Keith Olbermann suspended from MSNBC

[Galaxy]

Keith Olbermann Suspended from MSNBC - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

[panerd]

I thought it might have been for posting here all the time under the username Steve Bollea. :-)

[jeff061]

As they should. Those contributions alone paint him as a supporter of the democratic party, without them he carries an extremely objective viewpoint!


wtf?


He just criticized Jon Stewart some, was hoping it was for that .

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by panerd

I thought it might have been for posting here all the time under the username Steve Bollea. :-)

I definitely LOLd on that.

[Passacaglia]

"Keith, tell me about SteveBollea."

[JPhillips]

Given he's not hiding his affiliation I don't have a problem with him donating to a party, however, this was apparently clearly against corporate rules, so he should have known better.

[stevew]

I hate Olbermann so much that I have a hard time identifying with the Democrats. To me, he's the worst hack job guy out there. I think I dislike him more than Hannity and Beck. Although it would be great if all three of them would take a helicopter ride together.

[Greyroofoo]

It's hilarious reading responses from left-wing sites, absolutely priceless.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Given he's not hiding his affiliation I don't have a problem with him donating to a party, however, this was apparently clearly against corporate rules, so he should have known better.

The only reason he hid this was not because he didn't know better, but because it would effectively stop him from bitching about Fox News' contributions - at least not without being labeled a fucking hypocrite.

[JPhillips]

Yeah, there's that angle too. My point was that I'm not going to get bent out of shape by obvious partisans donating money to political campaigns. As long as you're not pretending to be impartial it doesn't matter to me.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The only reason he hid this was not because he didn't know better, but because it would effectively stop him from bitching about Fox News' contributions - at least not without being labeled a fucking hypocrite.

Maybe I'm missing something, but wasn't Olberman criticizing Fox News for contributions the company made to campaigns?

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Maybe I'm missing something, but wasn't Olberman criticizing Fox News for contributions the company made to campaigns?

Yes, but that just makes his particular situation even worse, IMO.

And I'm not really sure it makes much of a difference whether it's a company or individual if it/he "goes beyond having a point of view and actually starts to shill for partisan causes and actually starts to donate to partisan groups of one party." Isn't it the same issue that one would want to guard against, ultimately?

[molson]

I liked him on SportsCenter when he had the moustache.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Yeah, there's that angle too. My point was that I'm not going to get bent out of shape by obvious partisans donating money to political campaigns. As long as you're not pretending to be impartial it doesn't matter to me.

I agree with you - it's not like we don't know who he wants to win and who he votes for. But even if you're not pretending to be impartial, if you want to hammer your competition with a legitimate point about supporting a particular party, you ought not be doing that yourself. Or you should disclose it and make up some excuse why it's different or something. Anything but try to get away with it.

[LloydLungs]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

"Keith, tell me about SteveBollea."

Man, how long has it been? And still gold.

[Crapshoot]

Wait, the Fox Network as a whole donates to the GOP! THere's no pretense of objectivity with Olbermann, so its hard to see the issue here.

[JediKooter]

So who's the Worst Person In America?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Wait, the Fox Network as a whole donates to the GOP! THere's no pretense of objectivity with Olbermann, so its hard to see the issue here.

Yep.

Well part of the issue is the hypocrisy, but I agree - that is sort of obscuring the fact that FOX as a corporation is donating to a political party.

[dbd1963]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

It's hilarious reading responses from left-wing sites, absolutely priceless.

Yeah, like pointing out how MSNBC continues to employ Joe Scarborough even though he did the same thing in 2006. It became a small scandal, and the very same MSNBC boss said it was OK.

I guess it's OK if you are a Republican..

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by dbd1963

Yeah, like pointing out how MSNBC continues to employ Joe Scarborough even though he did the same thing in 2006. It became a small scandal, and the very same MSNBC boss said it was OK.

I guess it's OK if you are a Republican..

It's ok to be biased if you're a corporation, but if you work for a corporation you have to be unbiased.

At least that's my take.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Yep.

Well part of the issue is the hypocrisy, but I agree - that is sort of obscuring the fact that FOX as a corporation is donating to a political party.

Is donating to a political party what they call having republican candidates on your payroll these days? .

[Pumpy Tudors]

See, if he'd just stayed in the safe world of sports and not jumped into the shitstorm of politics, he'd still be OK.

More sports, less politics. I want to talk about sports with people. I want to shoot people in the face who talk to me about politics.

I don't hate everything.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

It's hilarious reading responses from left-wing sites, absolutely priceless.

+1. Especially the Daily Kos. Just pure hilarity.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Yes, but that just makes his particular situation even worse, IMO.

And I'm not really sure it makes much of a difference whether it's a company or individual if it/he "goes beyond having a point of view and actually starts to shill for partisan causes and actually starts to donate to partisan groups of one party." Isn't it the same issue that one would want to guard against, ultimately?

I feel the opposite - if a particular commentator is contributing to a particular party, I have less of a problem with it, especially if it's disclosed. I mean, is anyone shocked that Olbermann has contributed to the campaigns of some Democrats?

It's far more damning in my opinion when the company itself contributes to political parties. Any pretense of "fair and balanced" is wiped away by the fact that Fox News has contributed to Republican candidates. Sure, we all know guys like Beck and Hannity are going to contribute to conservative candidates, but they are in positions of commentary. The fact that Fox News contributes also tars what should theoretically be their objective department, the news department. Not that we'd be shocked that their news broadcasts would be slanted, but to me it's a perversion of what the news media is supposed to be.

[Karlifornia]

I love Olbermann...he gave fodder to his critics, though. You never wanna do that. Maybe he should pull a Limbaugh and maintain a holier than thou stance.

[Greyroofoo]

You mean get addicted to painkillers?

[fantom1979]

I used to think that Olbermann was very entertaining, but since about 2005 or so he seems to have gone very one track. It could just be me, but it seems like his show went from "entertaining news of the day" to "Fox News are assholes and I will show you why every night".

I very much enjoyed his work on Sportcenter and I enjoyed Countdown until a couple of years ago. IMO, he should keep his job. This really isn't a big deal. It really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. If it had come out that he had given money to Republicans... now that would have been a shock.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by dbd1963

Yeah, like pointing out how MSNBC continues to employ Joe Scarborough even though he did the same thing in 2006. It became a small scandal, and the very same MSNBC boss said it was OK.

I guess it's OK if you are a Republican..

I don't really follow the cable news networks much but I do believe Olbermann was one of the guys who was covering the election results the other night. Perhaps it's fine if he donated if he just had his show, which is less news and more opinion/talk show. But when he started covering news events live such as the election, he was considered a part of the "news" team. Scarborough from what I understand runs more of a political morning talk show, which is not really news per say.

That's all I can think of and it sort of makes sense. There are different journalism standards for the news side and the editorial/entertainment side.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by fantom1979

I used to think that Olbermann was very entertaining, but since about 2005 or so he seems to have gone very one track. It could just be me, but it seems like his show went from "entertaining news of the day" to "Fox News are assholes and I will show you why every night".

I very much enjoyed his work on Sportcenter and I enjoyed Countdown until a couple of years ago. IMO, he should keep his job. This really isn't a big deal. It really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. If it had come out that he had given money to Republicans... now that would have been a shock.

Sort of agree. His show got very mean-spirited like all the others. It seems that the more extreme and hate-filled your show becomes, the higher the ratings.

The funny thing is that the only two pundit shows I can tolerate are both hosted by women. I don't always agree with these two, but I think Rachel Maddow and Greta Van Susteren are fair on their show and give more intelligent information than just screaming back and forth at one another. I actually used to like the segments Maddow had with Tucker Carlson way back in the day. Always good debates by two people who didn't just yell over one another or throw out ridiculous talking points.

[Toddzilla]

Ever since the run-up to the 2008 election, Olberman has turned into a parody of himself. He seemingly got a big dose of his own press and decided to try and out-do himself. It's become impossible to watch him now if you're expecting anything resembling rational discourse. Of course, that's the mold that made O'Reilly, Hannity, and Beck zillionaires, so it makes sense to copy their styles. This is a giant failure since it is clear that right-wing radio and tv consumers are brainless sheep that want to be fed what to think and left-wing radio and tv consumers are genius know-it-alls who want a doctoral dissertation.

Maddow, IMO, has the style and format perfected. Perfect tone, doesn't take herself too seriously, and is willing to have someone she doesn't agree with on the show to make their point.

[JPhillips]

But Olberman draws bigger ratings.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I wish Olbermann would have stayed with ESPN. It's a shame that his career has taken this turn. Seems like a likeable guy, but just got into politics and went south.

[JPhillips]

And made a shit ton more money. And had a job he wanted.

I think with a lot of people we spend too much time thinking they'd be better off if they only did what makes us happy.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

And made a shit ton more money. And had a job he wanted.

I think with a lot of people we spend too much time thinking they'd be better off if they only did what makes us happy.

I'm sure you're right. But I still wish he would have never left ESPN.

[JPhillips]

Nah. He'd be as stale as Berman by now.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

"Keith, tell me about SteveBollea."

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Nah. He'd be as fat as Berman by now.

fixed

[Dutch]

MSNBC responds this way.

"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist..."

So MSNBC has been parading Olberman around as an impartial journalist? Look, Olberman is what he is, a political hack on TV, not an enthical journalist providing political news impartially. I think MSNBC should suspend themselves!

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

So who's the Worst Person In America?

John Simon, of course.

For those of you not old enough to have listened to 'Bob an Ray(dio) New York', here's a Wiki synopsis:

>>Their character known as "The Worst Person in the World" (a reference to New York magazine theatre critic John Simon, who gave their stage show a negative review) inspired the segment (and subsequent book) of the same name on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Olbermann is a committed fan of Bob and Ray, acknowledging them in his aforementioned book as a crucial influence, in addition to commending their frequent spoofing of Senator Joe McCarthy and Joseph Welch in the 1950s. [1] <<

That review was actually in the New York Times, not New York magazine.

[fantom1979]

Originally Posted by Dutch

MSNBC responds this way.



So MSNBC has been parading Olberman around as an impartial journalist? Look, Olberman is what he is, a political hack on TV, not an enthical journalist providing political news impartially. I think MSNBC should suspend themselves!

That is just a silly quote. I'm sorry, no one is stupid enough to think that Olberman is impartial. They might as well come out and say that he is fair and balanced.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by fantom1979

That is just a silly quote. I'm sorry, no one is stupid enough to think that Olberman is impartial. They might as well come out and say that he is fair and balanced.

Agreed!

[SteveMax58]

This will play out just like when characters would leave the WWF & WCW for the other. I've seen this one before.

I bet we see Olberman join up with Fox News and befriend Alan Colmes at first via a few interviews. Next he'll add some commentary for Geraldo here & there. He'll be generally liked & respected for a little while & everybody will think MSNBC were such bad guys for what they did to him. But then...he turns on Geraldo by hitting him with a chair(breaking his nose again)...and Colmes gets blindsided by a "Worst Person in the World".

Olberman then comes out, Hollywood Hogan style, with his newly formed (NWO-like) group consisting of Hannity, Beck, & O'Reilly. Olberman professes his hate for the "little people"...how he is tired of paying for the Medicare of the Fox News viewers...and how he will move to China if Obama is re-elected in 2012.

Yeah...pretty obvious where they're taking this.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by SteveMax58

This will play out just like when characters would leave the WWF & WCW for the other. I've seen this one before.

I bet we see Olberman join up with Fox News and befriend Alan Colmes at first via a few interviews. Next he'll add some commentary for Geraldo here & there. He'll be generally liked & respected for a little while & everybody will think MSNBC were such bad guys for what they did to him. But then...he turns on Geraldo by hitting him with a chair(breaking his nose again)...and Colmes gets blindsided by a "Worst Person in the World".

Olberman then comes out, Hollywood Hogan style, with his newly formed (NWO-like) group consisting of Hannity, Beck, & O'Reilly. Olberman professes his hate for the "little people"...how he is tired of paying for the Medicare of the Fox News viewers...and how he will move to China if Obama is re-elected in 2012.

Yeah...pretty obvious where they're taking this.

I would be shocked. I'm pretty sure Olberman and Hannity are the most honest extremists on cable TV.