The St. Petersburg Times’ Robyn Blumner had more trouble than usual finding heros to commend from the year now passing: “As to the year’s singular civil liberties hero, the Freeby goes to MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann. The journalist’s scathing commentaries illuminated the gathering danger of the Bush administration in a way no one else with a mainstream audience was willing or able to do. Taking his cues from the sportscaster he once was and from Edward R. Murrow, Olbermann eloquently called ‘em as he saw ‘em.

In responding to the fearmongering election ads by the Republican National Committee featuring Osama bin Laden, Olbermann fired back: “Eleven presidents ago, a chief executive reassured us that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. His distant successor has wasted his administration insisting that there is nothing we can have but fear itself.” Powerfully good stuff.

A close contender for the prize was George Christian, who runs computer services for a consortium of 27 libraries in Connecticut. He and three colleagues spent two years valiantly battling the FBI’s attempt to violate their patrons’ privacy.”

Prize Winners

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