Olbermann Donates $50K to Free Clinics, Will You Donate Too?
Following up on his one hour Special Comment on Wednesday evening, Keith Olbermann announced on Thursday's edition of Countdown that he will donate $50,000.00 of his own money to the National Association of Free Clinics. An impressive examply of putting one's money where one's mouth is. Hats off once again to Keith Olbermann for his leadership!
The donation is so the National Association of Free Clinics can put the funds toward conducting free clinics in the states of the six Democrats who have not committed toward voting for cloture to prevent a Republican led filibuster of Healthcare Reform Legislation.
The Shameful Six are:
Nelson of Nebraska
Lincoln and Pryor of Arkansas
Baucus of Montana
Landrieu of Louisiana
Reid of Nevada
Wednesday's special comment was a very compelling and well done piece... one of Olbermann's best efforts to date. His generous donation goes a long way toward making the free clinics a reality in those five states. But these things are obviously expensive and even with a big donation of this kind more money is going to be needed to pull these clinics off. If all of us who support doing this each donated something toward the effort I feel confident it would raise a considerable amount of cash and perhaps even raise enough money to pay for one or more of these free clinics to be held in one of the states of the shameful six Democrats.
If Olbermann is putting up $50K then it ought to be possible for most, if not all, of those of us who agree with Olbermann's goal of having these clinics in the five aforementioned states to make some kind of contribution as well.
I am going to donate online and you can too.
I urge you to do so even if it is just a few bucks. Everything adds up. Just go to the National Association of Free Clinics and make your donation now. I think this is an effective contribution to the fight and one that also helps those in need. How can ya beat that huh?
Here's a link to the National Assoc. of Free Clinics website:
https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1000863&code=NAFC2009
And, if you haven't seen Olbermann's extraordinary Special Comment from Wednesday night you can do so by going to the Countdown website by clicking here:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677
How much is Keith worth? $50,000 doesn't sound like a lot for him. He probably spends more than that every year on his various country club memberships
October 9, 2009 8:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Do you just live for being a jerk? Sure seems like it. You are a pitiful creature.
October 9, 2009 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
How is it being a jerk to say that $50,000 from Olbermann isn't really meaningful when it comes from somebody that pulls in mid-single digit millions of dollars a year. If Olbermann really cared he'd give an amount that makes him wince.
October 9, 2009 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
You've just answered my question above. Jerk.
October 9, 2009 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Never mind that obscurantist Oleeb. This is a great post and what Mr. Olbermann is doing is fantastic. I was absolutely impressed by his special comment on health care and this call to action is "just what the Doctor ordered". I for one am inspired and I'm sure many of our friends here on TPM will be as well regardless of negativity from the do nothing crowd.
October 9, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oberman, besides putting up significant money, is taking a stand which could cost him his job. True, he has established himself as a draw in a niche market and is making money for MSNBC, but that is no guarantee at all. Somebody help me remember the name of the daytime tv show host, a liberal who had very high ratings, that lost his show after criticizing the Bush administration and its policies.
October 9, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was Donohue. And yes, I will contribute.
October 9, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
How very low class of you.
October 10, 2009 9:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why? $50,000 from Olbermann is not a reason to get excited about a charity and make you want to give too.
October 10, 2009 9:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
jealous much? Most people who bitch about what others are giving or not giving are simply jealous. You know, like you lowclassBill.
October 10, 2009 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's pretty funny. I would never be jealous of a wingnut like Olbermann.
I am not bitching about how much he should have given. I have not written a blog that says "He's a hypocrite". If he wants to give money to charities, more power to him.
What I am saying is that people shouldn't praise him just because he gave $50,000. It is NOT a sign of "leadership" nor is it "putting his money where his mouth is". Not for someone who is worth tens of millions.
October 10, 2009 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
So sayeth the sage lowclassBill. He passes judgment for all to read, not good enough.
So full of artless jealousy is guilt It spills itself in fearing to be spilt. (Hamlet, Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Gertrude, Queen of Denmark at IV, v)
Ahh so many appropriate quotes and so little time to post them.
October 10, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting theory...feel free to think I am jealous of Keith. I like how you seem so certain that you know me and think I haven't donated any money or tried to help others. Yet you've never met me. But you're so quick to judge others without knowing them?
Notice that I haven't made any such negative comments about you since I don't know you.
October 10, 2009 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Okay you just judge people you know like Keith, your former friend I guess.
"If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang". Charley Reese, Journalist.
October 10, 2009 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Public figures are different than someone else on a blog. I know he's a multi-millionaire and I know he contributed $50,000 to the charity. I can have a reasonable opinion that $50,000 is not a lot of money to someone who's worth that much.
What I don't do is tell people that I don't know that they are "lowclass" and give zero to charity.
October 10, 2009 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
And you know and have met Olbermann? You are nothing but hot air and bullshit.
October 10, 2009 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
No - haven't met him. But I don't need to meet him to know that $50,000 is a rounding error of his net worth.
October 10, 2009 6:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lulu - $50,000 is not significant for someone as rich as KO is. And he is doing nothing that might cost him his job.
October 9, 2009 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I said that it was possible that he could lose his job and gave a recent enough example of it happening to Donahue in a similar situation to support my claim. You merely contradict me and ASSERT that I am wrong.
Also, Olbermann's contribution is very significant to the group that receives it whether it "hurts" Olbermann or not, just as a very progressive tax on the richest one percent of Americans would be very significant to America even though it would leave that one percent with more money than they could spend in ten lifetimes.
October 9, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
How is it possible that he could lose his job? He has a huge following and unless he pulls an Imus he won't lose his job.
Giving that speech on healthcare wasn't putting his job at risk at all.
The $50,000 he contributed - that could pay a person or two's salary. It is not significant either to him or them. Had he put up a couple million dollars, then I would agree with you
October 9, 2009 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear MCB, $50,000 equals $50,000 regardless of how much money a person has. To the Free Clinics, this equates to $50,000. How terribly bitter you must be to be see someone donate $50,000 and bemoan their not having given more. Lobermann gave $50,000. Got any examples of others giving more, who have more? Or less, even?
October 9, 2009 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Olbermann doesn't deserve the gushing praise he is getting here. $50,000 is not equal to all people. It's easy for KO to piss away $50k. For me, it's not easy at all. There's a difference. It's a rounding error for him and not worthy of the praise people are giving it.
October 9, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
For $50,000 you get $50,000 worth of stuff. It's $50,000 and all you have is a resentment that it's not more. Yes, $50,000 is $50,000 and anyone with money will tell you that, even after they earn $50,000 they appreciate it's value, $50,0000
October 9, 2009 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is kind of a pointless argument: MCB in a rare stroke of socialism correctly identifies the vast wage gap in this country. Accounting for the tax deduction, too, $50 000 is literally nothing to some people.
October 9, 2009 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
It isn't socialism Karl.
He's just being an asshole like always. His point is without any merit because it's only made to be contrary and negative. He can't stand anything good or decent or positive so he always tries to piss on anything and everything. You can't find a comment from him that isn't simply oppositional bullshit. He does this all the friggin time.
October 9, 2009 7:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was just kidding, but HedgeFundBill does have a point despite his personal flaws. Olbermann can probably deduct the entire $50 000 and, ironically, many less well-to-do folks contributing an even relatively smaller sum cannot.
The organisation gets the cash, sure, so it is not all bad.
October 9, 2009 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I should not say "ironically", since benefiting the rich is the intent, not an accident.
October 9, 2009 8:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry Oleeb. But the overflowing love-fest of Olbermann is nauseating to me. It's a lot of money if you're the head of the charity, but if your Keith, you would have given a lot more if it was something he truly cared about.
October 9, 2009 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Everything is nauseating to you asswipe. Go away and pester someone else. I really cannot stand you and have no respect for your oppositional bullshit.
October 10, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Then don't respond. But I am allowed to comment
October 10, 2009 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Olbermann doesn't give a rats ass about $50,000. It is important to the non-profit, but that doesn't mean that everyone on TPM needs to gush praise on Keith for being so wonderful. If he really cared about it he would have given alot more.
October 9, 2009 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keith Olbermann donated $50,000. It is $50,000. Your judgment of Keith is really a stretch because if he did not "give a rat's ass" it would not be discussed nor would there be any money given. It does not matter how much money he has because that means nothing to anyone else but Mr. Olbermann. $50,000 = $50,000. That's real money and valued at $50,000 and I know if I say that again you might explode ... $50,000!!!!
October 9, 2009 9:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I pointed out, donating $50 000 to a charity probably comes out to $0 at the end of the year for him.
Great for the charity? Sure. Great sacrifice for him? Not so much.
October 9, 2009 10:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
If it actually costs him nothing, then it is a crime others with his wealth are not doing the same. Going after him for not enough is absurd. 5% of something is better then 100% of nothing, and $50,000 is always a lot of money. I know wealthy people who would cry if they had to give that kind of money away.
October 10, 2009 1:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
As I said, the money goes to the charity, so that is probably a good thing.
But you keep coming back to "giving away" money. Do you not understand what I am saying about using charitable donations as tax deductions, or do you think it does not matter that he may not actually end up with any less money than if he had not donated?
October 10, 2009 7:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Karl - how does he potentially end up with the same amount of money. The $50,000 is a deduction, not a credit. His tax bill is not reduced by $50,000 as a result of the charitable contribution.
October 10, 2009 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why does it come out to zero?
If Keith had $1 million of taxable income and a 35% rate prior to making the charitable donation, his tax bill would be $350,000
If he decided to make a $50,000 contribution, his taxable income goes down to $950,000 and his tax bill goes to $332,500.
So paying $50,000 only reduces his taxes by $17,500. So he's still worse off by $32,500
October 11, 2009 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am being critical of others saying that his contribution is an example of leadership. I also don't believe that it is "putting his money where his mouth is". Every dollar is valuable to the charity, but that doesn't mean that because Keith gives $50,000 that others should follow his "leadership".
It DOES matter how much money he has because if he's worth $20 million, then a $50,000 contribution isn't really leadership because I bet he spends more than that every year tipping his doorman at his NYC apartment or on gourmet food for his pure bred dog.
I am not "going after" Olbermann. I am critical of people saying that because he put up such a sizeable amount (in their view) that it somehow justifies others contributing.
October 10, 2009 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
How much, exactly, would he have to give before you could say thank you, instead of griping that it wasn't enough?
October 9, 2009 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much? The guy is probably worth at least $10mm (or more?) So maybe if he gave $500,000 I would say "wow that's a big number".
But $50,000? That amount certainly doesn't translate into the gushing lovefest that people on here have for Keith since his monologue earlier in the week. And $50,000 from Keith doesn't justify the "Hey, Olbermann gave money, so you should too".
I don't consider that leadership or putting his money where his mouth is.
I bet he tips his doorman more than that every year.
October 10, 2009 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
$50,000
October 11, 2009 2:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
???
October 11, 2009 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
But the 0 dollars you've donated is worth so much more and the 0 ideas you have to help others, also worth so much more than Keith etc, I mean you are just such a great guy...
Can you say "green eyed monster" it seems your jealousy of Keiths wealth is clouding your ability to see the good. So not shocking ClasslessBill.
October 10, 2009 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not quite. I have donated money to causes that I feel strongly about. I also sat on the board of a non-profit where I help raise money and also manage the finances.
October 10, 2009 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well then, your sitting in judgment of others is quite appropriate then, because hell you sat on a board of a non-profit.
Jealousy know no boundaries does it.
I will leave you with this:
Iago:
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss,
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger:
But O, what damnèd minutes tells he o'er
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!
It'll eat you alive if you aren't careful lowclassbill.
October 10, 2009 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jealous of Keith Olbermann? That's very funny.
I'm sorry you don't believe me. Not sure why you make judgements like that when you don't even know me.
October 10, 2009 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
To offend and judge are distinct offices, And of opposed natures.
The Merchant of Venice (Portia at II, ix)
October 10, 2009 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the literature lesson. I'm going to stop the flame war since it's very unproductive. Next time try to avoid making comments on people without knowing them. I am off to my volunteer work in NYC. Have a nice day.
October 10, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh NOES I got the last word, what will you do?
One last quote for you:
"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves". ~William Penn, Some Fruits of Solitude, 1693
October 10, 2009 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
What will I do? Just figured out how to login to TPM from my blackberry as I take the train into NYC.
October 10, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
damn i do not have the link. Mac--McCathy does this in Butte. Does a blog on this yesterday.
oh yes, this is a GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD cause
October 9, 2009 7:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes I donated money, not $50,000, but 2,000 and I am currently arranging for the org to use the Civic Center in Butte for the clinic. I already have dates chosen, and I will head to Butte at the end of next week to talk to the hospital lab etc because those services will be necessary.
October 10, 2009 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome!
October 10, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice Oleeb! rec'd.
October 10, 2009 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink