John Gibson, the Premier Truth-Teller About Keith Olbermann!

Keith Olbermann--well, we know about him. And one reason that we know about Olbermann is that his critics are keeping close tabs on him. As Harry Truman once said about an opponent, "If he keeps lying about my record, I am going to have to start telling the truth about his!"

Two important truth-tellers about Olbermann are Olbermann Watch, one of the great single-purpose blogs in existence, and the fearless John Gibson, the FNC veteran, who uses much of his Fox radio show to rebut Olbermann.

For example, just yesterday, Gibson took Olbermann to task for a stunning series of slimy errors and insinuatations about George W. Bush. On his MSNBC show, "Countdown," Olbermann mocked the President for getting teary-eyed at a Medal of Honor award ceremony for Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL who died in Iraq saving the lives of three of his buddies. Olbermann mocked the President for his "theatrically" trembling lower lip--in other words, Olbermann accused Bush of faking his emotion. Now one might ask: How does Olbermann know that Bush is faking?

And then, lest anyone get the idea that perhaps Olbermann has some sort of superior level of judgment, KO referred to the award as the "Medal of Freedom." Well, it's the "Medal of Honor," which goes to the military. The Medal of Freedom is a different award altogether, for civilians. In other words, if Olbermann can't get the name right, why should we have any confidence in anything else he says?

Of course, Olbermann's fans don't care--they love him, not because he is accurate, but because he delivers the maximum amount of Bush- and Republican-bashing heard anywhere this side of Air America.

Gibson had more good stuff--it's worth a listen on the Olbermann Watch, a site that's invaluable as a resource for Olbermann material. Even better, of course, is to tune into Gibson's radio show, live, to hear it is it happens.

Aided by OW, John is emerging as the premier truth-teller about KO. That's a dirty job, that's for sure, but somebody has to do it.

MSNBC vs. Fox News--The Cable Game Heats Up!

So MSNBC has a new strategy for its third-rated channel: Attack first-rated Fox News all the time. Very interesting.

The Cable Gamer understands that the fight for ratings sometimes means throwing elbows. And that's fine; indeed, such elbowing helps make the Cable Game as fun as it is. But as ace blogger Johnny Dollar explains over on YouTube, MSNBC has taken elbow-throwing to new sharpness.

And here, at Phillyburbs.com is a new blogger, Eric G, that I was not familiar with, who goes into such great detail, in a piece headlined, "Whaaa, Fox News is better than me" that I am going to quote it at great length:

Is it just me or is someone on MSNBC talking about Fox News every five minutes? MSNBC’s morning show, “Morning Joe” features news anchor-wannabe Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough constantly taking pot shots at Fox. Keith Olbermann’s nightly “Worst Person of the Week” is usually someone associated with Fox. Don’t believe me, just check out his homepage on MSNBC.com today where he attacks a Fox publicist. Failed news director Dan Abrams makes Fox the nightly subject of his rants on his segment, “Beat the Press.” I hear Fox News so much on MSNBC that sometimes I am not sure I’m on the right channel.

It is amazing because just about everyone on MSNBC will blast Fox as an “attack machine.” Yet rarely do I ever hear Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, or Neil Cavuto going on the attack and nitpicking everything MSNBC does. As a matter of a fact it is rare to hear them mention MSNBC at all.

I am an equal opportunity viewer when it comes to my news and politics. However there is something that gets old real fast when it comes to snotty news anchors nitpicking at every, little thing that their competition who is crushing them in the ratings is doing. Fox fan or not, it is actually quite a turn off after awhile and it comes across like a bunch of jealous school kids who sit at the table in lunch making fun of the other kids who won’t play with them.

In an unintentionally funny moment last week on Dan Abrams’ show, Abrams went off on his usual nitpick of a minor error on a Fox News broadcast. We aren’t talking about anything groundbreaking other than Fox putting the wrong name underneath the person speaking on a video feed. In a surreal moment in the next segment Dan introduced his guest and the camera went on the wrong person and stayed there for a few moments. The irony of it all is I didn’t hear a blip about this on Fox News television or radio. Nobody cares and that is the saddest fact of all.

Hey Dan, they may have screwed up a byline but you screwed up an entire network. Great job as news director, how about some more Paris Hilton discussions.

The bitter pill of hypocrisy was swallowed a few weeks ago prior to a Republican debate. Fox, along with other outlets questioned the choice of Chris Matthews hosting the debate. Fox not only accused Matthews of being openly partisan but played comments from a recent speech backing it up. Fox questioned the integrity of the debate and had opinions discussed from both sides of the board.

You would have thought that Fox called for the head of Chris Matthews the following day on MSNBC. All of the above suspects went on a tirade the next day calling Fox an attack machine and questioning how dare they even try and make it a story. This is the same network that attacked Fox for making the Imus controversy a story, yet they were having 20 minute segments on every one of their shows talking about it. Don’t believe me? Check out the following You Tube clips. ...

John Gibson of Fox finally responded to the months of brow beating that Fox has taken on MSNBC. It probably was not the wisest move because anyone can twist anything to suit their own opinions. However, in my opinion Gibson was on the mark with his response to MSNBC, and Dan Abrams specifically for the hypocrisy they have been spreading for months in regards to Fox. ...

The bottom line is that I don’t need to take my cue from geeky, arrogant, snobby, cocky news anchors trying to look hip making fun of their competition. I really could care less about whether someone missed their cue or mispronounced a name in a story. That kind of stuff is only funny when Emmitt Smith does it on Sundays and Mondays. When you constantly attack someone for being an attack machine you look rather small and pathetic. There is a reason your network is in the tank, nobody (but me apparently) is watching, and you replaced your news director in a last ditch effort to fix the mess.

Now go home and get your freaking shinebox Danny!

John Gibson Rips Olbermann, OK. But Gibbie Gobbles Gabler, Too! Man Bites Fox!!

It's not overly surprising when Fox News' John Gibson rips into MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. That's standard inter-network Cable Gaming.

But listen to what Gibson has to say says about FNC "News Watch" panelist Neal Gabler. Calls him all sorts of names, starting with "low life."

Now Gabler is about as left-wing--and, many would say, obnoxious--a figure as there is in The Cable Game. Yet there he is, every weekend, popping off on Fox.

Yes, Fox is heavy with O'Reilly and Hannity, but the channel makes room for Gabler, too--and then, of course, for Gibson to blast Gabler. Gibson routinely invites Gabler on the show; I hope that Gabler takes him up on it.

Say what you wish about Fox--they really do mean it when they say, "fair and balanced."

And it's interesting, as Gibson observes, that Media Matters never takes note of what Gabler says, in all its endless/tendentious fine-toothing of every word that is said on Fox. MM is listening, and recording, but not writing up.

Why not? Here's why. Because a left-winger blasting the right--and, frequently, Fox News itself--doesn't fit MM's preconceived ideo-partisan template, which holds that FNC is in the tank for the Bush admininistration and the neocons.

Thanks, of course, to Johnny Dollar for catching this audio item!

Fight at Fox, Inside Fox

Johnny Dollar, who always gets the best stuff for his blog, records John Gibson on Fox Radio trashing Neal Gabler, the panelist on "Fox News Watch," who regularly trashes Fox. Gibson calls Gabler a "moron" and a "hypocrite."

And Gibbie even adds that he is "disappointed" that Cal Thomas and Jim Pinkerton don't stand up to Gabler more--"because they like him," Gibson concludes. And Gibson is no doubt right: there is a good chemistry on "FNW," and that probably means that Gabler gets to say more than he could.

But here's TCG point: Viewers can survive 5 minutes of Gabler's leftism every week. Thomas and Pinkerton let him have his say, and then they have their say.

But in the meantime, Fox management lets the chips fall wherever they might. Gabler trashed Fox, Gibson trashes Gabler, and everyone else takes lumps, too. That's the way news commentary oughtta be: Let the viewers decide for themselves.

John Gibson, Artiste?

Did you know that John Gibson was once a self-declared "long-haired music writer," in addition to gigs at The Hollywood Reporter and at Atlantic Records?

I didn't, till I read this profile of the Fresno High School grad, by Rick Bentley, in The Fresno Bee.

Johnny Dollar Looks Back at 2006

Johnny Dollar, as always, gets the best stuff. Here's his top ten audio excerpts for the year. Be sure to listen, in particular, for Roger Ailes on the late Mike Douglas, and John Gibson on the Clinton team issuing anti-Fox "marching orders" to the Democrats and deconstructing Barbara Boxer, Joe Scarborough, and Andrew, a radio caller.

Wild & Crazy John Gibson

This won't be everyone's audio cup of tea, but this was some kind of creative radio producing--Fox radio getting both Danny Bonaduce and a nut on the phone. And it certainly was compelling to listen to. Thanks, of course, to Johnny Dollar!

John Gibson v. David Duke

Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke is unbelievable, literally. But John Gibson scored a revealing interview with him, live by phone, from Tehran on Fox Radio, about that crazy Holocaust Denial conference in Iran. Worth a listen--thanks to Johnny Dollar. Stick around to the end, where John asks Duke about his words which are "bordering on treason"--and which stick so closely to the "Democratic Party platform."

Pow!