This was indeed moving.

Many of us have been through similar situations in which a loved one is, in essence, tortured by well-meaning health professionals, who seem not to realize that medicine merely prolonging a life of pain, a life robbed of dignity, is not necessarily a blessing. This recognition that comfort and dignity have a place in quality of life and in medical protocol seems to finally be taking hold. I feared that the self-serving “Death Panel” lie of the summer might halt this progression, but we seem to a far smarter and more compassionate people than our choice of leaders and spokespersons might tend to indicate.

I do pray for Keith, his father and other similarly situated, that God hold them closely and that they be delivered from their distress in accordance with God’s will and plan, not our own desires and certainly not our own protocols. Of course, the corollary is that we discern God’s will and not assume our desires are God’s will. That’s not easy. I sense that struggle in Keith and his father and thousands in our nation, at this very moment. One of the keys to discernment is to disregard the Death Panel liars and the Kevorkianesque sorts who rush into all of this. They are clatter which draw us from the work of discernment and from God.

Lastly, I would urge Keith to “listen” to his father. He knows far better than you, and certainly far better than the medical professionals, when he is right with God. When you know that your father and God are one on this, you simply need to tell your father, “It’s alright.” When that happens, the struggle ends, and a time of peace is at hand. It is a truly blessed time.

Whatever misgivings I might have about Olbermann, his style, his show, this commentary was truly a gift to all of us.

Keith “is obviously exposing something deeply personal…”, and right before the health conference today.

This is pathetic! Keith Olbermann is drama queen! Why should I believe him now when he is hysterical every night? Besides, anyone with a sense of dignity would have kept something this intensely personal and private to himself or his immediate family.

And yes Keith, please listen to your father. It will save us a chunk on medical costs.

Your callousness is terribly disappointing, Azarkhan. Despite our ideological and political differences, I always had a higher regard for you than I do at this moment.

Keith is obviously stressed out while struggling through these very difficult times. Like you RRK, I can empathize, having been there done that.

However, Keith did “lower himself” and go “cheap” during his commentary. Using his very personal story to “damn you to hell”, calling others “feinds”, “subhumans”, etc., clearly lessens his “riviting” commentary.

I hope Keith finds peace soon but in the meantime, he needs to take some time off.

KO said…
What is this country for, if not to take care of its people.

It is true this country’s health care system needs changing. However when half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half ( through government aid) is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.

I don’t disagree with you, TfT.

TFT says,

Well said TFT.

Azarkhan said..
And yes Keith, please listen to your father. It will save us a chunk on medical costs.

Medical cost aside, there is a time when we need to let the elderly die in comfort and dignity. There is a time when we need to just say good bye and stop keeping them alive with extra ordinary means.

But is not the word “fiend” at least somewhat appropriate? By definition fiend is:
1. an evil spirit; demon; devil
2. a person who is extremely wicked, esp in being very cruel or brutal
3. Informal
a. a person who is intensely interested in or fond of something a fresh-air fiend he is a fiend for cards
b. an addict a drug fiend
4. (Informal) a mischievous or spiteful person, esp a child

One could argue that those who are willfully misleading people about health care on either side are being at the very least mischievous, those like Lieberman have been that way and I would argue spiteful (for not getting VP nod and whatnot) and that’s why they’ve been saying one thing and doing another. You could also argue that people profiting from denying health coverage for whatever reason are being rather cruel. You could also argue, in a few cases at least, that people willfully lying and misleading and using fear to try and kill reform are being evil (I would argue that the extremes on the other side are also evil in different ways). So by definition FIEND is fairly appropriate.

Also, I challenge anyone to not describe someone that would deny their father, mother, child, spouse or any other really close loved one what they needed to survive just because they want to make a profit, to describe them in a nice way. You probably can’t do it. Fiend would be one of the cleaner ways of describing those people. While I agree that Olbermann has been off the wall and way over the top lately, this to me was a really heartfelt moment and anyone that is too callous to see that….well to quote Olbermann “D@mn you to hell.” I’m one of those “I refuse to cry” type of guys, ffs I didn’t even cry at the end of Old Yeller, but this bit had some tears in my eyes. Real tears, not forced fake tears you see elsewhere.

Marigrace said “There is a time when we need to just say good bye and stop keeping them alive with extra ordinary means.”

I agree with this, but I think KO is doing that. Having his father sedated so he can be comfy and just work to fight off the infection instead of having to sit and worry while doing so is giving him some dignity. From the sounds of it, it would seem that his father is getting to that point now where it’ll be time to say goodbye (unfortunately) but I can’t fault KO for at least trying. He didn’t try to submit his father to more tests and operations, just tried to get him comfy and relaxed so that whatever may happen will happen.

…then again I’m only 30 and I already have talked with my wife and made it clear that I want everything tried possible up until the point where all it is doing is prolonging life and no longer helping improve it. At that point (and it will be in writing eventually) I just want to be drugged up so I can rest peacefully until the time comes.

I tend to judge peoples intentions by their previous behavior and actions. This hysterical self promoting jackass has proven on many occasions (usually nightly) that he has no real regard for anyone elses feelings or personal hardships and struggles lest they fit his own agenda. He’s been not only callous, but downright nasty, mean and vindictive in regards other peoples personal lives and problems.

I find it very easy to believe his heart is black as coal, he probably doesn’t give a flying fark about his fathers ultimate demise, and he’s using it to buttress his own pathetic attempt to be relevant.

My heart goes out to his dad (for a multitude of reasons) and hope he finds peace with his maker. His son, rightly so, is gonna burn in hell someday.

I’m just glad that Keith was finally able to explain this website. Bitter Dan Abrams who was fired for poor ratings and replaced with Rachel Maddow has been taking shots at MSNBC using this site and it’s writers to do so. At least I now know why I found this site so offensive. It’s by design.

Tim Z. Ank: I don’t believe you have any insight into what is going to happen when someone comes into our Lord’s Nearer Presence. I find your entire post arrogant and offensive. In fact, it borders on blasphemy.

faux, you have no right to call anyone arrogant. Close your pie-hole.

Well RRK, I have just as much insight as you now don’t I? You don’t think kids will pimp out their own parents to further their own agenda? What fantasy land do you live in?

Blasphemy? Give me a break. Does your Catholic faith profess there is in fact a hell?

Um…I watched Olbermann’s show last night and was not impressed…at all. Same show every night. Republicans suck. Dramatic camera angles. Pompous love of Olbermann by Olbermann. So his elderly dad is dying. Ok. Don’t see how that gives the man a pass to lie. The truth is that you have every right to discuss end of life issues w/ doctors when at an insurance covered appt already or while they’re being paid to be at the hospital already so the idea that a “death panel” or “life panel” is desperately needed is BS. The truth is that Medicare turns down people more than private insurance so the idea that getting government involved more would improve quality of coverage is also BS. No one has said that you shouldn’t discuss end of life issues but that it shouldn’t be mandatory. Since Medicare already denies more often than private insurance, Olbermann’s claim that the government would never say “no more treatment” is a blatant lie.

Anyway, I could go on but people are dug in on this issue and no minds are gonna change. If you find Olbermann either “gripping” or sincere then you and I are just too different to find much common ground. I say this as a right-winger who cannot stand Sean Hannity. And as a right-winger who misses the old Glenn Beck from 3+ years ago before he became the carnival barker he is today. But Olbermann is a whole different story. Someone who I hope is literally crazy to explain his idiocy and hate. The type of person that actually finds Olbermann in any way appealing is the type of person I like to stay far away from.

And before anyone says I’m cold and callous, my dad died in front of me a few years when he was Keith Olbermann’s age. There are 8 year-olds w/ no parents. I’ll save my prayers and sympathy for them. And for good and decent people everywhere. Luckily I’m not religious, or particularly moral, so I don’t have to love my neighbor like myself, or turn the other cheek, or BS in any way. Life sucks sometimes, death always sucks though some deaths are worse than others or way too early. Above all, Keith Olbermann sucks. Someone who uses a personal tragedy to promote his political views while trashing others is, in fact, exploitative. Deal with that reality.

Having said all that I wish the man a peaceful death. Even though we have him to blame for the POS his sperm created.

A few things surprised me about KO’s show last night.

1.) He was hurting and did what he always did by expressing that pain. He shared it with us because he thought the time was relevant. He did the same after the Prop 8 vote here in CA and has made a habit of doing so. What surprised me was how much just having the conversation with his father about “What TO DO” has given him some guidance and peace.
2.) I did not realize till KO brought it up last night that this website is “Run” by Dan Abrams. Yep the same one who was “Fired/quit” MSNBC. As such I must take everything said here with more than a grain of salt. I know I could not comment on former bosses I have had major disagreements with in a impartial manner. Just for the record you can find that date here. http://www.mediaite.com/about/
3.) The relevance of this issue is massive for our country at this time do to the discussion on health care. I’m a vet and am covered for some things by the VA. Even with that and our own insurance bills for basic stuff are still horrid. Without the VA we’d be in the hole big time. I wonder if we yanked the Congress and Senates health care coverage and made them pay for it themselves if action on healthcare would be more meaningful for all?

“And yes Keith, please listen to your father. It will save us a chunk on medical costs.”

This has to be one of the most heartless comments I have ever read.

“However when half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half ( through government aid) is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.”

Half the people???? When did unemployment reach 50%? Did I miss something???

“I’m just glad that Keith was finally able to explain this website. Bitter Dan Abrams who was fired for poor ratings and replaced with Rachel Maddow has been taking shots at MSNBC using this site and it’s writers to do so. At least I now know why I found this site so offensive. It’s by design.”

It is a shame. I really liked Dan Abrams when he was on MSNBC. Too bad he is now using this site to settle old scores.

I forgot the word AGO. My dad died a few years AGO. Meh…maybe Breitbart’s not so bad after all. Can’t possibly be worse than an Olbermann sycophant. Or they both suck which is a 3rd option.

Does your Catholic faith profess there is in fact a hell?

—

Most decidedly. Beyond a doubt. Of course, many of us believe that the God who created us, redeemed us and sanctifies us also loves us so much, even the worst sinners among us, including myself, that He or She has never been able to send anyone there. Of course, they may be in Purgatory a long time. [The last sentence is a joke.]

Unlike Bill Maher laughing at Cheney’s heart attack, I would never make light of Olbermann’s father being ill. But we can’t blame Olbermann’s rants on recent stress. He’s been melting down for a long time. And if Keith could ever take off his far left blinders, he’d realize that some complaints about the health care bill are legitimate. It’s always pointed out that England has national health care. Yes they do. And taxes are much higher there. You have to get a license just to own a TV. And gasoline is fifteen dollars a gallon. It’s sold by the liter so the shock isn’t quite so bad. No one wants to see people dying in the streets. But legitimate questions on how things are going to be paid for shouldn’t be met with the kind of insulting hatred that Keith deals out to anyone asking those questions.

I think she may be including those who choose not to have it and then they are part time workers, not to mention illegals.

JamesA1102 says:
February 25, 2010 at 11:02 am
“And yes Keith, please listen to your father. It will save us a chunk on medical costs.”

This has to be one of the most heartless comments I have ever read.

You may want to go back and re-read some of the comments from your pals roxsteady, adkins, same2u, etc…

Pot meet Kettle

James can only recognize hateful comments when they come from the right. Those from the left get a pass.

MichelleF says:
February 25, 2010 at 11:27 am

I think she may be including those who choose not to have it and then they are part time workers, not to mention illegals.

—

“Let Them Eat Cake,” hey Michelle? Well, perhaps this little fantasy you have shared makes it easier for you to sleep at night.

HEY!…Dan Abrams is an honorable man….

If any of you want to settle this we can step outside in the alley and….ummmmmmm….behave like the crazies we , the denizens of this place, really are….

Dan, is that you?

TRRK,
Your shots of my callousness aren’t going to work on me. I’m an extremely empathetic person, to the point that some THAT KNOW ME think I let other people problems affect me too much. I’m simply for personal responsibility. Perhaps you are projecting.

JamesA1102 says..
“Half the people???? When did unemployment reach 50%? Did I miss something???”

I wasn’t talking about unemployment, but about the overwelming amount of people who depend on government assistance in some way or another. Obama’s health care plan would expand that, whithout dealing with some of the serious problems in the system. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for giving someone a hand up, when they need it, but there is far too much government hand outs wasted on able bodied people. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

MSNBC would have been far wiser keeping Dan Abrams and sacking Maddow. Not only is he smarter and wiser, he is better looking.

.

“James can only recognize hateful comments when they come from the right. Those from the left get a pass.”

Since you’re doing such a good job of pointing them out, why should I interfere. And don’t you agree that is was a heartless comment?

I said as much in an above post. I would never act like Bill Maher and laugh at someone’s illness. Or Down’s Syndrome. Or any other affliction. I’m sure you blasted Maher real good for his heartlessness.

MichelleF says:
February 25, 2010 at 12:03 pm

TRRK,
Your shots of my callousness aren’t going to work on me. I’m an extremely empathetic person, to the point that some THAT KNOW ME think I let other people problems affect me too much. I’m simply for personal responsibility. Perhaps you are projecting.

—

I haven’t a doubt you are a person with a high sense of duty and personal responsibility. You’d probably make a fine neighbor. I tend to use “accountability” more often, but they are largely the same. In fact, this morning, I even made mention of so-called “tort reform” as a mere ruse to allow doctors, medical professionals and health care institutions be unaccountable. So, we are much on the same page. I simply think you under-estimate the gravity of the health care crisis upon us and show little sympathy for those already in the midst of it.

Sorry, I’m not buying into the “Keith deserves sympathy” crap. He is a natural exploiter and has proven it time and again. I hope his father isn’t suffering. Is Keith miserable? I couldn’t care less.

“I said as much in an above post. I would never act like Bill Maher and laugh at someone’s illness. Or Down’s Syndrome. Or any other affliction. I’m sure you blasted Maher real good for his heartlessness.”

Good for you. And I didn’t hear or read Maher’s comment but if what he said was as heartless he deserves to be criticized for it.

“MSNBC would have been far wiser keeping Dan Abrams and sacking Maddow. Not only is he smarter and wiser, he is better looking.”

Except that Maddow gets about twice the audience that Abrams ever did.

I wish the best for Olbermann’s father but feel bad that his son has shamelessly attempted to turn him into a talking point to boost his ratings. Pretty pathetic. Olbermann will regret this when he’s his father’s age.

For a micro second, while talking about his father, I thought Keith was a human being. Then he had to throw in a slam at Palin. Seems he can’t help it, no matter the situation.

I just posted this at TV Newser. We seem to be pretty much in agreement.

Grammie 2 minutes ago
My feelings for Mr Olbermann in his long hard illness are sadness for him and his family and hopes that the remaining time for him will be as peaceful and pain free as possible.

My husband and I took care (AT HOME) of his mother for 10 years, MY FATHER (at home) for seven years and my mother (AT HOME) for four years until his death and I alone for two years (AT HOME) until she died in my home at age 100.

Believe me I know all the demands and pain that comes with that situation and I genuinely feel for anyone else in the situation.

That said, I don’t use the particulars from all those hard painful years in a public setting to settle scores and make political points. KOKOKlown has brought this scorn upon himself and he SICKENS me.

Amen, Grammie. BTW, Friday night, 8 central, 9 eastern on the Bio channel. Jesse Jackson’s pal Jeff. Don’t look for any current interviews with Jeff. Last I heard, he’s considered so violent that he’s under a ‘no human contact’ order at the Colorado super max.

Thanks, Writer.

I don’t know how to Tivo but it’s not to early to set it up on the guide! I’ll do that now!

Ok, we’ll give Keith the benefit of the doubt that the timing was not related to him exploiting his father’s terrible situation, and of course we pray for peace for his father.

Note that Keith makes the above benefit of the doubt difficult and painful–look at how he characterises others when he disagrees with their ideology, attacking them viciously and personally rather than arguing the ideas–but his father is not the one to have the argument over.

That said, this does NOT in my mind lay to rest the discussions or concerns over government involvement in end of life decisions. I don’t believe it will be based on remaining productivity, but I don’t trust the government here. There is a difference between an individual choosing to end his own suffering, and the government making that recommendation on a fiscal basis. I can be for the former while being against the latter. And, despite the bashing, the risk of the latter is real, as evidenced in England. We wouldn’t trust an insurance company today to make that decision; what if that “insurance company” was a national monopoly capable of making laws?

So while I am sympathetic to the pain and suffering and even lack of choice of Keith’s father, I do not agree that it settles the underlying concern about government involvement in end of life decisions; rather, it proves that the government should NOT be involved in them.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Phil.

I’m afraid we live in an age when far too many don’t realize that the Bill of Rights is there to protect us from GOVERNMENT not individuals, the media or corporations..

Some polls I have seen show that a shockingly high number of us fear big business yet have complete trust and faith in government. Now that scares me more than anything!

People like Olbermann get an idea in their head, and that’s it. Then anyone questioning his decision is met with hatred and insults. Yes, England has national health care. They also have higher taxes and fifteen dollar a gallon gasoline. Everything has to be paid for somewhere, somehow. Just asking questions shouldn’t be met with insults. Keith hasn’t caught on to that concept.

tigerprez says: “Olbermann will regret this when he’s his father’s age.”

He’ll never make it that long, he has “suicide” written all over him. His career and his life will both end badly. Very badly.

I’m at a loss with this. It’s just beyond me to understand it.

My heart goes out to the elder Mr. Olbermann and to his son. It’s a tough time in their lives and it’s only natural that one would be as hesitant as could be to intrude upon that, even when it’s been offered up for examination like some Exhibit A in a court case.

And that’s what so puzzling. I can understand how someone might wish to share even this most intimately trying time in their lives (a seriously ailing child, spouse, or parent) if only to take a sense of comfort from the fact that we’re all together in this, that we all will face it sooner or later. I do see how one might wish the story to be told, even to, or maybe especially to, an audience of strangers.

What I don’t understand is why this isn’t the case at all really with Olbermann. Why the suffering of his father’s illness has not mellowed or given some calm sense of perspective to Keith, rather than to have heightened his sense of outrage? This sort of suffering might make people cynical about the existence of God or the ultimate reality of the world, but people don’t share these things in order to strike out at their fellow man, they share to feel closer.

How could he do this? How could he not feel some small sense of kinship with people who believe that human life is as important and as meaningful to society in suffering as much as any other time. How could this merely be one more thing to use against some entity called Sarah Palin or some anonymous protester?

Put aside the fact that he distorts what these people believe about end-of-life decisions, their worries that people worn down from devastating illness might feel that ending their lives and saving family…taxpayer… money… is not only what they CAN do, but what they SHOULD do.

Why is it, in the midst of this suffering, this poignancy, Keith Olbermann can’t possess even a glimmer of a fellow traveler’s mind. He can’t feel one of their fears.

Keith Olbermann hasn’t lost it. To get to this point, he’s been gone his entire life.

From the transcript:

“My father cannot speak for himself. He appointed me to do so for him.
I haven‘t the slightest doubt he wants me to say this tonight, right now.
He mouthed these words to me and I will now give them such voice as I have,
to you, going into that summit tomorrow: help, help, help, help.
Good night and good luck.”

As someone who watched a close relative go through about the same deal as Olby’s dad has, when the end came, I don’t remember her mouthing political talking points for me to yell out in the local town square.

I could really tee off on this creep right now but out of respect for his dad. My rant ends here.

God Speed Mister Olbermann.

Olbermann said several times that his father is not suffering from a terminal illness and with time can recover.

Olbermann also did bother to make it clear that no medical professional would empathize to the point where they stood by quietly and let a man refuse lifesaving treatment in a scenario where the elder Mr. Olbermann can get well.

So who wishes to dissuade the elder Mr. Olbermann from refusing treatment in this case? Sara Palin? No, his own DOCTORS.

Those people who are the most vehemently opposed to any medical assistance in dispatching terminally ill people into the great beyond, would have no trouble with the Misters Olbermann reaching out to their medical team for reassurance, compassion, and encouragement to not give up in what is a trying but ultimately hopeful ordeal.

That’s how much Olbermann has had to stretch his father’s circumstance in order to fit it into a scenario where Keith can rail against conservatives in a televised Special Comment.

I just wonder if when Olbermann’s father is well, if he will be able to see his story or any part of himself in this tale.

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