The Herald Bulletin

September 17, 2009

Letter: Olbermann’s statements lacked significance

Host deemed Pence the worst person in the world


Why would The Herald Bulletin give credence to statements made by someone as insignificant as Keith Olbermann? Keith Olbermann, he of the, “I was dismissed as co-host of ESPN’s Sportscenter, because everything was going wrong and I was unjustly blamed for the situation.” I am referring to the article written by Aleasha Sandley in the Sept. 5 edition of the THB.

Olbermann, on his MSNBC TV show, had deemed Congressman Mike Pence as Friday’s worst person in the world. His criticism was of the congressman’s mere “thank you” to a woman who had completed her statement at the town hall meeting held at the Madison Park Church in Anderson. Olbermann left no doubt that he believed Pence should have confronted her on her observations.

I have attended several town hall meetings hosted by Rep. Pence and in each occasion he welcomed statements and questions. If someone posed a question he attempted to answer to the best of his knowledge. If, however, a person made a statement of their opinion, whether pro or con to his belief, he simply thanked them for their participation in the forum. This was the case of the Sept. 3 circumstance.

In another vein, but also in the same edition of the newspaper, in Bill Paschal’s letter to the editor did I notice a bit of hypocrisy? He blasted Fox TV News, the Washington Times newspaper, and what he labeled right-wing talk radio, while lauding the merits of Time and Newsweek magazines as bastions of unbiased reporting.

Bob Armstrong

Anderson