The Daily Howler - 08/20/05

OLBERMANN GETS IT (MASSIVELY) RIGHT! Openly trashing Limbaugh’s ethics, Olbermann—at last—got it right

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2005

OLBERMANN GETS IT (MASSIVELY) RIGHT: We’ll admit—we never thought we’d see it. For years, we’ve marveled as major mainstream and liberal journalists refuse to go after the Rush-Sean types—as they refuse to notice the way these people have made a travesty of our public discourse. Rush and Sean and the like are ripe targets—and the public deserves to be trold about the extent of their clowning and lying. (Beyond that lie the “mainstream” clowns, like Hardball’s Chris Matthews.) But mainstream pundits have refused to discuss it—until Keith Olbermann openly mocked Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday night’s Countdown:

OLBERMANN (8/17/05): Time for Countdown`s list of today`s three nominees for the title of “Worst Person in the World.” Nominated at the bronze level: In coastal Scotland, police report that some of them while away the late summer afternoons by going to the cliffs and throwing rocks at the people who live and drive below. A policeman warned them, “Playing near cliffs is dangerous, boys.” Why did you tell them, sir?

Also, the fine folks at Austin Community College in Texas. Carl Basham said he was denied the state residence discount for tuition. He has to pay $2,600 a semester instead of $500 because they say he spent too much time living out of state. Well it`s true, Carl has been away, serving, he says, two tours in Iraq.

But the winner, it`s the irrepressible Rush Limbaugh. On the radio, he said quote, "Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There`s nothing about it that`s real." I guess she made up that dead son in Iraq business! He also referred to her supporters as dope-smoking FM types. I guess the painkillers wipe out your memory along with your ethics. Rush Limbaugh, today`s “Worst Person in the World!

Omigod! Openly referencing Limbaugh’s failed ethics, Olbermann mocked him as the “Worst Person in the World.” And last night, the open mockery (and debunking) of Limbaugh continued, with Brent Bozell thrown in for good measure. (Transcript still not available. Eventually, it will be posted here.)