MSNBC Hosts Olbermann, Matthews Booted From Political Night Duties

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a cable news junkie. For the past 8 years my “drug” of choice has been MSNBC. I know that FOX News is the favorite of most conservatives, but I like MSNBC. I like their format and, with the definite exception of Keith Olbermann, I like their personalities. I have watched enough over the years to understand them, to know what to expect from them, and to appreciate the input from their conservative guests and contributors. I should, however, have seen the writing on the wall with the March cancellation of Tucker Carlson’s show. With the removal of the lone remaining conservative host, MSNBC left conservatism and even moderation behind and moved full speed ahead toward unabated liberalism.

I am not the only one who has noticed. When Sarah Palin made the following statement at the Republican National Convention:

“But here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion -- I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.”

The crowd responded with chants of “NBC, NBC, NBC”.

Apparently the bigwigs at NBC took notice and have relieved Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews from their duties as co hosts of political night coverage for MSNBC.

I, for one, could not be happier. I can take or leave Chris Matthews (although his liberalism is always simmering there right at the surface). It is Keith Olbermann’s presence as co host of MSNBC’s election coverage that began my gradual switch to FOX News. His brand of “journalism” serves him well as host of a liberal show. His “Countdown with Keith Olbermann”, is the highest ranked show MSNBC has ever had. However, MSNBC’s decision to make him a co host of their election event coverage moved him from the editorial desk of a commentator to the news desk, where his brand of reporting is completely inappropriate.

During coverage of the Republican National Convention, Olbermann apologized to the audience for the network’s airing of a Sept. 11 video tribute produced by the RNC. His clearly biased comments were as follows:

“We would be rightly eviscerated at all quarters, perhaps by the Republican Party itself, for exploiting the memories of the dead, and perhaps even for trying to evoke that pain again. If you reacted to that videotape the way I did, I apologize,”

Who gave Keith Olbermann or MSNBC the authority to determine when, where, or if video of events related to our country’s September 11, 2001 national tragedy are to be broadcast? And since when does a news anchor inject such biased personal opinion?

Others with more clout than me may be wondering the same thing. Brian Stelter of the New York Times reported:

“Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams, the past and present anchors of “NBC Nightly News,” have told friends and colleagues that they are finding it tougher and tougher to defend the cable arm of the news division, even while they anchored daytime hours of convention coverage on MSNBC and contributed commentary each evening.
Mr. Williams did not respond to a request for comment and Mr. Brokaw declined to comment. At a panel discussion in Denver, Mr. Brokaw acknowledged that Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews had “gone too far” at times, but emphasized they were “not the only voices” on MSNBC, according to The Washington Post..”

USA Today reported the dismissal of Olbermann and Matthews as follows:

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 USA Today choice of words is interesting, stating that MSNBC will “use the two newsmen as commentators”. The reality is that Olbermann and Matthews have always been commentators and MSNBC is correcting their mistake and returning them to that role.