Pharyngula

Loves me some Olberman.

Posted by: MAJeff, OM | April 9, 2008 8:16 AM

Wow, she beat out some pretty awesome contenders!

I didn't honestly expect this would get any national attention.

Posted by: Daniel Frederick | April 9, 2008 8:26 AM

I met an atheist the other day. He did not say he was an atheist, but I could tell by the horns on his head, and dried baby's blood on his shirt. He was still picking his teeth with a pink plastic rattle.

Posted by: Lago | April 9, 2008 8:26 AM

Keith!
I "knew" him when...back when he was doing local LA TV sports. I liked him as a sports guy, but had no idea he was going to go all Edward R. Murrow on us.
Sure glad he did though.

Posted by: Sven DiMilo | April 9, 2008 8:31 AM

Yeap, good man, that Olbermann. Good to have him on our side.

I'm especially tickled that Ms. Davis beat out both Coultergeist and O'RLY for the gold. That's some fine company there.

Posted by: Aaron Golas | April 9, 2008 8:33 AM

I also remember Keith when he was a local LA sportscaster. I always liked that he called long home runs 'parabolas'. His attitude rubs me the wrong way sometimes, but I'm glad he picked up on this story. It will be interesting to see if it gets any more play.

Posted by: Ted H. | April 9, 2008 8:50 AM

I always look forward to the Worst Person in the World segment of this otherwise predictable news program. Best Sound Track Ever in an Evening News Program! Man, it rocks!

Posted by: Crudely Wrott | April 9, 2008 9:04 AM

Doesn't this just beg for a little Daily Show treatment?

Possibly even a Back in Black segment?

I think Lewis going off on this could be priceless.

Posted by: steve8282 | April 9, 2008 9:24 AM

Rarely miss his show. To see him at his best, checkout his commentaries.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16270176/

Posted by: Sman | April 9, 2008 9:35 AM

Keith is a patriot; I've been a fan (a fan!) of his since the SportsCenter days, but his commentaries have convinced me that he is one of the sole journalists not worried about being able to secure his next interview. He hits politicians hard, and many of them absolutely refuse to appear on his show. Perfect example of what's wrong with the mass media in the United States. And because every other outlet doesn't want to stick up for atheists, you probably won't see this on any other major news program. Hell, if you search MSNBC's website right now, you won't find a single mention of Monique Davis because it hasn't been covered as a news item by any of their "news" shows (rather than "opinion" shows... yeah, right).

For instance, Fox & Friends spent a good deal of this morning playing host to the "non-partisan" group of soliders, Vets for Freedom. After a very nationalistic introduction that would have made Goebbel's a bit jealous, the brown-haired-guy-who's-not-Steve-Doocy introduced them and let them state their message: stay the course because we don't want our friends to have died in vain. It's sad, I know, because my brother has lost some of his friends while in Iraq, but he's rational enough to know that throwing more innocent kids into harm's way isn't the best way of honoring their sacrifice.

I get so fed up with the mass media sometimes. Makes me want to go open up the window and start screaming the Network line.

Posted by: Kyle W. | April 9, 2008 9:46 AM

The only thing I don't like about Olbermann is his anti-Clinton Obamania.

Posted by: bernarda | April 9, 2008 10:03 AM

"Next she'll speak of the Union Colonel and highly esteemed orator and lawyer, Robert Green Ingersoll."

Is this the guy you're talking about?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFvKjIVb6HA

Posted by: Ralph | April 9, 2008 10:05 AM

Ouch. You have to have really screwed up to beat out Bill-O and Coultergeist for worst person in the world.

But it's well deserved.

Posted by: Steve_C | April 9, 2008 10:13 AM

Would it be inappropriate to say that K.O. is "my own personal Jesus" in this space? ;-)

Oh, and representative Davis: "An Atheist knows that a hospital should be build instead of a church." Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair), preamble to Murray v. Curlett, April 27, 1961

Posted by: Paul Lundgren | April 9, 2008 10:33 AM

I've been watching KO for a long time, and this isn't the first time he's sharpened his claws on some religious douchebag in defense of atheism. It kind of makes me wonder if he might be part of our team......

Posted by: Brian | April 9, 2008 10:40 AM

Time to paraphrase a little American Beauty:

Mr. Olberman, I think you just became my personal hero.

Posted by: Raynfala | April 9, 2008 10:58 AM

How is Kieth Olberman a "Misogynistic Bigot?"

I've never heard anyone accuse him of such before. I hope you have some evidence.

Posted by: Robert | April 9, 2008 11:17 AM

If you were talking about Bill-O you would have a point.

But you don't.

Posted by: Steve_C | April 9, 2008 11:25 AM

The best part of Keith Olberman's show is when he has Rachel Maddow on, which he has been doing a lot lately (she was even guest hosting for him not long ago). She's awesome. In fact, she is the only one on Air America that even I can stand (and I am decidedly left of center).

Posted by: Pablo | April 9, 2008 11:26 AM

Miles provided

As I'm sure you know, one of the main claims any scientific theory can make is predictive prowess. In other words, if a theory is true, then other things should also be verifiable experimentally, or by research. Before we make a call on your clients, can you or they provide any samples of things that intelligent design theory has predicted, which researchers have later determined to be true?

Look to the webpage and check out the answers. I like this one:

(1) As already mentioned, "junk-DNA" would completely undermine ID if it turned out to really be "junk".

I don't think these folks really grasp the concept of a "prediction that results from the theory." I mean, how thick do you have to be to recognize that a designer capable of creating "irreducible complexity" or whatever is perfectly capable of creating/including junk DNA?

This seems to be the part they don't get: they aren't just positing a designer, but are implicitly imposing motivations on said designer with absolutely no basis. There is one guy there that seems to get this, but they others just run the party line.

The problem, of course, is that when they talk about "designer" what they really mean is "God of the bible who created man in his image," and God don't have no junk DNA. Again, they are trapped by their religious paradigm, and not looking at it scientifically.

Posted by: Pablo | April 9, 2008 11:43 AM

I'm waiting to hear more of Endor's accusation of misogyny. As a regular viewer of Olbermann's show, I can't say that I've witnessed any bigotry from Keith. Rachel Maddow is one of his most-frequented commentators, and she even hosted his show on April 4th. Sure, Papa Bear O'Reilly lets Laura Ingraham host his show but, hell, she's a misogynist- a label you'd have trouble applying to Maddow.

Posted by: Kyle W. | April 9, 2008 12:41 PM

The only thing I don't like about Olbermann is his anti-Clinton Obamania.

Sorry, bernarda, but Clinton can't win the nomination without:

a) having the party's ruling elite negate the elections;
b) destroying the Democratic party; and
c) sabotaging her own chances of winning the general election.

She fought well, but she has lost the primary. The only thing left is for her to admit it.

Posted by: stogoe | April 9, 2008 12:52 PM

I've only been watching "Countdown" after he gave a birthday greeting to Joel Hodgson of MST3k. I've liked this guy since his Sportscenter days (the Big Show still the best combo in SC history) and giving us Atheists a nod, being a MSTie and former sports reporter makes his show better. I don't agree with him on everything (especially his take on the Subprime mortgage mess), but his constant ripping of "Bill-O" and "Coultergeist" is the best. Gotta' love that Steve Doocy impression.

Posted by: Brian Knoblock | April 9, 2008 1:22 PM

Great video.

Is the pronunciation "ay-thee-est" normal?

Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | April 9, 2008 1:39 PM

For those who suggested that KO might be non-religious, here's a quote i found from him:

"And not to let the facts get in the way of FOF's (Focus On Family) prejudice, but I happen to be a religious man. I believe in God, I pray daily, and if I've ever gotten any direct instructions from my maker, they were that I'll be judged by whether I tried to help other people, or hurt them. Also, that true belief should not be worn like a policeman's club, nor used like one."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6844293/

I know, i'm a bit disappointed myself. Nevertheless, he points out religious bigotry and stupidity when he sees it.

Posted by: Alexander | April 9, 2008 2:32 PM

So shines a good deed in a weary world.

Thank you, Keith Olbermann.

Posted by: Bill | April 9, 2008 2:53 PM

I'm afraid that I'll have to dissent from Olbermann's analysis. As disgusted as I am by Davis, she really doesn't compare to the ironically named John Best.

Posted by: Azkyroth | April 9, 2008 2:57 PM

"She fought well, but she has lost the primary."

The big problem is how she might take the whole Democratic presidential push down with her.

hammerface: A little hyperbole for alliteration, that's all it is.

Posted by: Rey Fox | April 9, 2008 3:04 PM

See the Lincoln page at "Positive Atheism". It's quite amazing.

My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.

Also, this essay ( Religion vs. Free Speech ) by Craig Biddle at "The Objective Standard" is a warning about what's ahead.

...there is no way for a serious religionist to take a principled stand against obeying His will. This is why even the most rational theologian of all time, Thomas Aquinas, insisted on the death penalty for verbal or written offenses against God. "Blasphemy is vilification of God's excellence and goodness," wrote Aquinas. "Of its nature, vilification of God's goodness is a fatal sin. . . . [B]lasphemy which intends to harm God's honour is graver, simply speaking, than murder, the gravest sin against our fellowmen."

Posted by: MelM | April 9, 2008 9:12 PM

Although the nutters have made some holes in the wall-of-separation (the court system), the U.S. is not a Christian Republic (if it had been, the Kitzmiller v Dover case would not have gone in our favor--as have other cases since then). The nutter's "Christian Nation" cult propaganda aside, the U.S. is still a secular government. The Founders had plenty of theocratic models to choose from but they did not create a theocracy.

I do not believe that the majority of Americans fully understand what the "Christian Nation" fanatics or doing. As we see exposed in the book (Liars For Jesus), and in many other ways (ID, "teach the controversy", "academic freedom", "moment of silence", etc) the movement is a huge fraud--it takes my breath away with the brazenness of it's spin and lies (look up doublethink). We must do everything we can to expose the nutters and their "Christian Nation" goals.

We are trying to save reason, science, the U.S., our freedom, and--I believe--our lives. Make no mistake, it's that serious but it's not over yet by a long shot.

Faith is a vice. Reason is a virtue.

A

Posted by: MelM | April 10, 2008 12:24 AM

Michael @ #52 - neat! I'm enjoying very muchly.

I'm shocked this hit Countdown so quickly - I didn't think this would hit anybody's radar outside the blogosphere. Excellente! And it's possibly going to be highlighted on Carpetbagger's "This Week In God" - I sent Steve Benen the story, and he said it was a story that has "TWIG" written all over it. Happiness!

Posted by: Dana Hunter | April 10, 2008 5:33 AM

I just heard on Olbermann that the legislator, Monique Davis, has apologized to Rob Sherman. The quote KO gave sounded like a cop-out. She says she was upset at hearing about shootings in a school that same day and just lashed out. I'm not sure if I buy that. I'll have to hear more.

Posted by: wrpd | April 10, 2008 9:53 PM