Keith Olbermann Promises to Hold Democrats Accountable 'If They Screw Up'

Stay tuned! With Democrats poised to control both the legislative and executive branches of the government, Keith Olbermann promises to be just as tough on them as they were on Bush and the Republicans if they "screw up."On the November 10 edition of "The View," Barbara Walters questioned Olbermann if he is "going to have trouble..now that the people you like most are in?"

Olbermann retorted, "they could screw up." Elisabeth Hasselbeck followed up "if they do would you say it?" Olbermann then replied with a simple "yeah." Joy Behar backed him up with an affirmative "yes, of course."

On a related note, earlier in the segment, Elisabeth Hasselbeck addressed criticism that Olbermann is "hard on Republicans," but "soft on Democrats." Olbermann replied that during the primary he was very tough on Hillary Clinton. He still has not answered why he remained soft on Obama during the time period.

Relevant portions of the transcript follows.

ELISABETH HASSELBECK: What do you say to the critics who say that you’ve been particularly soft on Democrats? You know, we see that you’re hard on Republicans, but they say that you’re soft on Democrats. You give them an easy ride.

KEITH OLBERMANN: Well, I’d run that question past Senator Clinton because she didn’t think I was easy on her and she’s still kind of mad at me.

JOY BEHAR: What did you say to her?

OLBERMANN: Well, that tape you played, was kind of like that, only instead of saying Bush or McCain, it only said Senator Clinton, President Clinton, and they don’t invite me to their parties anymore.

[...]

HASSELBECK: But you almost can’t help yourself, I was watching a football game one time, and you, you snuck in there this Palin comment. You said the guy, this quarterback, was knocked out, out cold and you said-

OLBERMANN: I have great sympathy for quarterbacks.

HASSELBECK: Yes, and you said he was so badly crushed that he thought he could see Russia from his house. And I thought, you know, even in my football game, Keith, why? You just can’t hold back at all.

OLBERMANN: No, because I actually sat there, Elisabeth, and I actually said, would I say this if I was still just being a sportscaster, which I used to be full time.

HASSELBECK: Right.

OLBERMANN: If I was still doing that and not doing politics, would I have made that joke? Is it enough of a cultural reference that almost the politics are subtracting from it? And I said I think so. With the guy sitting, and I’ve got five- this reminds me of the football show, only we have more people on the football show. I suddenly thought, would any of the rest of them say it? And the answer is yeah, okay, that was the one, and it was the one all season, which is really, I must confess, there was some restraint involved in this.

[...]

BARBARA WALTERS: Well, you’re going to have trouble now, aren’t you, now that, now that the people you like most are in?

OLBERMANN: Well, they could screw up. I mean, the bottom line is that they’re politicians.

HASSELBECK: Well, if they do, would you say it?

OLBERMANN: Yeah.

BEHAR: Yes, of course.