Olberman Has His Wings Clipped

Brian Williams is the same way. I don't know what his leanings are, nor do I care to know. I have to wonder if he or Brokaw chimed in at all. They're the faces of NBC News.

 

Matthews and Olbermann have been heading the election coverage since long before Russert died.

And Matthews running for Senate from the TV set has been as big a problem as anything.

 

The funny thing is, from what I've read about MSNBC, Gregory is a bigger egomaniac than the two guys he is supposed to keeping a lid on.

 

It's a good decision.
If MSNBC wants to appear to be unbiased - and admittedly that might be a big 'if' - you can't have someone like Olbermann ANCHORING your election coverage. You just can't.

And I'm a fan of Olbermann. I like him on Countdown a lot.
But he was embarassing last week during the RNC - especially in comparison to how he was out in Denver, where he practically had orgasms on the air after every speech.

"Grand slam." "She couldn't have been better." "That was pitch perfect."

And then after Palin's speech, which was lauded by every other person on his network (including Matthews) and most political analysts around the country, the very first words out of KO's mouth were: "People who like this sort of thing will find this… the sort of thing they like.” He then mockingly compared Palin to the Reese Witherspoon character from the movie "Election."

Whether you agree with his politics or not - and for the most part I do - it's ridiculous for a network to have someone so clearly biased anchoring election coverage. It would be like Fox using Hannity in the same capacity.

I was hoping KO would try to be objective from his desk during the RNC. But instead he treated it like an extended version of "Countdown."
So this was a decision that needed to be made, in my opinion.

 

If that's true, at least Gregory has mastered the talent of masking such unctuousness

 

Williams is one funny SOB, too.

 

I was a big fan of Tim Russert's and he was pretty much the only reason I would watch NBC's election coverage. I have not watched "Meet the Press" since he died. I tried watching Olberman and Matthews and just couldn't stand them. I do like Brian Williams and David Gregory but they weren't on enough to get me to watch the Bobsie Twins. And I can't stand Tom Brokow. Most pompous ass I've ever been around. I will give NBC another try with Gregory.

 

This has zero to do with free speech. This is about an out of control egomaniac whose behavior is geting in the way of his work. Name the last time a reporter, anchor, etc. refused to attend a national event for assasination fears. Yeah, Keith...ok. This is a man who has failed at more netwworks than most of us have on our cable systems because of a huge ego and the inability to realize that bosses can actually twll you what to do. Each time, he goes elsewhere saying he has changed....but it never does. He is on his way to a Howard Beale moment...let's just hope he does not hurt anyone in the process. It is also too bad that Steve Capus is so gutless that he had to wait to do anything until Brokaw or WIlliams said something. Sad part is...as far as behind the scenes dealings...it will not be much better with David Gregory.

 

The GE and NBC execs don't want to forfeit their invites to the parties in Georgetown the next four years, simple as that.

 

Agreed. No one is denying Mr. Olberman his right of free speech. NBC is merely modifying his forum. He will still have a mike to yap into.

 

Working for a television network has nothing to do with free speech. If Olbermann wants to express his views he can hawk pamphlets at 30 Rock.

 

There is no such thing as an objective media anymore. It's just a whore to corporate whims that is no longer willing to inform the public it was once entrusted to do so. It's obvious the media hasn't learned the lessons of cowering that resulted in W winning in '04 because it looks like they're doomed to repeat them again.

You get what you deserve and if we get McCain/Palin, we'll get the results (four more of the last eight) in spades.