Olbermann Hits FNC's Roger Ailes for Criticizing Clinton, Calls Ailes 'Ming the Merciless'

September 28th, 2006 12:22 AM

On Wednesday's Countdown show, MNBC's Keith Olbermann attacked Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes during his regular "Worst Person in the World" segment because Ailes criticized Bill Clinton's angry response to Fox News host Chris Wallace's question about why Clinton failed to capture Osama bin Laden. Olbermann, who just days ago conducted a sympathetic interview with Clinton, attacked the Fox News president for calling Clinton's reaction "an assault on all journalists" as the Countdown host referred to Ailes as "Ming the Merciless," the villainous character from the Flash Gordon series." Olbermann also personally insulted Ailes as "having achieved the perfectly circular shape" as the Countdown host awarded the night's top "Worst Person" dishonor to Ailes. (Transcript follows)

Below is a complete transcript of the relevant portion of the Wednesday September 27 Countdown show:

Keith Olbermann: "But our winner, Roger Ailes, the Ming the Merciless of Fox News. And congrats, incidentally, Roger, on having achieved the perfectly circular shape. He says today that President Clinton's reaction to Chris Wallace the other day was, quote, 'an assault on all journalists.' No, Roger. What Mr. Clinton said was an admonishment. Somebody sending terroristic threats to me and others is an assault on all journalists. Roger Ailes, today's 'Worst Person in the World.'"