The Hollywood Reporter's Ray Richmond compares MSNBC's Keith Olbermann to "mad as hell" Howard Beale and writes:

"While there is no argument that Olbermann can at times be self-indulgent, somewhat arrogant, over the top and stridently passionate, he is also the most compelling news personality of his generation. Love him or hate him, he is a charismatic, righteously indignant force of nature who is inspiring fervent cheers and detesting jeers in equal measure."

"No voice came to me and told me to do this," Olbermann says. "It's simply the eruption of the need to say something. If this country was founded on anything, it's the fight to the death to protect the right of someone to say that which you disagree with. I just think maybe I'm first in voicing skepticism of the administration that's been irrationally muted."