For the first time, I am disappointed in you.
For nearly two years, "Countdown" has been a kind of religion for me. I watch nightly, come hell or high water, and I look forward to your unique perspective, your sarcastic brand of humor, and your willingness to call bullshit when bullshit needs to be called.
Now I'm calling bullshit on you, and on far too many of your colleagues in the world of television journalism.
This whole "race war" between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is largely a media invention -- an exaggerated, pretend, uncontroversial controversy borne of Bill Clinton's unfortunate and misinterpreted "fairy tale" comment and the subsequent MLK/JFK references out of both campaigns.
It would be, if not for you and your colleagues, a minor blip in what has been, until now, a mostly compelling discussion of actual issues and policies and ideas. It is mostly make-believe. It is not, and never was, the story that you and so many others have made it out to be.
It is an unwelcome diversion from Iraq and the economy and the environment and energy and the systemic problems in the inner-workings of our government. It is another piss-poor excuse to keep John Edwards out of the national discourse -- despite the fact that Mr. Edwards continues to favor substance over style in the race for the 44th. It is not worthy of mention, much less lead story after lead story.
Yet you perpetuated the whole charade tonight, sacrificing the first segment of "Countdown" to the Gods of sensationalism and yellow journalism and non-existent controversy that only serves to divide a party trying very hard to stay united.
It was pure gluttony, Mr. Olbermann. And it's far beneath your own standard.
You've said yourself -- twice now in the last two nights -- that even the most fanatical political observer would have trouble sorting out all the rhetoric. There's a reason for that -- there is no story, no injection of race by the Clintons, no defense of race by Obama. Both campaigns have said as much, Charlie Rangel's misguided rant notwithstanding.
You made it up. And by "you," I mean the collective universe of political pundits who make their livings on television. I expect it from Chris Matthews; not from you.
Please let me know when we're done fabricating this crap, so I can get back to the "Countdown" I love.