This is precious. Today, in “Scissortails” a hodge-podge board editorial — usually good for a laugh anyway — the Oklahoman takes issue with something that happened on MSNBC during the Democratic Convention in Denver. (Now you know none of them were watching MSNBC, I’m sure they got this news of the on-air dustup between Keith Olbermann and Joe Scarborough from Little Green Footballs or something.)
Get the shovel!
When MSNBC host/commentator Joe Scarborough was discussing positive developments in the John McCain campaign, fellow commentator Keith Olbermann was heard to say, “Jesus, Joe, why don’t you get a shovel?” When Olbermann opens his mouth, more than a shovel is needed — a backhoe, perhaps, or a front-end loader. Executives at NBC News/MSNBC finally came to their senses and yanked Olbermann and Chris Matthews as co-anchors of political coverage. The commentators were posing as newsmen on election nights and during the national political conventions. Fox News Network, which Olbermann frequently blasts, never used Bill O’Reilly in that capacity. In our view, Olbermann, Matthews and O’Reilly are all Cat 3 blowhards. They have their own shows and they shouldn’t be anchoring the news alongside Tom Brokaw or Brit Hume. With Olbermann on stage, NBC had become the “Nasty Broadcasting Network.” What took the execs so long to figure out it wasn’t appropriate for him to be an anchor?
Now, notice they didn’t mention exactly what it was that Joe was saying when Keith called him on it (inadvertently on mic or not). So let me help them, and you, out with this little video.
As usual, Joe Scarborough was reeling off the GOP talking points, which I guess is why the Oklahoman’s editorial board felt so at home with his commentary.
May I also point out again, that Joe Scarborough admitted to being a Republican tool with rare candor just the other day, which I diaried here.
MATTHEWS: […] Two days from now — I want to ask you, what will we talk about two days from now?
SCARBOROUGH: Whatever the McCain campaign wants us to talk about, because the McCain campaign is assertive. […]
I’m sure we won’t be reading about that MSNBC dustup in the Oklahoman, ever.
And as for calling MSNBC the “Nasty Broadcasting Network” because of Keith. (Catchy phrase, no?) Though they were careful to lump Fox’s O’Reilly in their list of “Cat 3 blowhards,” they never called Fox “nasty” or anything approximate, despite years of dispicable behavior. No, the name calling is reserved for all things liberal — that’s the one constant from all Republicans ever since Nixon got pardoned and (Fox News owner) Rupert Murdoch dumped journalism in the toilet.