Olbermann Makes Victory Lap in Honor of Dobbs Resignation

November 12th, 2009 12:49 AM

Leave it to that bastion of grace and class that waxes poetically on a nightly basis about the wrongdoings of Republicans or conservatives ad nauseum known as MSNBC host Keith Olbermann to do Lou Dobbs resignation from CNN up just right.

Olbermann on his Nov. 11 "Countdown" broadcast honored Dobbs 30-year CNN career by naming him his "third worst person in the world."

"The bronze to Lou Dobbs, who tonight, as of tonight, has just quit his CNN show," Olbermann said.

Although it isn't quite clear why Olbermann decided to bestow that honor upon Dobbs, if for no other reason than for his decision to resign, Olbermann cherry-picked portions of Dobbs resignation speech from the Nov. 11 broadcast of "Lou Dobbs Tonight" and even ad-libbed in his comments (actual transcript of Dobbs here).

"‘I'm the last of the original anchors here on CNN and I'm proud to have had the privilege of helping to build the world's first news network.' And then I discovered America," Olbermann said, struggling with a Dobbs impersonation. "Over the past six months it's become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us. And some leaders in media, and in politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day and to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible."

Some on the left have seen Dobbs' departure as an opportunity to make their own jokes with Latino punch lines in honor of Dobbs. And, Olbermann was no exception.

"You just denied me that impression?" Olbermann said. "How dare you sir! The rumor around here is they're going to do two hours of their 8 o'clock show and as to Dobbs, I hear he's going to Telemundo."