damn, i have a soapbox??

I have just finished reading The Worst Person in the World - and 202 Strong Contenders, by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. It's not a "new" book, but it's new to me. It probably didn't take much time to write; it is a collection of "Worst Persons in the World" from his nightly Countdown show. Not all are famous, but they have all said or done something so spectacularly stupid, that they warrant a place in at least one book with history in it. Documented factual history, that is, not something made up on-the-fly to get better ratings. With actual reports to back up the aforementioned history. Of some of the nominees, I am sickened. Just that.

I'd like to admit that I am a true Independent, one who votes not necessarily for a candidate because of the (letter in parentheses) behind their name, but who looks to the views and platforms for guidance. I'd like to say that I don't "take sides" on political issues because I believe, for the most part that both "sides" usually have it all bass-ackwards. (Damn I love that word.) But truth be told there is a dark place in my heart and psyche for the big Republicans. They could all go to that dark place and never return, and I would not miss them. Some Democrats, too. I listen faithfully to both sides until someone dredges up their biased religious views and ruins their objectiveness. I try to discount their silver-spoon-fed short natural history (because what percentage of our Representatives and candidates have actually lived in their constiuents' shoes - at least this constiuent's? Ha. That's a pretty small number that I don't have in front of me right now.) I do try to give every candidate a fair chance to tell me how wonderful they are; they just all fail miserably to convince me. They all have pretty tasty feet and nice-sized mouths. As Keith Olbermann points out every night.

The most sickening thing I thing I discovered in this book, is that I still hate Republican radio and TV talk show hosts. I was officially introduced to Rush Limbaugh in 1994, in the form of my supervisor's radio, which I was not allowed to turn off or even down during the morning show...which droned on for decades every day. I actually listened, hoping that he was going to say something positive, and tell both sides to the story - any story, but alas, it was not to be. About the middle of the third day, I started not listening, and my supervisor decided I was one of Them. A Democrat. Since I was not yet old enough to vote, it burned me that he would declare someone who disagrees with him to be completely against him. But I've gradually learned over the years that that's the definition of a Republican. No offense to any of my (R) friends out there....I'm just calling 'em like I see 'em...as Rush would say.

So here again, I am introduced to another madman of the mouth, Bill O'Reilly. I have heard some of the things he has to say, and know he is employed by the Fox "If It Isn't Far-Fetched Yet, We'll Make It So" News team, so basically, I've already named him as a Republican whack-job akin to Rush Limbaugh. And then I read some of the things that he has said, denied saying even though there are official transcripts proving his tongue-slippage, and recanting that he didn't say he said. Whew. Almost derailed my train there. I change my mind. He's worse than Rush. Except he's not tanked on painkillers. He's just normally that stupid.

People make mistakes. I make them all the time because my mouth moves faster than my brain sometimes. I have given out the wrong phone number, paid the wrong amount for a bill to the wrong company, given out the wrong dates of Girl Scout meetings, and I apologize quickly and profusely for any mistake I make. This guy, this person self-proclaimed to be a "fair and balanced" (TM) journalist, not only spouts off incorrect, unsourced and undocumented information, but will not admit when he's made a mistake nor apologize for his lack of journalistic research or tact. Sounds like another major Republican of which many disapprove.

The epilogue names Bill O'Reilly, oft-times known as "Big Giant Head," "Billo" or "Bill-O," "Falafel," "Papa Bear," and "Ted Baxter," as Worst in Show for the whole bleeding book. It seems Mr. Bill not once, but twice mis-quoted history on-air by declaring at least 84 surrendered American WWII POWs slaughtered by the Nazis, to be war criminals. Once could have been a mistake, twice in nine months using the same mis-quoted information is inexcusable, especially when no apology was ever made to the families of the slain servicemen. Sickening. And he's allowed to use his First Amendment rights to misquote all the history he wants. And wrap it up with a neat little bow and call it "journalism."

Bill, you make your News service, your political party and your country look the worse for wear. Not to mention continuing to look like a man walking around bent over with his head up his ass. How about coming down out of your own inflated head and giving us all a rest, eh?