Monday, September 08, 2008

Olbermann Canned From Anchor Duties

Someone from the MSM finally bowed to reality:

MSNBC said Sunday it is replacing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political night coverage with David Gregory, and will use the two newsmen as commentators.

The change reflects tensions between the freewheeling, opinionated MSNBC and the impartial newsgatherers at NBC News. Throughout the primaries and summer, MSNBC argued that Olbermann and Matthews could serve as dispassionate anchors on political news nights and that viewers would accept them in that role, but things fell apart during the conventions.

Gregory, the veteran Washington hand, will anchor MSNBC's coverage of the presidential and vice presidential debates and election night, said Jeremy Gaines, network spokesman. The change was first reported by The New York Times.

The tipping point appears to have come during the Republican convention when Olbermann, after the network aired a Sept. 11-themed video prepared by the Republicans, said that MSNBC should not have shown it.

...

During her acceptance speech last week, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin talked about the "Washington elite" not accepting her qualifications for the job. Some delegates on the convention floor began chanting, "N-B-C, N-B-C."

Olbermann began to have difficulty keeping his opinions in check, or simply stopped trying.

He sarcastically dismissed GOP pundit Pat Buchanan on the air after Buchanan said the GOP had been enlivened by the entrance of a conservative Republican.

"Those reading US Weekly with the picture of her and her youngest daughter with the word `scandal' written across it won't be so happy," Olbermann said.

Well, considering how Republicans have taken to Palin (like a duck to water), you have to say Olbermann's political acumen has to be about nil. Even MSNBC can't feature dimwits all the time. In fact it was US Weekly who are now most unhappy with their ham fisted attacks. How stupid does Olbermann have to be to have believed otherwise? (That's not a rhetorical question. I'd like it quantified.)

Perhaps most embarrassing, Joe Scarborough was discussing positive developments in John McCain's campaign at one point when Olbermann was heard on an offstage microphone saying: "Jesus, Joe, why don't you get a shovel?"

Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," got in another nasty on-air exchange with MSNBC reporter David Shuster, and Matthews snapped at Olbermann on-air when it appeared Olbermann was criticizing him for talking too much.

All the drama made MSNBC a punch line when top NBC anchor Brian Williams appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" last week. "Is there no control?" Stewart asked him. "`Is it `Lord of the Flies?'"

A sheepish Williams said that every family has a dynamic of its own.

"But does MSNBC have to be the Lohans?" Stewart said.

For all the bitching done by the Left against Fox News, I don't remember them ever using Bill O'Reilly as an anchor for this type of coverage. That execs at MSNBC really believed someone as childish and mean-spirited as Olbermann could act in a civilized manner doesn't say much for them either.

But remember...according to Roger Simon and Joe Klein, the media is as pure as the driven snow, and you are evil to complain about them.

Remember that.

4 comments:

Skip said...

MSNBC will use the canned newsmen as commentators? In desperate times Matthews might be of sufficient quality to be considered a newsman but certainly not Olbermann. Obermann is only adept at throwing wadded up paper.

Rich Horton said...

Yes, I did cringe when I saw the article refer to Olbermann as a "newsman". If you saw the list "Murrow, Cronkite, Jennings, Olbermann" it is always Olbermann that REALLY doesn't belong.

Its funny how MSNBC is everything the looney left say Fox News is (but usually isn't), and yet they dont have an issue with it.

Scruples...thats what they've got.

Prudence Arguments & Debate said...

Death of Journalism.....this is the time when I felt with the demise of Tim Russert, responsible journalism has died along with him. With the removal of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthew in the political scene of MSNBC, truly symbolizes the Death of Responsible Journalism. Listening to Fox News the adviser of which is Karl Rove, I have to bear all the political negativities against the Democaratic Party. Listening to Matthew and Olberman, I get the whole picture story of the negative compaign of Fox News....MSNBC speaks the truth. If MSNBC remove the two figure that represent that truth, who can we believe to show us the real truth?

Rich Horton said...

Uh...good luck with THAT worldview.

If you really think Tim Russert would have been on Olbermann's side in this whole thing...then you didn't pay much attention to Tim Russert.

But never fear, the blatherings of Olbermann will still be on display nightly. MSNBC is only doing the way with the notion that Keith could behave himself like a professional. Congratulations, you have your very own leftist Rush Limbaugh.

(Besides, I thought the Left didnt subscribe to notions like "truth".)