On his Countdown show Wednesday, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann attacked the right-leaning media watchdog group Accuracy in Media for a piece by Cliff Kincaid criticizing Fox News Channel's recent "drifting to the left." Olbermann mocked the suggestion that liberal bias could exist on FNC and suggested that Fox News ideologically is just to the left of Vlad the Impaler, an infamous mass-murderer from the 15th century who inspired the story of Dracula. He also took a shot at perennial target Bill O'Reilly by agreeing with the sentiment of one of AIM's e-mailers that "O'Reilly has really gone bonkers."
During his regular "Worst Person in the World" segment, Olbermann normally chooses three nominees to be awarded the dishonor of that name. His three nominees are labeled as "Worse," "Worser," and "Worst." On Wednesday's show, the Countdown host bestowed the dishonor of "Worst" upon Accuracy in Media for Kincaid's piece "directed at an outfit they claim gave Robert Kennedy, Jr. a platform for a, 'environmental propaganda' piece about global warning, against a network whose reporters let New Orleans get to them, against people 'drifting to the left.'"
Olbermann went on to compare Fox News to the historical figure Vlad the Impaler, a ruthless Romanian leader from the 15th century responsible for the tortured murder of thousands through impalement. Olbermann wondered: "To the left of whom? Vlad the Impaler?" Before concluding, the Countdown host took a shot at O'Reilly: "One of AIM's e-mailers did, however, observe, 'O'Reilly has really gone bonkers.' So, anyway, that's unanimous."
Below is a complete transcript of Olbermann's comments from the January 25 Countdown show:
Keith Olbermann: "But the winners, the folks at the special interest group Accuracy in Media. Their latest harangue about a news organization that is not conservative enough for them, directed at an outfit they claim gave Robert Kennedy, Jr. a platform for a, 'environmental propaganda' piece about global warning, against a network whose reporters let New Orleans get to them, against people 'drifting to the left.' Fox News Channel. No, seriously. To the left of whom? Vlad the Impaler? One of AIM's e-mailers did, however, observe, 'O'Reilly has really gone bonkers.' So, anyway, that's unanimous. Accuracy in Media, today's 'Worst Persons in the World.'"