Chuck Todd, the ginger-haired sane one on MSNBC, is writing a book about the election called How Obama Won. And since it deals with a similar subject matter as Gwen Ifill's, he will probably be banned from ever talking to another politician again because, he is biased. That's what happened to Ifill, right?
So that probably means that he's ineligible to host Meet the Press, and it's going to go to one of those more objective MSNBC'ers, like Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, or an angry dog with worms. You know, anyone other than a logical choice.
Keith Olbermann, the bane poster child of MSNBC, got an extension on his contract that previously got him to 2011, but now will include the 2012 election cycle.
Which just goes to prove that Phil Griffin wasn't as mad as everyone thought he was about the on-air clash between Keith and Chris Matthews during the DNC. Although it made for great gossip that Keith and Chris were getting reprimanded by the station by having their roles in MSNBC coverage reduced to pundits (which they are), instead of anchors (which they are not), it was essentially an empty threat since both the men ended up "hosting" the broadcast on election night while David Gregory "anchored."
So if we learned anything from the whole MSNBC feud, it's that diva behavior pays off, and pays off handsomely.
Update: Olbermann visited The View today and talked about how he doesn't vote because he wants to remain objective. Yeaaaaah right.
Update 2: Keith's salary is in the range of $7.5 million a year, which is 25% less than Bill O'Reilly makes.
Were you still debating whether Chris Matthews is in the tank for Barack Obama? Then find a new hobby, jerk, because the writing's on the stall. But then Matthews went overboard this morning, on colleague Joe Scarborough's Morning Joe, and pretty much nominated himself the new president's press secretary.
"The worst thing you can do in journalism is try to figure out motive. There's no way to determine it," Matthews said. Not only is this statement patently false — figuring out motive is pretty important, like George Bush's motives for invading Iraq — but Matthews followed it up with this: "I want to do everything I can to make this thing work … this new presidency work." Yes, that is Matthews the journalist speaking. CONTINUED »
The biggest controversy on MSNBC this election wasn't whether or not Sarah Palin deserved her clothing allowance, or how good of friends Barack Obama was with Bill Ayers, or even whether or not a "chirpy" lesbian anchor would succeed during prime time. No, the huge debate on Phil Griffin's network was whether Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews' gigantic hissy fits and in-station catfighting was going to prevent either anchor from hosting duties during the historic election.
And so far, it seems like they have. David Gregory and Brian took over most of the duties of straight news coverage, while Keith and Chris were delegated back to their originally scheduled programming of being treated like the pundits they were, instead of the objective news anchors they ostensibly were pretending to be.
But now it is the eve of the great and historic election and suddenly all bets are off. Welcome to MSNBC's All-Nighter "hosted" by Keith and Chris (and "anchored" by David Gregory) ! It's their world folks, we just roll our eyes at it.
We're all excited about voting tomorrow, Chris Matthews. Let's not ruin it by reminding everyone how you are confusing real life and Mad Men again.
Think of the Kennedys,” Mr. Matthews said, when asked the impact on Washington if Obama wins. “A mixed administration. Pragmatic. Some liberal tendencies, not overwhelming. Very tough. Very smart. Thin ties — are you looking at this?”
He demonstrated on his own black silk tie, folding it in half. “Well-turned-out men. No sloppiness. Just work.
“It will be zesty,” he added.
Goddammit. How are we not giving this guy the Meet the Press slot? America needs more colorful, strangely inappropriate adjectives peppered through the next four years of administration!
JOSSIP IN DEPTH — Who knew that women could be so cruel? So far in this campaign, we've seen threats, lies, and insinuations on Obama's Muslim heritage and his Kenya background from just about every right-winger in politics. But suddenly the phrase "anti-American" and "pro-America" popped up and everyone is just having a conniption fit.
Why? Maybe because the two politicians in question were Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, women of that "pitbulls with lipsticks" variety. Women who, if not having coined those phrases, definitely let them loose in the MSM, and then later apologized and rescinded their remarks. CONTINUED »
Lookie lookie: Chris Matthews is already demurring away from the rumors that he's leaving Hardball to run for Senate in Pennsylvania…despite the fact that no one was asking any questions until he himself brought it up at an Obama fundraiser:
“Right now, I have a professional responsibility to cover this campaign and politics generally with objectivity,” Mr. Matthews said. “I can’t be involved in anything like that. It has to be off the table.”
Right Matthews, but what about when your contract expires in June? Sure, the seat won't be open till 2010, but you have to start raising money soon if you want to run, and unless you're just hoping that President Obama appoints you Chairmen of the Federal Reserves, you better start your campaigning right about then.
Christopher Buckley was on Hardball last night, discussing his recent departure from the National Review, a magazine his father founded. While talking to Chris Matthews about his pro-Obama piece in The Daily Beast and how it lead to a falling out with his editors, it became harder and harder to pay attention to the younger Buck. What's with his eye?
Two famous curmudgeonly felt-men took over the New York Times Op-Ed section today, delighting children everywhere with their rapier wit and cranky disposition. Unfortunately, Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews say they have no intention on making this a standing gig.
This post has been brought to you by the letter "Z" for Zing!
With the Dow Jones dropping more than 800 points, the dollar weakening with news of AIG's government buyout, and a total loss around one trillion dollars for the country in this week alone, you'll have to forgive Chris Matthews for forgetting himself for a moment and actually asking a legitimate question to Eric Cantor (R-VA):
CONTINUED »
BFFN: Best Friends For Now?
If GE chairman "Jeff Immelt's fingerprints [are] all over" a supposed deal to beef up Keith Olbermann's contract while letting Chris Matthew's ride out his agreement until it expires next year, than Jeff Zucker's fingerprints are all over the Page Six item saying it's so. CONTINUED »
Ugh, shut up Fox News. Doocy? You're ridiculous. Kilmeade? You're barely a sidekick. We're more than fine with watching you dump on Olbermann and Matthews, but it's exhausting to listen to you talk about the "way left" MSNBC, especially in the context of "commentators … used to do actual news anchoring," when you've got Brit Hume playing nonpartisan news anchor like you're fooling anyone. Sadly, you are. [via TVN]
MSNBC staffers didn't appreciate waking up this morning to read the latest company fumble in the New York Times instead of, say, a staff email or memo from topper Phil Griffin. That's just the latest in a string of complaints reaching us from across NBC News' bureaus following the revelation that Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews would no longer be manning the anchor chair during hard news events; instead, they'll once again return to the pundit circle.
Part of the announcement was that David Gregory would be playing center square, turning to O+M for their analysis while he moderates the hard news during the presidential debates and election night returns. And that's the other sticking point for NBC News staffers: Nobody wants Gregory in that role, according the temperature our sources have taken inside the network. "The Phil [Griffin] management style has infuriated people who aren't even fans of Olbermann," says one spy. Gregory's own 6pm Race To The White House has been a ratings dud, and while Olbermann and Matthews have kept MSNBC's ratings alive, many fear Gregory will tank that progress. Staffers are cheering for the home team, but find it hard when the guy making the calls is Griffin.
And who might be taking the news the hardest? Joe Scarborough. CONTINUED »
And so, they've done it. After weeks of on-air in-fighting and months of accusations of liberal bias, MSNBC demoted stars Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews from all-around sensations back to where, some might argue, they belong: the pundit caste. No longer will they man the anchor chair usually reserved for straight newsmen like Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw, who have made no secret of their disapproval for the "gone too far" approach of pretend-friends Olbermann and Matthews. In the coming weeks, as all the cable networks head into the final stretch of the presidential election, O+M will, at least on the surface, play a far less significant role. When the presidential and vice presidential debates come roaring around, and election night results flow in, it will be NBC News chief White House correspondent (and Meet The Press candidate) David Gregory who mans the anchor chair; Olbermann and Matthews will be mere "analysts." The move, officially handed down from MSNBC head Phil Griffin, will be seen by outsiders and critics as the network admitting it veered too far to the left in its political coverage. Not so. CONTINUED »
JOSSIP REPORTS — With Keith Olbermann back in New York and supposedly making up with Chris Matthews, and Joe Scarborough insisting everyone at the network is going to have Thanksgiving together, everything should be hunky-dorey at NBC News, yes?
No.
Joe Scarborough is still taking shots at Olbermann on the air (excellent video here). Oh, and then there's this little matter of Chuck Todd, David Gregory, and Brian Williams — and Meet The Press. It's a clusterfuck, and these are the details: CONTINUED »
Sarah Palin bashed Barack Obama, which most pundits didn't expect, or advise. She also lobbed some decent punchlines at the talking head class, and for that, we appreciate her. But how did the folks who are paid to over-analyze these type of things, and who were on the receiving end of her taunts, respond to her words? CONTINUED »
If MSNBC's forcing Keith Olbermann to stay in New York during the RNC is part of his punishment for helping fuel the on-air fights with his co-anchors, then perhaps the kind words suddenly being exchanged between Olbermann and foe Chris Matthews are also part of any mandatory penance being paid.
OLBERMANN: Chris Matthews, at St. Paul at the Xcel Center. I miss you already. Thanks Chris.
MATTHEWS: See you soon.
Might MSNBC be having a change of heart over network star Keith Olbermann?
The Countdown host who's become the face (and programmer?) of MSNBC regularly anchored presidential primary debate coverage, which was once the territory not of pundits, but hard news men and women. Such a ratings draw in primetime, Olbermann then headed up Denver's broadcasts from the DNC, where he and Chris Matthews tag teamed lead coverage — and spearheaded a series of on-air dust ups with colleagues.
But this week, in St. Paul at the RNC, Olbermann is nowhere to be found. That's because he's been ordered to stay in New York, while Matthews and none other than Tucker Carlson — MSNBC's whipping boy — will lead coverage from the Republican convention; Morning Joe's Joe Scarborough will also broadcast on location.
So why no Olbermann? CONTINUED »
During last night's DNC coverage, MSNBC's Chris Matthews begged Jesse Jackson's ear, telling the reverend, "You have been so generous and kind to this young man, and so giving to something even more hopeful than yourself, that I salute you, sir." If only that were the case.
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