On last night's 'Countdown,' Olbermann shows the limits of his supposed 'tolerance.'
MSNBC ‘Countdown’ host Keith Olbermann prides his show in the 8pm Eastern slot as the progressive alternative to Bill O’Reilly. The Factor host has all but abandoned the Democratic viewpoint on his show with Karl Rove and Dick Morris, both partisan McCain supporters as almost daily guests, with their own time slot on his show. But unlike fellow Democrats Chris Matthews and rising star Rachel Maddow, Olbermann has shown to be the Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity of the left. Void with facts and ripe with emotion, Olbermann’s bias makes it hard to take much of what he touts as news on his show with any seriousness.
Nevertheless, his influence over progressives is significant, which is why I feel the need to respond to his bashing of both Sarah Palin and evangelicals on Wednesday night’s show. In the final segment, Olbermann blasted Palin for her religious beliefs, while interviewing Chicago Tribune reporter Clarence Page. Let me be clear that in no way do I support the politics of Sarah Palin. But, I am in her same camp as a fellow American evangelical, and once again Olbermann showed last night why Evangelicals are hesitant to join the progressive bandwagon.
That is not to say that I do not respect the talents of Olbermann. He gained stardom in the world of sports, hosting alongside another brilliant talent, Dan Patrick, on The Big Show on ESPN. I applaud his magnificent switch from sports to politics as well. As a fellow journalist, I too have entered a time in my life, after having covered sports for the past 9 years since the age of 20, to my recent conversion to politics, media and current events as my primary source of coverage. But the pious personification that Olbermann projects daily cannot be ignored, and I feel the strong need to respond on behalf of my fellow evangelicals, Democrat and Republican, for the hit job Olbermann landed on us last night.
Before I go into detail about Olbermann’s antics, let me give a quick overview on just what evangelicalism is. We believe in the authority of scripture—i.e., “the Bible is true.” No, most of us do not believe that dinosaurs and humans co-existed. We have no qualms with the fact of evolution, or the need to reduce greenhouse gasses due to the ever-increasing threat of global warming. Those that do deny such things typically do so in the name of Republicanism, not evangelicalism. Remember, Jimmy Carter is one of our most prominent members. But, we do believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We believe salvation is attainable for all of mankind through Him. And we believe in the edict of Christ to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.
Unfortunately, Olbermann, an atheist who grew up in the Unitarian Church, has decided to paint us all with one brush. But, as believers in the sanctity of the scriptures, we also do believe in what some might think are crazy things. Many of us believe in a heavenly realm, where the supernatural is present and strong at work in our world today. And it’s that supernaturalism that Olbermann mocked not just Palin, or Palin’s African-American pastor, but all evangelicals. You see, Palin’s pastor prayed over her with “the laying on of hands,” a concept as simple as the description implies. We lay our hands on people when we pray for them.
Not for any super-secret supernatural benefit, but as a way of comfort as fellow members of the body of Christ. But, it was the subject of witchcraft that got Olbermann even higher on his holier-than-thou [if there were such thing as something as silly as “the holy”] pedestal.
Here is the transcript of the clip shown, as three pastors prayed for Sarah Palin. Pastor Thomas Moothey of the Wasilla Assemblies of God prayed this prayer: We are asking you as the body of Christ in this valley, make a way for Sarah even in the political arena. Make a way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus, and above all give her the personnel, give her men and women that will buck her up in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, every form of witchcraft is what we rebuke in the name of Jesus. Father, make a way now, in the name of Jesus.
Okay. So Palin’s pastor believes in the supernatural. Wow! Scandal! Shocker! An evangelical who believes that the supernatural exists. What’s crazy though is not so much that Olbermann, the East Coast, white, elitist from Cornell mocks the African pastor—but that he actually has the gall to paint Pastor Moothey as more extreme than Jeremiah Wright. Olbermann said, “this is stuff that makes you say, ‘you know, that Jeremiah Wright, he seems mainstream in comparison to people who are going out on anti-witch crusades.’”
What?! The Jeremiah Wright who believes that the government injected AIDS into the African-American community? The Jeremiah Wright who believes the US knew about the attack of Pearl Harbor before it happened? Or even the Jeremiah Wright who believes in the supernatural resurrection of Christ? Oops. Wait. Olbermann must have forgotten that Wright, too, believes in the supernatural. He believes in many of the same tenants of the faith that Palin’s pastor believes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wright also believes in the possibility of the supernatural power of witchcraft.
And this is why so many of my fellow Democrats continue to miss it. Religious Americans want to embrace a party that stands for the morals of Matthew 25, in caring for “the least of these.” But people like Olbermann, or Bill Maher, laugh not just at the notion of the supernatural, but at those who believe in such things. Like, say, Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden and yes, Barack Obama. And as long as someone like Olbermann remains a major mouthpiece for the Democratic Party, we (Democrats) will continue to lose out to Republicans because we (Evangelicals) do not feel welcome in a party that mocks the core of our beliefs.
So, continue on, Olbermann. Help drive up your negatives with evangelicals all the while Sean Hannity touts his Catholic faith in defense of lower taxes on the wealthiest 2%, or against health care for all people, regardless of income, sexual preference or race. Go on, Olbermann. As more people cling to Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh (as we “cling to religion.” You make the fight for us (evangelical Democrats) that much harder. But go on. We know it amuses you. You are all for tolerance, right? Except when it comes to the thing that could make the Democratic Party the truest party of complete inclusion.