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Keith Olbermann Defends MSNBC Against Charges Of Lack Of Diversity

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Keith Olbermann‘s Special Comment last night on his MSNBC show was about the undertones of racism within the Tea Party movement, and like he often does, he posted a portion on his Daily Kos blog.

Well that set off a series of back-and-forth comments between Olbermann and others about the diversity on the MSNBC airwaves.

The commenter “JoanMar” wrote that, based on Olbermann’s comment (of which she agreed), “a tea party gathering looks something like MSNBC line-up on week-days.”

Olbermann responded with a lengthy defense:

Lester Holt was our primary anchor at MSNBC until ’04 or so, and he got promoted to NBC. And Alison Stewart had her own show and was my primary back-up (we got somebody named Rachel something to replace her), and then she went to raise a family (and do NPR for awhile) and now she’s back part-time as Rachel’s back-up, and Tamron is one of my back-ups and co-anchored her own two-hour political show in the afternoon, and you mentioned Christina Brown (call her “Christine” at your peril), and Carlos Watson had his own show (and that didn’t work out very well for anybody, as will occasionally happen), and Gene Robinson is with me whenever he can spare the time (and is in the studio for all our long-form political coverage, and I try to glue him to the seat next to mine), and we get Clarence Page on whenever we can, and really we do as much astronomy as we do only because Derrick Pitts is so damn good, and somebody upthread mentioned Melissa Harris-Lacewell, and Paul Mooney used to come on for political comment. I’m not satisfied with this as the status quo, but I did want to balance the picture as much as it can be. And suddenly this got me thinking, I wonder if Derrick has ever thought about politics and tv…

There are a few interesting parts of this answer, including Olbermann’s take on why Carlos Watson lost his show: “That didn’t work out very well for anybody.”

But it’s true that there certainly is a diversity problem not just at MSNBC, but on all of cable news. You would be hard-pressed to find a non-white host on any of the cable news networks. And while the guest list may be getting more diverse, the major players remain largely Caucasian.

Here’s last night’s Special Comment:

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  • The Real Royal King

    It is foolish to imply that FOX lacks diversity. Among its bevy of blondes are a number of cup sizes and a number of skirt lengths from above the knee to well above the knee.

  • SFPhoto

    How did I know the “1 comment” would be the ubiquitous “Royal King,” and it would be a nasty one at that.

  • Puter Boi

    News bunnies…mmmmmmmmmmmmm…..

    I stopped watching this cable news junk a long time ago. I usually just hear about the personalities on sites like this. I might be wrong, but wasn’t it MSNBC, while covering a tea party thing, and talking about racists in the crowd who were armed, only showed the weapon of one guy and never revealed that the gentleman was black?

    I dunno…stuff has gotten so crazy one of these days we might even see TV shows poking fun of disabled kids. Who knows?

  • roxsteady

    It’s interesting that the commenter who agreed with Olbermann would then pivot and start talking about MSNBC’s lack of diversity. I say this because comparing a cable news network to a bunch of uninformed, ignorant, losers who call for protest on a weekly baisis, until recently is apples to oranges. That said, Tamron Hall does host 2 hour long shows on MSNBC at 10:00am and 2:00pm. It’s a good start. Now, how about the rest of the cable news networks? And yes, Olbermann was willing to say what none of the msm would ever have the guts to say. Since their taxes have not been raised but, cut and the bulk of the spending that caused the deficits was done in the previous administration, and the bank bailout was instituted by the previous administration, then there can be only one other conclusion for the anger. Actually 2, one is racism but, the other is much more obvious……SORE LOSERS! Just once I’d like the media to ask one of these loons who they voted for in the 2008 election. I guarantee you that these people aren’t Democrats which is the real reason they’re pissed off. They lost and still can’t get over it!

  • roxsteady

    You mean there was only 1 black guy with a gun at the rally? Thanks for making Keith’s point! By the way, how welcome do you think black guy would have been at that rally without his gun?

  • Facebook User

    Lack of color diversity? Ok – MAYBE. But lack of overall diversity? Uh … has anyone seen the Rachel Maddow show … featuring Rachel Maddow … a WOMAN … who is also openly GAY? That’s pretty diverse, if you ask me.

    This is just another ploy to try to hurt MSNBC by pinning the “racist” card to their forehead. Actually, it sounds a lot like a campaign by FOX NEWS to say “SEE – They’re racist and lack diversity, too!”

  • Puter Boi

    Rox? I wasn’t making a point….I was asking a question. I know your first reaction is to attack…but give it a rest…sheeeeesh…this site is becoming just another website where people attack and call names. It’s not the way it started out.
    It’s as though there is nobody on either side that has any sense of proportion….I can’t believe this is the way the people who write in these threads actually interact in their daily lives….why do it here?

  • silkworm

    Once again, The Royal King show his lack of “diverse” intelligence.

  • PureFreedom

    Because the Royal King is Intimidated by smart beautiful women….. He sounds just like the Taliban with telling women how long there skirts should be! …Maybe he thinks women should not be in the news at all?

  • puck30

    roxsteady says:
    February 16, 2010 at 1:44 pm

    OMG! Why didn’t them racists shoot this guy? He showed up without his gun.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkWQ4uolB8Q

    I’m sure this guy never made it out of D.C. that day cause he didn’t have a gun.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUz1PE_OFBU

    I’m so glad NBC doesn’t do anything to embarrass or put down the brothers and sisters.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqIYJFlkbUQ

  • The Real Royal King

    It is rare that I agree with Olbermann, but I think his point about diversity at MSNBC is well-taken. As far as the diversity issue goes, I’d say:

    PBS: A
    CNN: A
    BBC/World: A
    MSNBC: B+
    NBC: B
    CBS: B-
    ABC: C
    FOX: D+

    By diversity, I include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, all in meaningful, high profile positions. CNN scores well because of a number of high-placed African Americans, Hispanics, Middle Easterners, women and gays. MSNBC has fewer Hispanics. FOX has a prominent, high profile woman and gay, and, Lord knows, several high profile White, male, Irish Americans, but lacks high profile African-Americans (Williams has little hair time and Hispanics (Geraldo, not withstanding).

  • The Real Royal King

    Pure Freedom: You act is better received over at the FOX Fan Klub.

  • Olby Sucks

    Pure Freedom, the faux royal king prefers the “maddow” type of “woman.”

  • The Real Royal King

    O, dear. Seems some homophobia has wafted over from the FOX Fan Klub courtesy of one of its charter members.

  • blueblogger

    Actually Olby Sucks I am the one that preferres a Maddow type of woman. Do you have a problem with that??

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

    Liberals obsess about the issue of “diversity” night and day. It’s always diversity for diversity’s sake regardless of anything else. There’s no doubt Olbermann and MSNBC are hypocrites for calling anyone out for lack of diversity, but the issue of diversity itself is a phony issue.

    The left spends more time talking about race, accusing others of racism, and chattering about “diversity” than any other group in America. Liberals would be shit out of luck if we ever did enter a “post-racial” period because they wouldn’t have anything to talk about.

    Networks shouldn’t hire a black commentator or host just because they need a black or Latino host. Companies and news organizations should choose the most qualified candidates or the people best suited for a particular job. Whatever ethnic, racial, or gender make-up that ends up being is what it should be. If you end up with all black hosts, all white hosts, all women, 1 woman, 1 black woman and 2 Latino men, or all white women should be irrelevant.

    This is the same kind of social engineering liberals try to use on the Supreme Court. Sonia Sotomayor wasn’t chosen because she was the best lawyer in America, she was chosen because she was a Latino woman and Obama wanted to appease one of his grievance constituencies.

    For the sake of diversity and “social justice” we end up with a mediocre lawyer on the highest court in the land instead of the brightest mind.

    People should be chosen on merit alone. It shouldn’t matter what color or gender you are. This idea that everything has to be perfectly balanced with an equal number of every color, gender, and sexual orientation is outrageous and un-American.

  • ImNotBlue

    The Real Royal King says:
    February 16, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    What about Kelly Wright? Or Wendell Goler? Or Uma Pemmaraju? Or Harris Faulkner? Or Julie Banderas?

    Yet again, you attempt to pass off YOUR personal ignorance, as evidence of something. But fail.

    I’d be interested to see how you came up with those grades. I assume you just pulled them out of thin air… but that’s just me noticing a trend.

    The Real Royal King says:
    February 16, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    Where?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

    Fox is definitely the most diverse, but the bigger issue is diversity itself. It’s phony social engineering that ends up hurting everyone.

  • Olby Sucks

    blueblogger says:

    I don’t have a problem w/that, but, apparently the faux royal king does for some reason.

  • TfT

    For MSNBC diversity only means color of skin; how shallow of them.

    Thanks to MSNBC, the term “racist” doesn’t have much meaning anymore; but they have over used and abused it.

  • Barney

    Queefy is trying to project his racist …and his father’s….tendencies onto others. He just can’t stand that others don’t like his fantasy boyfriend the way he does.

    Anyhoo, it’s obvious they didn’t encourage critical thinking at that cow college he barely graduated from.

  • PureFreedom

    you hit it on the Nail Chris Jones,

    Infact in California we had affirmative action because some group said there are too many Asian Americans and whites in the college system . The state needs to look more diversified…

    U.C. Berkeley! said this is a horrible idea to admit students by color and race and not by grades That means the C student because he is a minority will take a A students spot.

    The most liberal college in America was the first school to come out and help overturn affirmative action in California. Now its back on to merits and grades.

  • The Real Royal King

    Chris Jones
    Chris Jones says:
    February 16, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    Fox is definitely the most diverse, but the bigger issue is diversity itself. It’s phony social engineering that ends up hurting everyone.

    Hardly accurate given our history, starting with a tiny population of Native Americans, only, and burgeoning into the great immigration haven we have become. Goodness, if there were any social engineering, it was in 15th century Spain, 17th and 18th century churches, business enterprises and Parliament in England, 17th, 18th and 19th century Africa, 18th, 19th and 20th century European nations, 19th and 20th century Pacific Rim nations, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st century American businesses clamoring for a cheap labor force.

  • writer

    I’ve toured the New England states. Didn’t see lots of blacks. Racists. Went to a hockey game. Not many blacks. Racists. Went to a swim meet. Didn’t see many blacks. Racists. The Scandinavian countries have little diversity. Racist. Saw videos of the crowd in Reverend Wright’s church. No whites. That’s okay. Watching Olbermann is like watching Jack Nicholson in The Shining, as he descends into all out insanity.

  • The Real Royal King

    Writer: You seem to confuse “recial” with “racist” rather too easily and are a bit of a high drama queen when you do so.

  • The Real Royal King

    Sorry. “Racial”. Contacts out. Allergies.

  • writer

    Seems like if Keith really wanted diversity, he’d diversify his guest list, instead of getting all of them from the far left. Just like you, Royal, Olbermann has a pretty narrow definition of the word ‘racist’. It means anyone who disagrees with the left. And I use the term ‘racist’ too easily? Bwahhaahhhahhhhahhhh. Royal, you’re a laugh riot.

  • felixw

    Watching the left define “diversity” is always good for a laugh. It always boils down to defining it in a way that excludes anyone who disagrees with the leftist agenda. In other words, the less diversity the more it appeals to the leftist mentality as “true” diversity. Olbermann is a typical example. He hasn’t had a single Republican or conservative or traditional guest on his show in the last year, and then brags about his diversity.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Gene-Douglas/1516237804 Gene Douglas

    KO is doing nothing more than pushing a liberal agenda by using hyperbole and lies to describe any person or group opposing liberalism. His rhetoric is the same day in and day out offering no originality or serious analysis of the issues. He is just feeding the lemmings who want to hear his racist, sexist, hateful spin. He is a bore. What’s concerning is that he has any following at all…. and what that says about the ‘followers’.

  • Broliath
  • blueblogger

    felixw I would like an example of when KO brags about his diversity. Please just one will do. Maybe it was when I wasn’t watching. Gene I do watch KO sometimes but I would not call myself a follower. Stick and stones may hurt my bones but names will never harm me!!!!!

  • blueblogger

    Olby Sucks says:
    February 16, 2010 at 4:54 pm
    blueblogger says:

    I don’t have a problem w/that, but, apparently the faux royal king does for some reason.

    Olby, I doubt that. Are you just trying to stir the pot here??

    P.S. You forgot to copy and paste my actual post.

  • blueblogger

    Dan, please do something with this site. It would be nice if we could REPLY TO: Poster, have the ability to edit our comments. Please, you must be able to upgrade. Maybe it would attract more traffic. Well maybe NOT.

  • JR 708

    Keith Olbermann sucks Rachel Maddow’s donger.

  • pap

    Wow! I never noticed the alleged absence of black people from the tea party demonstrations. I must be a racist too. Keith, I suspect the fact that you notice such things and I don’t says more about you than about me or the people at the demonstrations or the people not there. As a matter of logic Keith there is no inference you can draw from the composition of the crowd one way or another. One could also make the equally ridiculous argument that black people are racists too for not attending such a gathering, after all there must be some black people who care about taxes, deficits etc…
    This has nothing to do about the beliefs of any group of people team party demonstrators or non-demonstrators, but rather it has to do a lot more with a race-baiting socialist who cultivates grievances more diligently than a farmer cultivates a crop. Keith you are nothing more than a hate monger, one among the latest generation of useful idiots.

  • Layne S

    Keith says that our Founding Fathers did not do everything right; there were some things they did wrong. Keith, did you think there were some of us who disagree with that? Did you think some later generations fought a Civil War for nothing? Did we add Amendments to the Constitution because we were bored and wanted to spice things up? Did our fathers march the streets and pass legislation to right injustices or not? Of course our Founding Fathers didn’t get everything right! And there were folks speaking out against them from day one – the Quakers for instance. But isn’t it the most amazing thing that we get to criticize each other when we think something is wrong? And try to right it? Isn’t it an awesome thing that we get to petition our government to make things right, instead of always looking to oppression and bloodshed? Criticize our Founding Fathers all you want because some of them were scoundrels, and had a tendency to be scoundrels. But they admitted it by setting up a system of government that would allow their posterity to change things. I hope we can be as honest as they were…. are you a scoundrel? I know deep within my soul that I can be and definitely have a tendency to be one.

  • StewartIII

    Hot Air — Tea partiers to MSNBC: Your all-white lineup is cordially invited to experience our diversity
    http://hotair.com/archives/2010/02/22/tea-partiers-to-msnbc-your-all-white-lineup-is-cordially-invited-to-experience-our-diversity/

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  • Rusty Shackelford

    A friends daughter got turned down by Stanford this year due to “diversity,” of course she was white.Turns out the young lady got then got accepted at Harvard.Go figure.

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