Olbermann picks on “children”?
posted at 11:30 am on May 20, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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I’m sympathetic to Steve Doocy’s furor here, but only to a point. No one Hardly anyone doubts the jaw-dropping inanity of Keith Olbermann’s broadcasts, especially his “Worst Person In The World” segments, but Doocy may be stepping into Barack Obama territory here:
Well, it depends on the definition of “children”. Conservatives rightly scold liberal commentators for calling our men and women in the armed forces “children”, and for good reason. Doocy’s son is old enough to go to college, which makes him an adult.
Furthermore, Fox put him on their broadcast, one would assume with Doocy’s support. Just as with Michelle Obama, entering the public sphere — especially on a national broadcast covering political topics — means that the contribution is fair game for criticism. Doocy seems to have missed that point, understandably so, but one would expect a professional to comprehend it, especially at Fox. Doocy’s co-anchors should have explained that to him off-camera to avoid this segment.
All that being said, how big of a jerk does a national news anchor have to be to select a college student as the Worst Person in the World? Olbermann long ago crossed the line into national jokehood status, but this does take the cake. Is Doocy’s son worse than Robert Mugabe? Worse than Khaled Mashaal? Osama bin Laden? Worse than thousands of dictators and terrorists who kill other people? Olbermann’s universe seems oddly constricted to whatever MS-NBC allows him to see on the studio monitors.
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Ed I have to agree. Being that we were all “Kids” at one time, the age of 18 is an adult.
Doocy needs to possibly snip the cord and move on. If his son is “sleeping” about this, I doubt it bothered his son to much.
As for Keith, the guy is a nutbag. Need we really go there?
upinak on May 20, 2008 at 11:38 AM
College or not, Doocy Jr. is not a public figure, even if his dad brought him on the show. Imagine the gaga the nutroots would undergo if Chelsea got persecuted similarly. Doocy Sr.’s mad and understandably so; his son’s notoriety is from asking a question, and Olbermann puts him at the top of a segment? Puhlease. The semantics of his son’s being a “child” are irrelevant. After all, Doocy Jr. will always be Doocy Sr.’s child, whatever his age, and his conflation of the two concepts for someone reasonably considered in his youth is a minor error, if we consider it one.
Vizzini on May 20, 2008 at 11:38 AM
I know that stupid stuff like what Olberman does needs to be exposed and rightly rejected, but isn’t continually bringing him up encourage him? His bosses obviously don’t feel the need to lay some boundaries on Olbermann for his behavior, they must not care. Wouldn’t ignoring this moron be better than not?
Weebork on May 20, 2008 at 11:38 AM
I say, let Olbermouth and Obama keep talking. Nothing good ever comes out.
faraway on May 20, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Anybody know if Olbermann ever made the Junta in Burma the “worst person” for blocking aid to the cyclone victims? He’s been known to spew alot of vitriol over natural disaster response.
forest on May 20, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Has he accused the kid ofwar crimes yet?
snaggletoothie on May 20, 2008 at 11:44 AM
To me, Olbermann’s behavior is equivalent to internet chatting. It’s what I call the “little dog behind the fence” syndrome. Because people are relatively safe from harm and they know they can get away with it, some choose to say the most outrageous and insulting things on the internet. But they wouldn’t dare say the same thing if they were face-to-face with someone because they would, most likely, get their face punched in. Its cowardice.
Olbermann is no different. He knows he is safe from harm on his tv program, so he goes on to say the most outlandish things. I’ll bet he would be a lot different if he was nearly or actually physically attacked over his moronic comments. Pain is nature’s learning tool.
I say: Ignore the idiot. We’d all be better off.
Weebork on May 20, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Is his son running for office or Is his son just a Johnny Q Public?
Steve has a point, where does his son go to clear his name. (IMO, If Olbermann calls you a worst person in the world you can take that as a complement so you have nothing to clear) I think Steve should just bring him back on the air to make a statement to Olbermann, clearly Olbermann is watching Fox because clearly nobody is watching him.
But, then again, that would just get Olbermann some viewers.
RobertInAustin on May 20, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Point taken, but Olbermann thrives on the notoriety, and like all publicity hounds, will have to keep pushing the boundaries to maintain the strokes from Koz Kidz. Like all addicts, he’ll have to keep upping the dosage to keep the same buzz. It’s just a matter of time till he goes completely off the edge with the fake emotional outbursts, probably during the general election. I don’t mind watching him self destruct, but YMMV.
a capella on May 20, 2008 at 11:48 AM
I don’t doubt that kids running screaming to their mothers, when Olbermann is seen walking down the street.
ToddonCapeCod on May 20, 2008 at 11:50 AM
YMMV?
Weebork on May 20, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Olberman is Rosie in training. She set the bar high.
faraway on May 20, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Too bad Doocy couldn’t go after Olby the Eunuch’s kids.
fogw on May 20, 2008 at 11:51 AM
ugh why are we still discussing this tool? surely there are other pertinent topics for discussion/debate other than what nonsense olberdouche is spouting.
Tacitus on May 20, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Weebork on May 20, 2008 at 11:38 AM
I agree. Olbermann is the troll of network news.
Don’t feed the troll.
(note to self: don’t link to Olbermann thread)
maverick muse on May 20, 2008 at 11:54 AM
No, they are just cold blooded murderers, for now. Standby for updates, though.
lorien1973 on May 20, 2008 at 11:55 AM
My collie says:
CyberCipher on May 20, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Postings and comments on hotair.com do not encourage hum. Republicans “encourage him.” When they breathe. Olbermann is a singular despicable human being and he is given a voice at MSNBC. He is more hateful than Michael Savage, and Olbermann constantly lies about republicans. It’s not good to ignore such a person, because he spreads his poison and misinformation to his audience.
The only thing that “encourages” Olbermann is his paycheck from MSNBC.
wise_man on May 20, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Ed, I think you’re missing the point on this one. Fox used Doocy’s son because he offered a unique opportunity as a student to garner a more realistic opinion/perspective from his peers/classmates on that particular campus, the kid did not make any overt political comments or present a biased agenda. Just because the kid is the son of a competing networks employee does not make him legitimate target for a slanderous attack delivered by one of the most corrupt journalists in the business. Olby is a moron.
dmann on May 20, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Umm…I’m sure he would only if he could tie the Junta to Rove or Bush. What a tool.
acleaver on May 20, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Olby comes off as a drug addict about two days late getting a fix. His tirades and self-glorification are reprehensible. It is like he is willing to say anything so he can get his “Fix”. I have MSNBC and soon to be NBC set up as “Blocked” channels on my televisions. There is not a single GE appliance in my house nor will there ever be.
Guest1.1 on May 20, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Sorry.
YMMV= Your mileage may vary. In other words, there are perfectly valid reasons for your opinion to differ from mine.
a capella on May 20, 2008 at 12:00 PM
If it were me, I’d wear Olby’s “Worst Person” award with pride. Means I did something right.
Heck, I’d have t-shirts made!
JetBoy on May 20, 2008 at 12:08 PM
I’M OUTRAGED
I got better
Kini on May 20, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Peter will always be Doocy’s kid. He’ll always be his child.
You need to have kids in order to get this.
Olberman is an as***le. There is just no other way to put it. Insulting someone’s kid is an abomination.
I’m with Doocy on this one. All the way.
drjohn on May 20, 2008 at 12:12 PM
CyberCipher on May 20, 2008 at 11:55 AM
I like your dog.
wise_man on May 20, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Indeed.
a capella on May 20, 2008 at 12:00 PM
thanks!
Weebork on May 20, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Jetboy
You’re so right. I’ve often mourned that I will never be Keith’s Worst Person of the Day.
snaggletoothie on May 20, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Yawn….
Look, I hate Olbermann, and if the kid was say 7, okay, but from IMDb:
Son, Peter Doocy, is a junior at Villanova University [May, 2008].
UndertheBridge on May 20, 2008 at 12:15 PM
He picked Peter because he was Doocy’s kid. I think that is out of line, but it is Olberman. When is MSNBC going bankrupt. It can’t be making any money.
bopbottle on May 20, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Olbermann once made Julie Banderas the Worst Person in the World:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eCecguxGwc
To state the obvious, real men don’t want to blast Julie Banderas; real men want to have a blast WITH Julie Banderas. But to say, as Olbermann did, that just a couple years ago Banderas was “covering toilets overflowing on local news” is so incredibly condescending that words fail me. Mr. Olbermann might wish to look around a bit and note that the vast majority of news people–even at his own operation–began in local markets; no national correspondent should be ridiculed because they formerly worked in a smaller pond.
radjah shelduck on May 20, 2008 at 12:18 PM
I don’t know. 18-year-olds who serve the country, especially in a war, are certainly adults, but 18-year-olds in college… I’d say for the most part no.
The main reason kids go to college these days is to delay adulthood, and that’s exactly what college does for you, allows you to stay a child for a few more years, while someone else pays your bills and cleans up your messes. Until you’re able to do those things on your own, I don’t think you can claim to be an adult.
I don’t think the word adult is specifically defined by age.
And listening to Doocy, it sounds as though his son was little more than a microphone held up to others. I don’t see how that puts him on par with Michelle Obama.
If all Michelle was doing was getting signatures or asking others what they thought of Obama, then we wouldn’t be able to criticize her. She wouldn’t be putting herself out as a spokesperson.
The reason Olberman did that is because of who his father is, and in that sense, yes, he was picking on a child.
Esthier on May 20, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Whoa! I never saw that before! What a massive a-hole! Would he appreciate it if someone said he started his career covering local t-ball games, looking like a cross between Weird Al and the local pervert? (See OlbyWatch for his ’stached days)
Pasalubong on May 20, 2008 at 12:24 PM
I enlisted in the USMC when I was 18 1/2…… Doocy’s son ain’t no kid, bubba!
That being said, I agree with other posters here… keep shining the light on olbertwerp and ya get more of him
MNDavenotPC on May 20, 2008 at 12:26 PM
He’s the son of a FOX News employee…If Steve Doocey worked at Good Morning America, he’d never have noticed.
JetBoy on May 20, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Olbermann is a gnat. Just flick him off your shoulder with a finger. He wants Fox News to talk about him. As long as you ignore him, the vast majority of Americans will continue not knowing who he is.
Sean68 on May 20, 2008 at 12:36 PM
I’ve long thought the same. I’ve never seen Olbermann except here at HA. However, I’ve changed my mind. It takes persistence and determination to constantly respond to the stupid things Obama and Olbermann say. It’s like blowing off a troll here by not responding. But these guys are listened to by easily led “progressive” people. Thank you Ed and AP for calling these guys out every day.
JiangxiDad on May 20, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Is it just me, or does Olby look cartoonish? His facial expression, make-up and hair all combine to make him look like a caricature of some cartoon TV News Anchor.
I’m wondering if KO calls any actual criminals (like that insane/incestuous chap in Austria) worst in the world? Seems like there would plenty of cases besides people that simply have ideological differences with that moron (KO). How does someone like Bill O’Reilly end up on top (multiple times?) with so many of lunatics on the loose?
Geministorm on May 20, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Beings like Olbermann exist to prove stupidity is painless.
irongrampa on May 20, 2008 at 12:46 PM
I’m not sure I agree with you on this point – Doocey’s kid doesn’t have a relative running for president. His comments/questions will not attempt to sway anyone, unlike M. Obama’s.
Olby should have left him alone.
pullingmyhairout on May 20, 2008 at 12:47 PM
What? Shameless hack-sportswriter-turned-”journalist” shows that he has no scruples/morals/integrity? A man (allegedly) who uses the word “Coultergeist” is less than socially-acceptable?
I’m sorry for Pete Doocy if this troubles him that immensely. But if Olbermann made me the worst person in the world, my dad and I would probably celebrate. Maybe Peter Doocy has to contend with Olbermann fans at his college and that’s where the stress is coming from, but seriously – be proud. It’s like a public-square honor roll.
emailnuevo on May 20, 2008 at 12:48 PM
I didn’t see the Bathtub boy section but I want to know under what context he said he was the worst person.
Was it because he was Steve’s Kid? Was it because it was for News Corp? Was it because he was republican? If those are his reason then he’s attacking someone and saying they are horrible because they disagree with him, which is assinine.
If Steve Jr. wants to report, he can be picked on, but if he’s getting picked on due to his reporting/distortion of facts. If its just for who he is or who he is doing this for then it proves Olby is the John Deer Tractor of tools.
Rbastid on May 20, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Here’s exactly who he looks like: Rod from Avenue Q.
Pasalubong on May 20, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Steve Doocy should head over to MSNBC right now and offer to kick Olby’s skinny butt around the block for drill!
It has now gotten to the place that if I so much as try to watch less than 30 seconds of Olby, I actually get sick to my stomach. The guy should have his picture in Webster’s dictionary next to the definition of “cretin”.
pilamaye on May 20, 2008 at 12:50 PM
He should just ignore KO, everyone else does (as demonstrated by his viewer ratings).
mattshu on May 20, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Looks a lot like this guy.
fogw on May 20, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Olbermann is an obnoxious creep. Believe me when I was 18 years old even though I registered for the draft, I was not a man.
Hilts on May 20, 2008 at 1:17 PM
Olbermann would give up a months slary (as would I) for a night with the gorgeous Julie Banderas.
Hilts on May 20, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Olbermann looks a lot like the actor Eugene Levy.
Has Olbermann ever had a conservative as a guest on his show?
Hilts on May 20, 2008 at 1:25 PM
F-in tool! He sold his soul to the devil because there is no other explanation as to how such a talentless hack manages to get a show on tv.
HawaiiLwyr on May 20, 2008 at 1:35 PM
I guess the silver lining is that Olber-douche, thankfully for the survival of the human race, has no children of his own.
The ultra-douchebaggery will end with him.
wildweasel on May 20, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Here’s a thought…….
Where that label as a badge of honor. Throw it back in the Olberturd’s face! If I were Peter Doocy, I would have a T-shirt that says, “Worst Person in the World” on it and where it to all of my classes. Such a shirt would be a hit with the college conservatives. The best way to combat idiocy is sarcasm and mocking.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on May 20, 2008 at 1:48 PM
No, Keith. Suppositories go in the other end.
You’re welcome.
whitetop on May 20, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Doocy vs. Douchey
whitetop on May 20, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Slow
newsopinion day in Olberdoucheland???4shoes on May 20, 2008 at 2:47 PM
I have an 18yr old, colleg bound son who’s made me very proud by becoming a thoughtful conservative. If by some odd turn of event he was selected to be named TWPITW I react the same if I were so named – with unbound pride! In my view TWPITW status confered by that gutless nitwit is a badge of honor to be worn proudly. One must have done something right to have earned it. Doocey should have Proud Parent of TWPITW bumper stickers.
mugged on May 20, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Based on that clip I disagree totally. Doocy was laughing at the end. The whole rant seemed to be about the ridiculousness and irrelevance of what olbermann has to say. It was a similar situation with the Ingraham clip this morning. I don’t think she was condemning mccain or saying he shouldn’t have a sense of humor, only that she thought during a presidential race might not be the time and snl might not be the place. I disagree with her and have my issues with her but she certainly didn’t come off as humorless.
peacenprosperity on May 20, 2008 at 4:35 PM
To clarify, what I think is similar is the hot air over reaction to both instances.
peacenprosperity on May 20, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Am I allowed to use putz and Uberkraut in the same post?
saved on May 20, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Makes you wonder…..
drjohn on May 20, 2008 at 6:13 PM
It worked! Hmmm so is the bomb’s gas pink or periwinkle?
- The Cat
P.S.
Ok, looking around the site, they have a list of celebs that have seen ‘em. Most are listed as actor, singer, etc. But then there came this
“David Hasselhoff (Legend)”
MirCat on May 20, 2008 at 10:35 PM
I disagree with Ed here. Peter Doocey is a private citizen not running for office and exercising his right to free speech. Olberman needs to leave him alone. Fox has people on all the time to state their case for one thing or another. Fair criticism is one thing, but we know Olberman doesnt stop at that. The young man’s a “Worst Person?” Come on.
abcurtis on May 21, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Matter of fact, Chelsea has been out campaigning for Momma and has declared herself off limits.
Doocey was within his right or whatever you want to call it to complain.
abcurtis on May 21, 2008 at 11:04 AM
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