MSNBC to Massachusetts: Drop dead!

Watching coverage of the Massachusetts senatorial election Tuesday night, I wondered if MSNBC was getting ready to cut off its cable signal to the state. Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, positively enraged that Massachusetts dared to elect a Republican, delivered two hours of nonstop bilious rage toward the state's voters, calling them "irrational" and "teabaggers," engaged in "a total divorce from reality," and hinting that they're vicious racists to boot.

If you watched CNN or Fox News last night, you got a balanced analysis of how Republican Scott Brown pulled off the political upset of the century (or, if you prefer, how Democrat Martha Coakley blew a dead solid electoral lock). Yes, I said Fox News, without irony. To be sure, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity made it clear they were rooting for Brown. But their shows also included a steady parade of liberal-leaning guests -- former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, former Dukakis campaign manager Susan Estrich, Democratic party strategist Mary Anne Marsh, NPR commentator Juan Williams and radio host Alan Colmes. And pollster Frank Luntz interviewed a panel of two dozen or so Massachusetts voters, most of them Democrats, about how they voted and why. Practically every conceivable perspective on the election was represented.

And on MSNBC, you got practically every conceivable expression of venom against Brown and anybody who voted him. From Maddow's dark suspicions that the election was rigged -- she cited complaints about a grand total of six ballots out of about 2.25 million cast -- to Olbermann's suggestion in the video up above that the same Massachusets voters who went for Barack Obama by a 62-28 percent margin had suddenly realized they helped elect a black guy and went Republican in repentance, the network's coverage was idiotic, one-sided and downright ugly.

Olbermann was simply outraged by the vote. "The teabaggers may have elected their first guy tonight," he declared as Brown rolled up a commanding lead. Just in case the connotations of the word teabag might be lost on his audience, he clarified his feelings: "I wanted to apologize for calling Republican Senate candidate, Scott Brown, an irresponsible homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, teabagging supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees. I`m sorry -- I left
out the word 'sexist.'"

Maddow added dirty campaigner to the charges. Her sense of fair play was violated by a Brown campaign ad in which his daughter complained about Coakley's attacks on her father: "Martha Coakley`s new negative ad represents everything that discourages young women from getting involved in politics, and as a young woman, I`m completely offended by that," the daughter said in the ad. Sniffed Maddow: "It`s like using your kid as a human shield." Oddly, Maddow made no mention of the Coakley TV ad that started the exchange, which began: “1,736 women were raped in Massachusetts in 2008. Scott Brown wants hospitals to turn them all away...”

MSNBC's idea of "balancing" these rants was to interview former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean. (His main insight: Coakley's loss was, honest to God, George W. Bush's fault.) When a third MSNBC host, Chris Matthews, timidly raised the possibility that Massachusetts voters were concerned about high government spending, Maddow snapped that such thinking was "irrational" and added: "To say it`s fiscally responsible to not reform health care is insanity... It`s a total divorce from reality."

(To be perfectly fair, I wouldn't have believed anything Matthews said, either, after he insisted that Richard Nixon's presidency crumbled not over Watergate but the recession of 1974.)

It may be too much to expect NBC, these days reduced to a national wisecrack, to be embarrassed over the frothing lunacy that passes for news coverage at corporate stepchild MSNBC. But both networks are part of the same news division. If news boss Steve Capus thinks his reporters can continue to appear with Olbermann and Maddow without suffering credibility contamination, he's dumber than whoever was behind the Leno/O'Brien late-night shuffle.

Comments

[Teleprompter]

The analysis of Fox News was 100% correct. Their news coverage always has liberal and conservative points of view.

Did you know Ted Kennedy had a home in Washington DC, a home in Palm Beach Florida, and a compound in Massachusetts with at least 3 homes. Scott Brown owns a time share and couple rental units and liberals get all worked-up.

Thanks for reminding us that MSNBC is still on the air.

[jd]

Dear Northernboy,

Here are a few FACTS for you.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Massachusetts-Coakley-ad-patently-false-Brown-threatens-legal-action-81908347.html

Seems Brown wants to actually set the record straight.

jd

[malclave]

What do you expect from the White House's media arm? Remember, this is the same organization that encourages election fraud (Ed Schultz, and voting multiple times on one election).

[DJ]

Getting tea bagged now means any Big Government politician getting whipped by someone who believes in freedom. The Tea Baggers of Old (1773 types) would agree.

[Typicalwhitewoman]

President Obama gets an A+ for being the great community organizer he is; only he could have united the Conservatives, Democrats and Independents against the Lefty Progressives or what I like to call, Commie Bastards!

MASSACHUSSETTS = AMERICAN REVOLUTION 2.0

[OxyCon]

They don't call it MessNBC for nothing!

Their programming consists of Crazy Chris Matthews; The DailyKos Lunatic Fringe Hour with Keith Obamamann; and The World's Dumbest Rhoades Scholar starring some dude named Rachel.

Less people identify themselves as Liberals out of every other political group in this country, yet MessNBC decides to change their programming to radical leftist.

Sounds like a great business model, don't you think?

GE's stock is hurting so bad that Jack Welch is rolling around in his grave and he's still alive!

[gsw]

I assume Mr. Garvin is prepared to be tonight's "Worst Person in the World!"

[seth]

Northernboy is funny. :)
I suppose you wanted Coakley to win??
Well stop and think about this, it was Kennedy's ego that helped her to loose. If they wouldn't have changed the rules for seating a senator (yet again), then the election would have been held sooner and would have proved to be a cake walk for the dems.
Not to mention what was going on in D.C. the previous weeks leading up to this election. The Dems had a cake walk election and handed it over to Brown. Plain and simple. And what the talking heads did on MSNBC was awful....I couldn't take much of it. Funny how liberals always want openness for ideas....as long as it is their ideas that are being expressed and winning.

[exhelodrvr]

"People who voted for Mr Brown are those who are frustrated with a short attention span, are only sparsely educated on the issues, and live in a bubble"

According to the reports, a lot of those same people voted for Obama in 2008.

[Russ]

I like it. They are 100% right. Thank God for Olbermann and Maddow. Two of the few rational voices left on the political news scene. There has to be something to counterbalance the insanity that goes on at Fox Ruse.

[Mother of Northendboy]

I apologize for my son who posted such vile messages on this forum under the username "Northendboy". His behaviour is utterly despicable. He's only an 11-year old. He's been sent to his room and is presently waiting for his very father to return home from work. I've put the belt on the table.

[cjk]

northendboytoy FIFY LOL

[Nate Dogg]

"Massachusetts you will get what you asked for-----a slick BS artist."

That's an example of the thinking that allowed liberal "concern" about the inexperienced Sarah Palin being one heart beat away from the Presidency. Now we have a sitting President whose "experience" was limited to the corrupt Daley political machine in Chicago. Even though Obama rocketed through Chicago politics without changing much, the "media" presented him as an agent of change and honest politics.

This President is the product of a media mirage and they will be hard pressed to turn on their creation. Obama said people have tried to paint on him what they want. Unfortunately the media wanted him to be President and made sure he was given responsibilities he was ill prepared for. You see, Putin and Ahmedinijad (Sp) don't need to me moderated at the Harvard Law Review, they need to know they can get bit. However, they see this President doesn't have it in him... all talk.

However, I do give the man credit for taking those Somali pirates out on Easter day.

[AnotherReader]

MSNBC is the lousiest excuse of Network that is now polluting the airwaves. I too do not watch anything on NBC. First, they simply do not program anything worth watching. And secondly, because of the outrageous lies and behavior seen daily on MSNBC. I also refuse to buy any GE products because of it.

It is nothing but corporate sponsored political character assassination.

[Dr. Dean]

northendboy: "People who voted for Mr Brown are those who are frustrated with a short attention span, are only sparsely educated on the issues, and live in a bubble. It is not referendum on President Obama. He is only a new flavor on the block. Massachusetts, does not speak for the nation."

If you really had a PhD, you'd not have to tell us, your writing would reflect it... The above hyper-generalized, juvenile statement covering millions of citizens is not the kind of writing one would expect from a highly educated person. More like someone who feels the need to impress strangers with faux credentials.

Anyway. Back to the assertion you made about the voters: I want to see you prove it. You stated it as fact, so prove it. It should be easy for a PhD.

What methodology did you employ to prove to a statistical certainty that Brown's voters are "frustrated", "sparsely educated on the issues" and "live in a bubble".

Also, show your work on how you determined the election was not a referendum on Obama.

[Golden66]

I admit..when I'm flipping channels I stop on MSNBC for a few minutes just for a laugh. Nothing newsworthy but just to be amazed that people (obviously limited #s) actually watch that and believe these people. What is funny is the liberals usually try to say that conservatives are the haters.. but anyone with real common sense can watch MSNBC for 2 minutes and see these idiots ranting and ravings and figure out who the haters are. They are like little kids having a tantrum when they don't get their way.. but instead of kicking their feet these brats flap their gums with hate.

[Carla]

This is Just MORE Propaganda Slander from the Lib-tards!

I'm angry I wasted these precious few minutes of my breath and time on this EARTH to read such BS!

[Watuschskie]

I am a proud Pennsylvanian! I purposely switched from FOX News to PMSNBC just to follow the election and to have a lot of fun at the demokratz' expense watching that tingle running up and down Mathews', Olbermann's and Madow's legs. I also enjoy watching those nitwit liberals whine, snivel and cry on national TV.

We'll have a much similiar November situation in PA with Arlen Spectre. He was a long time Rino but switched to demokrat when it was obvious that he was not going to be elected and he began to suck up to the Obamination. The naive fool immediately lost all of his seniority (the demokratz tea-bagged him because nobody likes a traitor), and now he just flops back and forth like a noodle. He's out completely in November and I'll watch on PMSNBC.

Of course, the upset in Massachusetts is really the fault of President Bush and V.P. Cheney -- any demokrat can see that!

[Carla]

This is just more Hate Propaganda Slander Slung from the Lib-Tards.

Now I am angry I wasted precious minutes on this Earth reading such BS!

[BG]

Time share? You can buy one of those for about $1500 these days. The hypocrisy is that this guy is taking over the seat of a Kennedy who never really had to work a day in his life he came from so much wealth, most of it illgotten by the way.

[Imverysnorky]

Jennifer: You seem to have either a serious issue with ignorance, the great ability to re-write history or just being plain stupid. I don't see how you can sit there typing what you typed with a straight face. Sure, MSNBC's coverage was very biased and opinions were stated that shouldn't be expressed during election coverage, but PLEASE don't dumb down the already dumb people posting here by claiming that there is a difference between "the vehemence and personal attacks that MSNBC levels against its 'enemies' that you will never, ever seen coming from anyone on Fox News." You act as if you have NEVER, EVER (in your own words, apparently) seen personal attacks by Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly... you must be extremely ignorant to assume such a thing. Are the comments from Olbermann more venomous than O'Reilly? sure, that's possibly up for debate, but there is no way O'Reilly has NEVER said stuff worse than Olbermann, or Hannity worse than Maddow. Fox News has three hours in the day that is filled with venomous hate coming from Beck, O'Reilly and Hannity... the three stooges of cable "news". From O'Reilly claiming that Jennifer Moore, a rape victim who was murdered in New York, is a "moronic girl" because she got "bombed" (he said this AFTER she was murdered) to Beck calling "Obama a racist who has a deep-seeded hatred for white people". No personal attacks and vehemence in those statements, huh? And, anybody who watches MSNBC and Fox News comparing their programs and the rhetoric they spew, the hate is strongly in favor of Fox... and that even depends on differentiating attacks and opinions based on facts (which MSNBC does more than Fox News) and attacks and opinions based on half-truths and lies (which Fox News does more than any other cable news channel). By the way, let's not forget all the "far-left loons" and "anti-American" labels people like O'Reilly put on people he disagrees with. Again, no vehemence in those claims, right, Jennifer? Just like Fox, unfortunately, you seem to be lacking real facts only your opinion that isn't backed up for proven. The bias is clear in both networks, but don't for a second pretend that Fox News isn't personal with their attacks.

[Woody24]

Five most entertaining shows in TV hitory:

1. Andy of Mayberry
2. Leave it to Beaver
3. Olberman after a Republican win
4. F Troop
5. Seinfeld

[Eric]

MSNBC has long been a Plato-like-cave cesspool of over-educated loons who are not even experienced enough to know the load of elitist crap they live in, spewing it out across the cable networks. It might be pathetic if wasn't so clearly disgusting.

[peteyk]

Thank God these left wing cretins do not go on TV against O'Reilly, Beck, Malkin, or Laura Ingraham.
They would soon learn who is in charge. I'd pay for this old guy, spector, to try and tell Laura Ingraham what to do!

[Mike L]

Northendboy sounds like my college educated nephew.He's 23 years old and living in my sisters house. During the day you'll find him sound asleep. But at night he tranforms into a fearsome leftwing internet warrior battling the evil forces of conservatism,in between joints of course. In real life he's the guy that called the police on my older brother for playfully punching his arm on Christmas Day.

[AdiosDems]

Maybe Olberman's new nickname should be d-bagger.

[Zeke]

GarandFan:
> Does any SANE person even watch MSNBC?

Only for reconnaissance or entertainment. It can be fun to watch Maddow try to push the envelope in self-righteous snobbishness, or to see how red or purple Matthews' head will get before they have to cut to break.

[Zeke]

Jennifer:
> The difference is, folks on the right RESPECT that everyone might not agree with them . . .

That may be over-romanticizing the differences between commentators on Left and Right a bit. O'Reilly is about as smug as you can get, often dismissing disagreement as if it were irrelevant. Savage and Levin (one of my favorites) raise angry name-calling to a fine art. Each side calls the other stupid and accuses them of evil intent. But hosts on the Right seem to spin a little less egregiously (and flat-out lie much less often), and hosts on the Left tend to outdo everybody else in being mean/ad-hominem/polemical in their commentary.

[gthog61]

I wish more people looked in on MSNBC to see the kind of people these people are. I can't imagine them ever attracting anyone to their viewpoint.

They are the sort of people who are the backbone of obama's support and exactly the type of people he appoints as "czars".

[KansasGirl]

The state run media has become enraged. The little people aren't listening to them and they don't like it one bit. That makes them dangerous.

[JD]

northendboy's PhD is obviously in hackery from an online university that cost him $100.

The author quite clearly stated in the article that while Hannity and O'Rielly are on the right, at least they brought in a number of people from the other side of the political spectrum to give their opinions. Bathtub Boy Olbermann would never do such a thing because the only place he can spit his venom is in the echo chamber that is MSDNC. Plus, he would get utterly demolished because his lies are so obvious. MSDNC is the choice news network for the Obami...no wonder why they keep losing.

As for owning 4 houses, who the heck cares. They are rental properties that all combined bring him in only a few thousand dollars a year. As for the time-share, I'm guessing the thousands, if not millions, of American's that own one don't think that they are rich. They see it as a place to take their family and as an investment. Typical of a liberal to think that profit is evil.

Seriously, whatever your PhD is in, analysis of the obvious definitely wasn’t a requirement. Guess that’s why you watch MSDNC and its last place rated shows. Keep thinking the people are rubes and keep losing elections. The media sold us all a bag of BS and luckily we’ve all seen through it before he could do anymore damage.

[Katy McNulty]

Honestly,I'm completely sick and tired of our news media as a whole. Every candidate or personality-of-the-moment is either sanctified or crucified. Either they are the next savior or they're evil and out to destroy the country we love. The media makes the news more exciting with the sense that we are all rooting for absolute good or evil. It's all a load of BS that gets us to watch more and more news and yet receive less and less factual information. No wonder Americans prefer to watch American Idol.

[Julia]

Apparently, if you drive a pickup truck you're a racist.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2010/01/19/massachusetts-olbermann-cries-racism

[Morton Samwicke]

Never mind all this about Olberman and MSNBC. I wanna know who the hot blonde in the Fox News video is.

[Gunny]

KO is a CS liar. Always has been and always will be. MSNBC and NBC in general suck. I don't waste my time watching them.

[Gunny]

Can you believe it they would not post my comment. I guess they thought it was rude. Lets be real, these people do not have the slightest idea of what is rude or they would not have these idiot talking heads on MSNBC in the first place. Nothing I said in the post was even close to OK's word of wit.

[Sergeant Malone]

I just had a "few words" with a PH.D. reference the recent Brown landslide win. Of course, she's a raging liberal, ha the academic letters should raise a red flag. But my point being, her written response came off like a stoned ninth grader's. Grammatically, it was a nightmare. Punctuation was non existent. A continual never-ending diatribe of what's wrong with conservative values. I'm just a HS grad,with some college, retired military having achieved the highest non commissioned rank in my twenty two year career. The commenter's statement about academia being full of intellectual fools hit the nail on it's head. I'd hate to have been the academic committee who suffered through her doctoral thesis. Let alone being identified by name for approving it. Like I used to say while at the Pentagon. Give me a seasoned sergeant and a movtivated 1st Louie and we could run the whole damn puzzle palace by ourselves. Send the rest of the educated fools packin'. Just sayin'.

[Russ]

I like it. They are 100% right. Thank God for Olbermann and Maddow. Two of the few rational voices left on the political news scene. There has to be something to counterbalance the insanity that goes on at Fox Ruse.

[Tom]

Russ . Are you satirizing this column because no one , not even a FOX lover could identify Olbermann and Maddow as rational.

As for you Sgt Malone hurrah ! Give me experienced non-coms in any situation over intellectuals or rankers anytime , anywhere !

[Dave Young]

Glenn - thanks for the honest analysis. We have known for years that these so called reporters are looney tunes - that`s why their ratings suck, and NBC is slippng away (among others). Nobody with a brain and integrity trusts or respects these clowns. They are self destructing just like the Obama White House and the Congressional leadership. Good riddance.

[Tess]

Thank You,Thank You, Thank You, Miami Herald. It is about time someone called Olberman and Maddow out on their biased hatred. I used to watch MSNBC once in a while but I can't stand to hear them utter a single word now. I can't believe they can get away with some of the things they say--I find them offensive and unproffessional. I stay clear of any stations with the letters NBC in it.

[Duke88]

This is is the same business attitude at Microsoft (don't forget the "MS" in "MSNBC" and they are supporting this nonsense. I stopped buying Microsoft and now use Linux! ...and guess what, I found out it was faster, more stable and just flat out better

[At Least I'll Never Be As Stupid As MSNBC]

I watch MSNBC whenever I'm depressed or PMSing. For some reason, all their pundits make me feel better about myself. No matter how bloated or sad I feel, I know that I'll never be a loser like Olbermann & Maddow. Maddow makes the dumbest looking faces when she talks. I'm comforted by the fact that I don't look like a total retard in front of 'hundreds' of people every day like she does. Could you imagine actually having to deal with these people on a daily basis????

[David]

MSNBC is a joke, but the bigger joke are the people who watch it. There aren't too many left

[LibertyAtStake]

MSNBC is a joke in poor taste.
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/

[Scott]

MSNBC. The "S" stands for slander. The "C" stands for cowardice. And the "n" stands for no freakin' ratings.

[GoDux09]

"A number of major cities are faced with their police and fire departments being forced to live elsewhere. Why is that?"

Here in Southern Calif, our Police & Fire are paid very well...average pay around $85K to well over $100k with almost full pay at retirement (which could be at age 55). I don't think it's true for the rest of the county, but they rake it in here.

[L Repko]

In Defense of Keith Olbermann

As a lone voice in the wilderness, Keith Olbermann stands brave and tall in support of values that are misunderstood by the majority of Americans. With grace, he suffers the slings and arrows of the majority who despises his values and has no respect for his philosophy. With silent stoicism, he bears even being mocked by Jon Stewart. Mr. Olbermann is, however, the exceedingly rare individual with enough wisdom to be in command of the absolute truth and to be able to articulate and explain that truth to those who can’t be bothered to find it on their own or whose intellects are inferior.

While most of us struggle, sweat, and worry over our careers, Mr. Olbermann is gifted and skilled enough to perform his work effortlessly. Most of us must spend inordinate amounts of time researching, studying, and analyzing data from different sources to patch together enough truth and wisdom to guide our decisions. Mr. Olbermann does none of that. He doesn’t have to.

The MSNBC audience recognizes what a treasured privilege it is to figuratively sit at Mr. Olbermann’s feet, just as students did with Aristotle in ancient Greece, to humbly learn from the master. Without the laborious exertion of the sub-genius, he imparts unvarnished truth and meaningful information in context to those who are willing to brave the risk of becoming better informed.

I respected the Tea Party movement for exercising their rights until Mr. Olbermann informed us that they were in fact, tea baggers. I was absolutely horrified to find out that they were teabagging everywhere in public; in front of the White House, on street corners, at Townhall meetings.

Mr. Olbermann most recently discerned with skillful nuance that Senator-elect Scott Brown advocates violence against women and is a racist. Without Mr. Olbermann, no one would hold Mr. Brown accountable for his despicable stances. I would have gone on believing that Mr. Brown was a good-lookin’, nice guy just doing what he believed was right but for the key intel from Mr. Olbermann that rocked my world.

I could point to many more examples of the selfless diligence that Mr. Olbermann practices for our benefit but my main purpose here is to thank Keith Olbermann with all humility. So called “Progressives” could not be blessed with a better spokesperson. Mr. Olbermann represents the very essence of “Progressive” values and their capacity for reason and logic.

So, Mr. Olbermann, thank you very much for speaking out. Keep representin’.

Peace out.

[CNW]

Northendboychild sweety baby!!!!!!!
If the education you received, for your PHD, allows you to believe that the taxpayers footing the health bill for an additional 36 million people is going to be lower health care costs,............
Well, pumpkin, I think you can agree that an investigation of your school's accreditation, is in order

[concerned citizen]

I like to comment on the responses to northendboy. I disagree with northendboy's politics, and many with PhD's are liberal, but one thing I have to agree with in one post is that hard work and thrift don't always result in people fullfilling people's financial needs or be successful. Even with a degree and other credentials, finding work which matches one's qualifications is often a frustrating task, and there's a lot of red tape when it comes to gaining meaningful employment, not to mention the changing job markets, and often even good jobs don't pay enough to meet expenses. However, I never expected the government to serve me to resolve my problems, being I took personal responsibility to improve my situation, which is a conservative way of thinking.

About Olbermann's remarks, he is a major example why I've been seeing a country tear apart in recent years. Others may be strong about their opinions, but Olbermann disgracefully tears people apart in such a manner that even liberals are embarrassed about him