This has got to be a stunt. I think Griffin and Olbermann came up with this ploy to show they are as “responsible” as CNN for their firing of Rick Sanchez.. The Schuster incident is less relevant as it was more an affront to MSNBC.
If however they are really suspending Keith “indefinitely” for not disclosing his contribution then I think this nothing more than a message to Maddows, Ed Schultz, & O’Donnell to be careful on their corporate criticisms. If they can can their number one guy, there is no problem canning the others. After all, MSNBC is run by GE and GE is a member of the US Chamber Of Commerce. And with GOP seemingly coming on strong, they may be having second thoughts of having a Liberal outlet that has an impact on the body politic that may be diametrically opposed their interest.
I am waiting for someone to start a real Liberal radio network that includes TV and Cable News national without any corporate control. I would buy “stock” in that non-profit.
My Book: As I See It: Class Warfare The Only Resort To Right Wing Doom
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MSNBC has suspended star anchor Keith Olbermann following the news that he had donated to three Democratic candidates this election cycle.
"I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay," MSNBC president Phil Griffin said in a statement.
Politico reported Friday that Olbermann had donated $2,400 each to Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, and to Kentucky Senate contender Jack Conway. While NBC News policy does not prohibit employees from donating to political candidates, it requires them to obtain prior approval from NBC News executives before doing so.
In a statement earlier Friday, Olbermann defended his donation, saying, "I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level."
Griffin’s statement underscores that it was Olbermann’s failure to obtain approval, and not the actual political donations, that prompted the suspension.
The move is doubly significant in that it represents a major development in the relationship between Griffin and Olbermann, who once told the New Yorker, "Phil thinks he’s my boss."
"Keith doesn’t run the show," Griffin told New York Magazine recently. "I do a lot of things he doesn’t like. I do a lot of things he does."
In recent months, Griffin has taken several bold steps to declare his authority over the network and its sometimes unruly talent: he sent a stern memo warning hosts to not publicly fight with each other, he suspended David Shuster indefinitely for filming a CNN pilot, suspended Donny Deutsch, banned Markos Moulitsas from the network, and reprimanded Ed Schultz for threatening to "torch" the network.
The New York Times’ Brian Stelter and Bill Carter report that, according to one NBC executive, Friday’s suspension is "not a step toward firing" Olbermann. The Nation’s Chris Hayes will host "Countdown" Friday night, the network said (according to a tweet from Yahoo’s Michael Calderone).
Keith Olbermann SUSPENDED From MSNBC Indefinitely Without Pay
