Bill Kristol on Keith Olbermann

Bill Kristol and I are in complete agreement on this. Regarding the choice of language Bill uses, I'm obviously going to agree to disagree but the facts are facts: everyone is entitled to free speech. The Republican argument is that money is speech or the campaign finance reform would not have been thrown out this year. FOX News hires commentators that are very political and raise money all the time for conservative candidates. Countdown is an opinion-based show. Everyone knows that Keith Olbermann is a Democrat. He doesn't deserve to lose his job over political contributions. He wasn't getting any political favors as a result of said donations.

MSNBC’s suspension of Keith Olbermann is ludicrous.

First, he donated money to candidates he liked. He didn’t take money, or favors, in a way that influenced his reporting.

Second, he’s not a reporter. It’s an opinion show. If Olbermann wants to put his money where his mouth is, more power to him.

Third, GE, the corporate parent of MSNBC, gives money to political organizations. GE executives and, I’m sure, NBC executives give money. Why can’t Olbermann?

Perhaps Olbermann violated NBC News “policy and standards.” But NBC doesn’t have real news standards for MSNBC—otherwise the channel wouldn’t exist. It’s a little strange to get all high and mighty now.

SAVE KEITH!

The MSNBC statement can be found here:

"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."