If Olbermann thought Colbert went over the line, you have to ask..........

[Proud2BAmurkin]

Why does KO think so?

Colbert echoed what KO says every night. So why would KO have a problem with SC saying it at the media event? Does KO draw the line at HONEST CRITICISM of Little Lord Pissypants and the media slaves at "saying it to their face"?

That's cowardly. Is KO a coward? If not, why would he think SC went to far?

What's "too far"?

[lonestarnot]

1. Shit I missed this. What a disappointment KO! poop on a too far! and

poop on KO for tonight!

[anitar1]

67. I watched the show tonight and KO did NOT say that.

Milbank said it. I think Keith suckered him into it because he knew Milbank was seething. It was so apparent. Milbank tried to smile in his usual smarry way, but was just baring his teeth. Made me laugh. He was semi ripping Colbert , but wanted to do more. He definitely hated it.

[VolcanoJen]

68. Exactly. Keith DID NOT say that! Dana Milbank did!

Keith seemed supportive and snarky to me. It wasn't until Dana Milbank, a White House correspondent, chimed in.

[lonestarnot]

71. I caught the show after my post and was planning on coming back here

this morning and take a piece of the posters ass. So let me see. Which piece do I want?

[walldude]

2. Could be any number of reasons

could be he was playing Devils Advocate, could be the network gave him his opinion. Could be he really feels that way. Considering I'm not a news anchor, and I have not lived my life anything like Olberman's I can't say what his perspective on the matter might be. He has a right to his opinion. I can't find a single person in the world who I agree with on every single issue. Can You? I for one think Olberman is the closest thing to a Greg Palast we have on TV and will continue to support him even if we disagree occasionally.

[Gabi Hayes]

5. excellent points all, but it does NOT diminish my deep disappointment.

parTICularly his choice of that bloated little, stumpy-toothed (thanks, Sydnie) TIC as his guest

[walldude]

14. My son had baseball practice so I missed the show

will try to catch the repeat tommorow morning. I will say, that this afternoon I was looking foward to seeing what Keith had to say. Guess I shouldn't be anymore. I hear Stewart made up for it though. If I remember correctly Stewart has been the victim of these "turn on them the minute they say something I disagree with" threads himself. It's pointless. Yet here I am posting. :eyes:

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Makes the CIC look even worse than ever. It was very poor judgment

on somebody's part. I don't care about jr, but that stunt really cheapened the office. It was a total embarrassment to the USA. I hold jr to account for the whole shitty deal.

[WiseButAngrySara]

7. The CIF? Cheapened the office? What???? ....n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. Yeah, for worse, that's what the bastard is. And I am God damn sick

of what is going on. There is serious shit happening all around us. Doing dumb shit comedy routines is deeply offensive to me. The bastard holds our fate in his fucking hands.

[Gabi Hayes]

12. really, how does one cheapen something that has been utterly devalued?

maybe he was talking about the humiliating performance of the dueling dubyasses

now, THAT sickening display humiliated the entire NATION in the face of the world.

the POTUS, CINC, letting everybody on earth know what an utter brain dead halfwit he is

that's what they've been reduced to:

Georgie the CableGuy President

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. This one has really put my ass over the edge, it isn't funny anymore.

The whole thing was deeply offensive on every level. Nothing the guy has done as pres. has been funny, cheney isn't funny, Iraq isn't funny. The whole thing was in the worst possible spirit and bad taste, to say the least.

[Jigarotta]

20. I think I know what you mean. sorta.

I laughed out loud when I read the transcript. Our house was in an uproar of guffaws. tears, lap slapping and the whole bit.

It was more of tension relief than real comedy tho.
I didn't find any of those things George and the Media have done as funny. Never have. Never will.
It was just a surprise/relief that someone like Colbert, a few feet away from the pile of stench, would Dare say these things.

[The_Casual_Observer]

21. The ugly part is that you know it was contrived. No way was jr

going to go up there not knowing what was going to happen. It's a horrible psyops deal. Anybody who laughs along has been duped by it. Making light of the "events" of the last five years is some kind of nefarious shit scheme to rid themselves of the baggage by relying on people's stupidity.

[Jigarotta]

29. Can't see it being contrived.

You're not suggesting that Colbert was 'in on this pysops deal', are you?

Not sure of the protocol for events like this.
Do participators have to pre-submit their material for approval? I would think so.

but what if colbert pulled a fast one and changed his material? heheheh.
would explain some of the red faces and twittering nervous laughs, maybe?
the SS couldn't really just go up and pull him off the stage once he got going...
Maybe he started off the speech with what he submitted, then when hard hitting with the switcheroo stuff.


hahahah. listen to myself.
see what 5 years of Bush can do to a mind - make it all suspicious and disbelieving of everything! lol.

[The_Casual_Observer]

30. Sure, bush left it up to chance.

[Jigarotta]

35. some chance that Colbert was considered 'part of the team'

I hear that some freepers think he's on their side.
I don't think Bush knows what satire is either. and considering he listens to god and no one else for advice....

[The_Casual_Observer]

40. I didn't hear colbert say anything like "People call me a nitwit"

or "I really kind of do look like a chimp". It was all light hearted bullshit stuff. It was all fake.

[pansypoo53219]

49. from certain audience reactions

i do think he has quite a few fooled.
it's not like they are smart.

[fooj]

34. I saw it as another "F*ck You" from the Little Lord.

Sprinting duck, my ass. If I have it my way he'll be sprinting alright...:grr:

I thought his BS was OFFENSIVE. How dare he throw Cheney's lack of respect for the law in our faces? What I found the most offensive is the laughter from the idiots he wants to intimidate by throwing the "espionage act" at to shut them up. How could they even sit in the same roon with the treasonous, rat bastard? Grrrrrrr...

[The_Casual_Observer]

37. Here's a knee slapper, Medicare is going bankrupt in 12 years

yuk yuk yuk. And cheney shot a guy too! har har har.

[nolabels]

52. You can laugh, cry or do other emotional things but does it matter

Mostly I can disagree with many people on a lot of things and usually do.
That said, Ed Schultz branding Mr. Dick Cheney as "Shooter" was the ticket for me :rofl:


btw the guy he shot saying it was all okay just illustrates how brain dead this cult is .

[WiseButAngrySara]

22. Gabi had a thread on Saturday evening about the B* self-parody

that happened at this same event 2 years ago, when he made light of hunting for WMD's. That was grotesque. I found the 'twin' skit funny, but offensive simply because I despise B* so much. Are you upset about the performance by Colbert as well? I didn't quite get your post!

And I heard KO tonight, and was very disappointed that he didn't give it the thumbs up.

[The_Casual_Observer]

23. I think that is was no good because jr obviously wasn't unwitting.

It's a new sophisticated PR move. I'm not buying. I don't know what colbert's motive was, but I would like to know if he was paid & who paid him.

[WiseButAngrySara]

27. B* was pissed! So was Laura. You're saying his anger was feigned? ..n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

28. He was probably pissed because the whole thing flopped.

It was illconceived and stupid. I think he realized it while it was happening. jr's performance over the last 5 years is about as funny as the third reich.

[Zynx]

47. So you are saying criticism hurts America?

I don't follow.

[The_Casual_Observer]

48. I'm saying that it wasn't real criticism, and furthermore, a transparently

fake comedy routine isn't a reasonable and dignified venue to discuss any of jr's problems. The problems aren't in any way funny. jr's handlers are trying to make light of the tragedy of the last 5 years.

The only reasonable venue for any of this would be a war crimes trial. People are getting rained on by rockets in the "green zone" because of what that bastard did. How dare he fucking go up there with a half ass impersonator and laugh about the whole motherfucker.

You couldn't possibly believe that the little performance was in any way true criticism or free speech.

[fujiyama]

53. The only one cheapening the office is Bush

You should be more irritated with the fact that there's a WH/Press correspondent's dinner in the first place...

Colbert did what had to be done - remind people of all the fuck ups in this administration. It was a jab at the press and the WH. It was well past time someone did it.

The press can't handle any criticism. This is very similar to Stewart's Crossfire appearance. And the reaction from the offended (ie media elites and RW nutjobs) is very similar.

[The_Casual_Observer]

55. Colbert did nothing.

The jokes and observations were stale and old hat. Absolutely NO risks were taken. It was totally a bush controlled bogus deal.

[incapsulated]

58. Your posts are from bizarro world

I'm sorry, but your take is nuts. That's all I have to say, really.

[The_Casual_Observer]

59. Thanks!

May you laugh right along with bush to the end.

[incapsulated]

60. Yeah, me and Colbert are secret Bush operatives, like you say.

Is this satire or some new perfomance art?

[The_Casual_Observer]

61. Never said that. But I believe that the whole thing was intended

to humanize jr and derail the seriousness of the whole bush mess.

[incapsulated]

62. You already said Colbert had to be in on this great PR for Bush

Which 99% of those who viewed it perceived as a rather scathing satirical commentary on Bush and the fawning media.

Sounds like the plan was a monumental failure.

[sendero]

69. Puhlease..

... if that were so the MSM wouldn't have so effectively buried the whole thing. 1% of the population even saw the damn thing, some psyops.

[snooper2]

79. I'll meet you in the secret prison camps in the southwest

And we can gaze at chem-trails together and talk of the days of the Colbert-Bush conspiracy that took down the planet...

[qanda]

77. I'm not trying to offend

But I was thinking the exact same thing.

[tuvor]

4. I'd like to see the context.

I've seen "devil's advocate" used a few times in similar posts.

You sure Mr. Olbermann said that, in his opinion, Mr. Colbert "went over the line"?

[Gabi Hayes]

9. doesn't matter about that particular comment...the entire segment

was an unalloyed hit piece on Colbert, claiming that he was not funny.

even if one agrees with that, they didn't say that it wasn't funny to THAT AUDIENCE precisely becaus it was THEY who were being mercilessly attacked

that should have been the point of the discussion

they apparently deliberately avoided dealing with the elephant in the room, as is the wont of M$M at all times

very very sad performance

hope he realizes it.

[tuvor]

18. I'll reserve my own judgment until I have a chance to see it.

Thanks for your input, though. (Not being sarcastic!)

[Orangepeel]

32. he asked his guest if he (the guest) thought it went too far

the guest said no, it didn't go too far, it just wasn't funny.

[tuvor]

39. That's it?! You must be kidding.

I still want to see the clip, but the OP suggests he gleaned what KO's opinion is.

Anyone have a link to a clip?

[Orangepeel]

42. I'm pretty sure that's it

I think the guest (Milbank?) went on to talk about why he thought it wasn't funny, but I don't remember exactly. The might have talked about where the line is, but I didn't get the impression that Keith was expressing his personal opinion that "it went too far."

[tuvor]

44. Well, thanks for the firsthand account.

In the meantime, if P2BA has a clip to back up his suspicions, I'll be happy to watch it.

[peacetalksforall]

6. It's all about bravery. KO is many miles removed from George.

Colbert was five feet - but more importantly in all of this, the sharp attack was at the press. The press had not faced the truth or they are in on the distorting of it and in on our destruction.

Also remember, MSMNC/NBC/GE play with us. They pretend they are neutral every once in awhile or through a small per cent of guests, hosts, paid experts, but they really aren't - so we get good cop, bad cop. But, everyone knows where the balance lies.

[Eric J in MN]

8. My theory

...is that Olbermann didn't watch it on Saturday night, and was exposed to it through the spin of people saying it went too far.

I don't have proof, but anyway.

[Mabus]

24. It is baseball season and it is Keith

and maybe he hasn't seen it. I listened to Franken this afternoon and he said he hadn't seen it. Franken's guest, Rick Hertzberg, mentioned DU and said it was where he read the transcript and saw links to videos.

Keith really didn't comment on it that much and Dana ran off with a pro-Bush/ignore Colbert angle. Keith was focused more on the "was it appropriate" at this time angle and he did mention when Imus did his routine during Clinton's tenure. Dana was too focused on not talking about Colbert.

On an aside there were some killer clips used on Countdown.

[Zomby Woof]

10. Keith DOESN'T think this

That's the whole problem with this non-issue... DUers cannot tell the difference between a JOURNALIST asking questions and someone positing a viewpoint - the latter being the domain of editorialists and Fox anchors, not journalists.

Keith's opinion of Colbert's speech was kept to all himself, the way it should be. His role model is Murrow, not O'Reilly.

[Gabi Hayes]

16. then why did he let that pusillanimous little toadsuck speak FOR him?

usually agree with what you say, but that SUCKA SUCKA-ed having Milbank on

big, hugh mistake

he's very close to the bottom, at least partially because he's somehow perceived as left of center

[Zomby Woof]

26. I agree Milbank sucks camel scrotums

He's smarmy and unctious. If he were any more satisfied with himself, his glands would explode.

I won't second guess Keith's motives. Milbank is probably a frequent guest because he makes himself available, or Keith's producers make him do it, and Keith is much too gracious to make him feel unwelcome.

Fact is, Keith's audience isn't the largest in cable news, and this segment will have little effect for better or ill.

Having said all that, I don't begrudge anyone having problems with Milbank, myself included, but to not discern between what Keith THINKS personally, and what he ASKS as a journalist is just as troubling to me.

I think Keith got the desired balance - he played PLENTY (several minutes uninterrupted) of clips of the most damning lines, and the segment was titled "Truthiness to Power", which is a nod to the genius of Colbert's eponymns.

First quote from Keith, "I like Stephen Colbert A LOT..." then he posited THE question. I think it is important that he gave that advance qualifier. He proffered a personal opinion to defuse the discomfort of asking THE question. Milbank's smug reply that he didn't find Colbert funny just proves he is what we already know him to be: A D.C. whore with Scott McClellan-scented cumbreath.

[WiseButAngrySara]

31. I'm responding to your post without having yet read the entire thread yet

because I am literally :rofl: at your most apt description of Dana Milbank!!! It is exactly what I think of him, but could never have expressed it so well!!

Milbank sucks camel scrotums

He's smarmy and unctious. If he were any more satisfied with himself, his glands would explode.

Just finished reading the whole post, and your comments are good. They make me feel better about KO's remarks.

A D.C. whore with Scott McClellan-scented cumbreath.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Zomby Woof]

36. ;-)

You can call that post "ZombyTroofiness." :evilgrin:

[bunny planet]

75. fantastic summation of Dana's smarminess.

I like ZombyWoof truthiness!

[amitten]

13. This is just plain ol' male-ego-type professional jealousy. It

happens all over the world, in every profession.

K.0. is the slightly wacky, witty, loved-by-the-left voice of MSNBC. He got out-whackied, out-witted, and out-loved by the mercilessly pointed Colbert. He's sharing the blog glory and he knows it and he probably doesn't like it. Otherwise, he'd probably be singing Colbert's praises as we speak.

These two are obviously on the same wavelength, with similar humor and political views. Keith's just a little green right now.

But I still love him and his show.

[WiseButAngrySara]

25. Interesting perspective! I like KO so much, that I always imagine him

as almost 'saintlike', without an ego! I bet there might be just a tad bit of professional jealousy lurking there!

[amitten]

43. Well, and I could be totally wrong. I don't know him or how his

mind works.

But I do know that a lot of creative types tend to be very competitive, and desire the spotlight. I think it's only natural and comes with the territory.

I did notice, though, that Keith aired several of the most biting comments Colbert made, one after the next. That was great to see.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

17. "Truthiness To Power" Olbermann had that on his screen when starting

to show Colbert's clips! I think he was required to have Fineman on, and Fineman almost threw Stephen Colbert away..quickly taking the topic off of Colbert. I felt as if Keith didn't have a choice with this.

[fooj]

38. Probably not.

Hell, he WAS the only one who showed ANY of Colbert at all. It sucks to be Keith right now, I guess. I'll give him this...he was a raging mad dog re: the Powell segment. His guest from the Boston Globe was on fire, as well.

You know what distresses me the most? I didn't see much shame in our "so called" journalists today. Did you? I was hoping some of them would wake the hell up. Damn.

:hi:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

83. I didn't expect them to show any shame and that's pretty damned

sad in itself. It just goes to further my feelings about their being accomplices in the aiding and abetting of the theft of our country.

And fooj! :hi:

[NYCGirl]

80. It wasn't Howard Fineman. It was Dana Milbank. NT

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

81. I realized that later! I tend to confuse the both of them. Thank you

for the correction! :)

[Catherine Vincent]

19. I think his producers made him ask that.

And he obliged.

[EstimatedProphet]

33. He didn't say he thought Colbert went to far

He ASKED if he did, and Milbank said no. In other words, he used a rhetorical device to say that Colbert didn't go to far.

[hfojvt]

50. objection, your honor! Counsel is leading the witness.

To ask that question, makes an implication. An open-ended question would be something like "you attended the correspondents dinner, what did you think of Colbert's performance?" Perhaps like an attorney, he asks questions that he already knows the answer to, thus the purpose of the question is to get to the "no" answer that he knows will result. But in this case, he got an answer that was basically "no, but he sucked anyway - he wasn't funny" without following it up, apparently with a discussion of whether it was meant to be funny or meant to be critical. Still, someone like Al Franken, or Jon Stewart, is both critical and funny, but if one thing has to be missing, I would rather see the humor absent than the criticism. However, the line about "reporters going home and writing a novel, about an intrepid reporter who challenges the administration, you know, - fiction." (loosely paraphrased) is quite funny, and there are probably others. But since the audience was not laughing it seemed strange to a person like me who is used to a laugh track.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

41. I think subconsciously, KO doesn't like competition as the left's darling.

I'm a little disappointed in him - but I still adore him, though.

[crispini]

45. This is such horseshit, where on Countdown did KO say any of this?

Honestly. I just finished watching the replay and KO did NOT knock Colbert AT ALL. He played MANY clips of Colbert's piece and all he did -- ALL HE DID-- was kick it to Dana Milbank and ask Milbank "Do you think he went too far?"

Please note, KO was ASKING A QUESTION, not EXPRESSING AN OPINION.

It was MILBANK that said "he wasn't that funny," and that was ALL he said. And honestly who the feck cares what Dana Milbank thinks.

Honestly, I can't believe some people. What a bunch of overdramatic reactionary whining crybabies.

[EstimatedProphet]

51. Bingo

[RevCheesehead]

54. Brava, Crispini!!

:applause:

[myrna minx]

76. Exactly, and who cares what Dana Milbank thinks?

Dana is one who regularly mocks the truth and those who try to expose the maladministration for their treachery. If no one sees the hilarity that Milbank would be seething, it is because Colbert exposed HIM. Milbank is a whore's whore.


Democrats Play House To Rally Against the War

By Dana Milbank

Friday, June 17, 2005; Page A06

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/16/AR2005061601570.html

In the Capitol basement yesterday, long-suffering House Democrats took a trip to the land of make-believe.

They pretended a small conference room was the Judiciary Committee hearing room, draping white linens over folding tables to make them look like witness tables and bringing in cardboard name tags and extra flags to make the whole thing look official.

[leftofthedial]

46. KO didn't say that

he asked Dana Milbank if he thought Colbert crossed a line.

[DanCa]

56. You cant please everyone so you got to please yourself.

You know if we all went on the same colored light we'd have one hell of a traffic accident. I disagree with KO today, tomarrow I'll probably agree with him.

[iconoclastNYC]

57. My speculation : Colbert must be swift boated

Don't forget as much as we want to lionize KO for his center-left bias he still has to keep his corporate masters happy if he wants to pay the mortgage. You have to go along every now and then. Working for one of the biggest war profiteers on the planet ain't easy.

KO can rationalize it because Colbert attacked the press and KO might thing it was hitting below the belt and mean spirited.

The press is going to do whatever it can to marginalize someone like Colbert.

We should make sure KO knows we are not pleased with him.

[politrix]

63. No, He MADE SURE He Didn't Say It

He had a guest HE KNEW would say and he asked him and let his word be THE word on the matter.

He had no counter-point and no other guest to balance the moment.

It was designed to belittle Colbert.

It was VERY deliberate and sure, Keith made a point not to bash him - but, he set Colbert up to be taken out by his guest and there was nothing else said and no one else to say anything else.

He sold out and, I'm disappointed, I'm a fan of his.

[politrix]

64. It's Called "Stacking The Deck"

It was stacked AGAINST Colbert, the national hero of the moment. Maybe, the Age.

[LittleClarkie]

65. It's called a difference of opinion

for whatever reason, KO thought it was neither the time or place. Perhaps he prefers such criticism to be on one's own show, as opposed to a media event where he might have thought it was glory grabbing or some such. I dunno.

But voicing a differing opinion does not make him a coward.

[politrix]

66. THIS Is Called Defending A Guy You Like

Even when he's wrong.


I didn't call him a coward, I said he sold out on this one. He did.

[crispini]

70. Oh, please.

KO didn't even express an opinion. How can he be wrong? Plus, he showed TONS more clips of Colbert than anyone else did.

I'm hiding this whole thread. What a bunch of BS.

[Norquist Nemesis]

73. Following you out of the thread. n/t

[lonestarnot]

72. yer amurkin alright....detader!

:thumbsdown: :puffpiece: :applause: :redbox:

[dogday]

74. We are talking about the M$M here

which Keith is a member of and his station represents... What are they going to say? Thanks Stephen Colbert for giving us a National spanking. we deserved it....

I will still watch Keith, however I know he still works for M$M.....

[DTinAZ]

78. My letter to Keith...

I just sent this to Countdown ([email protected]):

Keith and company,
I've been a fan of Countdown for quite a while, but I must object in the strongest terms possible to the disgraceful treatment of Stephen Colbert's performance at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner yesterday on Countdown. I especially object to having someone with NO credibility or objectivity such as Dana Milbank invited to mouth the White House "talking point" of "unfunny." Dana Milbank wouldn't know "funny" if it bit him in the ass. Don't you remember how Milbank crapped on Rep. Conyers' hearings about the Downing Street "Memo"? Here...I'll refresh your memory....here's Milbank's attack on Conyers:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/16/AR2005061601570.html

and here's a good analysis of what was wrong with what Milbank did:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?pid=3617

a quote:

"Post writer Dana Milbank penned a snarky little piece that, like similar articles in the New York Times and other 'newspapers of record,' displayed all the skepticism regarding Bush Administration misdeeds that one might expect to find in a White House press release."

Conyers wrote a masterful response to the Post that you should really read, but that's not my point here. My point is that maybe instead of talking to one of the mealy-mouthed Washington "insiders" like Milbank, you could have talked to someone who wasn't the target of the *VERY FUNNY* barbs hurled out in many directions by Colbert.

People at Democratic Underground are saying that Countdown has now "jumped the shark," Keith, and while that's perhaps a bit premature, I for one am extremely disappointed by the crappy treatment given Colbert's performance. A whole lot of us out here were laughing our heads off. Anyone can "cherry pick" the less funny moments from a comedic routine (which is what was done in your segment), but there were a lot of well-delivered "zingers" along with the few that didn't quite fly.

You might assume that I'm a Colbert fan, but I've never even seen the "Colbert Report." I remember seeing some of his spots on Jon Stewart's show, but that's about it. The "talking point" has obviously been spread around ("unfunny") and I was extremely disappointed with your treatment of a truly heroic performance...and yes....also pretty damn funny!

[skip fox]

82. Is there a transcript or replay of Colbert's address???

Bet it doesn't go "over the line" for me!


But, seriously, if anyone knows where I can read or see it, please send link.