Keith Olbermann is Hurting America?

Former Medtronic CEO Bill George seems to think so…(via The Business Insider)

Update: George has apparently yanked his article from his blog. But it’s still up on The Business Insider…

Update 2: ICN received a statement from George from a media relations person regarding the posting on his site…

Yesterday a member of my social media team published a piece on my blog regarding the lack of balanced, rationale dialogue in the media. The publication of this piece (“Olbermann Overkill Is Hurting America”) was inadvertent, because I had not yet made my final edits on it. I passionately believe that the nation must engage in a more balanced, rational discussion about our economic and political problems, however, I did not approve of the writing’s particular criticism of certain commentators. Regrettably, the piece singled out several individuals, in particular Keith Olbermann. The view expressed regarding these individuals are not mine.

Update 3: This is the post George says he had intended to publish…

I voted for Barack Obama. I never watch FOX News. I am not a raging conservative.

And I think Keith Olbermann is hurting America.

An uncompromising megaphone of partisan rancor, Olbermann perpetuates the single-mindedness and inflexible partisanship that now roil the country, both on and off Capitol Hill. His rants against former President Bush, former Republican politicians, and shock-media rival Rush Limbaugh contribute little to constructive debate about how we can fix today’s true problems. And his soapbox forays in such segments as the “Worst Person in the World” – a daily lambast of often unsavory, but many just politically conservative characters – have made Mr. Olbermann the news day’s political alienator and ire-monger of choice for the partisan left.

Keith Olbermann would not necessarily concern me if he were a TV aberration, an exception to the broadcast-news rule. But his ilk have become the standard, as similarly irrational and incendiary political foils like Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly merely bounce back the ill will.