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You asked for it, you got it: On November 5, two days before the election, Keith Olbermann will be joining us on the FDL Book Salon to discuss his book The Worst Person in the World: And 202 Strong Contenders . You'll remember that after his Edward R. Murrow moment taking the wood to Donald Rumsfeld, we posted a link to his book on Amazon and asked people to buy it as a way of saying thanks. It subsequently moved from #19,000 on the sales ranking list to #4 and is currently sold out (and now requires 1 to 3 weeks for delivery).
Keith is a genuine hero who does a show of exceptional qualilty night in, night out and has given us all hope during the dark nights of cable news when it looked like all was lost. We'll start the discussion in Week One on October 29, and Keith will join us on November 5. Please show up and let him know how much you appreciate his clear voice and courage.
We've also got Arianna Huffington joining us this Sunday to chat about her book On Becoming Fearless.... in Love, Work, and Life, Sidney Blumenthal will be here on October 1 with his book How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime, and Andy Stern will stop by on October 15 to chat about A Country That Works. And if you're real good, Bill Sher of Liberal Oasis might just pop his head in and say hello with his new book, Wait! Don't Move To Canada!
We're having a lot of fun with our book discussions here on the Lake, but the best thing about it are the thoughtful commenters who take advantage of the opportunity to talk to the authors and offer up their observations. So please stop by and join us, the water is warm.
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YAY and YAY and thank you Jane!
GET OUT!!!!!
Fantastic! I’ve been emailing him with support letters lately.
Outstanding!
He’s about to replay his 9/11 speech and Jon Turley was just on rebuking the preznit and I am so excited and thankful.
Keith!
well, if there is a modern day hero, keith is it
I’ll do whatever I can to get here and trade
nicely done firedoglake
Jane, you rock so hard. Now, where to get the book?
KO on FDL . . . Life is Good!
Oh, man.
I’m gonna have to be SUPER snarky as a lead in!
Thanks, Jane.
Hope FDL has the bandwidth because it’s certainly going to get a lot of traffic on November 5th.
YEEHAWWWW!!!!
‘Fuck Ted Baxter…How many divisions does he have?’
;>)
meta @ 6
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...../ref=nosim
Go Keith, Kobe too.
WOW! that is fantastic. I hope he sticks around to answer questions and comment. John Dean’s participation was exceptional though we can’t expect to many authors to do what he did.
Olbermann, Arianna, Dean, Blumenthal! Takes the breath away! Who’s next? Jimmy Carter, Molly Ivins, Helen Thomas? The Extremely Large Dog?
Just got Keith’s book in the mail today - loving it so far!
Holy cow! That is so cool. Thanks Jane!
It doesn’t get much better than this booking, Jane. Fantastic!
Oklahoma kiddo @ 15
Clifford?
Be still my beating heart
;>)
lmao @ watertiger
This is so kewl. ;~}
Ohgoodygoodygoodygoody!
…almost forgot, I’ll see you Sunday for Arianna. The book is wonderful.
Jane -
Thank you very much for this pleasant surprise!
Jane,
Try to catch PBS’ NOW tonight and you will see your beautiful face in it. It’s about blogs.
Oh, the servers will be off the hook. With Keith and the election, we will be locked up!
meta @
2
Double “GET OUT!!!!!”
Current ‘tags’ on his book at Amazon…
firedoglake (5), truth (2), hypocrite (1), liar (1)
Need some help here ; )
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...../ref=nosim
Olbermann and Now a couple of my top tivo shows.
When the TeeVee poll person asked what I usually watched…. the list was pretty small.
1. CSpan
2. Olbermann
3. Daily Show
4. Colbert Report
5. PBS
Nothing and never Fox either national or local.
Thank you Jane & Christy for giving us the opportunity to meet and chat with such hero’s.
Damn! I just realized that I’ve been asked to participate in the installation service of the minister who just began her ministry at a church I served as interim that afternoon. Service starts at 4. Then I was planning to drive to CT to pitch in for Lamont on the last 2 days (If I can get my current church to let me go for those 2 days, a Big IF).
Gotta figure out how to work this in to the mix.
Holy multi tasker! Rev Deb.
RevDeb @
30
I’m trying to master the infinite subtelties of the Palm Treo for just such occasions. Unfortunately I mostly just want to throw it against the wall.
EEEEEEEKKK!!!
[teenage girl screaming]
Keith!!!
This format of book reviews is like the best thing going on the web today. It surpasses Oprah’s book club or whatever that was, by a mile. I know I don’t post here much but I do read and I do read this blog everyday.Please keep them coming. I look forward to them like we use to look forward to watching “Leave it to Beaver” or other shows of our youth.
Thanks for not only doing a great job on the political activism front, but also doing a great job with this very professional blog you have going right now.
Eureka Springs, AR @ 31
Well, I had a DSL line and installed at that church while I was there. I set up the wireless myself so I may need to run off to the office and use it.
can I go ot please?
I know it’s a book salon thing, but he’s not here yet so I think it’s ok
has anyone noticed that as long as election day grows near gasoline prices go down?
I’m telling you, I notice a drop in prices whenever the president gets in trouble too
really, I think you can track this…president in trouble…prices go down…going smooth for a month or twi, prices go up
no kidding
anyway, prices are WAY down over a couple of weeks ago, why isn’t anyone assiciating this with the elections?
darkblack @ 11
DarkBlack, that is so funny. I love how you reworked that quote, just classic.
Don’t know how, but I’m gonna have to pony up the funds for the hardcover copy. Since I’m not a Regressive, I don’t have a ready made slush fund on hand. Maybe FDL could do a contest with the prize being the book? Just teasing. Even though it’s in the heart of football season, I’ll be there. Yes, I as a liberal like football, I can’t spend all my time reading Mao’s Little Red Book by the light of burning American flags, sometimes I have to watch football. :)
GO SEAHAWKS!
Raoul
Twisted Martini picking up from last thread,
Another consequence of torture is that it taints the whole legal process. A lot of the detainees probably can’t receive a fair trial simply because of the extent of governmental malfeasance. How do you try someone that you have held so long without charge and tortured? How does the court distinguish between evidence legally obtained and that which came as a result of torture, especially if there was no meticulous paper trail made, and do you really think these asshats took the time and energy to do that? Me either. I think this is why Bush is so interested in establishing his military commissions/kangaroo courts. Only a thoroughly defanged judicial process can cope with the taint that his policies of torture and suspension of habeas corpus have produced.
Jane,
No way I could go to a Treo. My life is haunted enough as it is by electronic devices. There has to be a limit somewhere!
DO catch NOW if you can, though. I think the capture of you was at the FDL caucus.
me to me @ 36
Price manipulation for political gain? Terror alerts just before an election? Nope, could never happen here.
Keith!!!!
KO now reprising the tour de force from last Monday. TUNE IN NOW.
Thanks for a great comment flatford39.
me to me - Especially considering Ohio and Missouri are the lowest in our land. Highly suspect to some blatent to me.
Just noticed..
Amazon doesn’t have WAIT Don’t Move to Canada listed.
Maybe Bush finally “jawboned” the oil companies into submission Me to Me, c’mon, don’t you believe in miracles. Hell, don’t you believe in AMERICA!
I have to go slice my typing fingers off now as reparation for such drivel. :)
Raoul
Don’t have to tune in, I saved it to my desktop so I can be inspired whenever I want. Nice job Jane.
I heard Keith on the Dan Patrick show today, and he was awfully self deprecating. Dan was giving him shit about saving the world. Somebody’s got to do it!
me to me,
We talk about gas prices all the time, Hugh has a detailed analysis every few days. Interesting how the largest drops in price recently are in states with close elections.
Nah, probably just my imagination.
RevDeb @ 39
NOW replays at 1:30 am EDT.
Raoul Duke @ 44
during the presidential race it was made clear the saudi’s promised to lower prices to help his chances
that reporting sort of stopped it from happening
nobody is reporting it this time but it definately looks like that’s what’s going on
My mom knew nothing about Keith before Monday. I made her watch the comment.
She’s besotted.
“bosotted
/goes to look up;
Make dull or stupid or muddle with drunkenness or infatuation
I think the horse is out of the barn as far as influencing the election is concerned. People are not going back to the Gambinos just because they can save a few quid at the pump.
Keith! Keith!
snoopy dance :) :)
Hey Jane, have you seen “New Clues in the Plame Mystery” by Robert Parry at Truthout.
me to me,
I have been commenting on this for a while. There is always a seasonal downturn in prices. Last year’s was both deep and suspicious post-Katrina. There was no election then. This year’s declines are even steeper and more suspicious than last year’s not because of their size but their rate. This is happening very fast, much faster than can be accounted for in what is admittedly a volatile market. I usually post gas/oil prices during the week. Today’s I believe is in the last thread.
op99 @ 47
Fortunately it is on several times over the next few days so I logged in to set my TIVO at home to capture it. Living in 2 different places half the week is a challenge. I’ll have to watch it when I get home next week. Being able to set TIVO from my laptop is a blessing!
flatford, please join us.
FYI, NOW airs in SF at 10pm tonight. Thanks, RevDeb.
Going fishing all. Don’t worry, I’m a catch and release type guy, especially considering the polluted lake I live by.
See you all latenight for the snarkosaurus. Peace out.
Raoul
Don’t mean to be a party-poop — but won’t a large part of the FDL community be heavily involved in GOTV activities on that Sunday, particularly with the post on DMTV? Might that be a day for a book salon hiatus, and bring Keith on the next weekend when we’ll all be recovered and back?
Hugh @ 54
did last year’s drops have anything to do with bush tapping the strategic reserves? i seem to recall that happening…
meta @ 56
You are very welcome! I saw snippits of it in between watching KO with Turley.
kirby @ 58
That sure would make my life easier! I’d second that motion.
watertiger @ 49
Oh man, water, you’re so lucky.
Jane,
So the thumbscrews must have did it eh? All I can say is Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. I am looking forward to this date. I will be sure to tune in.
I just finished watching his re-broadcast of the “Hole in the Ground” commentary. And once again I am left with goosebumps on my skin and tears in my eyes. He is a fine, honorable, and patriotic man and I am so glad you all got him to be a part of the FDL Book Salon.
flatford39 @
34
Thanks, flatford39. Please de-lurk more often.
I think Peter Dau’s triangle is starting to come together. Media, pols, blogs talking to one another and working together. Just think what we could accomplish if this became the way we did things normally.
meta @ 62
My mother is exceptionally cool.
A couple nights ago, Barnes and Noble still had some copies, Amazon sent me a notice that they were backordered, so I cancelled and went to B&N. I should have my copy next week. Olbermann rocks so hard it hurts.
We need MORE public figures of courage. But please, if you can tip your hat to Charles Barkley, formerly known as the Round Mound of Rebound,” for this qoute:
“I used to be a Republican until they lost their minds.”
Ol Charles is always good with a quip. ;)
p-rex
Tapping into the strategic reserve was atmospherics. What was interesting was that the oil companies use the argument that no new refineries have been built in this country in decades and that as a result refinery production capacity is always at 90% or more. Katrina knocked out several refineries which remained essentially out of service for months. Gas prices declined anyway not so much because production magically increased (because it couldn’t) but because Congress started talking about opening investigations into price gouging.
ko is the best.
i used to watch olbermann back in his espn days and i always enjoyed his dry wit. i’m really glad to see that he’s now on to more important topics and has a wider audience.
Oh, and Bill O was the worst person again tonight. Something about the clothing he tries to peddle on his web site with a quote about a shirt description including the words ” . . . cut and run . . . “
I got my copy of the book today and I am almost done with it. HA.
p-rex @ 70
Right ON!
“Deep, and I don’t think it’s playable.”
Hugh @ 69
Funny thing, there was an article in today’s Glob about the price of natural gas going down this winter and the utility company offering a “lock in” price if we opt in before Nov. Interesting timing!
Hurrah! Will order as soon as I get back to broadband! Came here tonight to post a thought and then will go back and read comments.
Listening to Bush’s presser this morning until the bile made me gag, I took his hysteria as the madness of King George because his insubordinate CIA was refusing to follow his torture orders so he was trying to get them rewritten. Now, listening to KO [the gold standard of commentators] and Turley, the new, darker motive of CYA for his own selfish, sorry butt emerges.
Which makes resonate even more strongly with me my immediate disdain for his conflation in response to the questioner before Gregory…no, Mr. President, it is not about the honor and decency of the American people [at least not until election day as the mask fully slips away from the mad despot’s face]. And he must be feeling desperation, because Chee-knee and Krewe have successfully put the onus squarely on The Decider. And the fall will be his. And history will harshly judge him.
For this is, at its core soul, about the honor and decency of George W. Bush.
Smallest. President. Ever.
Hugh @ 69
thanks, hugh, i seemed to also recall thinking it was a piece of political theatre. funny how the “talking about” didn’t result in actually doing anything.
but i could go on and on and on about that. and i really shouldn’t. ergh, i say. ergh.
hehehehe I love the Book Salon. :)
that’s what it has always been about, but it is to obtain cover for the entire cabal. This lawlessness occurred from the top down.
Jane promised Keith an exclusive TV interview with the Big Dog — I wonder when Olbermann will realize she means Kobe?
P.S. at 75
Somehow the words “honor and decency” just feel totally out of place in the same sentence as George W. Bush.
Yes, his emphatic snarls over the issue would totally make sense if he was mainly trying to cover his own sorry ass. God forbid he should ever be accountable for anything, let alone torture!
Very strange way with words has he; “You’re Looking Beautiful Today, Dave.”
Is history repeating or is this just what democracy sounds like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCaBCdJWOyM
Harry @ 81
Yep, that sure seemed odd. Inside joke? You know they are all just pals anyway, right?
Florida Mom @ 72
Mine shipped yesterday, tomorrow maybe. Whew!
RevDeb @ 83
are we going to start talking about weenies here?
As I mention elsewhere *cough*dependablerenegade*cough*, would this be classic?
1. Congress doesn’t pass the “Cover My Preznitial Ass By Retroactively Making My War Crimes NOT War Crimes” bill.
2. Republicans lose the House in November.
3. Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker.
4. Impeachment proceedings and international criminal charges are brought against Bush and Cheney.
5. Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker, becomes President.
(accompanying picture at my joint)
RevDeb @ 74
well, this is still ot, but it seems to be the unofficial off-topic topic: natural gas was really cheap for years, but it went up sharply about a decade ago(?) — when it did, the utility companies where i lived exercised their own “lock-in” price and continued to charge the high rates after the wholesale natural gas price went down. they wanted to milk it for as long as they could, i guess, and of course they had no competition in the area.
john casper: i think that dry wit was lost on some of the espn viewers. btw, who did he usually do his shows with — was it rich eisen?
woo hoo — KO on the Book Salon! Worth de-lurking for indeed.
Cozumel @
27
Hugh @
38
I think these guys have had the exclusionary rule in their sights for a very long time.
Congratulations on getting Keith, Jane&Christy. Looking forward to it, and to the others in the meantime.
LindyH @ 89
*ilson,
Are we going to start discussing Weenies? Do you mean the cocktail type or . . . ?
RevDeb #74,
I don’t really follow natural gas prices because I am mostly interested in the international political aspects of energy but I do know that natural gas on the futures market fell below $5/millionBTUs and that that was supposed to be a big deal. Bloomberg’s has an article on it:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....fer=energy
They seem to think that we are in a trough between natural gas used to power electrical generation for air conditioning and its use in winter heating. As a result inventories are currently high. For myself, I think you can flip a coin between whether it’s related to November 7 or the weather.
Wow! I’m a bit late, but wow! FDL Book Salon is just amazing!
Will people forgive me if I ask Keith if he has received the Spotlight emails people have sent thanking him? (Keith’s commentary on 9/11 is the second most Spotlighted topic so far. ABC’s PT911 is no 1)
RevDeb @ 83
And the look on his face after he made the comment, coupled with his snickering was both bizarre and condescending - just creepy
Did you catch his comment at the end of his rant? Something about it taking Gregory a long time to untangle himself and then a long time questioning his majesty with the same “stupid” question
Also - when Bush refers to good upstanding Americans not being able to “interrogate” terrorists without this bill - is he referring to Blackwater mercenaries?
Dan Patrick…it was the only reason to watch SportsCenter. Those guys were magic together, probably why Dan and Keith were reunited on Dan’s radio show once a week
Wow. The stars shine on FDL. A veritable cavalcade! And now KO. I mean, I ain’t gay or nothin’, but I’d bounce that ass.
Looks like the Bushies have found the political equivalent of New Coke: a week’s worth of dribbling by about Islamofascists, the mockumentary misfire, then finally the exploding cigar of the torture revolt. Clusterfuck presides over the whole thing, crouching, petulant, obstreperous. King Lear for the Springer crowd. The MSM courtiers do their bit and proclaim a bounce in the polls of a point or so, but the reviews are in, and it’s a stinker.
Cue the sarcastic slow-clapping.
Hugh,
So do you think locking in a set price for the winter would be worth it? Obviously it isn’t my line of expertise.
“What the American people have to unnnerstan…”
I will shoot my television the next time the Preznit says that.
p-rex @ 59
I believe he refused but I’m not sure
watertiger @ 99
It’s getting worse.
“It’s unacceptable to think that there’s any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective.”
watertiger @
99
Thank you verruh much!
RevDeb,
I don’t have the expertise to advise you. It comes down, I think, to the question of what they want to lock in compared to what you paid last year. And, of course, a lot depends on how severe the winter is.
*ilson46201 @
84
And all this time I thought you meant- “who’s minding the store?”
You asked for it, you got it: On November 5, two days before the election, Keith Olbermann will be joining us….
I am SO fucking impressed..
I am monstrously happy.
That’s Guy Faulkes Day.
It’s also my birthday.
Mr. Olbermann may have no idea what he is in for, so I’ll just get my inttial stuff out of the way>>>
{{{{{{APPLAUSE}}}}}}}, and much more applause sir.
could someone give me a link on who is responsible for treaties please?
I want to point out that the president doesn’t unilaterally define or disolve treaties
Valley Girl @ 104
Doesn’t it mean something about who’s doing the janitorial work at the store?
Rove’s terror strategy in shambles:
(snip)
“Seven weeks before the November elections, the dispute left Republicans fighting among themselves — rather than with Democrats — about national security issues that have been a winning theme for the GOP in past elections.
Responding to Bush, McCain rejected the president’s assertion that an alternative bill approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee dealing with the trial and interrogation of terror suspects would require the closure of the CIA’s detainee program.
(snip)
Democrats were eager to point out the GOP disarray.
“When conservative military men like John McCain, John Warner, Lindsey Graham and Colin Powell stand up to the president, it shows how wrong and isolated the White House is,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y. “These military men are telling the president that in the war on terror you need to be both strong and smart, and it is about time he heeded their admonitions.”
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said, “Instead of picking fights with Colin Powell, John McCain and other military experts, President Bush should change course, do what the American people expect, and finally give them the real security they deserve.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....pr_wh/bush
OT: The Guardian has this up on the meeting with Big Dog - and I’ve come across an interesting little tidbit about the DMCA that might just be a landmine on the Net Neutrality issue -
However, the minute they start intelligently discriminating one type of material from another, their situation becomes in doubt. They no longer meet the qualifications of “transitory communications” provider and now have no clear status under the DMCA.
Since there are actual lawyers hanging out here, maybe they’ll take a look and see if the theory holds water?
Prep for KO’s “appearance” at the Salon. Get hold of a copy of Good Night and Good Luck and watch it some time during the week prior to the Salon. It’s a great film and reminds us of how powerful the medium and the messenger can be when done right. KO certainly seems to be growing into the role that Murrow exemplified.
tommy yum @ 97
Definitely worth a spew alert. My stomach hurts from laughing
Is there any news about a mailbox for donations (as compared to waiting for the ‘donate via plastic’ thing to get fixed so it’s possible to donate again without a Paypal account)? Because I’vee been wanting to donate for emptywheel’s book for a week, and can’t.
Post Katrina Bush said that he would release some oil from the strategic reserve if requested by refiners. I don’t know if any was. Then in April he said he would stop shipments to the reserve for a while to increase oil supplies. The amounts involved were not significant in either case as far as I know.
Cozumel @
101
Coz, prior thread, you also made exceptional use of “bold” wrt Bob Ney’s deal. According to it, Bob has zilch on everyone in DC, that he can give the Feds for a sentence reduction? In return for NOT cooperating, he’s getting 27 months in prison? That sounds to me like Bill Frist’s family’s attorney, Alice Fisher, now at the DoJ, is doing exactly what Bush wanted her to. Please tell me I’m wrong.