Free Republic

Here is video of MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann returning to the air after his “indefinite” suspension by MSNBC last week without pay for having contributed to Democrat candidates without prior permission from the network. He certainly comes across as chastened in this opening bit.

MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann has released a statement thanking supporters a day in advance of his return from a four-day, two-show suspension over unreported political donations. And, wouldn't you know it: Olbermann didn't even know about the rule he violated! Olbermann, who released the statement through his own people and not through the network, explains that he knew "nothing" about the "inconsistently applied rule" concerning donations. He says that the donations "merited a form of public acknowledgment," but that he wasn't trying to keep them secret. He also writes that he found out he was suspended "through the media."...

While even Keith Olbermann’s critics seem to think that the possibility of MSNBC firing him for giving money to political candidates is a bridge to far, the whole episode has been a big reminder that the cable news host self-righteous hypocrite when it comes to journalistic ethics. Case in point, see the following email exchange supplied to me by a former MSNBC employee. It’s between Olbermann and MSNBC producers who are trying to organize a friendly interoffice pool at the network to guess the outcome of the 2004 presidential election. Olbermann will have none of it: —–Original Message—– From: XXXX...

Olbermann Apologizes to Viewers, But Not to MSNBC By BILL CARTER 6:15 p.m. | Update In an aggressive statement questioning the legitimacy of his two-day suspension from MSNBC, Keith Olbermann addressed his viewers Monday night, saying that they were responsible for his scheduled return to the air on Tuesday, following revelations that he had contributed to the campaign funds of three Democrats in last week’s election. In an open letter to “Countdown” viewers, he blamed NBC for creating a donation policy that was “inconsistently applied,” and said he did not know the rule existed. He also, referring to what he...