Tom Brokaw Slams Colleague Olbermann For ‘Unfair’ Crack About Hillary
From News Busters this morning
During MSNBC’s live coverage of Tuesday’s Democratic primaries in Montana and South Dakota, former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw appeared visibly annoyed at a crack made by MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann at Hillary Clinton’s expense — ironic given the timing of reports that Chris Matthews and Tim Russert are not happy with the ultra-left face Olbermann is giving MSNBC. Shortly before 8:00 p.m., after Brokaw finished describing what he called the “very strong credentials” and “remarkable stories” of Barack Obama and John McCain, Olbermann chimed in: “And a third one trying to shoe-horn her way into those, the coverage of the first two.”
After flashing for a moment a disapproving frown, Brokaw chided Olbermann for disrepecting Clinton: “Well, I think that’s unfair, Keith. I don’t think she shoe-horned her way in.” Brokaw then went on to recount her electoral accomplishments, contending that she “will have some real bargaining power” on behalf of blue-collar workers and women. (Transcript follows)
Olbermann clarified: “And the question raised here was the timing of the vice presidential talk, but we’ll have more time to talk about that in the next two hours.
Below is a transcript of the relevant exchange from the Tuesday June 3 Democratic presidential primary coverage on MSNBC:
TOM BROKAW: So all those experiences have formed him, and he does come from what I think is a kind of post-60s family background. His father came from Africa. His mother came from the Great Plains. He lived around the world. And as we get ready for the 21st century, those are very strong credentials. On the John McCain side, 5 1/2 years in the Hanoi Hilton, from a long, distinguished military family. His life has been about service to his country. He was a wild child, by his own admission, as well, and then got into the United States Senate, married Cindy, and six months ago, we were saying he had no shot at this nomination, and won, too. So we have two remarkable stories taking shape here tonight, it seems to me.
KEITH OLBERMANN: And a third one trying to shoe-horn her way into those, the coverage of the first two.
BROKAW: Well, I think that’s unfair, Keith. I don’t think she shoe-horned her way in. When you look at the states that she won and the popular vote that she piled up, and the number of delegates that she has on her side, she’s got real bargaining power in all of this. You’ll remember it was on that New Hampshire primary night when people were saying she can’t survive the next 24 hours after just Iowa, and here we are at the end of the calendar. And she looks very strong in one of these states tonight, and will have some real bargaining power, and has people, which I think we ought not to overlook, there are a lot of poeple who voted for her who might have been denied that if she’d dropped out — blue-collar workers and especially women, and it’s a delicate time for Barack Obama as he now deals with her because he does not want to disenfranchise them come the fall.
OLBERMANN: And the question raised here was the timing of the vice presidential talk, but we’ll have more time to talk about that in the next two hours.
BROKAW: We will indeed.
OLBERMANN: Thank you, Tom.
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If you ask me Brokaw was more than likely getting fed up with lots of things OlberWomann has been saying lately and this was just the subject he chose to confront him on. I wish alot more people would start calling this moron on the statements he makes. the guy couldnt even cut it as a sportscaster, you’re seriously trying to convince me he has what it takes to cover serious news? this guy is a joke
June 4th, 2008 at 6:00 amKeithy has completely deluded himself into believing with his every fiber that his opinion is fact and it is his duty to educate the rest of us pee-ons.
Earth to Keithy … I have an opinion on any number of things in life … but that doesn’t make them fact.
Except for my opinion of Drill! Drill! Drill … and Build! Build! Build!
Those ARE cold hard facts …
June 4th, 2008 at 6:12 amKosSacks conquering NBC…. nothing more.
June 4th, 2008 at 6:18 amBuh bye NBC.
Olberman tries to be the Imus of the airwaves–it ain’t working Keith. You are an antiAmerica face and voice on an irrelevant network. And the sooner that network sends your ass packing the sooner their credibiity might rise a couple of percentage points.
June 4th, 2008 at 6:37 amAN ODE TO OLBERMAN:
THERE ONCE WAS A PETER PUFFER NAMED OLBERMAN,
June 4th, 2008 at 7:05 amHAD ALL THE PERSONALITY OF A GELDED DOBERMAN,
AS A PART OF THE LEFTIST COLLECTIVE,
HE HURRIEDLY SPEWED FORTH HIS INVECTIVE,
ANXIOUS TO REJOIN HIS KOS CIRCLE OF ONAN.
Brokaw tried to be a serious journalist during his career (whether he succeeded is not for me to say), and I think he must bristle at being put on the same level as Olbermann.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:16 amGood use of “onan.”!
I started calling our director a few jobs back “Onan the barbarian” and that stuck.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:44 amNot bad!
I want to take a stab.
The Ballad of K.O.
There once was a maggot named Keith
June 4th, 2008 at 8:47 amIn his attempt to turn a new leaf
A sport’s journalist reject
NBC’s newly declared edict
Fired, for dismal ratings is the real beef.
There once was a maggot named Keith
In his attempt to turn a new leaf
A sport’s journalist reject
NBC’s newly declared edict
Fired, for dismal ratings is the real beef.”
Goodbye Natalie
you are a poet, and your feet show it, because they are longfellows. 
June 4th, 2008 at 9:12 amI feel more stupid every time I read a transcript with Olbermann in it.
It’s like reading the thoughts of an ignoramus who’s competing in the decathlon of the Stupid Olympics.
June 4th, 2008 at 10:21 am