Olbermann Urges Rumsfeld's Impeachment, Blasts Him as a 'Quack' Pushing 'Fascism' [+Kos Kookiness]

NewsBusters ^ | 8/31/06 | Brent Baker & Matthew Sheffield

[RatherBiased.com]

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann on Wednesday night used his Countdown show to deliver a vitriolic personal attack on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, “a reality check of Donald Rumsfeld's incendiary speech, a special comment on his attack on your right to disagree.” Olbermann concluded his program with a six-minute diatribe against Rumsfeld: “The man who sees absolutes, where all other men see nuances and shades of meaning, is either a prophet, or a quack. Donald H. Rumsfeld is not a prophet.” Olbermann equated the Bush administration with “the English government of Neville Chamberlain” which "knew that its staunchest critics needed to be marginalized and isolated.” The MSNBC star charged, “The confusion is about whether this Secretary of Defense, and this administration, are in fact now accomplishing what they claim the terrorists seek: The destruction of our freedoms, the very ones for which the same veterans Mr. Rumsfeld addressed yesterday in Salt Lake City, so valiantly fought.” The U.S., Olbermann asserted before concluding with Edward R. Murrow's "we must not confuse dissent with disloyalty," now “faces a new type of fascism.”

Olbermann opened his hour by claiming that during a Tuesday speech before the American Legion convention, Rumsfeld “compared critics of the current war in Iraq to those who tried to appease Adolf Hitler and the Nazis before World War II.” In fact, Rumsfeld simply worried about how not all realize how “we face similar challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism” from the Islamic world. Olbermann brought aboard DNC Chairman Howard Dean, proposing to him: “Is it, do you know, technically possible to impeach a Secretary of Defense and have we gotten to that stage after these remarks?” (Transcript follows. I realize Mark Finkelstein beat me on some of Olbermann's rant, but this post has additional quotes and video)

Video clip (3:20): Real (5.6 MB), Windows Media (6.5 MB), plus MP3 audio (1.2 MB)

UPDATE 08-31 2:30 by Matthew Sheffield. Allahpundit correctly calls Olbermann's schtick for what it is: "an instant classic of nutroots porn." By his count, there are seven threads on Democratic Underground worshipping the MSNBC anchor.

Allah's more right than he knows. I counted four at DailyKos, including one from the boss. Here's the first comment on that thread:

It was breathtaking to watch. Luckily, a Kossack had mentioned earlier today that he'd be doing some commentary on Rumsfeld, so I made sure I was home to watch it.

Wow. What an amazing commentary. Keith is about the only one out there willing to say the unfettered truth so boldly. I played a recording of it for my friend over the phone, and he was in awe of it too.

Last month, I marveled at Olbermann's incompetence as a broadcaster. Wednesday's rant proved he's also a poor marketer. Apparently, it is the official Olbermann strategy to reach out to leftist bloggers in the hopes that he'll get enough word of mouth so that more people will be willing to watch him than Headline News, i.e. above last-place in the ratings. (Details here.)

Trouble is, it ain't working. Olbermann's numbers have remained stagnant. They'll remain that way because not only is there a small number of people with acute Bush Derangement Syndrome, those poor souls are split up between Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, and the local mental institution. There simply aren't enough people to pull Olbermann out of the ratings basement.

But hey, at least he's good for a few unintentional laughs.

UPDATE 11:46 by Matthew Sheffield. The Kos Kiddies have noticed this posting and have launched a furious effort to "prevent the swiftboating of a journalist" by spamming MSNBC with emails in support of their self-described non-liberal idol. My favorite comment from the thread:

Hotmail is not working right now...gotta wonder...

[roses of sharon]

How embarrassing for Dan Abrams and MSNBC.

Soon the conspirazoid will be strapping on a suicide belt!

LOL

[Izzy Dunne]

The MSNBC star charged,

What is the definition of "star", these days?

[Humidston]

Keith who??

[RonF]

Are Cabinet members "civil officers" of the United States as it is used in Article 2, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution? In other words, can Cabinet members be impeached?

[MPJackal]

"You can "impeach" a cabinet member??"

Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution states:

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

So I would say the answer is yes, but I am not sure what crime Donny committed.

[MikeHu]

We can "impeach" television "stars" by not watching them.

Apparently, the proceedings have already begun.

[RonF]

Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution says,

"The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."

Are Cabinet members considered "civil officers of the United States"? I guess it would take a court case to figure out, and unless there's legislation specific to this point already the Supremes would have to make the decision.

My guess would be that they would be considered "civil officers", but that's just my impression - I can't quote any legislation or court cases pertaining to the matter.

[bill1952]

The cabinet members are civil officers?

[Saint Louis]

It would seem appropriate to boycott MSNBC, except that nobody watches it already...

[Doctor Raoul]

Keith Olbermann, KOSmanuat First Rank, Hero of the Soviet Media.

[KarlInOhio]

Olbermann is a(n) (please insert insult HERE):[I'll start]

- Crude term for the anal orifice.

major league Clymer.

[MikeHu]

Why doesn't he just go full "Jerry Springer?"

Why make a pretense of knowing anything?

[Doctor Raoul]

Keith always looks like he is sniffing poop.

They keep his ratings out front on a cue card to try and motivate him...

[Doctor Raoul]

Keith always looks like he is sniffing poop.

See, he's not an "empty suit" after all...

[adorno]

Olbermann Urges Rumsfeld's Impeachment, Blasts Him as a 'Quack' Pushing 'Fascism'

What Ohboreman is doing is getting in all the punches and kicks he can on his "perceived" enemies before he gets fired one more time.

He's constantly looking over his shoulders wondering when his bosses will approach him quietly from behind and put their hands over his shoulders and whisper in his ears "sorry dude, we've had enough of your schtick and won't take it anymore, YOU'RE FIRED!".

[Labyrinthos]

Allahpundit correctly calls Olbermann's schtick for what it is: "an instant classic of nutroots porn." By his count, there are seven threads on Democratic Underground worshipping the MSNBC anchor.

One thread for each person who actually watches the show.

[bill1952]

Okay, I see that there is one case where a cabinet member was impeached:

William W. Belknap, secretary of war; acquitted, August 1, 1876

Status: Aquitted

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Olbermann on Wednesday night used his Countdown show to deliver a vitriolic personal attack on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld"

What is an 'Olbermann?' Isn't that jock-itch medication?

[bpjam]

Libs are just trying to do their 'love the sinner, hate the sin' version with the troops. They pretend to support the troops themselves as brave, honorable and valiant. But they don't support a single thing the troops do or achieve and don't care whether they win or not. They just don't understand that the rest of us see right through this and so do the troops.

[MinuteGal]

Why should KO be "embarassing for Dan Abrams and MSNBC"?

They're all cut out of the same cloth in that dunce's corner of cable.

Leni