Behind Closed Doors, Keith Olbermann Despises Daily Kos
Yes you read that title right. It's 100% true, I know.
First some qualifiers. I love Olbermann's show, I watch it and I am a fan. I find almost all content to be broadcasted to be truthful. The staff there does a wonderful job, the technology and creativity first rate. I have two beefs with Olbermann. One, he shrills for fellow NBC employees, some of whom like Erin Burnett should have been the Worst Person In The World about five times over by now. Have you ever seen another employee at NBC given a Worst Person In The World? I haven't. Two, while Olbermann is probably unaware of how little read Daily Kos is and what has happened to the site, the mere fact that Olbermann is posting at Daily Kos is O'Reillyesque hypocrisy and dishonesty of the tallest order.
Some background, as most of you know I was one of the ten most popular diarists at DailyKos before I learned of the horrible things that Kos was sanctioning at the site and belatedly I left on my own terms and accord. However, my online name "davefromqueens" became associated with DailyKos on a couple of news stories as I was referred to as "Daily Kos diarist davefromqueens." This included the ESPN story where I exposed how they inserted fake cheers for former President Bush at the Superdome during a football game (Something backed up by another blogger who showed you all the actual video and audio), some original reporting on Hannity, exposes of McCain and Palin, and other goodies.
On Columbus Day in 2008 I drove to Virginia Beach, Virginia with my camcorder. It was the first time I was ever using the camcorder and those who saw the video I shot at Max Blumenthal's site can obviously tell that my videotography skills are quite poor and deficient. I left at 11 at night the day before and arrived in Virginia Beach by 6 a.m. I decided that I was going to interview and simultaneously film Palin/McCain supporters knowing they would say outrageous things with the right prompt questions. Despite my amateur use of video, I was able to obtain some great stuff. I drove back late that morning and was on the phone with Keith Olbermann's producers. (Simplest way to check this out is to see the calls made back and forth on Columbus Day to my cell. In short I'm telling the 100% truth.)
I arrived in Manhattan toward 5 that day and brought Keith Olbermann's producers the videotapes. They first wanted to know who I was and promised they were going to do a full background check. I told them I was davefromqueens and they said oh the diarist at Daily Kos. I said ex diarist as of last week sensing they didn't like Daily Kos. Then came the kicker. They told me immediately, "We don't like Daily Kos. That site is not to be trusted. We got burned by them twice before and we will never use them as a source again." Yes you read that right. The two times they were burned according to them were with Dhonig and Mike Stark.
Next they checked me out and called back. The video quality was deemed poor by them and my style too suggestive and they said they weren't going to use it even if I wasn't from Daily Kos. They also considered me a bit wacky because of the ESPN story they checked out online. In a nutshell, they didn't believe my claim about the ESPN audio manipulation. (Again I'll just give people the truth. I stand by that story and will honestly point out that Olbermann's staff didn't believe my version of it on this.)
Keith Olbermann, his staff, and MSNBC know that Daily Kos is run by a piece of garbage, that the site is not to be trusted. However, Olbermann posts there thinking that by posting there, he will increase his ratings for his nightly show. It's hypocrisy and it's wrong.
First some qualifiers. I love Olbermann's show, I watch it and I am a fan. I find almost all content to be broadcasted to be truthful. The staff there does a wonderful job, the technology and creativity first rate. I have two beefs with Olbermann. One, he shrills for fellow NBC employees, some of whom like Erin Burnett should have been the Worst Person In The World about five times over by now. Have you ever seen another employee at NBC given a Worst Person In The World? I haven't. Two, while Olbermann is probably unaware of how little read Daily Kos is and what has happened to the site, the mere fact that Olbermann is posting at Daily Kos is O'Reillyesque hypocrisy and dishonesty of the tallest order.
Some background, as most of you know I was one of the ten most popular diarists at DailyKos before I learned of the horrible things that Kos was sanctioning at the site and belatedly I left on my own terms and accord. However, my online name "davefromqueens" became associated with DailyKos on a couple of news stories as I was referred to as "Daily Kos diarist davefromqueens." This included the ESPN story where I exposed how they inserted fake cheers for former President Bush at the Superdome during a football game (Something backed up by another blogger who showed you all the actual video and audio), some original reporting on Hannity, exposes of McCain and Palin, and other goodies.
On Columbus Day in 2008 I drove to Virginia Beach, Virginia with my camcorder. It was the first time I was ever using the camcorder and those who saw the video I shot at Max Blumenthal's site can obviously tell that my videotography skills are quite poor and deficient. I left at 11 at night the day before and arrived in Virginia Beach by 6 a.m. I decided that I was going to interview and simultaneously film Palin/McCain supporters knowing they would say outrageous things with the right prompt questions. Despite my amateur use of video, I was able to obtain some great stuff. I drove back late that morning and was on the phone with Keith Olbermann's producers. (Simplest way to check this out is to see the calls made back and forth on Columbus Day to my cell. In short I'm telling the 100% truth.)
I arrived in Manhattan toward 5 that day and brought Keith Olbermann's producers the videotapes. They first wanted to know who I was and promised they were going to do a full background check. I told them I was davefromqueens and they said oh the diarist at Daily Kos. I said ex diarist as of last week sensing they didn't like Daily Kos. Then came the kicker. They told me immediately, "We don't like Daily Kos. That site is not to be trusted. We got burned by them twice before and we will never use them as a source again." Yes you read that right. The two times they were burned according to them were with Dhonig and Mike Stark.
Next they checked me out and called back. The video quality was deemed poor by them and my style too suggestive and they said they weren't going to use it even if I wasn't from Daily Kos. They also considered me a bit wacky because of the ESPN story they checked out online. In a nutshell, they didn't believe my claim about the ESPN audio manipulation. (Again I'll just give people the truth. I stand by that story and will honestly point out that Olbermann's staff didn't believe my version of it on this.)
Keith Olbermann, his staff, and MSNBC know that Daily Kos is run by a piece of garbage, that the site is not to be trusted. However, Olbermann posts there thinking that by posting there, he will increase his ratings for his nightly show. It's hypocrisy and it's wrong.
This isn't really a comment on the above topic.
I have a genuine appreciation for your intelligence, even if you do push beyond boundaries others are comfortable with. I just want you to know at this time I am more interested in reading the output of the application of your mind on the current economic crisis and the form of the stimulus bill.
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Strategy wise, Obama has done this brilliantly. It will pass. A lot of this is posturing. People like snowe and collins are pretending to get concessions and they'll get a couple, already conceded days ago but just not publicly.
Anything that helps the middle class I am basically for. schools, transportation, etc... I"m all for it as well as middle class tax cuts.
I'd have to see each item line by line on the final bill.
I think this is a start but we are not fixing any thing until the top 1% in this country are taxed at their Kennedy or Truman rates. We need a 1 time tax on the uber rich to pay for this deficit.
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I think there have been too many concessions already, and that the stimulus that is really needed is being diminished to inneffectiveness even before it started because of Republican obstruction based on their failed principles even before the bill was written.
I would be much more comfortable with 1.3 - 1.8 trillion pumped into the economy rebuilding roads, schools, an updated transportation industry and building a smart electric grid to power it all with smart energy. If we did that all within 5 years it would keep enough employed to keep the economy at least above deflation, which is what we're all terrified of, and recoup the 300 Billion anually (at least) we're giving Terrorist Saudi Arabia. That's a complete return in probably less then 10 years, which is a good investment unless you're a stupid ass Republican pig investor.
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I'm with you in principle and spirit. I'd cut Saudi Arabia off at the knees, spend whatever was needed on the roads, schools, electric railways, electric grid, (All Green friendly).
I'd extend Medicare for all and put the HMOs out of business.
Not a dime goes to a bank or a corporation which is paying these outlandish executive salaries.
I'd forgive almost everyone's student loans, extend the tax deduction for first time home buyers, and provide relief from onerous credit card companies.
That's how I'd bailout America. I'd spend the 3 trillion to do it too but at the same time I'd be taxing that top 1% 6 trillion.
We are in class warfare. They've been taking trillions from the middle class for their yachts. It's time we take it back.
As for Obama this is a start to get us going but I think he is smart enough to realize that the Republicans are going to be obstructionists no matter what. if the big picture is to win the PR battle and let them overplay this hand so we get 67 Senators in 2010 and pick up even more House seats, then it's brilliant. However, at some point we're basically going to have to say FU to the RW conservatives and just ignore them and fix this country.
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From a network point of view, television and radio shows have to be careful or they risk libel from the subject.
Regarding Keith posting on Daily Kos, it's all for the ratings. That's how the industry operates.
The video was eventually posted on the Daily Beast and gained traction.
Regarding the Stimulus Plan, it will pass. It may not be the version of Obama's, but it will pass.
Hannity doen't want it passed because he's a self-serving hypocrite who is speaking on behalf of the GOP. Hannity is a wealthy man with a $100 million contract, lives in a 16-room mansion. He could care less about the working class people and the unemployed.
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