Olbermann's most damning Special Comment destroys Giuliani with a searing indictment against fear

MSNBC: Republicans equal life; Democrats equal death?
Olbermann: Rudy Giuliani exploiting fear for power and personal gain

SPECIAL COMMENT, 4/25/07


VIDEO AND TRANSCRIPT AT THIS LINK: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18316770 /

*

From the transcript of a special comment about Rudolph Giuliani’s remarks at a Lincoln Day dinner in New Hampshire:

*

....Only in this America of the early 21st century could it be true that the man who was president during the worst attack on our nation and the man who was the mayor of the city in which that attack principally unfolded would not only be absolved of any and all blame for the unreadiness of their own governments, but, moreover, would thereafter be branded heroes of those attacks.

And now, that mayor — whose most profound municipal act in the wake of that nightmare was to suggest the postponement of the election to select his own successor — has gone even a step beyond these M.C. Escher constructions of history.

“If any Republican is elected president — and I think obviously I would be best at this — we will remain on offense and will anticipate what (the terrorists) will do and try to stop them before they do it.”

Insisting that the election of any Democrat would mean the country was “back ... on defense,” Mr. Giuliani continued: “But the question is how long will it take and how many casualties will we have. If we are on defense, we will have more losses and it will go on longer.”

He said this with no sense of irony, no sense of any personal shortcomings, no sense whatsoever.

And if you somehow missed what he was really saying, somehow didn’t hear the none-too-subtle subtext of “vote Democratic and die,” Mr. Giuliani then stripped away any barrier of courtesy, telling Roger Simon of politico.com:

“America will be safer with a Republican president.”...

HOW ... DARE ... YOU, SIR?...

***

“The Democrats do not understand the full nature and scope of the terrorist war against us,” Mr. Giuliani continued to the Rockingham County Lincoln Day Dinner last night. “Never, ever again will this country be on defense waiting for (terrorists) to attack us, if I have anything to say about it. And make no mistake, the Democrats want to put us back on defense.”

There is no room for this.

This is terrorism itself, dressed up as counter-terrorism....

No Democrat has said words like these. None has ever campaigned on the Republicans’ flat-footedness of Sept. 11, 2001. None has the requisite, irresponsible, all-consuming ambition. None is willing to say “I accuse,” rather than recognize that, to some degree, all of us share responsibility for our collective stupor.

And if it is somehow insufficient, that this is morally, spiritually, and politically wrong, to screech as Mr. Giuliani has screeched, there is also this: that gaping hole in Mr. Giuliani’s argument of “Republicans equal life; Democrats equal death.”

Not only have the Republicans not lived up to their babbling on this subject, but last fall the electorate CALLED THEM ON IT.

As doubtless they would call you on it, Mr. Giuliani.

Repeat — go beyond — Mr. Bush’s rhetorical calamities of 2006.

Call attention to the casualties on your watch, and your long, waking slumber in the years between the two attacks on the World Trade Center.

Become the candidate who runs on the Vote-For-Me-Or-Die platform.

Do a Joe McCarthy, a Lyndon Johnson, a Robespierre.

Only, if you choose so to do, do not come back surprised nor remorseful if the voters remind you that “terror” is not just a matter of “casualties.” It is, just as surely, a matter of the promulgation of fear.

Claim a difference between the parties on the voters’ chances of survival — AND YOU DO BIN LADEN'S WORK FOR HIM.

And we — Democrats and Republicans alike, and every variation in between — WE AMERICANS! — ARE SICK TO DEATH OF YOU AND THE OTHER TERROR-MONGERERS TRYING TO FRIGHTEN US INTO SUBMISSION, INTO THE SURRENDER OF OUR RIGHTS AND OUR REASON, INTO THIS BETRAYAL OF THAT FOR WHICH THIS COUNTRY HAS ALWAYS STOOD.

Franklin Roosevelt’s words ring true again tonight.

And, clarified and amplified, they are just as current now as they were when first he spoke them, 74 years ago.

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself” — and those who would exploit our fear, for power and for their own personal, selfish, cynical, gain.

Good night, and good luck.

a really great special comment. Since DU was down I watched the rerun to hear it again. He did a job on the Ghoul.

So who in their right mind would campaign on a bad record, eh ?

I will gladly K&R this.

And I'm glad they stopped doing the different camera angle thing.

This was the first Special Comment ever aired from 30 Rock, where at present Keith has only a tiny studio with one camera with which to do the show. Multiple camera angles aren't possible there.

Not sure why he chose to do last night's show from 30 Rock rather than Secaucus, unless he's just behind getting ready for the trip to South Carolina for the debate because he's been sick, and found it easier to do last night's show from closer to home.

But I sure thought it was more compelling to see him the whole time than that whole "look over here" camera thing they'd done on the other comments.

BE SCARED AND GIVE US ALL YOUR LIBERTIES, WE'LL KEEP YOU NICE AND SAFE!

Like hell they will....just like they did in 2001? No thanks.

pissed tonight and rightfully so.

The hairs on my arm stood up as he read his comments.

how we feel when we start hearing our convictions being mirrored back after such a long time?

Kudos to KO...as always...he nailed Rudy the Opportunist in one of his most hypocritical moments. Olbermann, like most New Yorkers, know Rudy's true colors and hate him exploiting 9/11...when he did so little in preparation for that disaster and then his attempt to subvert the elections immediately thereafter. Any good feeling any New Yorker had for Rudy has long since run its course...so much so we don't hear polls where he'd be beating either Hillary or Barak in his home state. Rudy's 15 minutes have long since faded...he just is too arrogant to realize it. The voters will have to deliver that message.

But that makes no matter to Tweety...who has been all but running Rudy's on-air campaign for the past 6 months...while, in the same breath trashing "Hillary" (as if they're on a first name basis). It's almost psychopathic. It'll be fun to see the Repugnican debate with Tweety moderating and who gets the hardballs and who get the soft ones.

tried. It took good police workd and some luck, but they are sitting behind bars for the rest of their lives. Under Clinton's watch, McVeigh and his cohorts were caught. Now I'm not saying that Clinton captured these people, but his watch proved fruitful in these endeavors.

Under bush's watch, the Saudi royal family left the states on 9-11, the only civilian flight after the attacks and not only is bin-Laden still out there, bush has stated he doesn't care where bin-Laden is or what he can do. All we've gotten under bush, is the closest thing to an imperial presidency this nation has ever seen...and an incredible amount ot Rights and Privledges that we have had for over 200 years, have been erased.

Guliani is full of crap...more of the same from him. Take the credit for all those who do the work, just ask the cops and the firefighters.

as KO rounds first base he raises a big middle finger to the liars out in right field, and touches home plate to a standing ovation.....

and you could really see KO's anger


even my apolitical husband said "daymn"

I'd like to see him do more interviews; he's got the balls to ask the hard questions and not let anyone off the hook, UNLIKE Tweety, despite his ridiculous ads stating same...