Olbermann Suspended From MSNBC, part 2

Nov 7th, 2010
UPDATE 9:11pm 11/07/2010: Olbermann returning to Countdown. 

Sign the petition to reinstate Keith. Please check out other stories here at The Hand. 

F. Grey Parker

The suspension of Keith Olberman from his perch at MSNBC for donating the personal maximum to 3 candidates prior to this past Tuesday's election is provoking more than a little commentary. For what it's worth, Keith clearly violated a contractual limitation. In light of everything that occurred involving campaign money during the election of 2010 and, yes, in an information market with such craven on-air fundraising as was seen from the Murdoch Device, I think Friday's suspension and a Monday apology would suffice. The pissing match that is likely happening behind the scenes leaves me with the impression that I shouldn't hold my breath.

I still think he should be back on the air as soon as possible. If you agree, sign the petition to bring him back.
 
Now. On to what others are saying...


Dave Weigel, writer and sometime contributor to Countdown, tweeted with a dig at the Murdoch Device's million dollar contribution to the Republican Governors Association




  

Howard Kurtz, writing for The Daily Beast, thinks Obama should apologize. But he notes:
 

"His mistake is not in the same league as what some Fox contributors have done. Karl Rove raised about $50 million in recent months for an independent group supporting Republican candidates. Dick Morris has raised money, spoken on behalf of candidates and refers to Republicans as "we." Sarah Palin barnstormed the country on behalf of her favored candidates, often of the Tea Party variety. And one full-time Fox News host, Sean Hannity, has attended GOP fundraisers. Fox allows such activity for talk-show hosts and contributors, whom the network doesn't consider journalists. I've written about this from time to time; few people seem to care."


Andrew Breitbart threw his support via twitter which is almost a story in itself.








Jonah Goldberg, writing for the National Review, is "enjoying" the moment with a but.


"Yes, I’m enjoying it because Olbermann and his bosses created this petard and then seized the hoisting opportunity. And yes, given his potshots at Fox etc, Olbermann’s actions were stupid on their face. But, on the merits I think the suspension is unwarranted and more than a little stupid. Or rather I think the rule is stupid but the suspension is warranted if you’re actually going to have the rule in the first place."

Nick Baumann, writing for Mother Jones, thinks were missing a bigger ethical discussion.

"This situation brings up several interesting issues of journalistic ethics. Like former Washington Post editor Leonard Downie, Olbermann says that journalists shouldn't vote. Still, his progressive affinities are well known and actually the bedrock of his show. So what's the point of a donation ban? If Olbermann donates to Democrats, will conservatives realize he's a liberal? This is just as silly as NPR forbidding its employees to go to the "Rally for Sanity." 

The Kicker:

"Look, this is incredibly simple. Reporters and journalists and media figures should be judged on one thing and one thing only: whether what they say and report turns out to be true."

That would be a kick in the ass for all of the Murdoch Device's prank monkeys.

CNN's fired and humilated Rick Sanchez tweeted this:

Brent Bozell, the Media Research Council's resident Margaret Atwood villain, thinks Olbermann, a position pundit, should have been fired long ago because of his positions.

“Keith Olbermann is officially the Worst Hypocrite in the World. He rails about a ‘national cable news outlet’ that ‘starts to donate to partisan groups of one party,’ then does exactly that. But it begs a bigger questions: why did it take NBC so long? This man has been using his perch as a newsman at MSNBC to promote a radical left-wing and hate-filled agenda for years. And they fire him over three contributions? NBC needs to review its own policies.”

Andy Levy, Red Eye's smartest guy in the room (which isn't actually saying much), thinks there isn't really a story here.

My favorite passionate defense of Keith comes from Russell Simmons, rap mogul cum-progressive activist.

"Re-instate Keith Olbermann now. I will personally pay his campaign contributions."

This ain't over.