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Special Comment: Condi Goes Too Far

Posted: Monday, February 26, 2007 5:02 PM by Countdown

UPDATE...Full transcript and video here.

The following is a preview of Keith Olbermann's Special Comment tonight on the statements of Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. Tune in to hear the whole thing... Countdown tonight 8pm ET


On the Sunday Morning Interview Show of Broken-Record, on Fox, Dr. Condoleezza Rice spoke a paragraph, which if it had been included in a remedial history paper at the weakest high school in the nation, would've gotten the writer an "F" - maybe an expulsion.

If Congress were now to revise the Iraq authorization, she said, out loud, with an adult present, quote:
"…It would be like saying that after Adolf Hitler was overthrown, we needed to change then, the resolution that allowed the United States to do that, so that we could deal with creating a stable environment in Europe after he was overthrown."
The Secretary's resume reads that she has a Masters' Degree and a Ph.D in Political Science. The interviewer should have demanded to see it, on the spot.

Dr. Rice spoke 42 words. She may have made more mistakes in them, than did the President in his State of the Union Address in 2003.

There is, obviously, no mistaking Saddam Hussein for a human being, but nor is there any mistaking him for Adolf Hitler.

Invoking the German dictator who subjugated Europe; who tried to annihilate the Jews; who sought to overtake the World -- is not just in the poorest of taste, but in its hyperbole, it insults not merely the victims of the Third Reich, but those in this country who fought it. And, defeated it.

Saddam Hussein… was not Adolf Hitler.

And George W. Bush is not Franklin D. Roosevelt, nor Dwight D. Eisenhower.

He isn't even George H.W. Bush, who fought in that war.

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Comments

In reference to Rice's comments, one might remember that Nazi appeasers included IBM, with their many companies incorporated outside of Germany in order to continue to do business with Nazi Germany. Remember that IBM designed the means for locating Jews, by seemingly innocent census, and in fact designed and maintained the systems on site in various concentration camps that tracked prisoners. Remember those numbers on the arms of the prisoners? Thank IBM.
Read up, Ms. Rice. Marshall Plan. 1947
PLEASE keep challenging the administration. Don't let them off the hook. Our free press and media is the best defense against their lies and half-truths. You are a true Patriot by holding the administration’s feet to the fire and keeping them honest. Like roaches they don’t like it when the light reveals them. It is inspirational to see you and Chris Mathews not act like patsies or lap dogs (i.e. FNC), and truly go after and report the truth. I am sick and tired of the administration and their servants attempting to label anyone who questions them as un-patriotic. It’s our duty. This is not a monarchy; last I checked they work for us. Thank you.
THANK YOU for not allowing this kind of commentary to go uncriticized. I love you. You're like a ray of sunshine.
Sadly the entirety of Bush administration makes up stories whenever and where ever it fits in with their spin on history or facts without consequences. Trust and truth is not in the vocabulary of any of the Bush officials and it is amazing how their christian beliefs do not include the morals most of us learned at our Mother's knee.
Coming from the folks who invoke the H-word about Bush every two sentences, well, the hypocrisy is laughter-inducing.
Mr Olbermann's analysis of Sec'y Rice's freaky Fox falsehoods is brilliant. It's so easy to overturn this manure cart of an Administration with something as handy as, well, THE TRUTH. It's amazing to me that the other 100,000 US journalists don't or won't do it too. Not to mention that it looks like such great fun. "You can't keep the facts that support your prejudices and throw out the ones that destroy your theories" isn't only superbly written, it warrants inclusion in the Constitution and every Mission (Never Accomplished) Statement in the nation. Waytago, Keith. Encore!
Condoleeza Rice will probably go down in history as one of the worst Secretaries of State this nation ever had. She may be pretty but not viable. She cannot get a stalled conference on the Middle East started, probably because other member states realize her lack of veracity, volition, or both in gaining any viable process underway. She is simply a waste of time to deal with. Kissinger at least offered money on his famous shuttle diplomacy endeavors, but Rice offers very little. Rice offers so little with respect to engaing diplomacy other than discussing her vanities of Prada shopping. The off ice has been vacant ever since Colin POwell's service.
Thanks you Keith for exposing our horridly ill informed and plainly stupid "S of S". Rice dismissed the death of thousands in lebanon last summer as merely "the birth pangs of democracy". How could she utter this phrase while thousands of people and many children were dying. Now it turns out carpet bombs were used! She is a callous and completely incompetent secretary of state.
Thank you-thank you-thank you, you are the voice "crying in the wilderness". How fortunate we are to have someone like you to correct all the lies coming from Washington-we must survive this Administration and save the world.
As ususal, Keith, you get right to the point and right on target. Where are the other voices in this country and in particular, in Congress, calling this pathetic administration out and holding them accountable. Rice has always been a Bush lapdog and lacks any credibility. Is it any wonder why our foreign policy is a joke. It is time to remove our Liar in Chief and all his henchmen. Keith Olberman seems to be one of the few willing to say what needs to be said!!! Thanks Keith, keep up the great work!
I didn't watch Condi on the Fox News Channel Sunday. I'm aware of the title you give is probably more acurate. I used to be surprised by the rhetoric that the present whitehouse regime put out as gospel, now I'm just amazed at how many still believe in the lies. When you finished your comment last night concerning Condi's intervue the only comment that ran through my mind was " If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, Baffle them with Bull S***.
Keith, Like I always do I watched your show on Monday 2/26/07. About your comment on Condi Rice. From my perspective Dr. Rice was rewriting history to gain support for the President's policy. This is not the first time I have seen this administration use this strategy. Unfortunaly, rewriting history can be effective. Thank you for setting the facts of history straight, and thank you for allowing me to vent my frustration over this travesty. Keep up the good work.
The current administration has not only forced the Iraqi's into accepting help they did not solicit; but also forced our great country, armed forces, and citizens into a God-like position that we cannot feasibly uphold. I believe the lack of good judgment will ultimately leave this country vulnerable. Comments like the one Dr. Rice made reinforce that idea, and are further, sad examples of where American politics are melting to. Have our politician's such little dignity left, that they feel it necessary to unfairly compare to save themselves? Apparently, it has been suggested so by the good doctor (Dr. Rice).
Wow! So hard, so true! You know, one parallel I do find: Hitler was a failed artist and paperhanger before the putsch at Munich. The Weed we have for a failed president quite frankly did stock trades on barely legitimate (?) inside info (remember Harken Energy? People usually don't remember losers, individuals or corporations. The company, I believe, imploded shortly after the Weed's stock sale) and barely owned a baseball team before his questionable (remember Ann Richards?) business experience propelled him into the governorship of Texas ... and points beyond. Otherwise, Shrub is, quite frankly, unemployably worthless, even as a con artist we usually call salesmen. Never mind that he went to Bigwig U, otherwise known as Harvard Business School, for a suspect MBA ... after sequeing from an aborted career in the National Guard, which he used as a barely legitimate way to dodge the draft during Vietnam. Do you wonder why we heavily used the National Guard in Iraq? Really, do you wonder at all? As for me, not anymore. The real order of impeachment and removal, even after Cheney's close call, is still the VP first, then the Weed.
I am appalled at the ignorance and the "our way or the highway" attitude of this administration. Why do we as Americans tolerate such abuse of power and lack of intelligence. I suppose, I fear, but I pray not because your average voter out there does not care. You know, you would think that if the President and Ms. Rice were going to get us into so many messes around the world they would first spend some time with some intelligent diverse people learning about the cultural and religious differences around the world. And how different peoples will respond differently under similar circumstances. Anyone with some sense and intelligence would have known we were not going to be seen as liberators in Iraq. This administration's biggest mistake, was assuming without a hint of hesitation that the people in Iraq would live up to this administration's expectations, when it is a given that the expectations of others are most often different than ours. Especially those who live in different countries and with different cultures. And when they (Bush and Rice)finally realized this (if in fact they have) they have become aghast because the majority of Iraqis will not do as they want. And now that they have found out that the Iraq people are not going to do as they expected they act like toddlers throwing tantrums and threatening even more people because they won't do as they should. And what is their strategy on fighting terrorism? Not seeking cooperation from others but threatening them as Cheney pulled off yesterday in Pakistan. I'm surprised Musharraf didn't tell Cheney to kiss his rear. Hell, let's just keep threatening everyone. Because damn it they won't do as we say and want.
I read this, and I had to laugh. It was a reaction that couldn't be helped. Please, allow me to explain. At 32, I've returned to college to earn my degree in Education with an emphasis on History/Government. If ever there was a string of events that would give me ammunition to defend the need to teach history, this administration has provided it. "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." The current administration (full disclosure: I voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004...and fully admit I learned from that history too late) is rife with those who not only didn't learn from history, but who don't even KNOW it! I'm continually amazed and angered to see the unabashed arrogance and revisionist views the key members of this President's cabinet continue to exhibit. GHW senior didn't go to Baghdad for a very good reason, and son would have done well to learn from father. Sometimes...well, I should say it doesn't even shock me to see quotes and assertions such as this anymore. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury...but unfortunately, it signifies a great deal. It signifies an end to the white-hat image of the United States...an end to the "We'll stand up to anyone and stand up for the little guy" image we once carried. We are fast becoming the old soldier that never dies...We are Alexander, and soon we will weep as there will be no more [enemies] to conquer. Too poetic? Too mushy? Possibly, but ultimately true.
In Regards to the right wing radio wackos, Limbaugh and Hannity, I am sickened everytime I hear one of the callers to Hannity's show call him "A GREAT AMERICAN" And Limbaugh brag about his intelligence and ability to make the right call on everything. Keith Olbermann is a breath of fresh air. I PROPOSE Olbermann for president 2008. we could use a little purposeful humor, wit, and intelligence in the whitehouse, rather than the laughingstocks and lawbreakers we have in there now.
Well said. Looks like Keith's bachelor's degree is worth more than Rice's PhD.
Once again, you have hit the nail squarely on the head. Bush Jr. and his marching band have gone from "heroes" to "zeroes" in the last 4 years and it's all because of one word..."Truth". Whatever happened to speaking the truth? I voted for Bush, even though I didn't like him. I did so because he brought with him, a team that I trusted. While Iraq burned, he and his team fiddled. Colin Powell saw this coming and made his exit while he still had his honor. The rest of the team are so mired in manure, they will never smell any better, no matter where they go. Thanks again, for the brief history lesson. You are truly one of my heroes!
Keith, You are simply the best. I watch your show every night. You express so well what I believe about the liars in the White House. Bush is an idiot & Cheney is simply evil. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Mr. Olbermann, for helping us to "keep our heads when all about us are losing theirs". You give us hope that there are enough others like ourselves to still make a difference in this insane world. God bless you and keep you safe.
To Paul Lauer, Mankato, MN, ONE QUESTION: ARE YOU EMPLOYED BY FOX NOISE? This is absolutely the most horrid comment about a man who has defied our human nature to "shut up" after 9/11 and exposing Bush and his LYING SELF AND ADMINISTRATION TO THIS COUNTRY!! He knows his history, he is an honest and decent journalist, and he, sir, DOES NOT SPING THE NEWS TO FAVOR, AS DOES FOX NOISE!! You are either in denial about the state of affairs in this country, George W. Bush's TOTAL ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE, or just could care less that the "moral high ground" our forefathers fought for has been flushed down the toilet by this man we are forced to call president in just six years!! KEITH - THANK YOU OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!! GOOD LUCK TO YOU KETIH!!
Thanks to Keith for delivering the most entertaining special comment yet. The sad part of this is that Condi is intelligent enough to know that she is delivering pure spin designed to reassure the Faithful. It's sad to think that I grew up reading Orwell and now we're living it.
Since you are soooooo smart, you should get your little smart ass into politics so yuooo can save us allll!


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