Saturday, March 15, 2008

Olbermann's Kid Glove Treatment of Obama ... can you say biased?

The special commentary Keith Olbermann leveled at Sen. Hillary Clinton the other night was so over the top I refuse to post it on this blog. And his pontificating was triggered by a rather bland comment made by Geraldine Ferraro.

But what about comments made by Sen. Obama's spiritual mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright?


Now take a look at the kid glove treatment Olbermann gave to Sen. Obama, and THEN try and convince me there is no bias here:



ABC News reports:
In a campaign appearance earlier this month, Sen. Obama said, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial." He said Rev. Wright "is like an old uncle who says things I don't always agree with," telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.
And on another occasion said to ABC News:
"I would not repudiate the man," Obama said. "It's like a member of your family that says something that you really disagree with: You don't stop being a member of the family but you have to speak out forcefully on the issue."
Olbermann's bias is clear, and for that he owes all of us an apology.

8 comments:

billie said...

both candidates have used this technique- the periphery making scorched earth remarks- and then the candidates say they don't condone-and blah, blah, blah. i don't have a horse in this race- and i hesitate to even say much at all because in the grander scheme of things- it will fall on deaf ears. i didn't particularly think that ferraro's remarks were bland and wright's were definitely vehement. neither have anything to do with the real issues- iraq war, a global climate crisis to deal with, looming food and water shortages, possible war with iran, a very real possibility of another cold war with russia. i think maybe everyone needs to stop focusing so much on who gets fairer treatment and get back to the issues. that's just my humble opinion.

BAC said...

betmo - I don't necessarily disagree with you. My purpose in posting this was to point out what I preceive to be a media bias. When most families arrange their family room around the television set, it's an indication of just how powerful the media is in shaping public opinion.

Let's shape opinion based on a candidates position on issues, NOT on their gender or their race.


BAC

Mary Ellen said...

How can you tell Obama is lying? His lips are moving.

If I recall, on CNN the other day they said there was a discussion between Obama and Reverend Wright where Wright said he would have to distance himself if Obama got this far in the primary election. Obama knew darned well why he had to distance himself from Wright, he knew about those remarks before this.

You're correct, Olbermann is giving him a huge pass here. Obama uses the excuse that Rev. Wright is like others who dealt with civil rights in the 60's. It's funny, I never heard MLK say God damned America!" I never heard MLK say anything about white Italians killing the black Jesus because he was black.

If Obama cannot repudiate this man, you can count on him having a role in his administration as some kind leader in the National Christian Coalition or something.

This makes me sick, Keith Olbermann has no integrity, he's a tool.

Mauigirl said...

I believe Obama already addressed his remarks at some point when he first started his campaign last year, so yes, he did know about them at the time. The controversy was just revived now.

He should make sure Wright has nothing to do with his candidacy or his possible administration; if he does, I'll be very disappointed in him.

I agree Olbermann is biased against Hillary. And is usually over the top on most of his commentary. When he's railing against Bush I do love it though!

Mauigirl said...

To clarify, I mean if Wright has anything to do with Obama in the future, I'll be very disappointed in Obama.

John J. said...

What questions did you want Olberman to ask that were said in the Ferraro dust up that he didn't ask Obama?

As far as Obama's comment that he hadn't heard the quote, it was in reference to the "God damn America" comments; he had talked previously about the quotes you replayed here.

I haven't heard MLK say similar things, but I have heard many, many leaders (Sharpton and Jackson are the first two that come to mind) from that era say the same things. And they are right (although Wright is using inflammatory language). This country is controlled by rich white men. White people (including women) don't get pulled over for "driving while white (or female)"

Wright's quotes are very different than Ferraro's though. Ferraro's were a direct, eventually openly racist attack directly on Clinton's opponent. Wright's comments were saying how Obama has a better understanding of what the black people have gone through. You have said the same about Clinton. If a close Clinton friend and supporter said things like "Obama hasn't had a boss that slapped his @$$ every time he walked by" or "Obama hasn't had people only talk to his chest" etc. you would be fully supportive.

Clinton's response was also one of the primary issues from the Ferraro thing, both in my reaction and in Olbermann's commentary the other day. When she was asked about the comments, her initial response was "I didn't say it," and later "It's regrettable that such things were said." Obama has repudiated, in no uncertain terms, Wright's comments. He has denounced them as wrong and clearly doesn't agree with them.

The fact that Obama won't condemn the man is more indicative of his overall philosophy on people. Time and again he has said even people who hold wrong ideas can still have some good ones.

Mary Ellen said...

The fact that Obama surrounds himself with such scum like Rezko and Rev. Wright, carries on long friendships, and calls them his "mentors" says a lot to his lack of character and moral judgment. It's not until after the controversy hits the airwaves, that he decides to back away from them...yet in Rev.Wrights case, still calls him his spiritual director.

He says that Rev.Wright "brought him to Christ". Which Christ is that? The one Rev.Wright claims was crucified because He was black? The Christ that will bring to heaven a man like Wright who preaches hate, racism, and lies? That Christ?

Sorry, that's not how I was taught Christianity, and Obama has been listening and learning for more than twenty years from a man who preaches hate. How can anyone say that Obama hasn't had this hatred rub off him. He may be slick at hiding it from the public, but that's about it. He's been caught in lie after lie...and yet he's slick enough to convince his robotic followers that he's a man of his word.

BAC said...

John - You are simply wrong. Take a look at how Olbermann so voraciously attacked Sen. Clinton, and how timid he was with Sen. Obama. IT'S A FACT.

There are a lot of people who think Ferraro spoke the truth. There are a lot of people who think Rev. Wright spoke the truth. BOTH series of comments could be considered "racist." Only ONE candidate was so viciously attacked.


BAC