There Is No Better Example Of Media Bias [Rush Limbaugh vs. Keith Olbermann]

From On High ^ | January 24, 2010 | Jerry Fuhrman

[2ndDivisionVet]

Remember how ESPN forced Rush Limbaugh out of his analyst gig back in 2003 for having criticized the media for the way it had promoted - to him unreasonably - a black football quarterback? No? Well, here's what got him canned:

"I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

Ugly? Hardly. Vicious? Please. Racist? Only to those who find racism lurking under every rock. Racial? Okay.

Compare that to this statement from another major network sports analyst:

"In [recently elected United States Senator] Scott Brown we have an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, teabagging supporter of violence against woman and against politicians with whom he disagrees."

Ugly? Without doubt. Vicious? Shockingly. It doesn't get any more venomous and hate-filled than that.

So how did the president of MSNBC (his primary employer) respond to Keith Olbermann's reprehensible tirade?

By sending out a memo to all his staff members ordering them to not criticize the hatemonger.

A double standard? By anyone's any reasonable person's measure.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I think Keith is there to make everyone else on NBC & MSNBC look reasonable by comparison, no matter how rabidly left-wing they are.

[television is just wrong]

give it time. these guys will all be discredited and known as whackos. the word is spreading.

[gusopol3]

Who is it, Costas, who’s such an Olberman fan?

[Question Liberal Authority]

I understand why Keith is on MSNBC. I can’t even begin to fathom why he is broadcasting the NFL.

[bannie]

I think you’re onto something, Vet.

[truthguy]

I understand why Keith is on MSNBC. I can’t even begin to fathom why he is broadcasting the NFL

I agree with you on this. This is puzzling. Maybe it's to give the madman some status as a reasonable person. I don't think it does but who know what goes on in the minds of those in charge of NBC/MSNBC. MSNBC had made the decision to go after the hard left. Fox has the conservatives and moderates. CNN has the clueless. The only demographic left is the liberal/left. However even if you were going to be on the left you could do a better job than KO, Maddow, Shultz, Mathews, etc. What a joke MSNBC is.

[truthguy]

I've heard this before about Limbaugh and why he was forced off ESPN. I like Rush and tend to agree with him MOST of the time.

But here Limbaugh was flat out stupid. Look, ESPN doesn't want controversy and neither does the NFL. The NFL has lots of problems of their own with the "thug" image they now have. They are trying to correct this image and the last thing they want is controversy of a racial nature. Limbaugh either knows this or should have known this. I'm sure when they hired him they read him the riot act about politics. So Limbaugh knew or should have known not to make statements that have a political (or racial) edge on them. It was stupid- plain and simple.

I know I will get slammed on this by the numerous Limbaugh fans who let him do their thinking for them. All and all Limbaugh is a positive force in the conservative movement. But let's not get carried away about the guy. He's got a ton of baggage and we cannot ignore this. He can be pompous and he's often a loose cannon who speaks before he thinks. I'm not going to let him define conservatism for me.

[RogerQ]

Yes, Rush’s remark was fairly innocuous, but the NFL is probably extra-sensitive about any racial comments.

The difference between Rush and Olberman is like the difference between man and monkey - one can reason, the other can’t.

[GoldenPup]

Rush Limbaugh vs. Keith Olbermann

The elephant vs.the pissant.

[FourPeas]

I hope you didn’t intend any disrespect to monkeys with that comment. Monkeys have the ability to learn. I doubt Olberman has that ability. He certainly hasn’t displayed it in the last decade or so.

[JaguarXKE]

But here Limbaugh was flat out stupid.

Right - we can have honest discussions about race - someone might get their panties in a twist. Not only was what Rush said not stupid, it was 100% true, but the media doesn't like it when they are exposed with truth!

[The Comedian]

I understand why Keith is on MSNBC. I can’t even begin to fathom why he is broadcasting the NFL.

Because he doesn't think with a Negro accent, unless he wants to.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[truthguy]

Not only was what Rush said not stupid, it was 100% true

It probably was true but there is a time and place for everything. This was not the time or place for the McNabb comments. Rush had to know this or should have known this as I have said. I have it on good authority that he was told to watch out in this area and that he was walking on eggshells. And yet he plunged head first into this controversial issue. He made a fool out of himself as it was later shown that McNabb was an MVP player. So much for Rush's football expertise.

[JaguarXKE]

Personally, I’m tired of people feeling they need to walk on egg shells! I think it’s more a matter of the left looking for reasons to be outraged by something a conservative says or does. Screw the political correctness! My two cents.

[truthguy]

Fine! I don’t have a problem with that. Only please don’t take a job with ESPN under the conditions you would dial down the politics and then not do so. No one forced Rush to take the ESPN job. He knew the Job restrictions. He certainly didn’t need the money. In fact I cannot and did not believe that ESPN would hire him. He’s no expert on football in any sense. I guess if you can hire female reporters who don’t know anything about football, you can hire Limbaugh.

[ozzymandus]

A: ESPN told Limbaugh to be controversial. That’s why they hired him.

B: McNabb was indeed is a major slump when Limbaugh commented about the unearned praise he was getting.

C: Limbaugh knows at least as much about football as Olbermann,a good deal more than you.

[truthguy]

ESPN told Limbaugh to be controversial. That’s why they hired him.

But according to a reliable source on local sports talk radio, they told him to go lightly on the subject of race. You can be controversial and stay away from the incendiary subject of race in the current PC atmosphere.

As far as Limbaugh knowing more about football as Olberman you are probably correct but what's that got to do with anything. Neither are knowledgeable enough to be commentators. You haven't got a clue as to knowing how much I know about football but it's irrelevant to this conversation. Boy you Limbaugh worshipers really need to get a grip on reality.

[ozzymandus]

IMHO, it’s you Rush-haters who have the loose grip on reality. You never miss a chance to bash Rush, no matter how much you have to stretch. He’s not always right, and sometimes he’s a buffoon, but he was right about McNabb.

[airborne]

He’s not always right, and sometimes he’s a buffoon, but he was right about McNabb.

FWIW, his comment was directed at the media, not McNabb.

[ozzymandus]

That’s right. He was talking about the media praise of McNabb, not criticizing McNabb.