Briefly Benched

In July 2003, AlterNet repeated a Columbia Journalism Review article by Brent Cunningham criticizing the press under the title:

The problem with U.S. coverage is not political bias but a misplaced adherence to a shallow definition of objectivity.

The crux: It always sounds like you're taking an opponent's side if you question any politician's misrepresentation of falsehoods as facts... However easily disproved.

To partisans, a private donation is no more likely to fuel doubts about objectivity than a reporter's job description: to question authority.

Keith Olbermann's suspension for unapproved campaign donations ends today, unlike MSNBC indefinite suspension/dismissals for:

1. Don Imus (now on Fox Business Channel) after racial taunting of Rutgers' women's basketball team, and
2. David Shuster (yet to resurface nationally) after he shot a pilot episode for a new show on rival CNN

That history, along with a mutual predilection for taking shots at each other, led to premature giddiness by Greg Gutfeld on Fox's Red Eye:

Keith Olbermann's niche in cable commentary is pointed criticism of major politicians and public figures... Directed particularly, but not exclusively, at the political right. 

Olbermann has taken shots at Comedy Central's Jon Stewart.

But he also responded to Stewart's criticizing him for "over the top name calling," first with an on-air admission (1/27/10) and recently with removal of Countdown's “Worst Persons" segment (11/01/10) after seeing his own heated political rhetoric amidst Fox News personalities (and others)... Even as he expressed his outrage over Stewart’s "false equivalency" between him and those strident Fox competitors/political opponents with whom he incessantly feuds.

When Countdown was new in 2003, Olbermann received executive criticism for booking "liberals" Janeane Garofalo and Al Franken as guests on consecutive nights. In 2010, MSNBC is more comfortable with a progressive identity... Adopting the marketing phrase "lean forward," and with the addition of "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" following Countdown and Rachel Maddow, prime time is the highest rated time of day, and filled entirely with Olbermann and his (like-minded but more temperate) former guest hosts.

Three days and 300,000 petition signatures later, a recantation:

"After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night's program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night," Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC said Sunday.

Video: Newsy.com