My sister reminded me last night that Keith Olbermann once proclaimed that he doesn't vote. Astonished, I asked the Google and found this OJR interview from 2004:
OJR: How would you describe yourself politically on the liberal-to-conservative spectrum? How important do you think it is for MSM to be transparent on their political affiliations?Mickeleh's Take: This statement predates Olbermann's signature Special Comments, which began August 30, 2006. Anybody know if Keith still claims to have no interest in the political outcome of an election? Is, "I don't vote" still operative?
KO: I'm not political. I don't vote -- I don't believe journalists covering politics should (and I don't think the democracy would suffer if however many of us there are, recused ourselves). I have no more interest in the political outcome of an election than I did in the winner or loser of any ballgame I ever covered. I think transparency is vital; I think it's also, in these super-heated political times, unintentionally inescapable. If a reporter's work in turn winds up criticizing a candidate or party in some cases, and praising that same candidate or party in others, he's as close to neutral as he can be. If not, he's a partisan. The partisans outnumber the neutrals 1000:1.
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I just saw his appearance on The View and he says that as a symbolic gesture he does not vote. This is appalling to me, that he chooses to not exercise his right to vote yet has a show that is politically themed. You should not complain if you do not participate in the process. I no longer respect his show and will not watch.
I saw the view and was appalled with his not voting. He gets so angry on his program about McCain and Palin that I was sure he would vote.
He has such hatered in his eyes when he slams everything good.
I think for KO it is a matter of conflict of interest. If he votes he is not free to express an opinion that might be in conflict with his vote. I don't know how a conflict exists if you are expressing your true thoughts at the time and you vote in line with those expressions, but he must see a possible conflict.
Interesting. He says its a symbolic gesture. Perhaps when he's "not outvoting," he can spend some time brushing up on grammar and pronunciation. He obviously skipped class several times.
A few years ago my father (a stickler for grammar and such) actually heard a conversation between KO and a caller. The caller used the word, "futile," pronouncing it as it should be pronounced "fewtull." After the call ended, KO decide to (wrongly) correct the caller by looking smugly up at the camera and saying, "oh, by the way, the word is "fewTILE." I haven't listened to him since.
And don't get me started on the misuse of "most importantly," (it should be "most important) and using the word "dove" when saying someone "dove into the water." Sigh...so many TV journalists, so little regard for the English language.
Oops....I meant to type "it's" in that second sentence (with an apostrophe). EEK!
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