Either Relevant or True » Disgruntled At 30 Rock

According to TVNewser, “a high level source inside MSNBC” doesn’t care much for KO:

“You think Russert is going to put up with that? Election night coverage in November with Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann?”

Ratings for MSNBC’s election coverage wouldn’t be half of what they are without the two of them, particularly KO, so I think Timmeh the Beltway Hack hasn’t got a lot to say about it.

“The key is his willingness to quit,” says our source about Olbermann. “And he means it. He has convinced management of that. They are convinced that he will walk. He behaves like a man who has nothing left to lose. He is not central to MSNBC, he is the center of the MSNBC ratings strategy. We hang the entire schedule on him.”

Given Keith’s reputation, I doubt that he had to do much convincing. Some of them are probably scared shitless he’ll do just that.

What about Olbermann blogging now at The Daily Kos? “That’s insane,” says the insider. “If he was writing long pieces for The Atlantic, or The New Republic, it’s different. It’s partisan, is what it is. It’s also just low and stupid.”

I’ve always had mixed feelings about KO on Kos, because it is very partisan. But “low and stupid?” I’m sure the number of Congressfolk who also post there will enjoy that remark.

Two thoughts after reading this:

1) So you don’t want to put your most-popular and most-watched host to anchor the biggest TV night on your network? Brilliant.

2) If Russert really hated Keith, I’m sure he has enough influence to arrange not to be interviewed by Keith or not go on MSNBC with him. He’s Tim Russert. He hosts Meet The Press. He’s important.

Keith, meet the vast, right-wing conspiracy. They are planning to smear you any way they can.

This insider sounds a lot like Tucker Carlson to me.

Agree with RedToots.

I’ve heard rumblings elsewhere that these so-called “inside source” rumors were those who really don’t know, the “disgruntled” former employee or your fiends at Faux News spreading stuff.

KO could walk. Russert could walk. Listening to the coverage, it sounds like a big happy family — much more than it does on CNN…so who knows. But I don’t listen to unnamed sources when it comes to gossip.

As for KO writing on Kos (as someone else who writes on Kos) — I think it brings in viewers so in the long run, may be helpful to MSNBC and its ratings. After all, Countdown appeals to the left wing, so writing for Kos wouldn’t be so out-of-line with the tone of the program.

“Timmeh the Beltway Hack” Thanks Becky, couldn’t have said better myself. ;)

I do have some reservations about Keith’s Daily Kos blogging. Houstonian and I have had some discussions on this and I again agree, it does come down to ratings. It’s a push-pull thing, journalistically (or punditly(?) does Keith bring UP Daily KOS or does the Daily KOS bring DOWN NBC/MSNBC. Certainly the neocons are going to use the latter.

Redtoots, you hit the nail on the head. It’s gonna get ugly. Lets face it, the repubs are going to get creamed come Fall and they know it. Stephanie Miller played a clip of Limbaugh talking about the only reason Obama was nominated is because he is black. He actually said that. The neocons got nothing, but race-baiting, of course. The creeps at OW are digging up tax stuff on Keith (they seemed to have geared up in conjunction with his ratings surge). I think it’s gonna get ugly. They did a very mean post about Katy’s CW11 job. These people are cornered and desperate, and are going to lash out in the worse way.

I think Keith would be happiest calling Yankees games for the rest of his life, but I hope he will hold on through this election. It doesn’t seem that there is poor chemistry on the election coverage set, but maybe this is another good reason this primary season has come to an end.

Oh, here we goooooooo…

Fixed Noise and Friends via Johnny Dollar and TV Newser

I guess they earned their stupidity working for K. Rupert Murdoch!

The AP picked up Keith’s tax debt story, even giving credit & link to OW (yuck). They (OW) are finding more tax warrants. Robert Cox from OW is an idiot, but he brings up a valid point about a lot of this “bad” press started after Keith’s Hillary RFK special comment.

I’m not worried, Keith strikes me a guy with no head for financial things, I think he said on Dan Patrick’s show once something about ‘having no idea how a checkbook works’ or such. And didn’t he buy a house in LA, only to move out like in a month because of traffic noise? Anyway, I hope these are just a few isolated items due to disorganization. But the ‘bad’ press after the “Hillary SC” is a little worrisome. I mean, 5 months ago, would the AP EVER credit OW as a source? The write up frames this as a right-wing left-wing fued, as it should, considering the small amounts of taxes owed. But, I don’t know, it seems a little more than a coincidence. What is troubling is: the righties are digging and the AP is printing. Yikes…

Here is a version of the AP story at Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/05/ap5085631.html

Don’t worry about the tax stuff, GM. It is nonsense over nothing.

I think Keith’s little “slam” on the AP last night was a little sign that he ain’t gonna be bullied. Very nice. ;)

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