Olbermann: I’d Sacrifice My Success for a "Responsible Presidency"

Posted by Satyam Khanna, Think Progress at 1:14 PM on January 27, 2008.

Keith Olbermann says that if Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama is elected President his show would "not change much."

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This morning on CNN's Reliable Sources, Washington Post reporter Howard Kurtz interviewed Keith Olbermann, host of MSNBC's Countdown.

Kurtz tried to press Olbermann into conceding that he is thankful for Bush's unpopularity because his show's success is due to his criticisms of the Bush administration. Olbermann responded that if given the choice between his current success and a new President, he would choose the latter:

KURTZ: But in a sense, the Bush administration has been very, very good for Keith Olbermann.

OLBERMANN: Honestly? No. I'm an American citizen, I think this has been a disastrous presidential administration. I would have given what I have, in terms broadcasting success in the nature of this newscast, I would have easily said...if I were given the choice of this or some responsible presidency in the last four years or eight years? I would have taken a responsible presidency.

Kurtz then accused Olbermann of making criticisms of Fox News' Bill O'Reilly as an attempt to boost his ratings. "This is a clever way you get some ratings, the guy who dominates the ratings," Kurtz said. Olbermann said that he is just trying to hold O'Reilly accountable:

KURTZ: Are you obsessed with the guy?

OLBERMANN: No. ... The viewers not only enjoy this segment but expect it. Because there is a sense that if you do not answer or put on the record somewhere that O'Reilly has just denied that there are 200,000 homeless vets, if you don't do it somehow, the lie will go to the record books.

Nobody used to say anything about O'Reilly's "making it up as he goes along," Olbermann argued. He later assured Kurtz that if Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) or Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is elected President the show would "not change much."

Tagged as: media, o'reilly, olbermann, clinton, obama, kurtz

Satyam Khanna is a Research Associate for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.

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Spoken like a true patriot [Report this comment] Posted by: UnEasyOne on Jan 27, 2008 5:02 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Keith is for real. I never comment on KO threads, simply because he has plenty of supporters already here - no need. I make an exception now only to mention that for those of you who (like me) don't have cable, you can pick him up on the net. I made myself a shortcut because I catch it every day. You can catch (sadly) the only moderate left program on the box every day. KEITH ROCKS! [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » the majority of americans have already sacrificed, keith Posted by: KaptainSpiffy sadly [Report this comment] Posted by: undrgrndgirl on Jan 27, 2008 8:23 PM Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] it seems keith will have his success long into the future; as 'responsible presidency' is an oxymoron. too bad keith works for that network who un-invited a certain presidential candidate from a debate. i won't watch nbc or msnbc after that stunt. sorry keith. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: sadly Posted by: Bayardtom Keith, we need you. [Report this comment] Posted by: Tiko on Jan 27, 2008 11:32 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Keith held his own against the interviewer's tough questions, which is how it should be done. My only problem with Olbermann is he does not go after Tucker or his own network. Sure, he's got to work, and dumping on the paymasters will ensure swift punishment; still, he is an asset to political discourse and journalism. I suspect someday we'll see him step over that line. Until then, cherish this man's courage. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Keith, we need you. Posted by: jak CNN on a High Horse [Report this comment] Posted by: NoPCZone on Jan 28, 2008 12:43 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The network that created the Paula Zahn zipper ad? The network that dumped Aaron Brown for AC360 24/7? The network that airs Nancy Grace and Glen Beck on a channel called Headline News? They are going to tell KO how to cover the news? Uh-huh. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: bitsfick » RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: Sissy » RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: Gungneir » RE: CNN on a High Horse Posted by: jak » RE: "Best News Team on T.V."? Posted by: Sissy » Aaron Brown ?!?! Posted by: kww355 Olbermann had a chance for responsible presidency [Report this comment] Posted by: AlterEg0 on Jan 28, 2008 6:51 AM Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] When Kucinich run for president. If Olbermann used his push to make sure that Kucinich is present at the debate, we'd still have a chance for responsible presidency. As it is, we have a choice: corporate sellout or corporate sellout. Thanks, Keith. Good work. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Olbermann had a chance for responsible presidency Posted by: willymack Olbermann: straightforward, honest. Kurtz: foolish, transparent, [Report this comment] Posted by: hadashito on Jan 28, 2008 8:08 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Howard Kurtz is an embarrassment to himself and to the media jerks who have tried to establish him as some sort of "watch dog" of media pundits and pols. Instead, they've got themselves a cretin who hasn't got the brains to criticize a talking bird with any success. In this interview with Olbermann, he seemed to be trying out a transparently aggressive version of weasley Tim Russert "gothcha" insinuations which fell dead flat in the face of a far more honest, intelligent, and real journalist like Olbermann. Kurtz made the usual fool of himself. Olbermann managed to make some valid and incisive comments despite Kurtz's craven tomfollery. Why anyone puts up with this current crowd of "critics" like Kurtz, Russert, Blitzer, the Fox News idiots, the hapless crew on MSNBC (save Olbermann, of course), and the rest of these media losers is beyond understanding. The whole media criticism charade looks like reruns of the old Gong Show -- and Howard Kurtz is the MC. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Plays An Edward R. Murrow On TV [Report this comment] Posted by: mrtshw on Jan 28, 2008 9:23 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] KO stands out because he is alone in a media filled with corporate moronic shills. His criticisms of O'Reilly, however, is hypocrisy to the nth degree as there's not a dimes worth of difference between 'O'Really' and Buchanan, Carlson, Matthews,Scarborough, Beck, Blitzer, Kurtz, Hume,etc. Olbermann is getting enormous milage from " Playing Edward R. Murrow " on TV. Of course he's correct about the choices the corporatists have approved for us. After all, David Rockefeller's co-founder of the Tri-Lateral Commission; Zig Brzinski, is a major advisor along with his son of Obama, another of his sons is an aid to McCain and his daughter plays the " church lady " on Scarborough's unwatchable morning show on MSNBC while pretending to be a journalist. Oh, Mika Brz backs Hillary. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Plays An Edward R. Murrow On TV Posted by: QCao009 jfredman [Report this comment] Posted by: Trixie on Jan 28, 2008 12:09 PM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] The three journalists of our day who stand head and shoulders above all the rest are Bill Moyers, Amy Goodman and Keith Olbermann. They have salvaged journalism from the trash heap. Honesty, intelligence, and the milk of human kindness come together in these three to constitute a beacon of light in the darkness of gathering media gloom. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: jfredman Posted by: mrtshw » RE: jfredman Posted by: gwenhale Kurtz is a journalist? [Report this comment] Posted by: davidg on Jan 29, 2008 7:05 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Olberman is a significant journalist. Kurtz is a sophomoric acolyte, making the news about the news about the news....etc. What a pointless interview. Keith says so much to be dealt with and this O'Reilly nonsense is what Kurtz wants to conclude with? Kurtz, go back to school....on the other hand,the mainstream will love you, donchknow? Crap.More sophomoric distraction. is it deliberate? Dunno. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» the majority of americans have already sacrificed, keith Posted by: KaptainSpiffy

» RE: sadly Posted by: Bayardtom

» RE: Keith, we need you. Posted by: jak

» RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: bitsfick

» RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: Sissy

» RE: Nancy Grace Posted by: Gungneir

» RE: CNN on a High Horse Posted by: jak

» RE: "Best News Team on T.V."? Posted by: Sissy

» Aaron Brown ?!?! Posted by: kww355

» RE: Olbermann had a chance for responsible presidency Posted by: willymack

» RE: Plays An Edward R. Murrow On TV Posted by: QCao009

» RE: jfredman Posted by: mrtshw

» RE: jfredman Posted by: gwenhale

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