say so

Rachel and Keith are valuble and awesome when exposing the tactics of the right, and keeping the record straight. It is great they were acknowledged.

[Tippy]

13. K&R.......

[pacalo]

16. Saw this last night during the KO/Maddow segue. Well learned compliment to them!

[COLGATE4]

19. K&R. There are a whole lot of days these days when Keith

and Rachel are about the only things that keep me going.

[pacalo]

23. They are the only ones hubby & I watch for news.

(I just noticed that I had a typo in my previous post -- should be earned instead of "learned".)

[Bonhomme Richard]

22. There is the problem right there.

In my view Olbermann and Rachel are only letting the facts out there and they are labeled liberal. Maybe Rachel would label herself that way but I don't think Olbermann would. The idea that he says they are promoting progressive values speaks volumes to me.

[yodermon]

25. (1) FOX will complain/mock; (2) Someone in the administration will walk it back.

sorry for the cynicism.

[slay]

26. I saw that - nice exchange between Keith and Rachel about it the other night

too. They really are invaluable - especially for those who get their news from TV still.

[marew]

27. Yup, and Lawrence O'Donnell super also! nt