Olbermann Equates Bush to Clinton With Clinton-Era “White House in Crisis” Video

By Brent Baker | October 24, 2005 | 20:55

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Four days after Keith Olbermann first suggested a parallel between the Clinton White House “in crisis” during the Lewinsky afffair and the Bush one now, on Monday night's Countdown he resurrected Clinton-era MSNBC video of the introduction of a “White House in Crisis” special. He set it up, with his voice getting lower and more dramatic after his “or” option, as well as a smirk: “Is this just another in the endless historical parade of political controversies through which every President since Washington has had to steer, or is it in fact, the White House in crisis?"

A Thursday night NewsBusters item recounted how Olbermann “forwarded the notion that the Bush White House is in a 'crisis' similar to that which enveloped the Clinton White House after the Monica Lewinsky revelation. Interviewing former Clinton Chief-of-Staff Leon Panetta, Olbermann pointed out how “the rundown for tonight's show was given a title by our producer that shook me. The title simply was, 'White House in Crisis.' I already hosted a news show on this network that had that title some years ago. Is it applicable now? Is in fact in your opinion this White House in crisis?" (Brief transcript and vintage picture of Olbermann follows.)

Video excerpt: Real or Windows Media

A brief transcript from the October 24 Countdown with Keith Olbermann, picking up with what he squeezed in between speculating with Washington Post reporter Jim Vandehei about what could happen to Rove and Libby and interviewing 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman Terry Holt:

Olbermann: “Is this just another in the endless historical parade of political controversies through which every President since Washington has had to steer, [lowering tone of voice] or is it in fact [dramatic pause, with a smirk], the White House in crisis?”

Video and announcer from, presumably, 1998: “This is an MSNBC special: 'White House in Crisis.' Here is Keith Olbermann.”

Olbermann, in old video: “Good evening. In a dramatic development tonight-”

Olbermann live: “Now you know how my hair got gray. Well I figure if I'm going to have a flashback, you're going to have a flashback too.”