The story starts off well:
MSNBC is removing Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as the anchors of live political events, bowing to growing criticism that they are too opinionated to be seen as neutral in the heat of the presidential campaign.
David Gregory, the NBC newsman and White House correspondent who also hosts a program on MSNBC, will take over during such events as this fall’s presidential and vice presidential debates and election night.
The move, confirmed by spokesmen for both networks, follows increasingly loud complaints about Olbermann’s anchor role at the Democratic and Republican conventions. Olbermann, who regularly assails President Bush and GOP nominee John McCain on his “Countdown” program, was effusive in praising the acceptance speech of Democratic nominee Barack Obama.
However, if you look closely it doesn’t appear that the failing network is making the kind of substantial change that would be required to restore its reputation (“restore” is a bit generous given that MSNBC has never had much of a positive reputation):
Olbermann and Matthews will remain as analysts during major political events, and officials at both networks, who declined to be identified discussing personnel moves, said Olbermann had initiated the discussions to clarify his role. They said Olbermann’s influence at MSNBC would in no way be diminished and that the shift would enable him and Matthews to offer more candid analysis during live coverage.
In Olbermann’s case bias doesn’t even adequately describe his unique brand of progressive nutiness. Just look at the stories on his Countdown with Keith Olberman website:
Is McCain overplaying the P.O.W. card?
Olbermann chastises McCain: Grow up!
Swiftboater tries to sink Obama
Olbermann: RNC ‘tribute’ inappropriate
Keith also poses the question on the mind of progressive conspiracy theorists everywhere:
Did terror alerts suspiciously follow bad publicity about the White House? Check out this timeline and draw your own conclusions.
But there’s more than McCain bashing and downright kooky conspiracy theories on his site. Look at this :
Others Blogging:
Michelle Malkin
MSNBC, the left-wing basket case cable network, is in full meltdown mode. After several weeks of on-air sniping and tantrums from the Spittle Twins, Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews, executives at NBC apparently staged an intervention. They will no longer anchor political coverage or the debates. The fair and balanced savior?
