Let me please add a short-but-sweet subtitle of "And, What Frederick Douglas Has to do with This Occasion."
The word "special" has lost its, well, "specialty" in our culture, so as a college professor who teaches writing, I try to choose my words carefully. And, I'm sticking with "special" to describe 5 wild roller-coaster years of Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
I've been a Countdown viewer since nearly day #1. I was a casual viewer until the night I, as a fairly long-suffering Cubs fan who's faded in and out since Harry Carey's death - being a perenial loser lost its "fun" after his passing, saw Keith's coverage of the destruction of the infamous "Bartman ball" at Harry's restaurant in Chicago. After that night, I was hooked; by the way, I voted for that clip on Countdown's website as my favorite "Countdown memory." I know it doesn't have a snowball's chance in July of winning against the other clips, but, contrary to popular belief, I'm a bit of a sentimentalist at heart, so I had to go with what hooked me.
One of the guests on this week's Real Time with Bill Maher (fellow Cornell University alum along with Keith Olbermann) was NPR talk-show host and fellow "Hoosier" along with me (I have to brag about this fact during the few times there's something about which to brag!) Tavis Smiley. During a brief discussion about what "patriotism" means, Tavis paraphrased the definition according to Frederick Douglas. These words, that I'm ashamed to say that I'd never heard until this morning, are powerful, and I won't forget them any time soon. According to Frederick Douglas, a true patriot is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins.
I distinctly remember the first glimpses during a Countdown broadcast of this quality in Keith Olbermann. My husband and I were watching soon after Hurricane Katrina and the resulting catastrophic flooding hit New Orleans and other areas along the Gulf Coast. Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff had just said that, and I'm paraphrasing here, that Louisiana is a city largly under water. After Keith's comments responding to those incredible words by Mr. Chertoff, I looked at my husband and said, "I hope Keith doesn't find a grenade from Dick Cheney in his shorts!"
All Countdown fans and everyone who reads and posts here know well what followed soon after that; it was the very first "Special Comment" inspired (if that's the correct word here?) by Donald Rumsfeld's speech to the American Legion in Utah about all us "morally and intellectually confused" people who oppose our administration's actions in Iraq and in "the war on terror." I wish that night had been up for a vote in "the favorite Countdown memory" because every time I see it, I do the same thing and feel the same way as I did the night he gave it. I jump up, clap, throw my fist in the air, and feel like I can kick a$$ and take names! In a twisted way, Rummy will always have a place in my heart. Subsequent "Special Comments" and terrifying responses from those who disagreed with them are well-documented, so there's no need to rehash them here. But, it is the words and actions of Keith, his entire staff on Countdown, and the people who support them that continue to inspire me and many others to apply the Frederick Douglas definition of "patriotism" to the words and actions of the world around us. Because we love and respect our country, the "institutions" around us, and many of the people and places in our lives does not mean that we are obligated to follow it or them blindly with rose-colored worshipful glasses that ignore what isn't so rose-colored and worshipful. Our country does stupid terrible things, and those stupid and terrible things have caused the death of thousands and irrevocably changed the lives of millions. The people we care about do boneheaded stupid things as do we. Sometimes, Keith, Countdown, MSNBC, and others in the media do and have done boneheaded stupid things. The wonderful diary here by Lydia Faircloth about Countdown's blog, Newshole, is a wonderful demonstration of this truth as well. The blog went from a lively wonderful place full of brilliant and, sometimes, maddening and exaperating people, to a cyber ghost town. In an emotional bittersweet search of posts, I found my first nervous post there about Cindy Sheehan's decision to be less of a public figure in the anti-war movement. I said:
Good afternoon. Hope everyone had a good weekend! I forget who said (and I'm paraphrasing here) the only way for evil to triumph is for the good to do nothing. I did not always agree with Cindy Sheehan's tactics, but I'm sorry she's felt compelled to take the action she's taken. I respect the stand and risks she took, and she can certainly not be accused of doing nothing. I cannot understand fully the extent of her loss or anyone who has lost a loved one over the last years, but I grieve for her and for everyone else. Peace to us all...
It's such a shame that Newshole will no longer be a part of my daily life even after the efforts of some very passionate people who had only Countdown's and Keith Olbermann's welfare at heart. The mention of the person who was threatned with "MSNBC security" for not "going through proper channels" in this effort a la the way "Mike" was threatened with "FOX Security" for merely mentioning Keith's name on "Orally's" show was especially disturbing and disheartening.
But, enough sadness and looking in the past! As George Harrison said, all things must pass. I posted this diary for a wonderful occasion - 5 years of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, truly a faboo occasion in this short attention span culture and media! I might be posting a "live diary" during tomorrow evening's show here, so stop on by. I'll have paper, pencil, slide rule, etc. in preparation for the "Commander-in-Chief Threshold" test. Are cheat sheets or crib notes permitted?
I and many others have been with Countdown for a long time, and, speaking for myself, I'll be there as long as Countdown is on the air. In the Buddhist tradition in which I practice, there is a phrase in many chants - Dae Ja Dae Bi (pronounced "day" "jah" "day" "bee"), which means "Great Love Great Compassion." I extend those thoughts to our country, our people, everyone here, and, on this great occasion, to Keith and everyone at Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Here's to many many more years!