OLBERMANN!! OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

KEITH OLBERMANN FIRED BY MSNBC (COMCAST?)

Tonight Patrick and I were watching Countdown on MSNBC, as we have for 8 years now.  Nothing seemed unusual until later in the program, when I began to understand, towards the end of his show, that the words coming at me sounded suspiciously like goodbye.  Patrick and I looked at one another in shock -- it couldn't be possible.

Keith Olbermann, though an abrasive figure to some, has been one of my heroes for as long as I have been watching him.  He is not for the faint of heart or for those who would see this country dragged down.  He used the powerful, stentorian voice he'd been given to do as much as he could to make us AWARE of what is HAPPENING in the brutal and corrupt world of the "Military-Industrial-Congressional" complex.

The man is astute and aware -- so what if he tells it like he sees it?  His point of view has always been a trifle hard hitting, but hoo boy take a look at Irishman Lawrence O'Donnell if you want to see TOUGH.  My god, after all these years of fanatical Fox viewers, it's great to see liberals like Keith unafraid of sticking a rough question to a guest.

I don't get it, and I'm petulant.  Yeah, go MSNBC, you cowardly punks, give us more "Lockdown" -- more of your priceless prison porn.  You should be ashamed of yourselves, letting go of arguably the most courageous journalist in television because of your need to be BOSSES, because of your snippy, disagreeable need to be kowtowed to.  Or because you made "the Deal" with Comcast, eh?

Honestly, you all make me sick!  Well, Keith -- here's to you, Mr. Olbermann -- it's been a great eight years.  I hope you stick with the news business as it will be a poor place without you.

Sniffle.  I'm so outraged and miserable.  We all have our favorite television "friends" and I feel like I just lost one of mine.  Both of us are totally depressed.  We loved him, plain and simple, whether we knew him or not.  We didn't consider him "cold" -- as has been said lately.  We thought and think he was a heroic figure and an advocate for the frail, the sick, and those without voices.  We found him to be engaged and passionate; for the most part he reserved his outrage for the truly contemptible.

We needed his penetrating insight relative to what he saw happening around him.  I suppose he ruffled a few too many feathers over at old MSNBC, for whom I have lost all respect -- almost.  I suspect the Comcast merger was behind it all, as they tilt towards the right.  Oh Keith -- run off with Rachel and the rest and form your own network!  Just an idea ...  I'm in denial still, and still totally grieving over a man I've never met and who is not dead.

I mourn, though, the suddenness of  his departure; my lack of preparation for it -- just like a death.  How odd this is to feel, how very odd.  Well, dear Keith Olbermann, figure out some way to get back to us soon as we will miss you dearly and terribly.

Love, Julie (and Patrick)