Olbermann Suspended From MSNBC But Why?

Nice Deb - CBS News, Political Hotsheet reports the glorious news:

Keith Olbermann has been suspended indefinitely without pay from MSNBC for making donations to three Democrats in violation of NBC’s ethics policy.

“I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night,” Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC, said in a statement. “Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

Olbermann, who does not hide his liberal views, has acknowledged donations of $2,400 each to Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway and Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords during this election cycle.

NBC’s ethics policy generally bars political activity, including contributions, without the approval of the president of NBC News, Steve Capus, according to a 2007 story on MSNBC.com.

Ed Morrissey doubts the suspension will last past the weekend.

See also

Olbermann Watch: Olbermann Caught! Gave Thousands to Dem Candidates Then Anchored Election Coverage!

The Blog Prof: MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann suspended without pay for Democrat campaign contributions

I don’t get this one. MSNBC has suspended Keith Olbermann because he contributed to several Democrat campaigns. Apparently, MSNBC wants to maintain it’s image as a non-biased news organization. Which engenders this response from me: WHAT?!? Are they kidding? The man’s 8pm show ought to be listed as an in-kind contribution to the DNC. Good grief. Really – is this a big deal? The cat’s been out of that bag so long ago that it’s dead.

Drew says: Schadenfreude overdose.

Newsbusters: BREAKING: MSNBC Suspends Keith Olbermann Indefinitely

Tweet ‘o the day: @Doc_0: Olbermann suspended? Hey, this “Restoring Sanity” thing is really catching on!

AnnCoulter‘s having too much fun on Twitter:

Olberdork indefinitely suspended????? very sad. I will miss watching the pompous, know-nothing fruitcake.
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I can’t believe they’d treat a graduate of Cornell’s agricultural college this way.

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(LOL!)

Great – now, how are we supposed to know who the Worst Person in the World is? Thanks, MSNBC!

MORE:

Egad…A disturbing replacement idea has emerged….

Michelle Malkin: Support Olbermann? No freaking way; Poll added: Who should replace Olbermann?

I like RS McCain’s take: Stunning Discovery: Shadowy Corporate Donors Contribute to Political Campaigns

I was not shocked to learn that MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann had contributed to Democrats. What truly shocked me? Finding out that NBC has an “ethics policy”!

See Da Techguy for some “serious snarkitude”.

UPDATE:

Hot Air: TV Newser: “Insiders” say Olbermann won’t be back

Allah makes some great points:

What bugs me about suspending Olby for “ethics” infractions is that, if only in a nominal way, it lets MSNBC go on pretending that its commentators are journalists. It’s like when a major paper runs a “news” story that’s obviously slanted to the left and which happens to contain a spelling error. They’ll happily issue a correction for the misspelling but the bias goes unmentioned; that’s their way of signaling to readers that they’re scrupulous about accuracy even while they’re dropping hatchet jobs on conservatives while professing impartiality all the while. As Ed noted earlier, it’s a sick joke to suggest that Olby throwing a few thou to Democratic candidates is an unpardonable journalistic sin while that horror show that MSNBC happily aired on Tuesday night is just good reportorial funsies for the viewers at home. I don’t care how many posters of Murrow Olby has on his wall: He’s not a reporter, he’s not a journalist, and no one but no one but no one thinks that he is, so why are journalistic ethics being applied to him?