I have tried, vainly, for the past two days to write something, anything, about the attacks of Secretary of Pretense Donald Rumsfeld upon his own fellow citizens. In the end, better that I failed to do so, because I would have been hard pressed to top the relentless and unapologetic counter-attack levied by Keith Olbermann on Countdown tonight.
Don’t merely read the transcript at the linked Crooks and Liars item. Watch the captured video in its entirety, because the tone of Olbermann’s delivery is part of the message.
Addendum: Two other comments. First, this piece clocks in at an astonishing 6 minutes and 41 seconds of flat-out news commentary. In this day and age, that’s simply unheard of. Second, while he may think it “presumptuous” to invoke Murrow as he does, Keith Olberman likely is the only person in television news today with the right to do so.
i haven’t felt this sanguine since the fabled galloway speech.
it appears that MSNBC has managed to retain its soul by the very skin of its teeth - and not made whatever devil’s bargain caused CNN to become FOX’s major competitor in the victory gin sweepstakes.
damn, i may just have to start watching television news again, for the first time in six years.
Totally agree with your addendum: While the simple fact of a counterattack like this is pretty amazing in itself, the fact that it’s built around an argument that can’t be written on the back of a business card–it’s lengthy, complex, and detailed–is also striking.
One of the things that’s allowed the Bushies to come this far is an American political discourse that can’t handle anything much more complicated than what would fit on a bumper sticker.
bn