Olbermann Accuses FNC and 'Stupid' Kellyanne Conway of 'Race Hatred'

Brad Wilmouth
November 24th, 2007 6:08 PM
Font Size

On Wednesday's "Countdown" show, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann accused Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway and Fox News of "race hatred" in response to Conway making an arguably alarmist suggestion on Monday's "The O'Reilly Factor" that allowing the EEOC to sue employers for requiring its employees to speak English on the job could eventually lead to the hiring of non-English-speaking employees for other more serious jobs like air traffic controllers, resulting in airplanes crashing. During the "Countdown" show's regular "Worst Person in the World" segment, the MSNBC host went over the top by charging that Conway was "trying to dress up the lunatic fringe's race hatred over there at Fox News," and, addressing Conway, advised: "If you were just honest about your racism, at least you wouldn't look quite that stupid." (Transcript follows)

Olbermann's "Worst Person" segment, which normally features the MSNBC host listing three nominees for the dishonor of "Worst Person in the World," started with the "Countdown" host awarding the third place, or "bronze," distinction to Conway. Olbermann: "The bronze, to Republican water-carrier Kellyanne Conway, trying to dress up the lunatic fringe's race hatred over there at Fox News, claiming that a lawsuit against the Salvation Army branch that fired two employees who would not observe the 'speak only English' rule, could some day lead to death and destruction."

Olbermann then read a quote from her, which he likely obtained from the left-wing Media Matters for America, a frequent source of material for the MSNBC host. Imitating Conway's voice, Olbermann read: "'It is,' she says, 'one day going to blossom into two air traffic controllers who don't speak great English because political correctness has made us appoint them to those positions. We're going to have two planes crashing in the sky. And that's not a dramatic example. That's what happens with slippery slopes.'"

Olbermann then contended that the Civil Rights Act would allow employers to require English be spoken if it is "essential to doing the job," and then accused Conway of "racism" and of being "stupid." Olbermann: "Yeah, except the Civil Rights Act on this 'speak only English' stuff specifically excludes workplaces where speaking only English is essential to doing the job. You know, like American air traffic control centers. If you were just honest about your racism, at least you wouldn't look quite that stupid."

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Wednesday November 19 "Countdown" show on MSNBC:

KEITH OLBERMANN: But first, time for "Countdown"'s "Worst Persons in the World." The bronze, to Republican water-carrier Kellyanne Conway, trying to dress up the lunatic fringe's race hatred over there at Fox News, claiming that a lawsuit against the Salvation Army branch that fired two employees who would not observe the "speak only English" rule, could some day lead to death and destruction. "It is," she says, "one day going to blossom into two air traffic controllers who don't speak great English because political correctness has made us appoint them to those positions. We're going to have two planes crashing in the sky. And that's not a dramatic example. That's what happens with slippery slopes."

OLBERMANN: Yeah, except the Civil Rights Act on this "speak only English" stuff specifically excludes workplaces where speaking only English is essential to doing the job. You know, like American air traffic control centers. If you were just honest about your racism, at least you wouldn't look quite that stupid.