Either Relevant or True » If you build it, he will come.

Tie: Brown and orangey and … eh, it has stripes.
Music: No time for music! There’s a special comment afoot.
Worst Person: Bill-O, this time vs. Syracuse University! Watch out, Billy — that Otto fights dirty. Actually, O’Reilly’s going after the university’s Dr. Boyce Watkins, who had the temerity to, as NewsHounds says in their coverage, “call [O’Reilly] out on his racial fear mongering.”

That subject line sounds dirty, you guys.

Today, at what sounded like a raucous rally in Michigan, John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama for President. This a day after Hillary Clinton’s big win in West Virginia, and timed - Keith and Richard Wolffe agree - quite well to jump ahead of that win at the top of the evening news programs.

Your superdelegate total check for the day: Obama 287.5, Clinton 276.5

Elizabeth Edwards hasn’t made her endorsement yet, though we know she favors Clinton’s health care program. Richard Wolffe doesn’t see Edwards as a VP candidate. A cabinet position, however … that could happen.

Erin posted this link in the comments of last night’s open thread, but I wanted to repost it here on the main page: “This is an Ex Candidate” by Dana Milbank.

West Virginia Schmest Virginia … last night’s big electoral story took place in Mississippi.

I should mention that, this week, Keith’s hair looks less like it’s trying to mount a vertical escape from his scalp. Just saying.

This week, Keith went to the new Citi Field! Yeah, Shea’s got its problems, but it’s Shea, dammit, and I love it. Citi Field, designed to look like Ebbets Field, contains the Jackie Robinson rotunda and … still looks mostly like a construction site. But I have faith in it, and … ok. It could look like a defunct steel mill. Just so long as the Mets call it home, I’ll be trucking out to Queens to do the same. Most importantly, however? This week’s episode of Keith! In! Hardhats!

Finally tonight, Keith’s special comment on President Bush’s comments during an interview with Yahoo!News. The final, miserable, awful punchline (seriously) of the interview? Regarded the sacrifice he’s made in the name of the war. He’s … given up golf. [Ok, when Keith goes to the camera he uses to directly address Bush, there’s the reflection of — something, a monitor, I assume — but it’s Keith, over Keith’s shoulder, in tiny!form. Not at all distracting.] This was a twelve minute long special comment. Almost too intense, but … it’s Keith. So, as per usual, twelve minutes of heartbreakingly powerful rhetoric. Keith ended with a forceful “shut the … hell up.” I swear to god I thought he was going to say “fuck.” Damn.

Transcript and video here at Crooks and Liars.

That’s it for us tonight. We’ll see you next time.

I swear to god I thought he was going to say “fuck.” Damn.

So did I!

Moi Aussi

I could swear that the whispering impulse to say FUCK hung in the air for a fraction of a second before he said HELL instead.

That was a strange SC. The entire first half I was neutral to- Heard it before, baby, hit with with something new.

But the last half, with the emotion? I, uh… Kind of cried? Yeah. Because when I heard about the golf thing, I told all my friends and we laughed because it was so ridiculous. And I’ve been thinking about that. What does it say about this president that when I read something that atrociously insulting to the troops, it didn’t phase me anymore?

So, thanks, Keith. I think I real;y needed to hear that.

I thought Keith’s head was going to literally explode at the end. I’m sure the censors breathed a sigh of relief when Keith took the high road with his parting shot.

This wasn’t just a homerun KO hit tonight… this was a 2-out, bottom of the 9th, Game 7 of the World Series grand slam. Well done, Mr. Olbermann.

Keith,

All I can say is, “Bless you!”

BEST Special Comment Yet.
Brav-O, Mr. O. Brav-O.
I saw and felt that SHUT THE “F” UP ending coming a mile away. And when it was finally released from Keith’s glorious and angry lips, I greeted his words.. with flowers. They liberated me.

Oh yes, January 20th, 2009 will be a National Holiday all right. Petition your congress people now. We could use another 4 day weekend. Maybe some of us— not you, Georgie– could even get in a round or two of… GOLF.

F U GEORGE BUSH.

LOVE U Keith. Thank you for speaking for Me.

Rafismom I agree, he was going to say ‘f*ck’ and in a split second changed his mind. I think he could have withstood the public sh*t-storm if he actually did it. Imagine the publicity, but then again, THAT would have been the story, not actually what he said.

I had seen and read about this “golf” thing, but sometimes I think I am numb to this. I’m glad Keith did a special comment. If he wasn’t already with someone, that Special Comment would have definately got him laid last night. Stephanie Miller & Co. are in a twitter this morning. ;)

Met Stadium video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24634818#24634818

Wow, just wow. This SC was a thing of beauty. As the wife of a retired Navy petty officer and an employee of Homeland Insecurity, this SC was especially powerful. BushCo has shat all over the military and is truly the final straw. I even told my best friend she needs to head to MSNBC and watch it.

Oh, if Keith had dropped the F-Bomb it would’ve been saved for posterity on my Tivo. He seems to be the only person in the biz to have the balls to tell it like it is.

He almost accidentally did say ‘fuck’. It would have been great, but I’m kind of glad he didn’t. It would have detracted from the seriousness of his comment just a little bit. Given the importance of what he was saying, even a little bit is too much.

KO commented about the “F” word that in his Daily KOS diary…he said the pause was intentional.

Nothing against the Daily Kos, but maybe Keith should try this blogging thing on his OWN blog, I think it’s called ‘The Newshole’

Seems TVnewser is tweaking Keith a bit on his Daily Kos blogging.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/msnbc/comments_follow_olbermanns_special_comment_84902.asp#more

His 9 paragraph comment on the Donahue thing is a little, um, weirdly excessive. I guess it is better than the old days where he responded to fan emails directly, sometimes with violence and cursing (or dating). But, I don’t know, if alive today, would Murrow do this? On the one hand, the Daily Kos is an important component to the news, not to mention the progressive movement, but, I don’t know, I’m a bit torn. It feels a little like whoring-for-ratings to me.

As annoying as many of the bloggers at The News Hole where, at one time his blog was very lively. Last night’s Special Comment garnered only 37 comments (so far). I don’t know, maybe in the internet age this is cutting edge for an anchorman, but it kinda borders on ‘the-guy-with-a-little-bit-too-much-time-on-his-hands’ territory or ‘I-really-need-some-adulation-right-now-this-minute’ territory. Between Countdown, Katy, writing, baseball, guest speaking and whatever social life he has, I thought he’d be much busier than to comment 8 times on his own Kos diary…

_____
BTW, Becky congrats on the Cubbie win today! Again, I almost plopped down big $$$ to see Maddux pitch today. This is the Cubs year, it feels good, it feels right, (this from a Sox fan, no less). ;)

Keith TIED O’Reilly in the demo last night!!! Let Keith’s whoring, um, I mean, blogging at the Daily Kos continue…(insert Howard Dean Scream here)

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/the_scoreboard_wednesday_may_14_84958.asp

The Newshole is the Countdown blog…I don’t think he’s the intended author of that. He’s no longer doing bloggerman, I suspect.

I think all the past problems with crazy fans did that in. With Daily Kos, he has control over the comments (since he is a top blogger, whatever they call it). Also, if really nasty attacks begin, KOS himself will get involved, no doubt.

And on the DK, he can get away with a few things he cannot do on an NBC-sponsored blog. The comments re: cult or orgy were pretty funny. KO has fun with it. He gets some of the anti-Olby crowd, but they pretty much get blasted in that community. The only issue with his DK blogs is the “objectivity” issue…but I don’t think someone can be labeled “unobjectivity” on DK…anyone can blog there…they just may not like the response…but it is an interesting community and not all the diaries concern politics.

Let the guy have his fun — as long as it is legal and “Kosher”. He definitely deserves it!!

Saying that the The News Hole is a “Countdown” blog is pretty weak. Keith IS Countdown, his snappy suited body & mug are plastered at the News Hole, and if he ever left MSNBC, trust me, he’ll be taking that “Countdown” brand with him. I think that was alluded too when CNN expressed interest in him during his last contract re-up. BTW, can we really separate Markos from the Daily Kos?

Houstonian, I think someone like yourself, who is involved at the Daily Kos (as in writing diaries & commenting) may not have quite the perspective as one from the outside or casual reader. My thought was, the average viewer will go to the MSNBC-Countdown website, thus the News Hole, to seek out more about Countdown & Keith Olbermann. I think if you want to build a larger audience, you’d want to make sure that your own blog is engaging and tended to. Like I said, he tied O’Rielly last night, so obviously he’s growing the brand by blogging to the converted, and quite honestly, basking in the love-fest that is the Daily Kos comments. I sincerely doubt that Keith is blogging over there for it’s “anyone can blog there” or ‘Kos will shut down nasty comments’ mentality. And if NBC is concerned about Keith more easily “getting away with things,” at another blog, seems THAT ship sailed long ago on the “ratings” sea (aka, Special Comments).

GM –

Your comments are well taken. I would love to see KO return to his Bloggermann or his Newshole blog duties. I did read somewhere that a problem occurred at the Newshole with comments…maybe it was resolved.

I think KO blogs at DK in part because it does drum up the audience…great marketing if that is the case. And…I rarely see him post comments on any blog unrelated to Countdown or a comment made about him or MSNBC. If generating the interest of the DK nation helps increase ratings, then it is a worthwhile endeavor.

As an aside, the only reason I blog there (as “Bodhiness”) is because KO does. It gave DK the “Good Housekeeping” seal in my opinion. And it is just for personal pleasure. I had my own blog before, but nobody read it (most blogs have only a couple readers, if that — glad ERT is a major exception). I’ve reprinted stories I wrote elsewhere just to get a bigger audience. I do not necessarily agree with the leanings of DK — I’m more of a moderate/progressive independent than a raging Democrat. But, I enjoy many of the diarists in that community — many talk about personal stories, education issues, the environment, science, religion in nonpolitical senses. Those I enjoy reading. The Hillary vs Obama crap, I ignore. I’ve also been able to chat with potential candidates for Texas offices, and that was a nice contact. Folks like John Kerry occasionally write there as well.

As for Newshole, et al., whatever KO seeks to do. I wish he’d do a Brian Williams blog, but he can do what he wants, IMHO. I would be interested in reading how the Countdown program is developed, what stories chosen and learn more about the folks behind the scenes. Again, to each their own.

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