Olbermann’s Ignorance Makes Laura Ingraham Tuesday’s “Worst Person in the World”

By Noel Sheppard | May 04, 2006 | 10:25

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Tuesday night on MSNBC’s “Countdown,” host Keith Olbermann once again demonstrated why he is one of the most unprofessional and undisciplined journalists on television today. In his regular “Worst Person in the World” segment, Olbermann chose conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham. In this case, Ingraham won the award because Olbermann clearly has no understanding of how race impacts television viewing habits in America, in particular, those of Hispanic Americans: “But our winner, Laura Ingraham, having already reached the dubious conclusion that the mainstream media is supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants she offered this tortured logic as support quoting ‘NBC, ABC and CBS, throw in CNN and MSNBC. They think these are, you know, new viewers, new listeners, new customers to the more liberal viewpoint.’”

Olbermann then shared with his viewers a false conclusion while demonstrating why he should go back to analyzing sporting events (emphasis mine):

“Um-huh. And the fact that most of these folks seem to prefer hearing and seeing the news in their native languages? How did you rationalize that part of it again? Laura Ingraham today`s worst person in the world.”

The problem is, Keith, you once again appear to have pulled data from...thin air. For instance, according to a survey done by the Pew Hispanic Center on this very subject (emphasis mine): “A growing number of Hispanics switch between English and Spanish to get the news. Rather than two audiences sharply segmented by language, the survey shows that many more Latinos get at least some of their news in both English and Spanish than in just one language or the other.”

Start wiping that egg off your face, Keith! The survey continued: “However, in one key segment of the Hispanic population--likely voters in U.S. election--the English-language media is the dominant source of news. More than half of Latino voters, (53 percent) get all their news in English and 40 percent gets news from media in both languages while only 6 percent of likely voters get all their news in Spanish.”

Moreover, a study reported by State of the News Media.org indicated: “Hispanic households, according to Nielsen Media Research, watch much more television than U.S. households in general, and that is true across all age groups.”

As a result, Keith, this represents a huge and growing market for American media corporations. As such, Ingraham’s point has merit, and, unlike yours, is supported by data.

And this makes you today’s Worst Person in the World.

For those that are interested, Olbermann's Ingraham quote came from Monday’s “O’Reilly Factor.” What follows is a full transcript of Ingraham’s segment with O’Reilly, a video link of that segment, and a video link of the Olbermann clip.

O'REILLY: "Personal Story" segment tonight, as we mentioned, about 70 percent of Americans feel it is inappropriate for non-citizens to demonstrate in favor of illegal immigration. Among the 70 percent is radio talk show host Laura Ingraham who joins us now from Washington. You know what I'm worried about here is that Americans -- and I do believe there is going to be a backlash. I think that most Americans seeing these demonstrations understand it's emotionally driven what's going on out on the street, very emotional. But I hope they direct their ire toward the Mexican government, toward the United States federal government, and toward the media with this immigration rights business. It's just outrageous how they distort the coverage of the story. What say you?

LAURA INGRAHAM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST : Well, Bill, we went from calling people who broke our immigration laws illegal aliens. Then it was illegal workers. Then it was undocumented workers. Then it was undocumented citizens. Now it's just immigrants. And I noticed that Geraldo echoed what MSNBC and CNN has been doing, referring to these protests as immigrant rights protests. And I think most people hear that and they say wait a second, I'm pro-immigrant, as I am, I'm pro-immigrant. For the political classes and the media classes and the intellectuals at our universities to perpetuate this lie, that the overwhelming majority of the American people are anti-immigrant, I think that's shameless. And I think people are getting really tired of that. Too many demands and not enough common sense.

O'REILLY: Why do you think the media is so hell-bent on supporting the amnesty movement? Because no matter what they say, that's what this is all about. The bottom line is that there are between 12 and 14 million people here, shouldn't be here. And they want them all legalized along with all of their families, adding 25 to 30 new citizens in the next 10 years to this country. Why do you think the media is so okay with that?

INGRAHAM: Well, if you believe that the mainstream media, supposed mainstream media tilts to the left, which I believe, then you believe that they're making the same bet that Ted Kennedy is making and Barbara Boxer, etc., that these new unskilled aliens, illegal aliens becoming citizens will redound to the Democrats' benefit. If they redound to the Democrats' benefit, it then redounds to the benefit of NBC, ABC, and CBS, throwing in CNN and MSNBC. So they think these are new viewers, new listeners, new customers to the more liberal viewpoint. I think that's what the bet is that they are making.
And Republicans, Bill, I have to tell you, not a single republican has convinced me or explained to me how they think a huge pool of illegal aliens in this country becoming citizens will suddenly start voting for what? Conservative economic principles? Lower taxes? Why wouldn't they be voting for a massive redistribution of the wealth? So I think those are interesting political bets. I would bet on the democrat side that the workers becoming citizens is much more --

O'REILLY: But remember, socially Hispanics are much more conservative than the secular progressive left that runs the democratic party right now. So socially, they're going to run into a problem. But overall, what we're looking at here is we're looking at pure emotion driving this whole debate. You see, I don't have anything against any person trying to do better for his family. I always said if I were a poor Mexican, I'd be here, too. But I wouldn't be here demanding any rights, and I wouldn't be here out carrying a Mexican flag, even if I was Mexican. Because that's an insult to what the country stands for. But yet, we're not getting good leadership from the republican president on this, are we?

INGRAHAM: The republican president, President Bush is much more in tune with the people at the protests today than he is in tune with his own party, and certainly with the vast majority of republicans, and frankly working class democrats in this country who have made their views clear. Your competitor, a cable competitor if I could call it, MSNBC, actually had a poll today, Bill that said -- the question was, "Should people at these rallies be arrested?" Which is a ridiculous question. And they thought the numbers would go in their favor on that. Well even on the MSNBC poll, as of this afternoon, it was like 62 percent of Americans thought that illegals at the rally should be arrested which is pretty draconian.

O'REILLY: That's a little misleading. They only have 10 viewers.

INGRAHAM: Well it was amazing anyway.

O'REILLY: All right, Laura. I just hope that people do direct their ire toward the federal government here and the Mexican government. These are the villains. The immigrants themselves, they are just trying to get a better life, and I understand.

INGRHAM: Well Bill, we can't expect them to respect our laws if our politicians don't respect our laws.

O'REILLY: Absolutely. But we all have to obey them. Laura, thanks very much as always. We have a brand-new poll question for you. Billoreilly.com is asking, "Is big business mostly responsible for the illegal immigrant problem?" Yes or no. Billoreilly.com sponsored by immigrantcorrect.com. We'll be right back with more of THE FACTOR in a moment.