Olbermann, Matthews Out As MSNBC Election Anchors
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, MediaThey’ll be replaced by David Gregory…
The move, confirmed by spokesmen for both networks, follows increasingly loud complaints about Olbermann’s anchor role at the Democratic and Republican conventions. Olbermann, who regularly assails President Bush and GOP nominee John McCain on his “Countdown” program, was effusive in praising the acceptance speech of Democratic nominee Barack Obama. He drew flak Thursday when the Republicans played a video that included a tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, saying that if the networks had done that, “we would be rightly eviscerated at all quarters, perhaps by the Republican Party itself, for exploiting the memories of the dead, and perhaps even for trying to evoke that pain again. If you reacted to that videotape the way I did, I apologize.”Matthews, who has criticized politicians in both parties, drew less criticism for his convention role but became a divisive figure during the primaries when he described how he was inspired by Obama’s speeches and made disparaging remarks about Hillary Clinton, for which he later apologized.
Listen, Matthews wasn’t really that bad, but Olbermann is such a left wing pundit it hurt MSNBC’s credibility. Plus, he started making on air jabs at other pundits like Joe Scarborough and that’s just pathetic.
In any event, Gregory has a much more even handed approach and I hope MSNBC’s coverage is better for it.
Now then, what about Chuck Todd? Will he get a bigger role in the coverage now?
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September 8th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Suddenly missing Tim Russert here.. I must admit I agree with this decision. I really like Olbermann but he’s not the centrist needed for objective election coverage.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Olbermann is very entertaining, but he might as well be on Obama’s payroll. His cheerleading was embarrassing. Even Fox does not put O’Reilly or Hannity in an anchor chair.
I noted last week how much better the morning coverage being handled by Chuck Todd and Andrea Mitchell was then when Olbermann and Matthews took the chair. I actually liked watching MSNBC in the morning, it was the best coverage and an intelligent informative news show. Neither of them are particularly exciting on air personalities though. When the convention got underway and Olbermann showed up I would switch to CSPAN CNN or Fox. And I hate Fox.
September 8th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I adore K.O. BUt I agree that the coverage was not exactly unbiased. I’m not surprised by this decision.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Olberman’s coverage was cringe-worthy, and you could see Mathews cringing on more than one occassion. I’m sure Mathews blames Olberman for their ouster – and rightly so. They had a rivalry before – I’ll be watching Chris’s lead in to Count-Down more closely now for hints of digust. I’ll bet we’ll be able to see it – Chris is terrible at hiding his feelings.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I don’t even like KO, but I have to admit that I was pretty appalled at the GOP 9/11 “tribute”
It was an embarassing example of pandering, especially when you consider the GOP has practically abandoned the war on Al Queda while persuing thier bogus War in Iraq
Just like Rudy G, everytime the GOP wants to look like gives a damn about the war against terrorism it trots out 9/11. It’s transparent and hollow.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
On a positive note: I enjoyed watching Olbermann back with Dan Patrick covering football highlights last night. Not to mention watching my Chicago Bears beat the living snot out of Peyton Manning and the Colts.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Mathews has a wide reange of experience, a grasp of US history and a critical intelligence. He should be kept on the election team.