Olbermann drops the ball on skinheads in the armed forces.

Worst. Segment. Ever!

Keith Olbermann (whom I adore) blew it completely tonight. His #2 segment on Countdown (MSNBC) was about the Southern Poverty Law Center ([http://www.splcenter.org SPLC]) report on the increase in skinheads/white supremecists/neo-nazis being accepted into the US armed forces.

Given how much I like an Olbermann slap-down, I was soooo looking forward to this segment.

Total. Snooze.

More below...

I couldn't believe it--I'm still shaking my head.

1. No quotes from the SPLC report (and Keith is great at doing quotes).

2. No representative from the SPLC or any other advocate for the report.

3. The only talking head was a retired Army Colonel whose main point was something like "back in my day, we had a lot of nincompoops" (and while that was a paraphrase, he most definitely DID use the word 'nincompoops').

4. No reference whatsoever to the documentation contained in the report, including the instances where Base Commanders have been given evidence of white supremicist and neo-nazi involvement by active duty personnel.

5. No mention of the Navy SEAL who posted his own photograph taken at a neo-nazi rally (remember--they're trained in demolitions--that's EXPLOSIVES!).

6. The Colonel dismissed Timothy McVeigh's military service as "not relevant" because he didn't learn how to make that kind of bomb in the military, nevermind that the relevant point was that he met his co-conspirators while he was serving.

7. No reference to the cover letter from SPLC to Secretary Rumsfeld.

I'm absolutely stunned. This was the worst case of "he said/she said" I've ever seen on Olbermann. I don't really know what we need to do as a next step. Maybe other Kossians with more experience and political savvy can offer some suggestions. I'm sure support for the SPLC would be good.

Beyond this, I hope that other institutional stakeholders will weigh in. I haven't had a chance to check the websites for NAACP, Anti-Defamation League, or Human Rights Campaign, but I hope they are engaged.

This report needs to get wide exposure. Olbermann asked the question, "is the Army training the terrorists of tomorrow?" and then basically let this retired bird colonel shoot it down.

Allons y--to the barricades!

•  Tip jar.

  I'm still shaking my head. Oh Keith, tell me it ain't so.

  by homogenius on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 06:57:21 PM PDT

  •  Don't be too hard on 'em.

    Nobody hits it outta da park every night! And, after Monday night's grand slam with John Dean, Keith deserves a pass, I think.

    Listen, Olberman consistently shines a lone beacon into the dark, slimy recesses of this administration's diabolical mindset. With this 'skinheads in the military' issue, he at least raised the subject -- thereby keeping it on the choir's (our) radar screen.

    I'm just thankful ol' Keith's still on the air every night. Sure, I get pissed off every time he does those tabloid tattlers (you know, the ones that he insists his producers make him cover? wink, wink) But, when he gets his teeth into a juicy exposé into some of BushCo's fascist follies... all is forgiven.

    Come'on admit it...

    OLBERMAN ROCKS!!

    by markthshark on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 10:48:12 PM PDT

•  'This retired bird colonel' was

  a MEDAL OF HONOR recipient.

  by MTmofo on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:00:49 PM PDT

  •  Yes he was.

    But his comments stand on their own merits, not on the quality of his service to his country. Similarly, his service, including the actions that resulted in his Medal of Honor, stand on their own.

    The term, "Bird Colonel", is not a pejorative and was not intended that way. But the facts that he was a retired Colonel and a Medal of Honor recipient do not entitle him to a free ride. His comments stand (or fall) on their own.

    by homogenius on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:10:15 PM PDT

    •  Fair enough. I can agree with you

      that the piece could have been done better.  I think that the piece served a good purpose.  I think the point the Colonel made about (some numerical concept involving 1.5 million members) is right and will prove to be part of a self-correcting mechanism (call it peer pressure).  (see my remarks further down)

      by MTmofo on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:17:33 PM PDT

•  It couldn't have been worse - I hope -

  than Tucker Carlson yesterday.  He badgered a representative of the SPLC with arguements like, basically this is so yesterday and launched into the Muslim extremists that are in the military and accused the guy of dissing the military.  The rep reasonably said no he was not accusing the military of anything but tried to explain that the pressure on recruiting is resulting in some bad results.  When asked for examples he gave examples but he was still treated like he was unpatriotic and military bashing, which he wasn't.  I'll watch the late KO show, thanks for the heads up.  Obviously, this issue is going to be hard to get on the legitimate radar.

  by astoundedstill on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:03:49 PM PDT

  •  Sure sounds like it will be hard.

    I thought this would get more traction. I was apalled at what was contained in the report. Thanks for the info on Tucker--I couldn't have stomached it.

    by homogenius on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:11:48 PM PDT

  •  Carlson was pathetic yesterday

    trying to make this into only a military-bashing exercise. It seems that this is turning into a 'what, you don't like the troops? are you unamerican?" sort of reporting nonsense. I'll have to see Olberman tonight at midnight...

    by jeffinalabama on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:55:17 PM PDT

•  I wanted to get that out first because

  I knew it would take me a bit to type out the rest.  There has been much discussion here lately about this situation.  Many former military folks here have talked about members of the armed forces who came in as a "wannabe" and turned out to be a great comrade in arms.  Or at least, a much more tolerable and tolerant comrade in arms.

  I served 76-82 in USAF as a Hebrew linguist, Combat Crew.  Me, a hick from the sticks speaking Hebrew.  And actually interacting with people of other races.  There were TWO black families in my town, 12 people total and some remnants of the Chinese railraod families.  So I went in a bit naive except for what I saw on the TV back then.  I assimilated fine.  Some did not.  I had more problems with city folk  and their attitudes (regardless of race) than anything.

  Throughout my time in service, (and I can't remember what it was called then) we had mandatory attendance seminars to address interpersonal relationship issues.  And if it didn't take and you still caused probs, you got some individual attention with a counselor.

  These skinheads, etc going in will find out that they aren't as badass or brilliant as they think they are.  They will learn, assimilate and cooperate: or get booted the fuck out.

  by MTmofo on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:12:08 PM PDT

  •  That's nice when it comes out that way.

    But the point is, the services, base commanders, and individual recruiters are ignoring DoD policy.

    His take on the overall numbers and the relatively small numbers of "bad apples" is irrelevant. The notion that they would be redeemed from the dark side is a nice fairy tale, but I have zero confidence that the services under this administration are up to the task.

    The SPLC report details how base commanders are ignoring evidence of active duty personnel participating in hate groups, including posting on web sites and participating in rallys.

    It gives examples of recruiters violating current regs, including a recruiter taking a prospect home so the recruiter's wife could put make-up over his racist tattoos.

    I don't want this guys being trained in military discipline, ordinance, firearms, or demolitions. I know how pathetically the implementation of Don't Ask has gone. Yes, military service has exposed many American young people to a diversity of ideals and helped to improve their lives in many ways. But it is not the place for these extreme anti-social types, and it is against DoD regulations.

    by homogenius on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 07:28:21 PM PDT

    •  The military system will contend with bad apples,

      be they skinheads or other reprobates, including recuiters.

      Recruiting postions are some of the cushiest to be had.  They are also not much different than any other salesman's job.  The pressure to make your numbers is probably worse than in the free market.  There have been eruptions of scandal in military recruitment from time to time over the past 20 years.  An example, that is not relative, is the autistic kid in Oregon about a month ago.  I could go research examples for ya, but as a computer Luddite, I thought I would try to respond today.

      There have also been earlier incidences of off-duty abberant behavior being squashed, both foreign and domestic.  Like sleeper trolls here, eventually they show their true adgenda and are summarily dealt with.

      As the Colonel said, they can get all the info they need from on-line research.  The training they receive, at least initially, is no more or less than what can be acquired outside of the military training construct.

      The SPLC is not a lightweight to be ignored here.  The powers that be will listen, react, and adjust.  And like the old saying about turning an aircraft carrier on a dime.  That doesn't happen, but the carrier will turn.

      Even under this misadministration the DoD regs will be enforced.  All will not be necessarily right in the world, but it will be addressed by the folks in service that care more about their branch of service than they do the craven desires of the reeking heads currently in control.

      Peace.

      by MTmofo on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 08:09:33 PM PDT

•  Nice Recap

  on the segement Keith did on this topic.

  I also really like Olberman but this was definitely not one of his better moments.

  I knew it was going to be bad when his military expert, retired Army Colonel, Jack Jacobs, referred to the "Law of Large Numbers" early on as a way of dismissing the importance of the issue.  It did not not appear that Jacobs had done much, if any, research on the topic before appearing on the show.  Jacobs concluded his spot by giving us this gem: "when I was in the Army I had smart soldiers and dumb soldiers, and smart is better".  

  by Norm DePlume on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 09:25:55 PM PDT

•  If you really 'adore' Keith

  spell his name right--at least in the title:

  Olberman --> Olbermann

  by Rita in DC on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 09:38:17 PM PDT

  •  My bad.

    And I'm usually the grammar gestapo.

    by homogenius on Tue Jul 11, 2006 at 10:06:02 PM PDT