Olbermann 'Never Even Suggested' Clinton Quit Race
By Mike Bates | July 18, 2008 | 12:07
OLBERMANN: Our runner up tonight, Chris Wallace of Fixed News, explaining to the TV critics of America, who were gathered tonight in solemn assembly in Los Angeles, insisting that during the primaries Fox had the straight news reporters anchoring the election coverage, and not someone like Keith Olbermann, who was delivering ten-minute screeds against President Bush, telling him to shut the hell up, telling Hillary Clinton to get out of the campaign.
Chris, I never told Senator Clinton to get out of the campaign. I never even suggested it.
Really? On his April 23, 2008 program, Olbermann talked with MSNBC political analyst Howard Fineman. He brought up possible retribution against Clinton if she didn't drop out of the campaign:
OLBERMANN: After last night, nobody is going to do anything. We‘re going to see how these next two votes take place. If she doesn‘t deliver in the way that she thinks she can on May 6th, are we now talking about retribution or the threat of retribution to get her out of the race? Are we now—is it as bloody back as it is emanating from her campaign?
FINEMAN: Oh, I think there‘s been talk of retribution. I know there‘s been talk of retribution for weeks. Well, that‘s only beginning behind the scenes and that‘s what Democratic leaders, if that isn‘t a complete oxymoron is all about. That‘s what they‘re worried about.
What this is going to require, at some point, all of Chuck‘s excellent numbers aside, there‘s some adults somewhere in the Democratic Party to step in and stop this thing like a referee in a fight that could go on for 30 rounds. That‘s what‘s going on. Those are the super-super-superdelegates who are going to have to really decide this.
OLBERMANN: Right. The one—somebody who can take her in a room and only he comes out that kind of a question.
Take Clinton in a room and only he comes out? Perhaps Olbermann doesn't view his words as "suggesting" Clinton close down her campaign. Others did. Two days later, Salon's Joan Walsh wrote: "Rachel Sklar is my hero today for this (Huffington Post) blog post calling out Keith Olbermann for his vivid, seemingly violent comment about how to get Hillary Clinton out of the Democratic primary race on Wednesday night."
A month after his take-her-in-a-room suggestion, Olbermann had a "special comment" on Clinton's reference to Bobby Kennedy's assassination. Why Olbermann designates these rants as "special" is unknown to me; the only difference is he occasionally foams at the mouth slightly more than when he's airing his "normal" unspecial comments. From the May 23 transcript:
OLBERMANN: The politics of this nation is steeped enough in blood, Senator Clinton. You cannot and must not invoke that imagery anywhere at any time!
And to not appreciate, immediately—to still not appreciate tonight just what you have done today is to reveal an incomprehension of the America you seek to lead. This, Senator, is too much because a senator, a politician, a person who can let hang in mid-air the prospect that she might just be sticking around, in part, just in case the other guy gets shot has no business being, and no capacity to be, the President of the United States.
No business, no capacity to be president. Apparently, that's not "even" a suggestion she drop out.
Perhaps that's how he actually sees things. Olbermann has long demonstrated a detachment from reality. Little wonder he's a hero of the Left.
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