Keith Olbermann's New Anti-Hannity Attack Strategy

KEITH'S PHONY OLBERSTUNT

Ratings-Challenged Host Looks To Gain From Rival's Offer






*** Has A Fed-Up Left Begun To Turn Against Olbermann? ***

*** BREAKING: Boston Host Yanked Over Mexico / Swine Flu Remarks ***


Only in this ultra-partisan media environment could a liberal cable talker get away with pressing his rival in an overtly transparent and hypocritical manner. Aren't there any mainstream media insiders willing to question Keith Olbermann's motives?

This week's Olber-stunt has the ratings-challenged MSNBC host attempting to utilize an offer by Sean Hannity to be waterboarded in a benefit for a military charity. Used in overseas interrogations, waterboarding is considered by some to be an act of torture.

Because the FOX News Channel talker apparently isn't volunteering for his "torture" session fast enough, or in a sufficiently severe manner, Olbermann is on the warpath. That has the latter's elitist media pals eating of his hand.

In particular, the liberal women's site WOWOWOW has presented a one-sided view of Hannity as "chicken".

Today, in fact, TVNewser reports Olbermann has upped the rhetoric, saying he doubts Hannity "has the courage to even respond to this." This AP report on Olbermann's stunt doesn't even mention the fact that he's a direct timeslot competitor.


But the obvious question appears not to have been asked: why hasn't Olbermann himself volunteered to join Hannity in the waterboarding? If Hannity's aim is to prove that it isn't tortune while Olbermann believes that it is, why shouldn't the latter make his own case?

While he's at it, Olbermann can use his own waterboarding session to raise a potentially considerable amount for charity. So why is this a one-way street where only the conservative is subjected to discomfort?

From Olbermann's DailyKos diary:

But his offer the other night to Chuck Grodin to 'prove' that waterboardng [sic] isn't torture by allowing it to be done to him, is too important to pass up, because of the image it will certainly produce. No matter what he says afterwards or how he tries to laugh it off, Hannity's certitude will be smashed by Hannity's natural, human panic.

He doesn't have to become Dr. Sabin for more than ten seconds. And many, maybe most, of his viewers, will join him in the collective post-waterboarding lie that he never feared for his life. Regardless, the impact will be sufficient. If it changes the minds of one percent of his supporters, it will have been worth it. And think about the vast numbers of people who have no idea who he is, or who I am, or what this site is, who will know only that a boastful man literally had reality forced upon him.

Thus last night I made my offer to Hannity. He told Chuck he'd do it for families of the troops, and he'd let Chuck do it (Grodin demurred). Those were his only conditions. I'll add a few:


1. Hannity may be waterboarded live on his show. All I require is that a trustworthy outside observer be present to make sure the waterboarding is a legitimate recreation of what we did to detainees. Chuck Grodin is perfectly acceptable, or Hannity may nominate an alternate, but I must approve the identity of the observer.

2. Hannity may instead be waterboarded on tape if he prefers. In that event, I require that at least one non-Fox camera crew be permitted access to record all events, along with a trustworthy outside observer. Again, Grodin will be fine.

3. Hannity must identify the charity or charities, organization or organizations, to which he wants the donation made, so I can verify in advance that the money will indeed get to the families of American troops. The organization cannot be sponsored by, nor affiliated with, Hannity or his employers.

4. I will donate $1,000 (one thousand dollars) for every second of water-boarding Hannity endures. We will start the clock the moment the first water is poured on him. The clock will stop when Hannity confesses or begins to shout or scream on a prolonged basis, or the medical supervisor determines he is danger of organ failure.

5. If Hannity admits afterwards he was afraid for his life and that waterboarding is indeed torture, I will double my total contribution.

And I will repeat this offer each night on Countdown until he agrees or declines.


UPDATE, 12:54 PM EDT: I think we're going to have to have a simulated interrogator there. And yes, he's going to have to admit to something instead of just saying "stop."

6. A simulated interrogator will have to be present and vocal, insisting Hannity confesses.

7. Unlike those we waterboarded, Hannity need only admit to something factual to get the waterboarding to stop. He may choose among: "Obama is not a socialist," "Waterboarding is torture," or something else mutually agreeable between us.

Until Olbermann is willing to subject himself to the same kind of "torture", how does he deserve any response from Hannity?


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