Former Pres. Clinton Blasts Olbermann For Politicizing Health Care Event
Well this is surprising.
Former President Bill Clinton told FireDogLake today he would not attend a free clinic event in Arkansas Saturday because MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann had “politicized” the event.
From the post:
Eve ran into Clinton Thursday in the gift shop of the Clinton Library. She’s in Arkansas covering the Keith Olbermann’s free clinic event, organized by the National Association of Free Clinics. The former President is in town for the 5th anniversary of the Clinton Library…Clinton responded that Olbermann was politicizing the clinic, and that it wasn’t helpful for Olbermann to do that. He said he did not feel he could show up now, because the event had turned political.
Olbermann began his endorsement of these free clinics on his hour-long Special Comment show on October 8. The Arkansas event was just one of six Olbermann had made part of his larger push for health care reform. According to FireDogLake: “Olbermann, who has invited his viewers to contribute to the National Association of Free Clinics in advance of the event, has said on his show that ‘I want Sens. (Blanche) Lincoln and (Mark) Pryor to see what health care poverty is really like in Little Rock.’”
On his website, there are links for people to contribute to the event. Obviously, a former Democratic president attacking MSNBC’s most popular host is a rare, and somewhat surprising, situation. We’ll see if Olbermann has anything to say about it tonight or next week.
Here’s the original announcement by Olbermann:
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16 comments
shootfromthehip says: WTF that is a LAME excuse. Just don’t give an interview and go if you want, don’t go if you can’t make it, Bill. But to blame Keith seems like a cop out….as if Keith has the power to politicize anything. He is just drawing attention to a very real problem that lies at the very heart of our failed health care system. The rest of the media has once again failed to follow Countdown’s lead when it comes to drawing attention to the REAL issues affecting millions of Americans. These roving clinics shine a spotlight on the least fortunate among us, that increasingly includes the middle class. It is getting to the point that even WITH insurance people are going to these events to get the care they need because of sky high costs for procedures that should be covered by most policies, but are not. We are all one step away from having to seek out care at a free event like this if we are laid off and can’t make COBRA payments. Think about it. I wish the media would stop obsessing on the sideshow and start interviewing doctor’s, nurses, insurance policy experts and others instead of brain dead members of the house on both sides of the aisle.
Kudos to Keith for continuing to shine the light on the real issue at the heart of this whole debate. Shame on those who follow the sideshows from the sidelines.
TfT says: It will have to be Monday, Keith doesn’t usually work on Fridays.
I’m a liberal Dem, but there’s no way I could sit through that entire monologue.
With that said, if this post and the linked blog entry is correct and Olbermann has called out two sitting members of Congress by name, and if it’s being seen as an unofficial launch party for a candidate wanting to oppose one of those persons from Congress, then it has become somewhat politicized and though nobody might expect favorable votes from those particular members, it wouldn’t be helpful for President Clinton to attend.
Also, though some might characterize this event as charitable, since Olbermann has politicized it by trying to turn it into some kind of lobbying event, somebody might want to show the tape to Rachel.
Eliza says: I know these events obviously didn’t start with Olbermann, but does anyone know if the contributions from Countdown viewers have led to more clinics being possible? If he’s helping the organization expand to additional cities, it’s hard to fault him, even if there’s a political agenda underfoot. Clinton probably should have kept quiet.
Jim R says: Spoken like a true DLC’er, Bill, we wouldn’t want any conservadems getting uncomfortable when their election funding sources and constituents interests diverge so blantantly.
Small state conservative Democrats are even more dependent upon corporate cash than their more liberal counterparts in bigger states. Most importantly, none of them want their wall street benefactors funding their opponent in the next election.
Ironically, every capitulation to the conservadems makes the bill less effective and more expensive, the exact opposite from their purported goals.
Mr. NAFTA, Leach/Bliley, bloc grants, welfare reform knows this better than anyone, except those of us suffering from Clinton’s Republican-lite triangulation policies.
sunizup says: Keith put $50,000 of his own money toward this cause to start off the donations and helped to raise 1.2 million through the exposure on his show in a matter of days. This made it possible to hold 2 separate clinics. And people are still contributing…
Bill, you just made yourself look as petty and small as the Repubs and ConservaDems who care more about their own political careers then the millions of people out there who are suffering without adequate health care. Dems/Progressives/Independents of good conscience need to remember this fact during subsequent elections. You’re not even in office right now, but still putting your own political standing above the welfare of the American public. You should be ashamed. You and the rest of the reps in Congress who HAVE HEALTH CARE should hang your heads in shame.
Yo, Bill. Who do you think paid for these events??? It was us, Countdown Viewers. You dumbass. Like it or not, Health Care is political right now. You have Rethugs against it and Dems for it. Just because you blew it 15 years ago, again Obama has to clean up messes from previous Presidents. You and Bush.
constant reader says: Wow! I thought anything passed by Congress is inherently political. If people like KO weren’t doing something, who would? Think we all need to ignore the folks who are not helping and double down in our support of those who, in fact, get it!
ChrisNH says: Has ANYONE ever seen Olbermann smile? What a cross to bear to be married to such a perpetually enraged media hack like that, so my heart goes out to ‘Mrs. Olbermann I, II, III’ or however many there have been. I guess when the political landscape of your dreams turns out to be a pile of dung instead, you end up like Keith Olbermann.
sunizup says: Chris, I have seen Olbermann smile on almost every show he does… The clip above is from a special segment he did because health care is a serious problem for millions of Americans which accounts for his serious and passionate plea. And I find it hilarious that anyone could complain about him being a “perpetually enraged media hack” when there are such raging buffoons as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill-O, and Pat Buchanan on the air every single day who do nothing but try to spread lies, hatred, and misinformation continuously… At least, Olbermann is doing something to help people. You might not like his style or his message – but criticizing his personal life just seems petty and stupid given the enormity of the problems this country is facing and the fact that this segment led to 2 free health clinics being held for thousands of Americans…
Sunnyr says: Responding to a post about Slick Willie Bubba AND Keith Overbite in the same article makes me want to take TWO hot showers! They both give me the creeps.
Pat Doherty says: I love how Mediaite covers Keith Olbermann as if he’s relevant.
m says: Bill Clinton did the right decision. He doesn’t want to align himself politically, so he’s can do that in my opinion.
>Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill-O, and Pat Buchanan on the air every single day who do nothing but try to spread lies, hatred, and misinformation continuously
Limbaugh gave a guy who called in and asked for help with health insurance a free massage. Talk about being petty and just down-right evil! Completely oblivious and distant from real life. Limbaugh is a millionaire several times over – so he whores out a massage courtesy in favor of a sponsor when a caller calls in desperate for help with his life? I feel sad for all the Limbaugh listeners who cheer Republicans and the conservative cause even if its against their own self-interest.
OxyCon says: Keith Obamamann, MessNBC and Firedoglake all shat all over the Clintons. They treated them worse then the right wingers ever did. So I’m glad President Clinton will not be showing up at any rotten Olbermann event and I wish he told the Firedoglake creep to go to hell.
owlpellets says: Last I looked, it’s none of your business regarding what someone else does, or doesn’t do with their own money. On another note, does anyone find it odd that we never see Madcow and Olbie on camera at the same time? I still think that they are the same guy.
shootfromthehip says: Hey OxyCon, are you on Oxycontin? The event was not a “Olbermann event.” It was an official National Association of Free Clinics event. The group is the only nonprofit and non partisan 501(c)(3)
organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of more
than 1,200 free clinics and the people they serve in the United States.
The NAFC is an advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their
volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists,
nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, as well
as the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation.
They would have done this event in Arkansas with or without KO getting behind it. But Keith puts his money where his mouth is. And he asked his viewers to do the same. End of story.
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