I am writing this in response to this posting by Ed Driscoll over at InstaPundit:
– Jeff Bercovici, Forbes, September 12, 2011.
– Jeff Bercovici, Forbes, today.
“But Glenn Beck is the crazy one,” as Kate of the Small Dead Animals blog likes to say.
As much as I like Ed Driscoll; I must ever so politely disagree, as I am often prone to do. I really do not believe that Keith Olbermann is crazy. A bit over the top at times, but not crazy.
What happened with Keith is this here:
- Keith worked for MSNBC, a network that did just what Fox News did during the Bush era. They traded honesty for access. Fox News during the Bush era, was fiercely loyal to the President; with the emphases being on fierce. Fox News on air talent, and yes, that does include Bill O’Reilly; would deride anyone, who even remotely criticized the President. Fox News did this, until it unfeasible to do it any longer. Also too, the Bush defense mode ended, when Rupert began to see his fortune slip away. When Keith left, I thought it was just Keith and his personality; however, when the host of “The Young Turks” basically was told, that he was not wanted. I knew what was going on.
- Keith’s other problem was that he went horribly into the tank for President Obama rather early. Once President Obama was in the White House and began to continue most of President Bush’s policies. Keith turned on the criticism towards Obama. This did not abode well with the suits.
Another thing too, that I have noticed is that during the Bush era; Keith Olbermann would at least be civil to those who came on his show, who happened to disagree with his politics. Now, it seems that Olbermann has taken a new, intolerant tone towards those who disagree with him. Numerous times, I have seen Keith, on twitter, really take a nasty tone towards those who disagree with him; often blocking those who challenge him. This is a shift for him. I would imagine that he had to be civil to please the suits at MSNBC, but I thought some of it was genuine. Perhaps I was wrong about that, but I am not entirely sure. To be fair to Keith, I have also seen many on the so-called “right,” basically trolling Keith and baiting him into arguments and insults; which causes Keith to have to block them. I know all about the trolls on twitter, I have been there myself. So, I cannot criticize him for that.
Again, I just do not believe that there anything mentally wrong with Keith Olbermann at all. The man is a brilliant writer; however, he is a unabashed Liberal progressive, who does believe in what he advocates for. Some people believe that he is your a-typical “Limousine Liberal” type. Now, personally, I do not know this to be the case. However, it is the impression that he does give to many; including many in the “right-wing” Blogosphere, who take a rather perverse pleasure in mocking him.
I do true hope that Keith does find employment somewhere; I believe that just as there is a place for Conservative thought and discussion, like you see at Fox News —- that there is a place for progressive, liberal thought and discussion. I believe the free market, not the Government; should dictate that sort of a thing. Those in the market for that sort of a thing, should be able to buy it, just people, who are Conservative or Republican; should be able to buy their choice of programming as well. It is all about personal choice and preference.
However, because I am someone who is a non-partisan; and someone who believes that news, in itself; should not be partisan — I believe that “Advocacy Journalism” should not be allowed to happen. When you begin to blend fighting for a cause, with journalism; you can cross over into propaganda territory. To be fair, there are many, who do this on the right as well. One could day, that we bloggers are just that. For the record, I do not consider myself a journalist. I consider myself a writer, with a bit of an opinion and a bit of political slant. However, I believe in the world of corporate news organizations; politics should remain at the door. Newsgatherers main job is to gather news; not pepper it with their opinions — which happens a bit too often, on the right and the left. The left having the upper hand, of course.
In closing: I believe that Keith is a self-made man. As a Conservative-leaning person. I do not fault Keith for his success. Keith was blessed with a normal, non-ADD riddled brain; like mine. Keith went to school, got his diploma, and went to college and got a degree and made something of himself and is quite the respected person in his own circles. I have no quarrel with this at all. What I do have an issue with, is that he went hyper-partisan and did just what he lauded the right for doing with George W. Bush. Again, this is just my impression of the man. I am an opinion person and that is my feeling about him. As for his dealings with Al Gore; I hope he learned his mistake there; but I do hope he does get his money back. I think Keith deserved better than what he got, it is too bad that he still believes the B.S. that people like Gore pump out. I figured that would open his eyes. I guess not.