Conservative faction at MSNBC continues to attack Olbermann and Maddow

[Joanne98]

Fri Apr 23, 2010 at 05:49:29 AM PDT
It's been an interesting week at MSNBC.

As I reported on Tuesday, CNBC pundit and Morning Joe regular, Donny Deutsch, was hosting the second day of what was supposed to a one-week run of shows at 3pm on MSNBC (filling in for the still-suspended David Schuster). Deutsch did a segment in which he angrily complained about anger in the media, lumping Keith Olbermann in with Limbaugh, O'Reilly, and Beck -- telling his audience that they are all "crazy" and shouldn't be taken seriously. He then allowed a guest to refer to Olbermann and Ed Schultz as "the biggest hate mongers in television," without rebuttal. Deutsch later defended Schultz when the attacks continued, but made no apologies for the epithets being hurled at Olbermann by himself and his guests earlier in the segment.

ryeland's diary :: ::
By Wednesday morning, Deutsch's show had been canceled and the segment producer, Gresham Striegel, had been sent home (fired or suspended?). Striegel, it turns out, is a FOX News veteran producer who recently joined MSNBC after leaving Glenn Beck's show.

I'm glad that Deutsch and Striegel were shown the door, but this wasn't an isolated incident at MSNBC. In fact, it wasn't even the first time that day that progressive MSNBC hosts were compared to Limbaugh and Beck on another MSNBC show (more below).

The problem here is not that somebody is criticizing progressive hosts on MSNBC. It happens every day. But if Olbermann, Maddow, Schultz, and even Matthews are going to be regularly attacked on their own network, they should have the ability to fire back. They can't or won't, because they're professionals who actually follow the network rules:

"We have many strong personalities with differing, passionate opinions, but it is important to remember that we are all on the same team," said in the memo. "I want to reiterate my long-standing policy: We do not publicly criticize our colleagues. This kind of behavior is unprofessional and will not be tolerated."

How often do you think Keith Olbermann would like to name Joe Scarborough the Worst Person in the World for his sickening pro-torture rants? Would Rachel Maddow like the opportunity to challenge Mika Brzezinski for her insistence that the "left wing hate nobody is talking about" is to blame for threats of violence against members of congress?

The same day that Donny Deutsch launched his attack on Keith Olbermann, the Morning Joe crew had been playing their usual innuendo game. Here's how YoungChicagoDemocrat described it in a diary:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
At around 1 min and 20 Sec Joan Walsh of Salon asks the simple question "who on the Left is comparable to Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh."

Cringe-worthy Response by the Morning Joe Gang:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/23/859908/-Conservative-faction-at-MSNBC-continues-to-attack-Olbermann-and-Maddow

[fascisthunter]

1. Because they are losing all Credibility and They Know It

they are aligned with the Tea Bagging right wing phony movement and all the death threats and now they are trying to shift the spot light on Olbermann and Maddow.

[RKP5637]

2. That's similar to what I think too! n/t

[emulatorloo]

3. I get sick of this false equivalency. Beck/Limbaugh can't survive a fact check. They make shit up

Maddow is meticulous about her research.

If Olbermann gets something wrong he makes a correction.

[monmouth]

5. That is so true about Rachel. About two weeks ago, and I apologize

for not knowing who she was interviewing, but the interviewee corrected her on a very minor factoid she had stated. She was visually upset that she had the wrong information, kept looking at her papers and apologized profusely for not having the correct facts. It was so minor anyone else would have just moved right on. Not her. I like that and shows the scholar in her, must have correct facts before stating. If she states it you can take it to the bank, the same for Keith...

[emulatorloo]

6. Posters at Kos and here are right to point out that conservatives are scared of them -- because they

are so good at proving the falseness of the GOP talking points.

That is probably what it as the root of the false equivalency -- trying to neutralize them.

[OHdem10]

4. Go back through the years and you can reach the opinion that

ONE of the ways the GOP has been able to rise to forefront
and hold so much power: Every time there appears to be a
strong personality on the left who may be impactful--destroy
him.

What is so sad--it is our own party appeasers who assist
the Republicans.

I could give a mile long list: If one is honest and serious,
Howard Dean is a good example: He was drawing crowds and
while not a Liberal he was on the Left. Democratic Wing
of the Democratic Party. IMO, this made the appeasing wing,
DLCers and Third wayers most uncomfortable. Dena was not
a corporate suck up. Yes, his scream was silly but not
enough to stop him. The Corporate Media and Our Appeasers
ridiculed and played the piece over and over. That is what
stopped him.

Think about newcomers to House.

The only reason the GOP can repeat their myth--this is a
Center Right country--is the assistance they get from our
own party.

The truth is we are an Aristocracy controlled by Business
and Members of our own party and the GOP love Aristocracies.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. This part leaped out at me

and bears repeating:

By Wednesday morning, Deutsch's show had been canceled and the segment producer, Gresham Striegel, had been sent home (fired or suspended?). Striegel, it turns out, is a FOX News veteran producer who recently joined MSNBC after leaving Glenn Beck's show.

Color me surprised.

[ladywnch]

8. i'm kinda curious as to why Striegel left the Beck show?

if Beck's show is as hot as they keep hyping it is then why leave a hot show??????????

unless, of course, Beck's shows isn't all that hot or well received as they claim......but of course this is madness!!!!....Glenn Beck is the savior of all Americans.....just ask him.

[Qutzupalotl]

10. No idea...

but I speculate that the guy's actually a moderate-righty who got nervous about Beck commanding his followers to do his bidding, some of it based on quite crazy ideas. So he goes to MSNBC thinking he can be a voice of reason or sanity there (in HIS view), getting people to say the "extremes" on both sides are dangerous. Of course its a false equivalency, but it might not seem so to him.

Disclaimer: the above post was completely pulled out of my ass.

[Doctor_J]

11. More likely MSRNC offered him more money

[ladywnch]

13. LOL..... it's as good an explanation as anyone else can offer. n/t

[Paladin]

9. The Conservative Faction Here At D.U. Is Doing The Same Thing. (n/t)

[Doctor_J]

12. MSRNC is hiring Fox "News" veterans

and ConNN is hiring Erik Erikson. Why doesn't my TV have that Liberal Media the loons are always complaining about?

[southernyankeebelle]

14. Joe, Mika and the rest of the hiding crew of rightwingers are trying their best to rid

the best evening news in cable. I am sick and tired lying about the shows that are on 3 to 9 pm. Make sure we all write them to support them.

[grasswire]

15. I do remember Rachel going after Pat Buchanan

Remember that? She took him down on her own show.