After apparently taking erroneous information from the far-left-leaning website ThinkProgress on Tuesday to falsely accuse Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin of slashing her state's Special Olympics budget, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann on Wednesday called the governor a liar in a rant with potential ties to a Daily Kos posting hours earlier.
During his truly tasteless "Bushed" segment, Olbermann claimed Palin gave Sean Hannity a different answer than she offered Charlie Gibson regarding her initial reaction to being asked to be John McCain's running mate.
This was Olbermann's pathetic accusation (text and video follow, h/t Johnny Dollar):
Number three, culture of lying-gate. We have gotten so used to this that even candidates for national office can utterly contradict themselves in their first two national interviews and nobody is saying boo. Remember Governor last week when Charlie Gibson asked her if she hesitated at all in accepting the VP nomination? She said I didn`t hesitate, no. He pressed her. That`s when she said her spiel about the mission and you can`t blink. So I didn`t blink, and even when he was asked to run as his running mate.
Tonight, in a kind of conversation, a critic of a fawning local sports caster, once perfectly described as a flatulent lap sitting interview, Governor Palin insisted to Sean Hannity that she did not immediately accept the spot on the ticket, that she hesitated and put it to a family vote. the quote, "it was time of asking the girls to vote on it, anyway, and they voted unanimously yes. Didn`t bother asking my son, because, you know, he`s going off to be doing his thing anyway, so he wouldn`t be so impacted by at least the campaign period here. So asked the girls what they thought and they were like absolutely, let`s do this, mom."
For god`s sake, governor, you`re coming across as an out of control liar. That`s another 100 bucks I get to donate to the Alaska Special Olympics.
Is that actually what happened? Well, here's the video and transcript of the discussion between Hannity and Palin aired on "Hannity & Colmes" Wednesday:
HANNITY: All right. You said when you were asked to be Senator McCain's running mate that you didn't hesitate, you didn't blink.
Tell us about the call when that came.
PALIN: Well, I found out about the actual selection just a couple days before you guys all did. Getting that nod was quite an experience, of course, because I knew that Senator McCain and his team had been doing a heck of a lot of research and vetting of many names.
So, of course, just the utmost honor is what I felt when he actually said, do you want to help me do this, and I said absolutely. Let's get in there and let's reform. Let's shake some things up.
HANNITY: What was your family's reaction? Was that time to huddle and have a hockey team meeting?
PALIN: It was a time of asking the girls to vote on it anyway. And they voted unanimously yes. Didn't bother asking my son because, you know, he is going to be off doing his thing anyway so he wouldn't be so impacted by, at least the campaign period here.
So I asked the girls what they thought and they are like, absolutely, let's do this, mom.
Seems to me that there's no contradiction here at all. When she was asked by Sen. McCain, she said, "absolutely. Let's get in there and let's reform. Let's shake some things up."
That she later discussed it with her family by no means invalidates her claim to Gibson that she didn't hesitate. Yet, Olbermann claimed, "Governor Palin insisted to Sean Hannity that she did not immediately accept the spot on the ticket, that she hesitated."
That's not what the video OR the transcript indicate. Where might Olbermann have gotten this false idea from?
Well, about two and a half hours before his show aired, the following was posted at Daily Kos:
This is something I can't let pass--not without taking notice. Sarah Palin has just made her most blatant lie yet. It's one that the average television viewer can catch. And most tellingly, it's a lie that exposes not just mendacity, but a compulsion to lie.
In a transparent attempt to shore up her feminist appeal, she's changed her story on how she accepted the offer to run for vice-president.
Which one is it, Sarah? The problem with lying isn't so much putting the lies out there. It's in sticking to them.
The Kossack provided a partial transcript of this answer that was posted at Time's "The Page" blog:
“It was a time of asking the girls to vote on it, anyway. And they voted unanimously, yes. Didn’t bother asking my son because, you know, he’s going to be off doing his thing anyway, so he wouldn’t be so impacted by, at least, the campaign period here. So ask the girls what they thought and they’re like, absolutely. Let’s do this, mom.”
As you can see, this transcript ignored the previous statement by Palin, "So, of course, just the utmost honor is what I felt when he actually said, do you want to help me do this, and I said absolutely."
No mention whatsoever about hesitating.
With this in mind, since "Countdown" airs before "Hannity & Colmes," it would seem that Olbermann either got this idea from Time's "The Page" blog, or from the Kossack.
Either way, it seems he was reporting on only partial information concerning this interview, and jumped to a false conclusion that Palin had "insisted to Sean Hannity that she did not immediately accept the spot on the ticket, that she hesitated."
Clearly, that's not the case, and should act as another example to MSNBC and NBC News management that Olbermann is totally unqualified as a journalist.
How many more examples are these folks going to need before they realize what a disgrace this man is to their network and this industry?
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.




















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Comments Policy
We Get It
September 18, 2008 - 09:29 ET by EverettPOlbermann needs to go... I'm really getting tired of hearing about Olbermann. I wish MSNBC would just drop the loser. Anyone who uses DailyKos as a source of information as well as contributing to it should not be a mainstream "journalist"
this guy matters to no
September 18, 2008 - 09:41 ET by TruthMongerthis guy matters to no one
thanks to NB
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
Sarah Palin's Staged Townhall Meeting, Another Pretend Moment!
September 18, 2008 - 10:22 ET by bacalove"The Real Scoop On Palin’s Staged Town Hall Meeting — Another Pretend Moment!
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/
So, what was the catch? Unlike most town-hall events, which are open to the public, include diverse crowds, and no one needs an advance invitation, this event was for ticket-holders only. And the only way to get a ticket was through the local Republican Party, after an advance RSVP. No wonder Palin was prepared to play “stump the candidate” — it was a very friendly crowd that had no interest in testing her.
It doesn’t exactly sound like a vote of confidence in the candidates’ ability to answer tough questions, does it?"
How long will the GOP continue to get away with lying, cheating and deceiving the American people?
very funny tell another
September 18, 2008 - 10:36 ET by TruthMongervery funny
tell another one
i know - you need to go and reference dkos for it
we can wait
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
baca
September 18, 2008 - 10:39 ET by Noel Sheppardbaca,
Are you really this uninformed about politics, or just feigning ignorance to bash Republicans?
Candidates often invite "friendlies" to townhall meetings. When I participated in Clinton townhalls in 1992, not only were the attendees all friendlies, but the questions and the questioners were all pre-determined and scripted.
Sorry to burst your hate-filled bubble. ns
troll - small hands, smell
September 18, 2008 - 10:50 ET by TruthMongertroll - small hands, smell like cabbage
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
IDEAS, please
September 18, 2008 - 10:44 ET by UnsaneHow long will YOU get away with not arguing IDEAS?
Whoever casts a vote for Obama-Biden is nothing more than a common thief. Whoever fails to vote against them is nothing more than a moral coward.
<knocking on head>
September 18, 2008 - 11:11 ET by motherbelt<knocking on head> Hellooo, McFly....anybody home????
Mrs. Clinton even had to admit to planting questions in townhall meetings.
Why don't you toddle on back to DailyKos and tell them to come up with something everyone doesn't know!
How is this better?
September 18, 2008 - 11:46 ET by ArcherBAnd this is somehow worse than reading off a teleprompter in front of a friendly crowd?
Sorry, but that crap doesn't fly. You lose all credibility when you ignore someone who is doing much worse things that the one you are attacking. When you can show that the top of the Dem ticket is better than the bottom of the Rep's, come back and let us know. Until then, STFU. You are really just acting like a little partisan bitch.
"To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary."
--Ernesto "Che" Guevara
OK bacalove. This is
September 18, 2008 - 12:01 ET by bassndudeOK bacalove. This is not new. As a matter of fact, this type of townhall meeting was established and originaged with Al Gore, and John Kerry used the same method. Not only that, but the questions answered by Kerry and Gore had to be approved by their staff, and the person asking the question had to be approved by their staff. In some cases, the questions were handed out by the staffs to those attending the townhall meeting. But you keep trying. Dont give up yet.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Olbermann
September 18, 2008 - 09:49 ET by NKurucI do agree with you. This is really getting old. However, two points. First this guy as well as his network, thrives on the controversy he creates. Somehow this is equated with success. The ratings in his time slot are better than they were before he took the air. However, his show continues to pale when compared with Fox and sometimes CNN. Second, as viewers we can rail, but the best thing to do is not watch this crap, or any of the other shows on that reprehensible network. Eventually diminshed ratings will take their toll. Let the viewers speak. Ignoring this idiot and the rest of his ilk will do far more than getting upset or complaining.
so they have to go the
September 18, 2008 - 10:06 ET by TruthMongerso they have to go the circus freak side show route
stick him next to the 500 pound lady
suits me:)
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
Baghdad Keith
September 18, 2008 - 10:08 ET by inquiringmindBaghdad Keith gets another one wrong.
If you put a big red clown nose on him with a multi colored wig I bet his ratings would improve. MSNBC has tried everything else why not give it a shot.
"flatulent lap sitting interview"
September 18, 2008 - 09:34 ET by JTPNow that is something bathtub boy IS an expert on. Will Keith have to call in sick if the internet goes down prior to showtime? Or will he borrow Maddows prompter for the night? Just wondering what he would do in a chrisis like this.
"I need more cowbell!" SNL
Journalism
September 18, 2008 - 09:38 ET by redherkeyAs I take it, journalists sit around their livingrooms in their bathrobes copying from blogs like DailyKos and DU and pasting it into the script they'll read by teleprompter?
No wonder they love Barry...
Well, Noel...not to be nick
September 18, 2008 - 09:38 ET by bassndudeWell, Noel...not to be nick pickie, but this is what we expect from Olberman. After all, he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, ya know.
Do you think he gets his whole show from Kos Kids, or Media Matters? I have often wondered if he ever watched what he reports on.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Chuck Knoblock
September 18, 2008 - 09:41 ET by vtbse99Didn't ex-Yankees secondbaseman Chuck Knoblock hit Olberman's mom in the head with an errant pitch back in the '90s when Keith was with ESPN and Chuck was having his throwing problems?
http://en.wikipedia....
Maybe Keith is having sympathy brain damage?
News Busters gets it right
September 18, 2008 - 09:42 ET by MrltavernWhile switching through the channels I stumbled upon bath tub boy in this monolouge. Its amazing that he actually thinks he's Edward R. Murrow. Anyways, I said to myself, this is probably a lie and I can't wait to get up in the morning and check News Busters just to see how big and band of a lie it is!
He is a disgrace you're right. But he's one of the lowest rated prime time news shows. If MSNBC had any fiscal sense at all, they realize they should fire him for his inability to draw viewers on a weekly basis.
It also shows how radio is still a very powerful medium as Rush draws 15-20 million a week and Savage 10-12 million a week.
The people speak and they don't want to watch an old washed up sportscaster do politics.
That's all.
Mr.L
Enough!
September 18, 2008 - 09:47 ET by Joe C.I'm an anti-American, anti-Semitic, racist, ultraleftist who has voted the straight Nazi ticket since my hero Jimmy Carter in '76, but even I think Olbermann's propaganda would make Goebbels and Riefenstahl blush. He's giving us real Democrats a bad name.
Joe C.
September 18, 2008 - 12:03 ET by RESTLESS 1Your "hero Jimmy Carter"?
snicker, snicker, ha ha, ahem, snicker, snicker, hahahahaHAHAHAHA!!!!
"This liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
Isn't the real question
September 18, 2008 - 09:49 ET by 10ksnookerWhy anyone would watch MSNBC?
OK, I know the answer, there are a few moonbats on my street, it is immediately obvious which propaganda network they watch.
Olberman is no better than 'Baghdad Bob'.
September 18, 2008 - 09:50 ET by c5thenOnly the extreme left listens to him and watches his show. It's a good thing he isn't muslim.
Who is the out-of-control liar?
September 18, 2008 - 09:51 ET by SickofLibs"For god's sake, governor, you're coming across as an out of control liar. That's another 100 bucks I get to donate to the Alaska Special Olympics."
Please show us a receipt, any proof at all, that you've donated even one dollar to the ASO. Otherwise, shut the hell up.
Not unusual
September 18, 2008 - 09:54 ET by MichelleCThis is nothing new from Olberdork.
What Sarah did is nothing unusual for a working mom. We make decisions or have ideas and then discuss those with our families to make sure what we want is okay with our family. Millions of women do it. She made her decision then discussed it with her family to get their approval and input.
Ooooh, scandal!
Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July. Democrats believe every day is April 15th ~ Ronald Reagan
No shame
September 18, 2008 - 10:02 ET by txcoMSNBC will support any lie that Olbermann uses...simple as that.
I'm still laughing about
September 18, 2008 - 10:22 ET by marpelI'm still laughing about someone who wrote in a blog about a month ago that an old girlfriend said KO's hung like a thumb tack. Apparently, he's got a brain to match.
I've written many times that I truly believe this guy is a mental case. And anyone who believes what he says and agrees with him is also mentally unstable.
All it does is make the NBC brand look worse and worse....they deserve it now.
The slide continues
September 18, 2008 - 10:32 ET by Iowa BoyHistory will repeat itself. KO cannot keep a job very long and he'll be getting his pink slip soon enough.
"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." Official Motto of the State of Iowa
the stupidity is
September 18, 2008 - 10:34 ET by Conservative in the Artsthe stupidity is astounding!
She knew she was being vetted for VP. She had to fill out a several pages of questions. I'm sure that she discussed it with her family during the vetting process, so that she would have an answer if/when she was asked.
their acting like McCain's phone call came out of the blue! she knew she was on the short list.
Not cut and dried
September 18, 2008 - 10:40 ET by Agrarian-DecentralistRead the transcript of her comments to Hannity again. Palin says her response to McCain's offer was "absolutely," but she then says she asked family members to vote on the decision. The clear implication is that the vote came after she said had given an unambigous "Yes" to the McCain offer. That makes no sense. You don't vote on a "done deal." The most charitable interpretation is that she is not being clear about the sequence of events, the degree of resolution in her immediate response to the McCain offer, or the nature of the family "vote." The less charitable interpretation is that she has a problem with the truth.
you read the transcript
September 18, 2008 - 10:48 ET by Conservative in the Artsyou read the transcript again! There's no mention of any timeline. Hannity asked what the family reaction was, a very gerneral question. There's no step 1 then step 2 sequence here, he changed topics. Read my post just above yours.
CITA et al
September 18, 2008 - 10:51 ET by Noel SheppardCITA et al,
Please don't answer this thing. He's a drive-by idiot that never responds to anybody and really should be banned. ns
I agree, Noel. Best to
September 18, 2008 - 11:36 ET by motherbeltI agree, Noel. Best to ignore..along with the other one, whose name escapes me, until he shows up.
For yet another whiny Socialist coward
September 18, 2008 - 10:49 ET by UnsaneActually, a better point and a much less charitable one, at that, is that you are a whiny, Socialist cowardly drive-by poster who is 100% bereft of IDEAS. And because you cannot argue, much less present your IDEAS, assuming you have ANY whatsoever, you vomit a drive-by post like this one and run for the tall grass.
Whoever casts a vote for Obama-Biden is nothing more than a common thief. Whoever fails to vote against them is nothing more than a moral coward.
This is truly funny. She
September 18, 2008 - 10:58 ET by MichelleCThis is truly funny. She knew what "her" decision was and wanted to make sure it was okay with her family. This is not unusual at all. I've made up my mind on something and then gone to my family to seek their input and/or approval on a decision I've made. If they have a problem with it, then I consider their opinions. My husband does the same thing. It doesn't change the fact that I personally made a decision about what I wanted to do. At some point she discussed it with her family - probably when she knew she was being vetted. This does not change the fact that she told Senator McCain yes right away.
Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July. Democrats believe every day is April 15th ~ Ronald Reagan
A Huge Thank You!
September 18, 2008 - 10:55 ET by americaneagleThanks to the people at NB, I am free to totally ignore MSNBC and their "news coverage" and the "personalities" that grace their network and can still find out what tools they really are! Thanks to the NB staff, I can watch coverage on Fox or even PBS's News Hour and not have to subject myself to the rot that comes from the NBC News brand. I really appreciate it...
One question though: does this make you guys the illegal immigrants of the internet? I mean, you guys do the job that most other Americans won't do!
I agree, thank you to all
September 18, 2008 - 11:35 ET by Scuba DudeI agree, thank you to all of you at NB that have to sit and watch this wretched scum spew forth his lies and inform us of the vile content you have witnessed. Do you feel the need for a shower afterwards?
Because of you I do not have to watch that idiot.
THANK YOU!!!!
He's great!!!!!!!!!!
September 18, 2008 - 11:01 ET by MES41067As much as the guy turns my stomach its good to have him on the air it shows the left in a bad light.And in a country as large as ours this guy can't even get 1 million veiwers hes a weak soilder.
Well, not so much Great as . . .
September 19, 2008 - 02:39 ET by DoktorFranken. . . the pressure relief valve for Leftist TV clowns. Every nutjob can channel their loonyness through the Head Loony, KO. A cathartic process, indeed. However, some people actually think this guy knows what he is talking about. Trouble is, he makes this stuff up as he goes along. He is now at the point of being truly dangerous to society. It's too bad that NBC's CEO is ''incredibly comfortable with that (KO's) program''. NBC is the main source of schizophrenia in the MSM. Be wary of anyone who watches KO in earnest for they have the same traits.
They have nothing...
September 18, 2008 - 11:16 ET by Grymto grasp on to when it comes to Gov. Palin. Everything they try to drag her down with has fallen flat. When you have a target that you can't seem to take down with a single bullet, you pull out the scatter gun and hope that enough pellets hit to do damage. This is the current tactic.
Thing is, I make important decisions all the time and don't blink when asked to commit. However, I always seek council from my family to make sure I will be supported in that decision. For Mr. Olberman to try to make hay of this is just as funny as Matthews bringing up the Tanning Bed issue.
libel
September 18, 2008 - 11:24 ET by xyzzypoofslibel
An untruthful statement about a person, published in writing or through broadcast media, that injures the person's reputation or standing in the community. Because libel is a tort (a civil wrong), the injured person can bring a lawsuit against the person who made the false statement. Libel is a form of defamation , as is slander (an untruthful statement that is spoken, but not published in writing or broadcast through the media).
see also: Olbermann,Kieth et al.,modus operandi
even if it was true
September 18, 2008 - 11:37 ET by MindwerkzEven if it was true, who cares. Is this the level things have gotten to? Shes a horrible person because she discussed something with her family which may or may not have come before or after she was asked.
We have a guy running for president who is asked absolutly zero questions about his very close ties to a marxist terrorist and we are talking about this crap?
I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but its starting to look more and more like leftists are just petulant children who want power simply because they dont have it.
Keith Olbermann Dumb ASS
September 18, 2008 - 14:40 ET by ChasvsSo what if we just ignore this dumb ass?
Really, why do we care what a lieing bastard like this moron says since we all know he wouldn't know the TRUTH if it smacked him in the face!
hey Barack, keith know how to lie with a straight face better than you do!
Keith Olbermann thinks he's a journalist? HA!
September 18, 2008 - 15:11 ET by KTWhy does Keith Olbermann, get news from the DailyKos? Where most of that information is false. Can't he be a real journalist like he said he was and get news from sources like AP, Reuters, or the Drudge Report? Or better yet, get the news by himself and try to present that? If he can't think of his own opinons about Sarah Pailin besides insults and he uses the Kos and it's Kommentators (I spelled commentators wrong intentionally) I think he can't think on his own. Journalist eh? journalist my rear end! P.S If those statements from the DKos are proven wrong, Keith better be a real man and a real journalist and apologize for the factual errors from is "source".
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.- George Santayana
Unsane's Corollary to Santayana's Law
September 18, 2008 - 20:02 ET by Unsane"Those who remember the past will repeat it anyway because there will ALWAYS be at least one moron who makes the same mistakes all the while saying 'This lesson doesn't apply to me!!! I'm different! I'm special!!!"
Whoever casts a vote for Obama-Biden is nothing more than a common thief. Whoever fails to vote against them is nothing more than a moral coward.
Does anybody else find it
September 19, 2008 - 00:33 ET by emccunninghamDoes anybody else find it unbelievably ironic that the MSM is chiding Republicans about "compulsive lying"?