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Tilted Cat Head
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Location: Manhattan, NY
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Waterboarding for Charity
Quote:
View: Olbermann pressing on Hannity's waterboard offer
Source: Sfgate
posted with the TFP thread generator
Olbermann pressing on Hannity's waterboard offer
Olbermann pressing on Hannity's waterboard offer
By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Keith Olbermann.
(04-29) 03:36 PDT NEW YORK, (AP) --
The debate over torture is getting personal for two of cable TV's prime-time hosts.
After Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity made a seemingly impromptu offer last week to undergo waterboarding as a benefit for charity, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann leapt at it. He offered $1,000 to the families of U.S. troops for every second Hannity withstood the technique.
Olbermann repeated the offer on Monday's show and said in an interview Tuesday that he's heard no response. He said he'll continue to pursue it.
"I don't think he has the courage to even respond to this — let alone do it," Olbermann said.
Fox News Channel representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
The two men are on opposite poles of a debate that has preoccupied the worlds of talk TV and radio. Hannity says waterboarding is a fair and necessary interrogation technique for suspected terrorists; Olbermann calls it torture, says it's ineffective and should not be done by Americans.
Charles Grodin was challenging Hannity on the issue on Fox last week, and asked whether he would consent to be waterboarded.
"Sure," Hannity said. "I'll do it for charity ... I'll do it for the troops' families."
It wasn't exactly clear how serious the conversation was, since Grodin joked, "Are you busy on Sunday?" and Hannity laughed.
"I'll let you do it," Hannity said.
"I wouldn't do it," Grodin said. "I'll hand you a towel when you come out of the shower."
Olbermann's offer was quick. Besides the $1,000 per second, Olbermann said he'd double it if Hannity acknowledges he feared for his life and admits that waterboarding is torture.
"The idea of putting somebody in a position they have volunteered for, for charity, to respond to their own unsupportable claims, is in many ways priceless," Olbermann said.
Olbermann, who hasn't missed any chance to criticize his ideological enemies at Fox, concedes TV competition plays a part in his offer. But he said it was sincere, because he believes Hannity has had a damaging role in the debate.
"If you expose people to reality, even with someone who is denying reality, that can have a powerful and important impact," he said.
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Would you do it? Would you put up money towards the charity? Would you watch an event ala the dunk the monkey type event at carnivals and street fairs? Pay per view to raise more money for the charity? Comments on the Olbermann/Hannity offer?
I'd not do it. I've watched a few of the videos around about it, and don't really understand the dynamics of the sensations. I'm not inclined to watch it again even with any kind of "star" laying on the board.
I'd just as soon donate the money to the charity without witnessing the event.
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