General/Off-topic discussion

[gcoll]

Sorry, didn't watch it all the way through on my first viewing. But I wasn't claiming Olberman was genuinely engaging in civil discourse. Thus the "pretense of".

Yeah, but from what I've seen of Olbermann, there's no pretense either. If you disagree with him, he will probably compare you to a slave owner at some point.

[blenderboy5]

Just out of curiosity (since I really haven't watched him much at all), has Olberman called Bush "fascist", "nazi", etc? I mean, I've seen enough to know he went ballistic on him, but the things I saw he was always at least maintaining a pretense of civil discourse (referring to him as "Mr. President", etc.).

Haha I wish. Maintain a pretense of civil discourse is very rare on Countdown. He attacks anyway who disagrees with him, even token conservatives like Joe Scarborough. It's reason number 51 I can't stand people like Dowd, Olbermann, etc... just no respect for people.

And yes, I realize there are republicans who do that too.

[gcoll]

He attacks anyway who disagrees with him, even token conservatives like Joe Scarborough.

Yeah. That's the oddest thing about Keith. He reserves most of his wrath for people who slightly disagree with him about politics.

Although recently, he made Twitter the "Worst person in the world". He claimed that his Twitter page was a fraudulent page, set up by Fox News. The reason for this was because Keith misunderstood an e-mail.

[blenderboy5]

Wait could you explain that, gcoll? What twitter-related e-mail did KO misunderstand?

[gcoll]

Wait could you explain that, gcoll? What twitter-related e-mail did KO misunderstand?

http://www.redstate.com/absentee/200...ann-v-twitter/

[ari1013]

Yeah. That's the oddest thing about Keith. He reserves most of his wrath for people who slightly disagree with him about politics.

Although recently, he made Twitter the "Worst person in the world". He claimed that his Twitter page was a fraudulent page, set up by Fox News. The reason for this was because Keith misunderstood an e-mail.

Well the reason for that is stupid, but I definitely am hating the fact that all these 50 and 60 year olds think they're the **** for finally using something like twitter.

[gcoll]

Well the reason for that is stupid, but I definitely am hating the fact that all these 50 and 60 year olds think they're the **** for finally using something like twitter.

I just hate Twitter in general.

But back to something you said earlier. You had a chance to take a class with John Cleese but passed it up because you didn't want to take a few extra english classes?

[blenderboy5]

http://www.redstate.com/absentee/200...ann-v-twitter/

Olberman's the douche bag who thinks people give a **** enough about him to try to hurt his career, and it's absurd. But he's arrogant enough to think he has enough, if any, impact.

[ari1013]

I just hate Twitter in general.

But back to something you said earlier. You had a chance to take a class with John Cleese but passed it up because you didn't want to take a few extra english classes?

It wasn't like it was just a few extra and no big deal. I was graduating a year early and I couldn't really waste much time for BS electives. I really wanted to take "Politics of War" but never got a chance to take that or "Introduction to Wines" because of that. John Cleese's class is offered once every four years whenever he's got time to get back to being a Prof Emeritus that's actually on campus. So basically I would have had to restructure everything to take it.

At the time I was there, that extra year would have cost me another $19K. Now it's probably double that. But either way, you can understand why 3 years made more sense than 4 for me.

[ari1013]

Olberman's the douche bag who thinks people give a **** enough about him to try to hurt his career, and it's absurd. But he's arrogant enough to think he has enough, if any, impact.

And yet, you keep talking about him. It's like phx sox with Rush and Hannity. You guys keep falling for the same stuff.

[gcoll]

And yet, you keep talking about him. It's like phx sox with Rush and Hannity. You guys keep falling for the same stuff.

I suppose. But I won't use "Typical Olbermann spin!!!" to dismiss anyone's opinion. I think that's an important distinction.

eta: One last comment on Olbermann. I don't watch him regularly, but I tune in from time to time. I've never seen him interview a conservative, or debate a conservative. He only seems to bring on people who reinforce his opinion.

[DenButsu]

I suppose. But I won't use "Typical Olbermann spin!!!" to dismiss anyone's opinion. I think that's an important distinction.

I think that's valid.

And do also think it's worth saying (although this probably isn't the right thread for it, we've already gone there) that PHX's overuse (abuse? ) of the "Hannity/Limbaugh talking points" line seems to me to be a case of doing a disservice to the very point he's trying to advance. Because by pushing that line so hard - and constantly - he discredits it and dilutes it.

But there is, in fact, a very real process that happens on a regular basis, in which ideas that are first propagated by Hannity et al find their way into the mainstream discourse through a series of steps that can be clearly traced (the most frequent seemingly being Hannity > Drudge > Halperin > CNN/etc.), whereas the take on things that Olberman et al are putting forth doesn't really get picked up on and grow its own legs in the same way - along the lines of what bb said:

he's arrogant enough to think he has enough, if any, impact.

The Hannity/Limbaugh element really does have an impact on shaping the discussion in a powerful way that Olberman does not.

-----------------------------------------------


Anyhow, getting back on topic:

"And the rumor is there's a film being made about the Monica Lewinsky affair called Special Relationship. The part of Hillary will be played by the beautiful actress Julianne Moore. And the part of Monica will be played by Michael Moore."
-Jay Leno

[dbroncos78087]

Kind of Ironic

[CubsGirl]

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Li...ermann/805561/

[DenButsu]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_182237.html