My only critique of K Olberrmann's "Special Comment" re: Obama

[Political Tiger]

I am a fan of Keith Olbermann and enjoy his show very much. I rarely miss his show and although at times he gets on my nerves, albeit very rarely, I consider his show "must see TV." With that said, I would just like to make a little special comment of my own:

Mr. Olbermann, you do not speak for me. I speak for me. Thank you and keep up the good work.

[patrice]

1. KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK & RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Patsy Stone]

2. I speak for me, too.

:thumbsup: K&R

[Cha]

3. So was he jumping on the

snark wagon regarding the President?

[Phx_Dem]

4. That is exactly what I said while listening to him. You don't speak for me.

Commentaries are one man's opinion, they don't speak for everyone, and neither does Keith.

I like my President cool and focused, not angry and indignant. Been there, done that.

[azmouse]

5. KO is getting desperate for viewers.

Sad but he still has a mostly good show.

[Avalux]

6. Maybe so short because his heart wasn't in it?

I was disappointed he said what he did. Doesn't speak for me either in this case. :thumbsup:

[Robeson]

10. I felt the same way. When Keith is passionate, as he was when the faux Texan was in office....

...he would have had a very extended comment. He gave mouth service to many who have expressed those sentiments. Fair enough.

[dchill]

7. Well, he did preface it with...

"...what I think Americans have been hoping for..." - it's his opinion that it's what we think. At any rate, I can't think of an instance where Keith didn't speak for me, whether he said he did or not.

Just sayin'.

[NJmaverick]

8. K&R

[depakid]

9. What was it that he said that you agree or disagree with?

:shrug:

[Peacetrain]

12. His wanting the President to yell and shout and be different from the Man elected

Well Keith.. I love you.. but that is one of the reasons I voted for the President.. His calm demeanor..

Anyone can jump up and down and yell and scream.. but screaming and yelling does not get the job done.. its just yelling and screaming.

That is why I listen to you and others.. you get paid to yell and scream and that is okay also.

You speak for yourself son.. just remember that..

[Cha]

15. To me ..that is what of the sickest

whines out there..I would think this would be beneath KO..maybe bc he's like that..he thinks everyone should be.

I like the way Rachel gives her reports.

[girl gone mad]

22. Really?

He said that?

"I want the President to yell and shout and be different from the Man elected"?

[Peacetrain]

41. Hmmmm

No one said that.. in fact the quotes are yours.. soooooo..


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#37408146

[Bluenorthwest]

39. He did not say that at all. Wow.

A man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest. He did not ask for yelling and screaming. That is your characterization. And a dishonest one at that.

[Peacetrain]

40. First of all . the only dishonest person in this conversation is you

My Post exactly:

His wanting the President to yell and shout and be different from the Man elected
Well Keith.. I love you.. but that is one of the reasons I voted for the President.. His calm demeanor..

Anyone can jump up and down and yell and scream.. but screaming and yelling does not get the job done.. its just yelling and screaming.

That is why I listen to you and others.. you get paid to yell and scream and that is okay also.

You speak for yourself son.. just remember that..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#37408146

"We would like our anger articulated, by the least angry politician in America"


I am just fine with the way the President is articulating thank you very much. Keith can yell you can yell I can yell.. I do not need the President to hyperventilate his opinion. I am quite happy with the least angry politician in America. That is who gets things done

Now the next time you want to try and jump ugly with me.. first read my posts, before you accuse me of being dishonest

[KansasVoter]

11. -1 OK, I thought when Keith talked it was what you thought. Thanks for clearing that up!

[Cleita]

13. I wanted more Harry Truman myself, but watching our President

the last two days, it occurred to me that we are getting to know the real man. He approaches things in a gentle way. I think it's us who have to get used to how he works his way through crisis, intellectually, dispassionately, but with a true honesty and kindness. I am also worried that he is looking thinner than a year ago. I think we have to change.

[Jennicut]

16. Yes, it is him. Obama is not an angry, in your face type person.

We did not elect someone like that. We elected someone who logically looks at the world. If we wanted anger we would have voted for John McCain.

[vaberella]

35. Imagine if he was? He'd be classed as the Angry Black Man. n/t

[babylonsister]

17. I am in awe of your response here, and

I have always thought of this president that way. I'm very happy to see your opinion here. Thank you.

[MadMaddie]

20. Yes, you are correct. I think Americans are ever so slowly

coming to the understanding that children do......everthing in life is not "on demand instant gratification". Yelling and beating one's chest and bullying actions does not equal achieving success, we learned that the hard way.

Americans are having a hard time with the honesty they want to hear everything is coming up roses when in fact their eyes and ears are telling them something different.

President Obama's demeanor is more reasuring to me than the previous guy that held office.

[vaberella]

34. +1..Agreed. This is why I have problems with the President comparisons.

Different times, different issues (even if similar outcroppings), and really...ultimately, different men and as such different approaches and responses to every crisis.

[jenmito]

14. K&R. I felt the same way. I do not want Obama to be someone he's not. We voted for the

cool-under-pressure, cerebral, calm person who is dealing with the oil leak just how I'd expect him to.

[Berry Cool]

18. I speak for me, but in this case, KO reflects my feelings.

I don't want Obama to be different from what he is. However, I refuse to believe he's incapable of anger or passion because it's "not him" and all he can do is "cool." I think that's patently absurd.

[larkrake]

19. I love Keith, but he is caught up in the blame game

Obama is doing all he can do and now has the power to heavily regulate the oil giants who have run this country since Reagan. All he can do is help the locals financially and stay on BP's back for years.

[girl gone mad]

23. The idea that he's doing all he can..

and this is it scares me. God, I hope that's not the truth. If this is it, we are truly screwed.

[volvoblue]

25. there has never been anything like this.

the explosion knocked out alot and the wreckage was bad. they are left trying to plug several holes and have to do it very slow.
Plus crushing pressure.
most of these were done above a mile deep. that is why it was easier to fix.
there is nothing like this before.

[Mimosa]

37. It IS SCARY, girl gone mad.

The ecology of most of a state is ruined for a hundred years or more. The Gulf of Mexico has become toxic and will be full of huge dead zones.

And a big battle in Kandahar is about to begin.

Obama must sometimes feel regretful he became President. And he's actually not doing enough right now. Maybe he's marshalling his energy and force (if he has any) for later.

[Cha]

21. It's so arrogant to tell someone else..anyone

how they should emote. The President has all the passion in the world and too bad he doesn't get all hot and bothered to suit KO or anyone else who thinks the President should be more like them.

President Obama has a lot of crises since day one coming into the junkpile that bushcheney left the new President to deal with.

As someone said last night..it's not the US pundits that Obama has to jump to ..he's dealing with Leaders from all over the world and he's not going to huff and puff for KO, wolfie, or anyone else.

Why is everyone saying..KO doesn't speak for them? Did he say on the program that he spoke for the American People?


Keith Olberman [e-mail]

[Tarheel_Dem]

32. He used the collective "WE" in his commentary. I've got Keith down to...

about 15 mins per episode now. I FF past all the Glen Beck crap, the Sarah Palin crap, The Howard Feinmann crap, and especially Jonathan Turley.

I still like Keith, and I know exactly what he's doing. He's trying so hard not to be accused of being in the tank for the administration that he's overdoing it. They're all doing it. I recently had to quit listening to Randi Rhodes for the same reason.

[Cha]

42. They should just all concentrate on giving

the facts and forget about what they're accused of..the accusers are a bunch of fucking hypocrites and KO knows that.

People accuse KO of emoting too much and I always thought..let him be who he is.

[volvoblue]

24. disappointed he joined the pack hounds

His comment was about I feel your pain.
Oh, god.
enough already. I swear if this president does not morph into Bill Clinton or into some overly emotional wreck, the media is going to have exploding heads for the next week again.
it is not about what the president can or cannot do. What bp can or cannot do. Or rip on the corporation.
It's all about the
'stagecraft'
they don't care if it looks as phoney as a 3 dollar bill. if it is empty and shallow. they want him to entertain them rather then be a real president.
And Keith and Ed are right in there with the rest of the village.

Joan Walsh wrote an excellent column in Salon on this today.

[babylonsister]

26. No, dear, 'stagecraft' was Bush's game. How did you like

that landing on the carrier?

You're disappointed he joined the hounds? What would you have liked him to do, because he was damned either way. But your opinion is important to me.

As for Joan's column, could you provide a link, because I haven't been able to get on Salon today. Thanks!

[Cha]

29. ..

I think the poster was saying that KO joined the pack of hounds..or did you know that? Sorry, I was thinking you thought he was refering to Pres Obama?

[Samantha]

27. People tend to forget that Obama is an attorney

If you have ever had any exposure to the legal field, you know that it is always an environment where people are in a pressure cooker. Most people react to intense pressure and deadlines by totally stressing out and exhibiting the physical and verbal characteristics one might expect.

The welcome relief to this is usually the one person who remains calm at all times, refusing to expend any energy on unnecessary movements and negative thoughts. People work most efficiently when focusing all of their attention on the immediate task at hand, refusing to let their passion rule the moment, concentrating exclusively on getting the ball over the goal line.

Obama is this type of person. He has a soothing effect on those around him and is very calm in the face of the eye of the storm. I hope he doesn't change either.

Sam

[young_at_heart]

28. Ditto to everything you said

I call him Mr. Cool----he's such a huge contrast to his predecessor in all ways!

[AtomicKitten]

30. I would think after all this time that KO would know how O operates -- No Drama Obama!!!

[lamp_shade]

31. I don't want to see my President kicking and screaming. KO is wrong.

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. I think Keith may have finally lost me tonight, for good. Reagan was the actor.

Obama earned his "cool" rep in the heat of the financial meltdown, and as far as I'm concerned, he wears the title quite well. I feel reassured whenever I listen to him. I'm shocked that Keith wants this president to become a caricature.

[emulatorloo]

36. Agreed -- I am sick of yelling and anger. I had my fill of "Cowboy Talk" from Bush/Cheney

If Keith wants angry posturing, there's always Bill O'Reilly and his ilk.

[Mimosa]

38. Political Tiger, please post a link

Hard to believe but some of us NEVER watch Olbermann.