I've spent too much time researching government corruption to be moved by journalistic commentary on such matters. My reaction to President Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence: mild surprise that it wasn't a full pardon.
Keith Olbermann's Independence-Day-Eve commentary on MSNBC moved me. It wasn't his calling for Bush's and Cheney's resignations (millions have done that). It was the steady stream of facts and history that Olbermann cited -- six years of sins, concisely highlighted in one place. It was like Murrow's stand against McCarthy.
Olbermann accused Bush and Cheney of misdeeds but largely avoided the schoolyard insults on which Bush's spokespeople so habitually rely. Incidentally, for their own effectiveness, said spokespeople should drop that habit like longtime smokers facing an emphysema-scare. I urge everyone to watch Olberman's commentary (click the arrow). Truthout has a transcript.
Please share the link with your friends.
See reactions to Bush's commutation and Olbermann:
* Conservatives Criticize Bush's Commutation of Libby's Sentence (BNP)
* Another Runaway Quarter for MSNBC (News Corpse)
* (Olbermann) Short on Concept (Jules Crittenden)
* No Independence Today (Taylor Marsh)
* Wars, Current Leaders, and Founding Fathers (BNP)
* Constitution 1, Olbermann 0 (Don Surber)
* Hillary Clinton Contrasts her Bill's Pardons with Bush's (Washington Post)
* Keith Olbermann: George Bush Should Resign (Thought Theater)
* Dan Froomkin: Commutation a Potentially Corrupt & Self-Serving Act (Washington Post)
That was frakkin' brilliant. Just frakkin' brilliant.
Posted by: Toni | July 06, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Isn't it? J's friend in Oregon wants to "date" Olbermann. I'm all for that.
Posted by: The Crux | July 07, 2007 at 12:55 PM