#NerdsUnite for Keith Olbermann
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 1:50PM#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Erin P. Capuano
As a self-proclaimed nerd I feel I am bound by some type of an honor code to support and stand by my fellow nerds in their time of crisis. These are crazy times we live in and while we are struggling with two wars, a slow economy, growing animosity towards immigrants, severely damaged Healthcare system, failing educational system and a society which still deems homosexuals as second class citizens we have little voices of support in the media. Keith Olbermann host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is one of our Liberal voices and makes no bones about leaning left but he also isn't afraid to go against his own party in order to keep the facts real. Fox News known for its clearly partisan extreme Right Wing views and lack of respect for the facts has long supported candidates even plugging their events and helping them raise money on their shows. Commentators like Sean Hannity have made no secret of their own personal donations to candidates within the Right Wing party. While MSNBC has its own set of rules for its commentators the suspension of Keith Olbermann for his three donations to Democratic candidates last week was neither, warranted or fair.
Last week it was released that Keith Olbermann had made three donations of the maximum allowed $2,400 to three different candidates in tight races against Right Wing opponents. Each commentator at MSNBC must sign a contract that states they will not make any donations to a particular political party without prior approval or notification from the network and because Keith did not disclose these donations prior he was, "suspended indefinitely" last week from his show. Immediately his suspension sparked outrage within the political community and support came from some unlikely places including some on the Right. While the rule was put in place to keep the network from seeming a little too much like Fox News it does ride a fine line between who is a journalist and who is a political commentator, there is a difference. We look to certain figures like Anderson Cooper for in the middle journalism but when we want someone to go out on a limb to take a stand and tell it like it is we look to the opinion makers like Keith Olbermann, contrary to MSNBC's belief, the American public is neither stupid nor naïve we can tell the difference.
Keith has made his Liberal stance very clear since coming to MSNBC and has never marked himself as a bipartisan journalist however he is very fair in his reporting making sure to call out both parties on their hypocrisies and lies making sure everyone is held accountable Keith is a man of the people not a political party. Since coming to the cable news network Keith Olbermann has brought a whole new generation to politics and brought some outrageous ratings in the meantime. He is single handedly responsible for bringing Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell to the network and has raised enormous amounts of money for mobile health care fairs. These fairs have now visited two states giving free health screenings and some procedures to people who do not have insurance.
Keith Olbermann is known for going head to head with Right Wing commentators such as Bill O'Reily, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck calling them out on what he calls their dangerous rhetoric and constant need to try and insight violence against the U.S. Government. Not a stranger to confrontation he always manages to do it with a bit of humor. Recently John Stewart and Stephen Colbert had their Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington D.C. and their message was both sides need to calm down with the negative rhetoric and think of how to work together rather than tear apart. Keith was one of the only on air commentators who took this message to heart and decided to remove his segment called Worst Persons which for the most part consisted of Right Wing public figures.
A running joke within the Twitter community is that if Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow had a baby it would be a global super power and eventually rule the world, while we know this will never happen since Rachel is a Lesbian we can dream. Two strong, intelligent, Liberals in one place at the same time can make for some serious fireworks especially when they are changing the face of how we get our news day by day. I know that I will never go to Katie Couric for my news because lets face it if I wanted someone to throw softball questions to political figures simply for ratings I'd watch Good Morning America. I want someone who is going to tell the truth even if it hurts my Liberal feelings and Keith isn't afraid to do that. I've come to expect that snarky facial expression when some Senator or Congressman says something absolutely outrageous and Keith dedicates a segment to it pointing it out when no one else is talking about it. His signature paper throw at the camera and his nightly "Good night and good luck" statement that sends me off with fuzzy feelings knowing someone out there cares.
For eight years Keith got me through some down times with George W. Bush in office seeing my rights slowly being taken away, watching us invade a country we had no business in, listening to lie after lie, abuse of power after abuse of power and our reputation going down the toilet all over the world. It was truly a sad and stressful time for many and finding Keith Olbermann in a sea of journalists who just didn't want to ask the tough questions who didn't want to call the President out on his lies and war crimes was a breath of fresh air. He spoke to us the people who knew we were getting the shaft we knew the GOP wasn't listening they didn't care and to them we were just a means to an end they had their power and no longer needed us. It was because of that not because of Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow or Ed Schultz that I became anti-Republican it was because of their lack of empathy, their need for greed, their love affair with large corporations, their need to shove religion down my throat take my reproductive rights away and say I can't marry my partner simply because she's also a woman. We can sit back and try to place blame in all the wrong places but the truth still remains this country has yet again made a major mistake we've voted a Republican majority into the House and now we will see two more years of George W. Bush policies of greed, lies, and everything in between.
We need Keith Olbermann now more than ever we need the healthy dose of truth that comes with his position of power we need his intelligence his wit and his undeniable commitment to the truth above and beyond everything else. Whether we like him or not agree or disagree with him one thing cannot be disputed he only uses facts, his opinions are backed up with facts and his criticisms are backed up by facts as far as I'm concerned that’s a true patriot. So I say welcome back Keith Olbermann I look forward to tuning in on Tuesday November 9th to see your smiling face and waiting to hear what you will say about the suspension. Over 300,000 signatures on a petition to bring you back, truly NERDS UNITING!
Click here to follow Erin on Twitter
#NerdsUnite
Reader Comments (6)
We can always count on you for something that ISN'T a puff piece, Erin. I wish I had had a chance to watch Keith Olbermann more. OTOH, why can't he and Rachel Maddow have a baby test-tube style?
awesome job girl ! I luv watching Keith and have for years and as for AC, well, Ill just keep walking around the block hoping I run into him :)
Thanks Austin that means a lot I'm glad you liked it, I really enjoy politics so its nice to have the venue to get it out there when I need to. Katie I have such respect for Anderson Cooper he truly is an authentic journalist & so very attractive ;) #nerdsunite xoxo
I disagree. I, for one, care about what is being said in bias out there. Enjoying politics and being informed in a balanced way are different things. There are some noteworthy names who have called MSNBC on the antics. Cable news networks and others are abandoning the goal of impartial reporting. Maybe they think glasses make them look intelligent, or, in Olbermann's case, it will prevent people from hitting him
What cable news commentator goes after people he disagrees with at the level that Keith has and will continue to do? Attacking people and their families. At least Rachel, Ed, Larry, Chris, and Cenk don't pass themselves off as journalists like your hero does.
The only reason why Olbermann is back so quick is because the other networks did not take the bait. The final straw was when it go no discussion on the Sunday shows.
I think the "healthy dose of truth" came last week, when America spoke up that they're sick of Oblama's admin. Do you not recall it was Clinton who signed DOMA & DADT? and didn't Obama promise to repeal, and didnt?... the White House is adamantly against taking DADT out. I'm not a republican, but the two-headed/one-party system is apparent now more than ever.
The likes of Olberman = good for entertainment only, IMO, and it shows the sad state of affairs this country is in when people are turning to these types for 'information'.
Who is going to get you through the next 2yrs, since Obama's doing everything Bush did...?
...it's kind of puzzling, do you not mind the Democrats love corporations?
Wow a lot to answer about in here this is strictly an opinion piece my word is not law I'm not a Republican and I have yet to like or want to vote for a Republican since I began voting at 18 my first vote by the way was for Clinton I don't regret that decision. I did not mention Obama in my post but I am NOT happy with the decision to appeal the Judges ruling to stop DADT and feel that this is something that should have been repealed long ago.
I don't think that the vote the past week was so much a vote against Obama and his policies as most of the Right Wing would like you to think but I do think its a large frustration with the economy and the fact that the Dems did not do enough they sat back to much and allowed the GOP to do nothing and block reform. I for one was angry because I wanted to see more of a backbone more of a taking charge by the Dems and the White House and see them use their control to do what needs to be done and stop trying to work together. The GOP will never work with the Dems that is clear they have no interest in helping the American people so why even bother listening to them. I'm a jaded gal after 8 years of the hell we were put through with Bush I have no desire to elect another Republican and go back to that they were hard rough and extremely sad and depressing times for many many people.
I do not rely solely on Keith for my news I read the newspaper and online blogs as well as watching CNN, CSPAN and various other television shows. I try to keep my mind open hell I even agree with Meghan McCain on some things and up until he ran I liked some of John McCain's stances on things. I consider myself a Liberal but I am not closed minded as a Lesbian I have learned and grown up with the mindset that all people deserve a chance and that judgement is not an option. People are not always what they seem so I take people based upon what they show me.
As far as Obama is concerned he has shown me a true desire to change but not always the ability to take the confrontation that comes along with that change, he wants to shake things up but can't keep giving in. I wish he were more forceful he has great ideas and a true desire to make life better in the United States I believe in his heart he wants to do some good in this world but when you get to that top position its not as easy as you think when you are running.
You might want to check out some of the sites that show what Obama has done so far in the country http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_has_President_Barack_Obama_done_so_far this might help.
Thanks for reading and commenting! #nerdsunite