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They may have been the maximum contributions that an individual can make to a candidate’s campaign fund. You can give millions anonymously to those fake PACs that destroy people and that seems to be just fine.
It’s becoming obvious that this was Keith’s way of taking on the system, not an accident or an oversight. And he is getting some results. There is a conversation happening. The hypocrisy is being exposed for what it is. You can tell who is who: many will argue that “he broke the rules” like a dog who peed in the corner; others get that he was breaking the rule in order to literally break, as in crack open, the rule.
Keith was outraged about Citizens United and most people don’t even know what it is. I will look for that special comment.
I have to think Keith knew what he was doing. Those aren’t big contributions he made – why risk it for such a piddly amount of money?
Unless Keith made the contributions while inebriated, this seems intentional. And perhaps that’s why he’s been suspended.
Another thought: perhaps he’s just dead tired of NBC. Ready for a change. Why not go out with a bang?! (esp if it’s to make a point – what better way to show how corrupt his industry is?)
From what I read into it and KO is not uttering a word — Keith Olbermann made his little “every man’s” contributions – quietly and not reporting it to his boss (as “everyman” should not have to do) as a counter/complaint/test situation re: his “boss” being “allowed” to make the fuckin’ million’ dollar contribution to the Pubs.
He may or may not have expected to be fired. But he knew he’d be in the lineup.
Just thinkin’.
From the CBS story: As Politico notes, Olbermann and MSNBC President Phil Griffin have been critical of Fox News over its two $1 million donations to Republican and Republican-leaning groups during the midterm election cycle.
On October 7th, in reference to the Fox News donations, Olbermann asked House Majority Whip James Clyburn if there is a legislative response available when a cable news network “goes beyond having a point of view and actually starts to shill for partisan causes and actually starts to donate to partisan groups of one party.”
~~Another face of corporations as “individuals”: FOX NEWS can give huge amounts of questionable money to a political party but hey, as a corporation, it’s difficult to FIRE a whole company –where would you start with the firings?; but not so difficult to fire/suspend/screw a single individual who makes a questionable donation to a candidate.
oops…you guys knew already…gracias Arizona, again
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021940-503544.html
For some reason that I just cannot fathom, CNN decided a while ago to go hard right. Probably to steal eyeballs from Fox which is ludicrous. Hasn’t really helped them in the ratings though. Yeah, I know they do have Elliot Spitzer but, if you’re using him as a barometer for “liberal” you can stop watching now.
As I posted as DK, this is total BULLSHIT! Yes, his contract is clear on his violation but it’s the response from NBC that is totally draconian! There is no reason whatsoever that Joe. S. does the same thing but he gets to stay. And as for Joe S. being infotainment but KO being a true reporter? Please. In a different situation, that would be a compliment but this is outrageous.
The situatiopn doesn’t merit the response Griffin felt needed to be applied. A reprimand, absolutely. Suspension? No way. No way. I’m almost swallowing my tongue I’m so angry.
get this — you cannot dial into NBC. (212) 664-4444 — busy circuit.
I guess I’ll send a telegram or Fed Ex a letter.
Keith pulled is Kos diary earlier this year.
Here is the MSNBC feedback page in case anyone wants to send a message to the company.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10285339/
Worst persons?
I can’t figure that one out.
But the case can be made for Keith to come back, chastened and carry on from there, they ding him from covering a major political event, like election night news coverage for a season, or they fire him altogether, which would open up the can of worms for people like Pat Buchanan and their ilk who contribute regularly to campaigns and don’t get dinged.
Or, Keith may not come back and go instead over to CNN like Kos says. He would be a single island entity there. But I think he has to kiss and make up with Griffin. Keith is a big ratings maker on the network, and Griffin knows it. And we have to email our support of his show.
Griffin is a friend to Joe Scarborough, a former republican congressman who became a news commentator. So there’s a little of that snake in this mix.
Look for Keith to blog on Daily Kos once the coast is clear. I’ll make sure to post it once its up.
That is messed up. Indefinitely? So that means, right, he’s off MSNBC. They could have done less than suspend him…this is obviously being used as an excuse to get rid of him.
This is the problem with corporate ownership. The freedom that the writers and anchors have is an illusion.
That said, it was bloody stupid of him to give the contributions. For fuck’s sake, have your friend do it and stay off the FEC list of contributors. I mean, he had to know the rules…and any journalist knows about these ethical guidelines that stations have. What WAS he thinking?
Well, CNN is fairly well useless these days. Olbermann would make it worth watching.
PS, I was wondering what was up with his pulling the “Worst Persons in the World” segment from his show. Threats of libel suits?
Here’s more on the personnel policies of MSNBC (from a commenter at Daily Kos):
Keith Should Be Back Soon
… as NBC’s internal policies only expect employees to notify the company in advance of such contributions. It’s hardly a firing offense.
Politico quotes NBC News’ official policy on political activity by employees. The policy does not ban staffers from donating to political campaigns, but it does require them to “report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the President of NBC News or his designee.” It is not clear whether Olbermann obtained such approval.
In recent weeks, Fox News has been criticized for Sean Hannity’s on-air fundraising for Republican John Kasich; earlier this year, however, network boss Roger Ailes pulled Hannity from a starring role in a Tea Party event.
FROM DAILY KOS:
Olbermann suspended by MSNBC
by kos
Fri Nov 05, 2010 at 11:11:33 AM PDT
Remember how I told you about Phil Griffin, and how he’s done everything possible to keep MSNBC from going the full liberal?
I rest my case. MSNBC has suspended Olbermann indefinitely without pay for giving political contributions to several candidates this cycle. Griffin’s statement:
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.”
Real smart, Phil! Olbermann isn’t just MSNBC’s highest rated show, but it’s the only one that breaks Fox News’ stranglehold on the top 10 cable news shows.
Of course, this is par for the course for Griffin — letting his lowest-rated host Joe Scarborough call the shots, to the point where Scarborough has dictated Olbermann’s guest list by blackballing me from the network. As Atrios pointed out on Twitter, Pat Buchanan gave five political contributions between 2005-08, and he keeps his permanent cot in the MSNBC green room.
CNN’s ratings are in the gutter. I’m sure they could use the boost in the ratings that Olbermann would provide.
In today’s article I mention Keith Olbermann. Here is an item from today’s Politico Playbook.
SCOOP — OLBERMANN CONTRIBUTED TO 3 DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING A GUEST ON DAY OF SHOW — Simmi Aujla: “MSNBC host Keith Olbermann made campaign contributions to two Arizona members of Congress and failed Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway ahead of Tuesday’s election – a potential violation of NBC’s ethics policies. Olbermann, who acknowledged the contributions in a statement to POLITICO, made the maximum legal donations of $2,400 apiece to Conway and to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. He donated to the Arizona pair on Oct. 28 – the same day that Grijalva appeared as a guest on Olbermann’s ‘Countdown.’ Grijalva, a prominent liberal who was only declared a winner in his race Thursday night, was in a tight contest against tea party-backed candidate Ruth McClung when he appeared on Countdown – one of several appearances he made on the show.
–”NBC has a rule against employees contributing to political campaigns … POLITICO discovered the Olbermann donation to Grijalva in [an FEC] filing. When MSNBC was asked for a comment, it forwarded a statement from Olbermann: ‘One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the re-election campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky. 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.”
http://bit.ly/aS8fGz