Passionate Pleas...and an Ethical Pummeling...for Senator Clinton

Someday in the not too distant future, some very wise wordsmith will fully dissect this three (some could even say four) ring circus that is this year's Presidential election and lay waste to the denial and apathy of the average American voter. This is a very atypical election, in an even more atypical yet very troubling time in our brief history. Yet are we already too weary to get involved again? With some luck, though, said wordsmith will pull back out a chapter and insert a very large asterisk to describe those who tried and tried to kick-start our spirit...and the headline will be something akin to "And Then There Was Keith Olbermann".

Mr Olbermann (of MSNBC and his weeknight news program) may just be one of the few journalists (television or otherwise) who seems to actually give a damn about what he is reporting, and why any of it matters. Furthermore, he may also be a member of a far, far smaller minority that cares so much he elicits (gasp!) the same passion and concern from his viewers. Love him or hate him, Mr Olbermann at least has the cajones to say what he thinks, argue passionately for his principles, and then also stand by those beliefs. And, that, dear friends, is what America is really all about: the freedom of speech and thought, even if others don't agree with you. Especially in times like these.

Tonight, Mr Olbermann did one of his well-known (and an exceptionally well-crafted one, to boot) "Special Comment" segments and it shines a stark light on this week's moral fiasco of Senator Clinton's campaign decision to make the issue of race a campaign platform item. It's stunts (or mismanagement at best) like this 'race debate' (which personally apalls me) with former Senator Ferraro (or for that matter, former President Bill Clinton) that sickens those of us who try, day in and day out, to not 'play the race card' or at least try and be as colour blind as possible. To say that Mr Olbermann calls Senator Clinton out for not only her good, but also for the collective good of the Democratic party, may be one of the understatements of this already bloody political season.

In many ways, this "Comment" of Mr Olbermann's just reinforces what Camille Paglia wrote about Sen. Clinton's actions so far only damaging herself in this campaign. This is the kind of stuff that makes women voters such as myself (whom presumably Senator Clinton was a shoe-in to win the votes of just a few short months ago) reconsider their voting stance, if not withdraw their support of her altogether. This is the kind of 'lowball' tactics that reinforces Senator Clinton's image of distrust and suggests willful manipulation by her to large segments of the population. This is the kind of attack that makes any thinking citizen of this country...who have had to endure 8 years of continuously advancing stupidity in the White House...cringe with trepidation that a new political version of Sherman's March to the Sea is already on our nightly news broadcasts and may be coming our way. Win, lose, or draw, people, clearly blood will be spilled under these conditions.

This is one of Mr Olbermann's most passionate "Comment" segments ever...and the first that has really taken 'direct-hit' aim at anything Democratic Party-affiliated...with words that showcase the contempt growing against the Clinton campaign's tactics, and are uttered hammered home with intense gusto. At points, Mr Olbermann looks visibly upset, as he rightly should be.

Have a look and listen below:

From MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann"
"Special Comment" segment, March 12, 2008
© MSNBC, 2008

Very good job, Sir. Damn fine points throughout, and thanks for saying what so desperately has been needed to be said.

And there's still more than seven months to go...