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MSNBC: Red-Faced Over Olbermann Lincoln Gaffe?

By Jeffrey Lord on 7.9.10 @ 12:26PM

Obeying President Obama's dictum that it's always educational to check in with what the other side is saying, I checked in with MSNBC's Countdown the other night.

Sure enough, there was Keith Olbermann himself barking up I will admit, interesting leftist views on issues A, B, or C. But what got my attention was, well, a bit of outright, easily verifiable factual untruth. If we were talking Joe Biden, the word would be gaffe.

It seems Keith, who has never had an easy time with women or blacks in authority if they have decided to take a stroll off the liberal plantation, has taken his usual disdain for conservative women and zeroed in on Nevada's GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle.

Fair enough. Angle is a Senate candidate and criticism from people like Olbermann comes with the turf.

But what came next was what amazed. If you will follow this link, nicely provided by our friends at Real Clear Politics, you will see the Big Guy launch into a side comment Angle made in response to a questioner on a local radio show. The questioner, clearly an Angle admirer, had believed her not capable of winning the Senate nomination and was now confessing his sin. To which Angle replies: "Well, you know, it's just like Abraham Lincoln. He lost quite a few but he won the big one…."

Olbermann, who delights in calling her Sharron "Obtuse" Angle " -- pounced.

And promptly shot himself in the foot. Both feet, actually.

Instantly picking up on the Lincoln reference, Olbermann could barely contain his glee at the notion of Angle as Lincoln.

"Just for the record do you how many elections Abraham Lincoln lost in his lifetime?" he asked, leering into the camera. With drama benefitting Gloria Swanson as the fading star in Sunset Boulevard, Olbermann holds up a solitary finger. Then goes on to say: "The Illinois state assembly in 1832. He prevailed in four elections for state assembly, one for Congress, two for president…. seven of eight he won."

Ouch. As if this wasn't embarrassing enough -- the blithely unknowing host ends by saying this, an allusion to the famous Lloyd Bentsen "I-knew-Jack-Kennedy and Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" line to Dan Quayle.

Said Keith:

"Sharron Angle, I knew Abraham Lincoln's won-loss record and you're no Abraham Lincoln."

Ouch. Ouch. And ouch again. You have to wonder -- was there a single MSNBC suit sliding under their desk at this point? Did they even know enough basic American history to know they might wish to consider the option? Was there anybody who had the guts to say to this barking fountain of factual error:

"No, Keith, you don't know Abraham Lincoln's won-loss record. Not even close."

For the record -- drum roll please -- Sharron Angle was 100% correct in saying Lincoln lost a "few" elections.

Here's Abraham Lincoln's actual score with elections.

He did indeed win four state assembly elections, and lose in 1832, just as Olbermann says. In fact, Abe ran 8th in a field of 13 candidates back there in 1832.

Alas for Keith, who apparently relies on some crackpot if unmentioned website as opposed to checking with, say, the works of Pulitzer Prize winning Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg, Ms. Angle has the goods:

Here's Lincoln's record with voters, per Sandburg:

1832 -- Lost his first race for the state assembly

1834 -- Won a seat in the state assembly

1836 -- Won re-election

1838 -- Won re-election

1840 -- Won re-election

1842 -- Lost a race for Congress to John Hardin (per biographer Sandburg. Lincoln actually came in behind a friend, Edward D. Baker -- losing his own Sangamon County delegates to Baker. Later, he would name one of his sons for Baker). Lincoln structures deal that Hardin, Baker and finally himself would each serve back-to-back single terms in Congress.

1846 -- Wins congressional seat, succeeding his friend Baker, who had succeeded Hardin. As per the Lincoln deal.

1854 -- Elected again to the Illinois legislature, but loses a race for the United States Senate to Lyman Trumbull. Writes to a friend: "I regret my defeat moderately, but I am not nervous about it." Mary Lincoln was so enraged at this loss that she never again spoke to Trumbull's wife Julia -- who had been a bridesmaid at Mary and Abe's wedding.

1856 -- Loses the vice-presidential nomination of the new Republican Party to William L. Dayton, a former U.S. Senator from New Jersey. Dayton received 259 votes to Lincoln's 115, becoming the running mate of John Charles Fremont. Hearing of his defeat, Lincoln laughs and says, "It must be some other Lincoln."

1858 -- Lincoln loses a race for the United States Senate to legendary rival Senator Stephen A. Douglas. In the course of the campaign, the two travel Illinois in what are known to history as the "Lincoln-Douglas" debates. The debates help make Lincoln -- and his pro-union, anti-slavery argument -- famous.

1860 and 1864 -- Elected and re-elected president.

In other words, Keith Olbermann was not only wrong but so wide of the truth and the facts as to give Bill Clinton on Monica a good reputation. Sharron Angle, on the other hand, was right. Making her remark 100 percent factually correct.

Lincoln ran 13 times, according to biographer Sandburg, not eight as Olbermann said with such assured smugness. Lincoln lost not once, as Mr. Drama Queen asserted, but, again according to the Pulitzer winning biographer, five times. Once for the state assembly, once for Congress, once for vice-president and twice for U.S. Senator. The latter Senate race famous to this day.

None of this would matter a hill of beans for the red-faces at MSNBC if they weren't pinning so much of their stuff to, say, mocking Glenn Beck for not knowing what he, Beck, is talking about. One understands network rivalries. Fox is beating the pants off MSNBC. Which is why Olbermann goes after Fox or Beck or O'Reilly or, on radio, Rush. If you can't get the ratings yourself tag on to those who can is the apparent strategy. Be that as it may -- or maybe especially be this as it may -- one would think the suits at MSNBC would be smart enough to know that such a flamboyantly obvious mistake about a basic fact of American history adds to the network's reputation for not simply being biased but just shamelessly not telling the truth and caring less about it.

Question: Is Keith Olbermann secretly on Sharron Angle and Glenn Beck's payroll? Come on. Really. How much does Roger Ailes pay him to do this stuff?

Ya just can't make it up.

Eric Cartman| 7.9.10 @ 12:39PM

That's what ya get when you learn history from an Ivy League agricultural college - should have went to Texas A & M. He would have learned a thing or two.

I R A Darth Aggie| 7.9.10 @ 7:26PM

Hey, now, what did we ever do to deserve Keef? ;-)

Eric Cartman| 7.11.10 @ 12:08PM

Actually, he doesn't deserve A&M ;-)

Lloyd Dobbs| 7.10.10 @ 7:55AM

Perhaps he should have "gone" (the correct
English) to any school which teaches properly.
It must not be Texas A & M.

Anal Retentive| 7.11.10 @ 12:12PM

I'll have to write that down on a 3 X 5 card and file it under "Usage and Grammar" then put it in my 3 X 5 box. Then dust the box and place it back in the upper right hand corner of my box file and lock that file and dust it then carefully put my box file in the box file safe and lock and dust that. Putz.

SoCon| 7.12.10 @ 4:52AM

LOL!

John W.| 7.12.10 @ 2:33PM

Have someone tell you the joke about the Southerner at an Ivy League school who asks "... where the library is at?" The punch line is applicable here.

Wally| 7.12.10 @ 7:30PM

Why don't you just tell us, John--the suspense is killing us!

Marco| 7.19.10 @ 9:37AM

Actually it was a sattelite branch as Ann Coulter so factually pointed. Hes no Ivy Leaguie grad. Another factoid he forgets to mention.

Flee| 7.9.10 @ 1:07PM

I have to suffer seeing his show in the gym as a captive audience. Luckily the sound is off but they have captions. He seems to spend most of his show talking about conservative hosts and their shows. When do liberals actually talk about the positives of their agenda rather than talking down the other side? Well, never since there are no positives. He is a sad excuse for a host.

kwayne| 7.9.10 @ 5:19PM

Perhaps you could get some barbells that say "Liar" on them and wave them around every time you hear some liberal spout nonsense at your gym -
Or I would recommend you start a petition and ask members to vote on which news they'd rather be presented with....
just sayin

Rick| 7.9.10 @ 6:56PM

By all means, push to have the channel changed from that garbage. If they won't do it, just become a little more vocal about what idiocy looks and sounds like.

Oldefarte| 7.9.10 @ 1:37PM

This FAG moron is a disgrace to the TV news commentating public. Its been reported that he once attempted a personal come on to Ann Coulter who instantaneously rejected him [and even alluded to his possibly donning a bad hairpiece in addition]. This Jewish momma-boy who tagged along with his now deceased mother to Yankee baseball games [attaired in little boy short pants no less] should be an embarrassment to MSNBC, but when considered with the likes of their other BULLDYKE and TINGLE UP THE LEG imbicilic hosts, should simply be termned THE SHIP OF FOOLS!!!!!!

WendyG| 7.9.10 @ 2:46PM

Olby is not Jewish. Can't pin that one on us!! ;)

Grzmlyk| 7.9.10 @ 3:17PM

I've heard he describes himself as a "universal unitarian," whatever that is. My guess is it's about on par with a "nothing nihilist."

His boorish behavior is the stuff of legend, and, back when he was the darling and MSNBC and rated a corner office suite, he was infamous for browbeating and bullying underlings and peers alike while living large.

In other words, the perfect hypocritical liberal, preaching love and compassion drivel through clenched teeth while foaming at the mouth and screaming at the top of his phlegmatic lungs about other people's conspicuous consumption even as he demanded to be treated like a deity behind closed doors.

I hope one day he just up and explodes on camera; maybe the crew should start wearing slickers so as not to be infected with his vitriolic bile.

The man is human debris - a bloated, fatuous, enraged nobody - and should be flushed down the toilet of popular culture without further delay.

Rick| 7.9.10 @ 7:01PM

Excellent, Grzmlyk. I would just say Olby is universally a unit, and probably a eunuch.

As I visualized his head exploding on camera, I couldn't help but think of what Gallagher and the ol' Sledge-o-Matic could do with him.

Sowell Disciple| 7.9.10 @ 11:23PM

It's depressing to see bigoted comments like those of Oldefarte. I'm hoping that this is just a troll planting obnoxious comments to discredit this fine conservative blog.

Wally| 7.9.10 @ 11:37PM

He's not a troll; he's a cranky, crotchedy Oldefart, Sowell Disciple, and he discredits himself with his obnoxious comments --not us or "this fine conservative blog."

He doesn't speak for me.

Oldefarte| 7.11.10 @ 1:06PM

Gee, Wally, maybe I do 'speak for you' by using the above wording? Please excuse my POLITICAL INCORRECTNESS, and next time I'll be sure to use the term HOMOSEXUAL instead [but of course, you folks consider that phrase to be discriminatory, racist, homophobic, gentrification, and other one-word arguments as well, right?]!!!!!!

Nick| 7.10.10 @ 6:58PM

I don't see what the problem with Oldefarte's comment is... the only part that could be described as "bigoted" is his use of the word "fag," but come on, don't tell me you've never thrown that one around when you're hanging out with your buddies. And sure he refers to Olbermann as Jewish, but not in any sort of context that justifies construing it as an anti-Semitic remark. So what's left -- calling Olbermann a "momma's boy?" Come on.

Wally| 7.10.10 @ 8:08PM

Yeah, hanging out with my million or so close "buddies" on the web. Do you really think it's cool to throw around epithets like fag and bulldyke in public?

What's the point? IMHO Oldefart's remarks are needlessly inflammatory. He hates Catholics, too, Nick. Remember?

Oldefarte| 7.11.10 @ 1:11PM

Gee DUMBA7S, you really got me with your 'hate Catholic' remark, did you? Guess the FACT that I was born, raised, and educated [including grade, high and college; that's 16 years total since you can't count] Catholic has no meaning for an imbicile such as yourself, right?????????

Wally| 7.12.10 @ 5:00AM

Sorry, Oldefarter, but no one hates Catholics more than bitter old ex-Catholics. But you knew that didn't you?
Did you learn to spew your ugly language toward others in Catholic schools? No, I didn't think so.
Shame on you.

Interesting that you call me an imbecile when you can't even spell the word correctly. Imbecile.

Nick| 7.13.10 @ 3:35PM

Wally,

The "Nick" from above is not me, Nick from Detroit.
Also, I always use the term "homo," as it really seems to irk them.

Oldefarte| 7.11.10 @ 1:21PM

No, dumba%s, it's not 'bigoted' to call a SPADE a SPADE; but it's known as THE TRUTH [even though much more grammatically correct English usage would be more proper]. Why is is with people like yourself that telling the truth becomes BIGOTED, RACISM, HOMOPHOBIC, GENTRIFICATION, DISCRIMINATORY, DISENFRANCHISEMENT,etc. Can't you and your ilk presnt more definative arguments for your political positions other than to pull out your ONE WORD BARNEY FRANK TYPE BULLETS? Oh, and FYI, I'm not [and never have been] ANTI Catholic, Jewish, homosexual or any other anti-thing. I do feel that homosexuals are morally corrupt in their chosen lifestyle, and simply should STAY INSIDE OF THE CLOSET!!!!!!

Wally| 7.12.10 @ 5:06AM

It's rude, dumbass--plain and simple! I'm sick and tired of bitter old farters like yourself spewing your bilious hatred for others and then hiding behind the "truth."

Just because you're old doesn't mean you have the right to be an A-hole! You're a sucky example for younger folks. What would your mother say?

Like I said before, "Shame on you!"

Lloyd.Dobbs| 7.10.10 @ 8:04AM

If Olberman were to be Jewish, I would count him blessed in heritage; however, what little of him I have observed, I see no such evidence in his "fruit", by which "ye shall know them
(who love the LORD)". (Matthew)

Ellis Wyatt| 7.9.10 @ 1:52PM

I'm sure the 3 viewers watching didn't know or care if Keith was making it up. Keith has become a cartoon of the fringe left and as of late become a cartoon of himself. Frankly, I am shocked he is still on the air. He should have stuck with sports.

JmsA| 7.10.10 @ 12:10AM

I believe at least two of those three leftists who were watching Keith regularly post here.

WhiteBikerTrash| 7.9.10 @ 2:17PM

What? Wait a minute!!
MSNBC is not the political comedy channel?
Wow, this changes everything!!

jo| 7.9.10 @ 2:34PM

Olbermann is a gutless coward and the biggest hack in the history of television.

r| 7.9.10 @ 3:04PM

According to Mr. Lord's facts, 8/13 = .62 x 100 gives Olberman a 62% grade, coincidently the same percentage of wins Lincoln had in the political sense. Lincoln lost 38% of the contests he entered, which is a few.

DW Pepper| 7.9.10 @ 4:10PM

Mr Obermann Is lucky to find his ass with both hands.. I have no doubt he feels Very Important in his own mind. But He really has no skills except to run his mouth and apply hair care products ...What can you expect from a Liberal? "all talk and no (positive) action .

Jim Woodward| 7.10.10 @ 11:05AM

DW,
That should be "with both hands and a flashlight,at high noon, on a bright sunny day"

ChrisF| 7.9.10 @ 5:50PM

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/lincoln.asp

Margie| 7.9.10 @ 6:02PM

Keith Olberman is in love with lies. What Leftist isn't? He is just as despicable as the whole lot of them, and he too will reap what he sows.

jomo2009| 7.9.10 @ 6:37PM

Keith's been that way ever since he smashed his head on a subway door going to Shea Stadium. He obviously was self-medicating again, which explains his his inability to drive a car or reliably disseminate facts.

SoCon| 7.9.10 @ 7:16PM

Oh, I see--that's WHAT happened to Overbite's face!

Alan| 7.9.10 @ 6:44PM

I would imagine that both of Olberman's viewers didn't know he was full of shite.

GarandFan| 7.9.10 @ 6:49PM

Keffums believes himself to be of the 'intellectual elite'. Most pompous asses do. Maybe when MSNBC finally tanks he can get a job as a servant at the White House along with Chrissy Matthews.

SoCon| 7.9.10 @ 7:13PM

Nah, Sarah won't let those two morons any where near the White House!

RJ| 7.9.10 @ 7:53PM

KO is going to say tonight that he was talking about popular elections so does that mean Angle was right because she DIDN'T specify popular elections? KO can't have it both ways

TomB| 7.9.10 @ 7:54PM

It seems from his twitter feed that he's going to try to weasel out of it tonight on his show by claiming Lincoln only lost one "popular" election.

Although that still doesn't seem to help him much.

comatus| 7.9.10 @ 8:47PM

Let's consider the possibility that she was not talking about elections, but the battles of the Civil War. This makes Old Cayuga look even worse.

PCC| 7.9.10 @ 8:49PM

Well, I pretty much agree with the previous remarks and sentiments, but I would just like to add that Glenn Beck seems to me to be a little bit of crackpot. Tedious, for sure.

Rio Grande| 7.9.10 @ 9:17PM

Oh, you're wrong; Beck is a courageous patriot and a visionary. It's obvious you've never listened to the man.

Several Supreme Court Justices watch Beck routinely; doubt if the frothing K. Dolbermann can make the same claim.

Susan| 7.9.10 @ 9:18PM

PCC, Glenn Beck has taught me more about our nation's history, then all my high school teachers put together. He has inspired me to read more historical novels about our founding fathers, etc. But it's evident by your posting, that you are very familiar with all things "tedious".

Missy| 7.9.10 @ 9:47PM

Right on, Susan! Glenn Beck is my hero.

What a good man he is--I wish we had more like him in our country.

Spicy Joker| 7.9.10 @ 10:11PM

This article is almost as nitpicky as Olbermann's snide commentary. American Spectator is better off ignoring Olbermann - just like everyone else seems to be doing.

JMS| 7.9.10 @ 11:14PM

You are wrong about Lincoln, and so is your source citation. See http://www.snopes.com/glurge/lincoln.asp

In addition - 'Lincoln only lost one direct election, his first, in 1832, at the age of twenty-three, when he finished eighth out of thirteen candidates in a contest for state legislator in Illinois (the top four vote-getters received election to office). Lincoln did famously “ lose” two U.S. senate contests (1855 and 1859) but elections for senator in those days were held in state legislatures and not by popular vote, so they represented party defeats more than personal setbacks. This view of Lincoln’s political career is not widely held. Many people believe Lincoln suffered all kinds of defeats. Yet when he wrote an autobiographical sketch for his presidential campaign December 20, 1859, he noted proudly that his defeat in 1832 was “the only time I ever have been beaten by the people.”'

Dr. Matthew Pinsker
Dickinson College

http://www.abrahamlincoln200.o.....areer.aspx

Jennie| 7.10.10 @ 12:29AM

Of course Olbermann was aware of this information, right? Of course.

JorgXMcKie| 7.10.10 @ 1:36AM

Oddly enough, there is more than one kind of election, even in the US, and neither Angle nor her admirer specified "popular" elections. Lincoln contested in 13 electoral contests, of which he won 8.

"It is the classic fallacy of our time that a moron run through a university and decorated with a Ph.D. will thereby cease to be a moron." H.L. Mencken

Kelly| 7.10.10 @ 2:30AM

The many Ph.D. morons on the Left prove it, too.

ThreatenedBySmartPeople| 7.29.10 @ 1:14PM

Yeah, what have smart people or technology ever done for me?!?! TV on!

Yosemeti Sam| 7.10.10 @ 12:45AM

LOL.

At the bottom of messMBC's totem pole of controversial hosts is - Olbermann.

He has found his proper place!

hstad| 7.10.10 @ 2:29PM

Dr. Pinsker, now we are parsing how an election is one? Lincoln lost 5 elections - what difference does it make how he lost them. You mean the Lincoln/Douglas debates where not the best news action of their day? Give back your PHD - what a worthless moron?

hstad| 7.10.10 @ 2:30PM

Sorry, meant to say 'won', not one! Damn keyboard!

Wade| 7.10.10 @ 3:44PM

Keyboards don't screw up, people do!

Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 7.10.10 @ 5:24PM

I own pipe wrenches with more intelligence & class than Krackpot Keef. This man serves no purpose in life other than to further numb the brains of his three (maybe) viewers & to display on air the utter foolishness of those on the far left. If a tree fell on MSLSD studios would anyone see or hear it? Almighty GOD blessed us all with a brain to think & reason with. It's downright criminal that some choose not to use it. Isn't that right Keef?
Q: How many leftists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One million. One to screw it in, & 999,999 to blame Bush for the failure of the previous bulb. Left = Wrong

JR| 7.10.10 @ 6:24PM

In America, you are free to choose. No matter whether its enslavement to the public trough or trusting in your own abilities to improve your own life and make our country a better place to live in.
In order for this to work, however, you must have learned the alternatives to your choices in order to pick the right ones. This, I'm afraid, is where the educational system has failed the country. When all you hear is how terrible our country is and capitalism and freedom is just wrong, wrong, wrong.... we are now reaping what we've sowed and Olbermann is sadly a poster child for this ignorance.

Becky| 7.10.10 @ 11:10PM

How can MSNBC possibly be embarrassed concerning the Lincoln gaffe made by Keith Olbermann? He makes a fool of himself whenever he opens his mouth. I have tried, just out of curiosity, to watch him. I have never made it past two minutes. He comes across as arrogant, and simply pushing "Obamaisms" . He honestly seems unable to grasp reality on issues. America is falling apart, and he is attacking Sharon Angle? When Obama seizes MSNBC and Keith is working for free, I may want to tune in to see how "perky" he is. Assuming Keith Olbermann has any knowledge of Lincoln's life or has respect for Abraham Lincoln, I doubt he would be working for MSNBC. The study of Lincoln would have to instill some love of country in an American patriot. Keith does not appear to have absorbed any love of country. He seems more focused on how to bring it down. I surmise, President Lincoln would not care what Keith Olbermann had to say about him; he would not have condoned such an arrogant attitude. He would be appalled at what is taking place. Olbermann, may also want to research our Founding Fathers, and tell us they would approve of what is happening to their beloved country. They stood for individual freedoms.. Americans will at some point stand up and say enough. I believe Lincoln would be the first to stand for Freedom...not Socialism. Hopefully, if anyone saw Olbermann trying to discredit Sharon Angle, it will be an incentive for Nevada voters to go and cast their VOTE for her. (At least the three viewers who were actually watching.) Information for Keith: George Washington had many set backs also. He never gave up. He never gave up the fight. He did not win all his battles. He won the war. Freedom always wins. It is a God given right.

Nate| 7.11.10 @ 5:20PM

Mr Lord:

I appreciate your fact-checking and was interested in the substance of your piece.

However, I'm not sure how interesting it is to debunk Keith Olbermann. He's not watched by many people and he's certainly not looked to as any kind of intellectual or spiritual leader on the left.

I think comparing Olbermann to Beck is fair. They both are a little unhinged; they're both silly; they're both NOT reporters; they're both people to whom "newsmakers" in DC will not generally speak off the record. In short, if you like them as entertainment, they're harmless. But if you look to them for news, you're a fool.

The difference though is that liberals just don't hold any of these entertainment types in the same regard as conservatives do Beck and Limbaugh. Funny as it may sound -- and there are, as in the case of the senator from Minnesota, exceptions -- we seem to have a better understanding of the difference between entertainment and politics than those who fall in with the party of Palin, Beck, and Limbaugh.

Joanie| 7.12.10 @ 5:12AM

Nate, you obviously DON'T know the difference between entertainment and politics because you liberal morons elected the incompetent Commie clown now residing in the White House. Now, that's a joke!

Talk about a freak show; unfortunately, we are living through the Obama nightmare. Now, if we can just SURVIVE it!!

bert| 7.11.10 @ 8:36PM

Nate please spare us your typical snide elitist left wing comments by a FOOLISH Leftist too brain dead to figure your what the Russian's called " useful idiots ". Your can't handle your left wing moronic world view can be attacked and smashed by Beck, Palin, and Rush. Because if you had your
way, they would be in prision for crimes against your precious want to be Soros Puppet Dictator .
Because you like all leftists can't defend your
radical failed ideas only force them on people against their will.

Lloyd| 7.13.10 @ 9:13PM

The other day, my sister was out running errands with her 5 teenagers in her 6 year old family mini-van when she pulled up behind a late model Escalade with the license plate "GLEN BCH". Now, even for L.A. , she considered this to be rather classless, and curious, pulled up alongside to get a look at the driver. The occupant in the driver's seat- you guessed it - our good friend Keith! Made her day.

The American Spectator

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