Keith Olberman: Transcript -The impolite phrase is "impeachable offense."

[kpete]

Sept. 11, 2006 | 8:32 p.m. ET

This hole in the ground


Half a lifetime ago, I worked in this now-empty space. And for 40 days after the attacks, I worked here again, trying to make sense of what happened, and was yet to happen, as a reporter.

................
The polite phrase for how so many of us were duped into supporting a war, on the false premise that it had 'something to do' with 9/11 is "lying by implication."

The impolite phrase is "impeachable offense."

.......................

How dare you, Mr. President, after taking cynical advantage of the unanimity and love, and transmuting it into fraudulent war and needless death, after monstrously transforming it into fear and suspicion and turning that fear into the campaign slogan of three elections? How dare you -- or those around you -- ever "spin" 9/11?

...............

much much more
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/#060911b

[Patsy Stone]

1. Curdled version of our beloved country.

Not once in now five years has this President ever offered to assume responsibility for the failures that led to this empty space, and to this, the current, curdled, version of our beloved country.

[LiberalVoice]

2. Phenomenal Speech by Keith.

By far the best journalist on telvision. By far.

[hippiechick]

37. Off topic: I love your signature pic.

:applause: :hi:

[K8-EEE]

3. Beautiful.

Thanks again Keith....will def catch the 9:00 rerun here in L.A!!!

[savemefromdumbya]

4. Keth don't fly in any small planes

[femrap]

16. That's what I was thinking......

Great speech, wasn't it?

It has been so long since I have heard some Truth.

[jwirr]

26. If they are stupid enough to hurt him then they merely imortalize

his speech. Unfortunately I am not so sure that they are not that stupid. Take care Keith.

[ChiciB1]

5. How Odd That ONLY One Man Has Said What Far Too Many

have not had the courage to say!! His words will never die for me, but I FEAR now for him. I DO NOT and HAVE had trust in these corrupt evils and vile men for so long, and I FEAR their rath. What they have just heard is sure to cause some fierce reaction.

And perhaps the reaction will NEVER lead to the real culprits, nor will they ever be brought to justice, but I FEAR in my heart for Keith Olbermann. I do not know where he has found the courage to do his face offs with these powerful ugly people, but I do admire him.

I have no knowledge that Keith's health is good or bad, there are rumors though. Many times he has been gone from his show this past year, it may mean nothing or it may mean more than WE know.

Thank you Keith, I hope with all my heart that you will be safe. I simply can not put into words what you just said meant to me and so many others. I'm posting this here, but I will be writing to you directly. I for one will not watch this "Alien" who calls himself Commander In Chief, I stopped a long time ago. I have NO respect for him or those around him, but if I could have one wish on this day alone, it would be that the World is listening to you Mr. Ol.bermann, and if not the world than at least America.

PEACE & LOVE... PEACE & LOVE... may all good spirits be with you Keith Olbermann!

[Berry Cool]

12. Keith's health is fine

and when he's gone from his show, he's on vacation.

But having said that... WOW. :loveya:

[John Gauger]

45. Dude,

What risk is he at? No one has been killed yet for dissenting. What reason do you have to beleive that they will kill an extremely prominant American citizen?

[fudge stripe cookays]

46. You HAVE heard of Paul Wellstone, right?

Only an hour after first responders arrived on the crash site at 11 a.m., the FBI materialized on the scene. In other words, they would have departed from St. Paul at 9:30--when Wellstone's plane was taking off.

After possibly spiriting away the cockpit voice recorder, the FBI announced the crash wasn't the work of terrorists. Meanwhile, the National Traffic Safety Board's lead investigator, Frank Hildrup, when asked why there was no public hearing, responded that they were reserved for "high profile cases."

As for the cause, at first the NTSB blamed icy conditions. However, when the plane didn't land at the Eveleth-Virginia (Minnesota) Airport, its assistant manager, Gary Ulman, had no qualms about immediately taking off to search for the crash site. Others, such as National Center for Atmospheric Research meteorologist Ben Bernstein, downplayed the icing theory as well.

Besides, the Beechcraft King Air A-10 boasted an elaborate de-icing system--you learn a lot about aviation in this book--such as pneumatic de-icing boots that inflate and deflate to break ice from the leading edges of the wing and tail. And when the King Air's maintenance records turned out to be in order, mechanical problems, along with the icy conditions, were disqualified as causes.

I will NEVER believe his death was an accident. And I'd say there are far more of these where that came from. You're naive if you think otherwise.

[CatWoman]

6. here's the video

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/09/11/keith-olbermanns-special-commnet-on-bush-who-has-left-this-hole-in-the-ground-we-have-not-forgotten-mr-president-you-have-may-this-country-forgive-you/

[Raffi Ella]

7. He spoke the words so many wanted and needed to hear.

IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE.


Get the God Damned LUNATIC out of office before he destroys our nation!!!!!!!

[bbgrunt]

8. thanks, kpete.

I am still reeling---wow is all I can say. Has the dam broken?

write:

[e-mail]; [e-mail]; [e-mail]; [e-mail]

[Buns_of_Fire]

29. ...to add... MSNBC Viewer Services

[e-mail]

Lord knows, they'll be getting enough hate mail from the Usual Suspects.

Mr. Olbermann, I salute you. :patriot:

[mzteris]

9. OMG how awesome!

I'm sending the link to everyone I know.

Take THAT, bushco!!

[Lost-in-FL]

10. ...

sorry but cannot find the words.

Wow!

[Erika]

11. Keith was fantastic

W needs to be held accountable at last.

[Overseas]

13. I was so glad he used the I word-- there are so many impeachable offenses

to choose from. So glad KO is speaking out so eloquently !!

[bobbolink]

14. Givin' ya yer 5!

Another :bounce: for Keef!

[mwooldri]

15. Olberman for President!

Well with speeches like that he should get into politics. But I view him as a reporter first and foremost though. And he's bloody good at it, he's bloody good, i tell you he's bloody good.

Mark.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

17. They fired Eric today.

Keith is next on the list. This will be his swan song.

ABC isn't backing down because it doesn't have to. The major networks are now all in line with the administration.

Call me any name you wish, but I am reading the tea leaves...the game is over, and we didn't even really stand a chance.

[brer cat]

22. you are so right my friend. I think this was a swan song.

[Spiffarino]

23. Who's Eric?

:shrug:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

33. Eric Alterman:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_di...

On Edit: The link doesn't seem to be working, so:

Editor & Computer: Mainstream Blog Pioneer Alterman Axed by MSNBC
Published: September 11, 2006

NEW YORK -- Eric Alterman, perhaps the first writer to get a blog on a mainstream national news site, has been dismissed after 10 years by MSNBC.com.

"P.S., I’m Fired," he heads an email to others in the media.

His blog, Altercation, however, will be picked up by the liberal site Media Matters. He will also become a senior fellow there. Alterman has also been a longtime columnist at The Nation magazine. He teaches at City University of New York.

"I was hired before the 1996 launch by both the website and the cable station, and while the latter association ended in 1998, I have been here at MSNBC.com for ten straight years, writing a column until 2002 and Altercation every day, ever since," he writes. "Permit me to point out that with the help of my contributors and co-Altercators, I’ve probably contributed more words to this site than any other person, including full-time staff. Well, ten years is a good run at anything."...

***

"Whether my termination is, in fact, a product of a political decision at GE/NBC, which according to reports I read and gossip I hear, has lately taken a much firmer hand in guiding the content of both MSNBC and MSNBC.com, I have no way of knowing.... It would surprise no one if this site caused some discomfort at 30 Rock, if and when they happen to notice it. But speculation is not the same thing as evidence, and the good folks MSNBC.com and GE/NBC can, I’m sure, give you good reasons why dumping Altercation is the right thing to do from a business standpoint-- though the natural speculation that arises is a damn good argument against the kind of media concentration that allows a company like GE to own NBC in the first place."...

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_di...

[Spiffarino]

50. Thanks

I bumped into that last night. Alterman is outstanding. I guess he was too much truth for GE to handle.

[jwirr]

27. Eric, KO, Greg Palast - are they all part of *ss's house cleaning?

[mojowork_n]

31. So far, it's only 1 and 1/2 (?) out of 3

To quote his exact words, this past Saturday at "FightingBobFest" (a little north and west of Madison, WI), Greg Palast is "not yet in an orange jumpsuit."

He was arrested -- and released -- by the Dept. of Homeland Security, after a visit to some sort of 'temporary residential facilities' for several thousand New Orleans natives still dispossessed by Katrina & FEMA. The alleged problem was that he and his producer were taking pictures, and those temporary quarters happened to be uncomfortably close (for the DHS) to some sort of Exxon Mobil industrial site.

Or that was the excuse that was used. (Apparently, none of the residents who'd been living right there, adjacent to that sensitive site, had cameras, or could be expected to know what photography was.)

But Greg P. did still manage to make the appearance at the Sauk County Fair grounds, a scheduled speaking engagement, where he seemed to be doing just fine. He signed a whole bunch of copies of "Armed Madhouse" for folks. (Including me.) Nice guy.

[Lindacooks]

18. Write an email now!!

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[Stand and Fight]

19. Powerful... Very powerful.

Wow...

If we lived in a more sane America -- those words would not be unlike those of Thomas Paine. They would serve to wake the country up to the ever-present danger that resides in its great national house. Instead we now live in an America that so easily allows its fears to be manipulated by the current regime that the sage words of past president's are the stuff of dreams. Roosevelt was a profit, for fear has become our greatest bane.

[civildisoBDence]

20. Whatever happened to muckraking journalists?

Instead of raking up muck, too many seem content to sweep the shit under the rug.

Olbermann is alone among TV journalists, though radio, the web, and print media continue the traditional role. When even Bob Woodward has gone wayward, we're really in trouble.

Newsprism

[valerief]

21. Wow. I'm blown away. He should repeat that every night for a month.

He could, and it wouldn't get old. Unfortunately.

[jwirr]

24. That is the bravest, most profound statement about *ss I have

ever read. Thank you KO.

[PinkyisBlue]

25. "When those who dissent are told time and time again--

as we will be, if not tonight by the President, then tomorrow by his portable public chorus--that he is preserving our freedom, but that if we use any of it, we are somehow un-American..."

What a great speech. Keep talking, Mr. Olberman, keep saying the things so many of us are thinking and want to say but can't.

Where I work, we are not allowed to discuss politics or world events at all for fear someone may be "offended". So much for free speech.

[midnight]

40. Thanks for repeating such a note worthy quote.

"When those who dissent are told time and time again as we will be, if not tonight by the President, then tomaorrow by his portable public chorus that he is preserving our freedom, but that if we use any of it, we are somehow un-American"

[Mythsaje]

28. There are a number of DUers who could have written that...

There is no doubt he's one of us. In spirit, anyway.

[Liberal Dose]

30. Nothing I saw or read yesterday produced anything but anger. This speech

has tears running down my face. Wow. Thank you for posting. :thumbsup:

[Senator]

32. Actually, the impolite phrase is "Impeachable Offense ...

"... of Terrorizing the American People into War."

Even Olbermann is still euphemizing.

It's not "duped," or "manipulated," or "manufactured," or "cherry-picked," or "overstepped," or "ginned up," or "hubris," or any of the other cute phrases that allow us to imagine it was a less heinous act.

They Terrorized the Nation.

There is no other way to describe shouts of "mushroom clouds ... in 45 minutes." (Anything 20 guys with boxcutters could do, or even a "dirty bomb," pales in comparison.)

It needs to be said.

---

[PixieDust]

34. Way to go Keith!!

I literally stood and applauded him last night. I've saved a copy of the transcript, and have sent this to everyone I know, especially the hard-core bush lovers (read, my parents, ug!). Keith, you'e a true american!

:yourock:

[newyawker99]

41. Hi PixieDust!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[PixieDust]

42. Thanks a bunch,

Glad to be here! I've even converted a few Keith virgins over to his show with this speech. No small feat for GOP stronghold southwestern Ohio.

[genie_weenie]

35. Kick. n/t

[buddhamama]

36. powerful

Keith deserves our praise and respect.

[Felix Mala]

38. I wish this could be distilled into a drug to inoculate the entire nation.

[redqueen]

39. He outdid himself.

I can't applaud his efforts enough.

"Journalists" everywhere should take a lesson from Mr. Olbermann.

[sueh]

43. Keep going, Keith, keep going!!

[Mad_Dem_X]

44. Beautiful, just beautiful!

That's all I can say right now, except: BRAVO!!!! :applause: :patriot:

[Blue_Tires]

47. wow.....

just wow

he has come a LONG way from that smarmy jagg-off i used to know on SportsCenter!

flat-out amazing

[bliss_eternal]

48. Could we try to keep this kicked...

for those that are on dial-up and may not be able to access YouTube as quickly as others? :hi: Thanks All!

[bliss_eternal]

49. Kick!

:kick:

[zestfolly]

51. Kick!

:kick: