Beyond the Rhetoric

“Mr. President, the line between compromise and compromised is an incredibly fine one. Any reform bill enrages the right and provides it with the war cry around which it will rally its mindless legions in the midterms and in ’12.”

Keith Olbermann is one of those kinds of people who, even if you disagree with his political views, you can’t help but to be captivated when he appears on camera. There is something amazing about certain orators that immediately grabs your interest. You feel like he has something important to say and it is in your best interest to listen. Charlton Heston is another such individual, though they come from vastly different perspectives.

You probably best known Olbermann from his television show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, on MSNBC. He’s also a featured commentator for NBC Sports, as well as being a best-selling author. He has a new book, Pitchforks and Torches, due for release in a few days. In it, he addresses people like Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and Sarah Palin.

This quote comes from a “Special Comment” segment from late last year and you can watch it in its entirety at the end of this post. (Aside: The more recent segment on the Ground Zero Mosque is also very compelling, should you feel so inclined.) In addressing President Obama, he reminds us that while it is important to work well with others (compromise), you shouldn’t buckle completely to their demands (compromised).

He speaks in relation to health care reform, but the same concept applies to many other aspects of our everyday lives. It’s probably not in your best interest to be completely stubborn and steadfast, but you don’t want to be everyone’s doormat either.

As always, finding that delicate balance is the key. It goes without saying that we are not all going to agree on every issue. That only makes sense and it’s the very nature of a team environment, but we can work with one another toward a mutually beneficial solution. Maybe all it takes is someone to rally toward restoring sanity… so to speak.

Tags: memorable quotes, politics, television

Filed under Personal Development.