Olbermann was fired because he's a sick puppy

[CoffeeCat]

Do you really want to know why Keith Olbermann was fired?

Because Olbermann relentlessly went after George W. Bush during his presidency
and this greatly displeased George Bush Senior. Olbermann was unforgiving
in his attacks on George W. Bush, shining the spotlight on untold corruption,
hypocrisy, lies and ignorance.

How often does George Bush Senior comment on media commentators?

George Bush Senior did this ONCE. Only once.

President George Bush Senior, in a 2009 CBS interview--called Rachel Maddow and
Keith Olbermann "sick puppies" and went on to describe "the cables" as
"sickening". During the interview, Bush Senior said, "The way they treat my
son...is just horrible."

Bush Senior's comments revealed that Bush and the Republicans have a deep hatred
for Olbermann.

That's why Keith was fired. You don't cross the Bush family, now do you?

Follow the money. Comcast was acquired just a few months ago by a nest of
Republicans and it has been widely reported that Phil Anschutz, a major
shareholder and content partner with Comcast has:

--Donated $169,900 to Republican candidates and committees during the
2010 election cycle, according to Open Secrets.

--Donated $50,000 through his company The Anschutz Corporation, to First
Alliance, a fund-raising group that targeted Democratic candidates in the
2010 midterm elections.

Republicans are now in control of MSNBC, and Bush Senior has expressed
his disdain for Olbermann. We should not be surprised at this. Bush
Senior's "sick puppy" comments happened--then nearly a year later--Republicans
purchased Comcast and fired Olbermann.

It's pretty clear what is happening.

Bush Senior and the rest of the cabal can't have a strong, intelligent,
television commentator bringing truth to light--especially now that the
Republicans have gained control of the House.

Olbermann is at his best when he is revealing Republican corruption and
crimes. Just ask George Bush Senior.

Link to Maddow and Olbermann lambasting Bush Senior for his "sick puppies" comment
and audio of Bush's own words:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:YkY3ueqSCKIJ:www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/16/george-hw-bush-olbermann_n_324466.html+George+Bush+Senior+Keith+Olbermann&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

[sabrina 1]

1. I think you have a point. There's way more to this than

just what they are claiming.

I wouldn't be surprised if Rachel is next on the hit list.

[movonne]

26. You will seeing a lot of bush now...this is corporation payback for

bush and company handing america over to the corps...wait and see..again they will make a silk purse out of pig skin...the second coming of the bush family...jeb will run for president...

[xxqqqzme]

58. Of course jebster is running

Hell, he signal that when he said he wasn't go to run. The rethugs will 'beg' him to run and he will reluctantly agree.

I completely expect him to be the nominee in 2012. Should be interesting to see how this unfolds over the net 8 months. Saurove announced campaign 2012 started on Nov. 3, 2010. He has started, have we?

[molly77]

45. Bad things happen to anything/anybody the bushes don't like...I hate fascism.

[Naturyl]

2. "Poppy Don't Preach"

That was funny.

And who knows, you might have something there.

[rhett o rick]

3. k & r

[Goldstein1984]

4. "Follow the money"

You're right. That says it all.

As long as we embrace and follow the myth of "The American Dream," we'll be following the money, or at least we'll be following those who really have it.

[felix_numinous]

5. Bingo nt

[KharmaTrain]

6. He's Been Fired?

I've been out enjoying a beautiful day...according to what I had been reading he's been suspended. If this situation has changed I'd appreciate a link.

[onehandle]

8. No. nt

[tavalon]

37. Olbermann has a contract

Those who have such contracts are placed on indefinite leave without pay so that the lawyers can hash it out. In most situations, that is corporate speak for "fired". In this case though, I would put money on Olbermann being reinstated very quickly.

[Bitwit1234]

57. Well I just saw on Huff Puff that MSNBC will let him back on the air

if he apologizes that he contributed to the Democrats. So if he kowtows to the republican masters he can get back on anytime. Kind of funny tho. MSNBC will never rival fox if they go right wing republican info as fox is, so why are they going against their money makers. If the drop the commentators they have now MSNBC will be wasteland.

[onehandle]

7. He hasn't been fired. nt

[onenote]

9. I missed the announcement. He's been fired, not just suspended?

Got a link?

[onehandle]

11. No. nt

[Doctor_J]

17. Suspended indefinitely without pay

even the teabaggers should be able to do the math on this one.

[otohara]

34. Just Like David Shuster Was Suspended

shit, David really screwed up and as a former employee in the radio biz, getting caught applying for a possible new gig, is bad....it's the getting caught part. When contract time comes rolling around, everyone knows it, and interested competitors start calling to put out feelers and temptations.

Many meet with competitors, some get caught and if you do, management doesn't take it very well.

The reason they don't use the word "fired" is because they don't want to completely ruin someone's life and being suspended sounds better than being fired.

[blucaller]

64. No. Phil Griffin was Phil Griffin.

David Shuster is still on MSNBC's payroll because he did NOT violate the terms of his contract. Just hurt Griffin's feelings after someone at CNN leaked the info on the pilot. That a Corporation can make it clear to an employee they have no future with them, then act in such an arbitrary and capricious career-killing way should be of concern to us all. How can you say he screwed up by getting caught at something that was within his rights, while defending a man who slandered him, calling him "immoral, unethical, and unprofessional?

[tulsakatz]

10. if that's true.........

...why did they wait until now? 2 yrs into the Obamna administration and they (according to your argument) decide to screw with Keith over previous Bush comments?

I've heard Keith say that yes, management did not agree with his views but he also said as long as his ratings were good and he's making money for them, they overlook his opinions.

When they suspended Shuster over his Chelsea pimp comment, they did it immediately, not 2 yrs later....

[EC]

30. Comcast started the purchase about a year and a half ago

to purchase, just getting the approval for the purchase now (rather a month or so back) What Shuster said was good reason for a temp. suspension...


But to go after Keith for something so trivial does seem like they were just waiting for anything resembling a reason to rope him in or get rid of him...



They (bushies) did this when Michael Moore released his Fahrenheit 911 - Charlise Group bought out Lowes Theaters therefore restricting theaters where his movies could be shown...

[JDPriestly]

39. It's the new management starting to clean house.

Let's make it so miserable for Phil Anschutz and Comcast that they sell their interests in MSNBC to a genuine liberal who will make MSNBC a cultural and news media leader. Doesn't mean they have to fire the conservatives. Real balance means that you let people tell the truth as they see it and be themselves. That brings a sense of vitality and and honesty to the news that you don't have with, say, a station like Fox where they spew venom all day.

Newscasters should pursue the truth, not just spew venom. Sometimes expressing the truth means being somewhat angry, but newscasters should be free to participate as individuals in the political process just like anyone else. I think it is good to know which candidates my favorite newscasters support and which ones they don't. That way I can determine for myself whether maybe their personal preferences bias something they say. Most of the time, I just want them to report the news as they understand it.

I would like to see a many more academic experts called to discuss things in the news shows.

For example, with regard to environmental issues, I would like to see many more appearances by scientists from the universities in which they study environmental matters. I'm not that interested in what pundits say about what the scientists say. I want to hear reports about the actual studies being done from the people doing the studies.

The clips of scientists speaking about what is going on in the Gulf of Mexico are interesting, but much too short. I would like to see MSNBC present programs that inform me. I would go to their website to watch such programs.

[MFM008]

54. why now?

I seem to recall after Saddam tried to have Poppy Bush killed W waited until the right moment. .
The Bush family is like the ebola virus, can take a while before it hits you.
Now Saddam's gun is hanging on Jr's wall.
I put nothing past these people.
You have to wait until you are in a position to cause trouble.

[chill_wind]

12. Memories

K.O. on the Bush junta:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x522938

[Dreamer Tatum]

13. So let me get this straight.

it SO displeased one of the allegedly most evil people in the history of the world, with connections to god-know-how-many assassins, who literally knows more ways to have a person killed than any of us can fathom...

...that it took him 19 months into a Dem presidency to get Olbermann merely *suspended*.


My eyes don't roll enough for the amount of eye-rolling required here.

[felix_numinous]

22. LOL

:crazy: WE need a Dr Evil icon for this.

[PADemD]

24. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

[Swede]

33. The hyperbole and paranoia is pretty thick in here today.

Like every day.

[tammywammy]

40. +1 n/t

[woo me with science]

41. Bwah!

:rofl:

[RKP5637]

14. Yep, some democracy NOT, and some freedom of speech NOT. Bit by bit the US

slides more and more into a place devoid of democracy and freedom. Its all an illusion, smoke and mirrors fed to the masses. And that illusion can not be allowed to be revealed by KO. Rachel will be next and anyone else that dares to speak out against RW fascist America.

[Doctor_J]

15. COunt on a very thorough housecleaning

racehl will be gone before campaign season - they might wait long enough to let this furor calm down, but she will be off the air before the 2012 presidential campaign begins. Anyone still think, "We might turn fascist, but we're not there yet"????

[RKP5637]

16. Getting closer all the time. The masses will never get it... n/t

[Wind Dancer]

19. Exactly!

..........And the right wingers will STILL be shouting about our "liberal" media.

[Zax2me]

18. So, why did he stay on so many years?

The timeline here doesn't appear to be in concert with your theory.
However it may be, want him back -

[Angry Dragon]

20. Into the Bowels of Hell march the righteous

Blindly following the orders of their leaders
Pulling others , kicking and screaming

[jwirr]

21. If this is a purge then Big Ed, KO, Rachel and LO'D will be immediately

hired at one of the wonderful liberal channels like Link, Current, FreeSpeechTV, RealNews, etc. And more important most of us will follow them. Bye, bye MSNBC.

[RKP5637]

23. IMO most of the network channels are running on borrowed time. The hindrance, although,

as pointed out in another DU thread is if net neutrality is completely trashed, that will allow outfits like Comcast and similar to basically block or slow down drastically, for example, the sources you just mentioned.

In the future of RW America, it this happens, shortwave radio might return as a news source until the gov. blocks it too if RW by airwave jamming. It would be the return of Voice of America, except this time we would be hoping for the Voice of Canada and similar.

No, I'm not paranoid, just a realist.

[think]

51. I like this train of thought

Because I don't want to try and change Comcast. I just want to change the channel.....

[CLANG]

56. You got that right, sister! MSNBC will be toast if that happens.

[laughingliberal]

25. I've been worried the progressive nature of MSNBC would be undone by Comcast from the get go. nt

[BootinUp]

27. Fired? Who said he was fired? last I heard it was a suspension. nt

[onehandle]

28. Nobody said he was fired. nt

[Caliman73]

46. No one said he was fired?

From the OP:

Thread heading: "Olbermann was fired because he's a sick puppy"

First Line: "Do you really want to know why Keith Olbermann was fired?"

About 6 sections down the post: "That's why Keith was fired. You don't cross the Bush family, now do you?"


The OP said 3 times that he was fired.

[JoePhilly]

29. Shot across the bow for now.

I find it interesting that the donations issue came up AFTER the elections were over and not before.

I wonder what would have happened if Keith was suspended a week BEFORE the elections. I suspect THAT might have mobilized lots of "discouraged" Democrats.

MSNBC even before this, only gave 3 hours a day to the "liberals". Hell, they give Joe Scab three hours every morning for is Fox News lite program.. The rest of the day, MSNBC is right-leaning.

The right wing control of the media is far too imposing to not suspect that, with the recent change of ownership, MSNBC may very will be on a right wing glide path.

Probably won't make the switch quickly .... not the GOP's style. Unlike us on the left, the GOP takes the long view, every tiny success is cheered, the ground gained is solidified, and then the move on.

[northernlights]

31. Dear Poppy,

The way your son treated the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Katrina victims, the mortgage fraud perpetrators...and more...well, what goes around comes around.

[jillan]

32. It is time for the Bush family to pack up and leave. America is tired of them.

Maybe they can move to Saudi Arabia and count the riches that they made off of us during the Bush Regime.

[tavalon]

35. Why now? Why not last year or 3 years ago?

Naw, this is just the ongoing pissing contest between Phil Griffen and Keith Olbermann. One of them is going to be looking for a new job next week. I would put money on Phil being the one fired or rather on indefinite leave without pay.

[defendandprotect]

44. Because monopoly cable operator Comcast has now been permitted to BUY NBC....!!!

That's why NOW --

And we now have more more layer of monopoly control of our "free press."

Comcast also makes $500 million or more ever year from internet PORNOGRAPHY!!


All pointing to the insanity of letting this company become involved with our

"free press"--!!

[gateley]

36. "The way they treat my son...is just horrible."

Not even close to how horribly your son treated the American people and our country.

And that's right on about not fucking with the Bush family. I heard that from someone in 1990 who was privy to some of their despicable deeds. :scared:

[Enthusiast]

38. Anything short of the gallows

was a gift to your son you feeble old fuck.

[BrklynLiberal]

42. Having a son like pres shit-for-brains would certainly qualify Sr to know a sick puppy when he sees

one.

[JVS]

48. shit apple, shit tree

[BrklynLiberal]

63. Well said!!!

[defendandprotect]

43. Agree ... quite clear .... It's also clear that even with Faux News ... if any truth

leaks out anywhere to challenge right wing myths, it is still a danger to

them --

Any bit of truth is like a pebble hitting a mirrow -- it shatters it -- !!

Keep on tossing those pebbles!!




Someone here was calling it our "Mc Pravda Press" -- not far from wrong.

[elleng]

47. More b.s. Keith was NOT FIRED, but lets not confuse anyone with facts,

even DUers.

[verges]

55. Neither was Shuster. nt

[Cleita]

49. If our Congress had done its job and investigated

the last Bush administration for war crimes and other treasonous acts things would be different. They may have found a link going all the way back to Bush, Sr.. If Congress had gone after Dick Cheney and Karl Rove when they were subpoenaed and made them testify under oath when they refused to do either, things would be different. I blame Congress for allowing this state of affairs to spill over into our news outlets.

[zeemike]

50. Yep...K&R n/t

[NorthCarolina]

52. MSNBC may be testing the waters...

to see what impact the loss of Olbermann has on viewership.

[Ticonderoga]

53. George W. Bush: I HAD A LOVE AFFAIR WITH GENOCIDE.

[Bluenorthwest]

59. He wasn't fired.

He's missed one show. The man has a contract, lawyers, the works. Anything other than he was suspended and was not there on Friday is pure speculation. To say he has been fired is just not true.

[Major Hogwash]

61. Don't stop her now, she's on a roll.

Like Bluto was when he said "Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no."

[paulkienitz]

60. then why did it take until 2010?

[glinda]

62. About Politi(CORP)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politico_(newspaper)

[paulkienitz]

66. well that was quick

MSNBC is aware of how much hostility there is to Olbermann from the powerful, but they're also aware that half of their viewership would not exist if they hadn't let him follow the path he's on now.

[Octafish]

65. Upon meeting Sen. Wellstone, Poppy called him a ''chickenshit.''

http://www.counterpunch.org/madsen1025.html