I worry about that too.

Well, if the blogosphere were truly marginalized a la Palin's "PJ comment," maybe there would be more cause for worry. But don't you think that blogs like, say, *this* one are a complement, helping to fill the lopsided gap created by the very serious cable hacks, and that they're gaining in importance more every day?

I think the trend is toward more of left blog this, and less of right wing cable that. I'd also argue that Matthews--as much as I distrust him--falls to the left, and so that raises the humanistic bell curve a bit. Also.

On the flip side, I anticipate some changes to the far right's outlets--apparently FOX owner Murdoch is pretty much outraged at a lot of what's gone on at FOX. Also. Corporate boards are conservative, but they also like being in the winner's circle, and with Obama & Co. leading the charge to a more human US, perhaps people like that will see that the bread can be buttered with a more moderate slant.

Also? Don't discount the impact of the Daily Show and The Colbert Report--I honestly believe that their approach (demonstrated by painful contradictions of statements of fact and bald faced lies in a humorous way) has taken on a seriousness / analytical face that none of their principles ever anticipated.

Something else about whoever owns the tubes owns the hearts and minds of the citizenry, but I'm tired and should try to at least get something done for work. ;)

KO could take it down a notch, and that would help...he's gotten a bit over the top. Even for me—and I'm a pre-Deuce, Big Show-era fan of the guy.

I worry about the same thing, Bob.
For a while now, just because he can be a bit "over the top," I worry about Olbermann's credibility being questioned.
Remember: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you.
In some cases, paranoia is actually a healthy mindset.

>>KO could take it down a notch, and that would help...he's gotten a bit over the top.

I heard the same thing from a friend, but he later admitted that it's a reaction the his over-the-top portrayal in the various parodies.

Soft-pedalling hasn't worked for us in the past. Sometimes going BIG is necessary, though cadence and modulation is also important and I think Keith knows when to amp it up and when to ease back.

I'm always struck whenever I see Brian Williams in an informal setting - struck to see that he's actually, well, you know, human. He has a sense of humor, and can carry on an engaging conversation. Which stands in stark contrast to his Mr. NBC News persona, which is as dry and uninteresting as Swedish flatbread (no offense to the Swedes...lovely people and I truly enjoyed the cheese).

Today's successful news "personalities" have become successful, imo, precisely because they HAVE PERSONALITIES. They don't deny they are people too, and that anything they say has to be biased by who they are. That's a GOOD thing. Our generation has grown up with a freedom of thought and opinion that our parents were never allowed. We also are required to do far more assimilating of information than was the last generation, and as a function of that assimilation we need to assign a level of voracity to the information sources. By showing us some of how they assess the voracity of information, the newsreaders of today allow us to "outsource" some of our daily newsgathering to them, because we can see that they apply the same logical tests and due diligence that we would do ourselves. We can't take news stories at face value anymore (sadly), so it's important to us to identify sources that we can trust have vetted the information - at least to some degree - for us.

The Daily Show is in a class by itself. I think it has done more to educate the electorate and the general population than any other media or educational institution ever. They are the "Schoolhouse Rock" of our generation in that they've managed to educate people in a way that entertains, and in a manner that sticks with you. They've taught people how to think. Not WHAT to think...but HOW to think.

So sure the Right will try to minimize and ridicule the Left, but it's a losing battle...because the Left will ridicule themselves when appropriate...we HAVE to, because it's a natural function of logical analytical assessment. That's the flaw in the Right that will be their downfall. You can apply logic in their world - to a point. But you can't step over the line, because when you do there be monsters.

(gotta go, maybe I'll finish this later)

lmao, Bob, I had not seen "double meat"--that guy is great.

Olbermann over the top? Sorry, as is often the case, I guess I missed the point of this posting. Here's another take on that: If Olbermann shouted from the Washington Monument for several months straight, 24x7, it wouldn't come close to making up for the ranting spouted by this list of crazy:

> Dr. Laura ("Why can't I own Canadians?") Schlessinger

> Rush ("I speak out of my ass") Limbaugh

> Bill ("I wanna slap Michael Moore so badly" O'Reilly

> Fill in your favorite loathesome righty here

At least Olbermann uses facts to back up his passion rhetoric. These others? Not so much.

LFOD is right--the left has always been a study self-examination (and, in fact, isn't this really what the left is all about anyway?) and has no problem making fun of themselves. The Right? Again, not so much.

I think the best thing liberals can do is sort of face these sort of things head on.

People on the right don't apologize for their hubris or rhetoric so why should we?

Keith has a big giant head with a big giant brain in it. He can take it, and he can sure as hell dish it out.

He's one of the very few who regularly force feeds the Right with their own shit. Rachel does too, but she uses a knife and fork, whereas Keith uses a shovel.

Keith Olbermann: I'll never leave you, Sir,--even if George Clooney comes a courtin'

three words:

Miss Precious Perfect.

@cactus
That reminds me that it hit me yesterday when listening to Rachel and Naomi Klein on the radio show (which by the way you should find cause it was scary good). The voices that we have on the left are SO FUCKING SMART it's spooky. Get Thom Hartman, Randi, Keith, Rachel, Krugman, Klein, maybe Freidman, and even Tweety on a debating team and put them up against Savage, Coulter, Lush, BillO, Hannity, and hell even give 'em Dennis Miller (who sounds erudite but is really just a charlatan with a set of Encyclopedias).

It would be an embarrassment. You could ask questions from "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" and we'd still mop the floor with 'em.

LForD

Rachel & Naomi could take the whole damn lot of 'em with both their brains tied behind their backs.

And Dennis Miller--why, that varmint ain't fit to polish Miss Precious Perfect's turds!!!!