MSNBC Infighting Boils Over

MSNBC problems seem to be everywhere, with a truckload of stories, infighting caught on tape, and bad ratings. Here is a collection of links that chronicle the implosion at MSNBC during the Democratic National Convention.

The Infighting
Round 1: Joe Scarborough Vs. Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews On McCain's Gains In The Polls Round 2: MSNBC Round 2: Joe Scarborough Vs. David Shuster
Round 3: MSNBC Drama Pervades Convention Coverage: Olbermann vs. Matthews, Attempts To Get Guests Banned For Round 3
Round 4: Keith Olbermann Caught Saying About Mike Murphy: "Let's Wrap Him Up"

The Reactions

MSNBC Journalist: "The Situation At Our Network Is About To Blow Up"

Connie Chung On MSNBC Infighting: "Grow Up!"

"Daily Show" Mocks MSNBC Infighting: "It's Lord Of The Flies On The NBC Roof!"

"Nobody Can Believe How Much Keith Olbermann Is Getting Away With"

And, Most Importantly, The Ratings

MSNBC In Distant Third In The Ratings

Comments

[Trueheart]

My husband and I shut off the television and decided that we would rather read Mr. Obama's speech than hear Keith Olbermann read selections that have been pre-released to the press. Joe Biden comes out, announces that we are going to hear endorsement speeches from "real" working people, and MSNBC doesn't allow us to hear what they have to say. Instead we watch the event in the background while Olbermann and Matthews yammer on and on about the significance of the event which we are not being allowed to observe.

I have never seen any convention covered like this. Who gives a hang what Chris, Keith, Joe, Andrea, Rachel et al, are FEELING or what they think MAY BE happening or is going to happen.....I get to watch you egomaniacs every friggin night of the week. This is an historical event. Get your well-dressed arses down on the floor, wade into the drunken, sweaty, slap-happy crowd and interview the delegates who have gathered from all over our country to participate in this convention.

MSNBC YOU ARE NOT THE EVENT.

[WFV]

Turn your TV back on, but this time go to CSPAN! No garbage, all convention.

Yay! Dick Durbin is on - I'm out!

[Dannydel]

You're out? Hey, that reminds me, who we really need to tell it like it is at these conventions is Jim Rome! Now THAT would worth watching. Politics...Jungle style.

[brijit]

When Keith started reading we switched to C-SPAN. Should have done it long ago. It was a joy to hear the short speeches from everyday Americans rather than than listen to the endless rumination of media talking egos. Reading parts of Obama's speech was way out of line. Badly done, Keith!

[tavote08]

I jumped on that bandwagon too, Some of the ordinary day folk were better than the professionals. Really enjoyed Barney Smith

[presto]

I don't understand. Why did you have to turn the TV off? Don't you get any other stations? I can't stand MSNBC either. So I don't watch them. You can get the whole convention, uninterrupted, on C-Span.

[disgusted48]

Thank goodness for C-span. Pure and unadulterated.

[WoodyCPM]

I watched it on the net. The DNC had a live feed from their site. Not a single talking head...nothing but what was happening on the stage and in the crowd. No blather, no stupid pundit baloney, no egomaniacs blowing smoke in everyone's ear sandwiched between the endless, loud, vapid, ad hustlers. Go away TV, go away!!

[mick7191]

Scarborough was acting like a little kid. He's a typical republican. When you challenge him, he looks indignant, gets snotty, and talks louder.

[Mattjoe]

The most ironic theme of this election year is the throngs of media shills who argue about elitism, ego, arrogance and self-importance.

Aren’t those standard character traits of any good network news personality?

[NHGranite]

Chuck Todd just shut down Tom Brokaw on MSNBC! McBrokaw says the cameras overhead make Obama look imperious, and Todd slams him with the truth: the MSM asked for the cameras to be skycams. Olbermann is going all innocent, asking if this might be a cultural phenomenon since skycams go with football stadiums, and Todd again brings up the fact that McCain can't even give away tickets for his 10000 hall! Whoo Hoo

[brijit]

Was Brokaw always such a GOP shill?

[Darthwave]

BS... This is just another right wing spin point to beat up on MSNBC because they have two commentators who are not center right hacks who spew verbatim right wing talking points. At least if you have a different opinions on this channel compared to Fox.

[genseric13]

Crazy ideologues posing as journalists.

[sublingual]

MSNBC is still my favorite network for news and opinion. They make CNN look sick, and they expose Fog Snooze as the bunch of liars and hypocrites we know they are.

I think Olbermann is the man of the hour. He should be lionized, not castigated, for his brutal honesty. Scarborough is obviously leaking all over the media, and he should be taken to task. We need less of his type of newscasting and more like Olbermann. My TiVo is already set to catch every one of Rachel Maddow's shows--I can't wait to watch her show.

[polaris12]

Gosh, isn't it funny we never hear these comments about Fox News. I suppose because it is so "fair and balanced." The incredible amount of Republican propaganda coming out of Fox is a disgrace, but the right wing gets very jittery if anyone really fights back. Thus the attack on MSNBC.

[presto]

That made no sense. Fox is attacked, rightly so, a zillion times a second everywhere on earth. The attack on MSNBC is overdue. Modeling themselves on as Fox's alter ego doesn't make them any more decent.

[WoodyCPM]

A pox on all their houses! can't wait until all of these blathering media jackasses are off the public stage! Go Away!

[grata2ude]

I long for the past. Where is Cronkie, Huntley and Brinkley when we need them most. They were journalists.

[wayofpeace]

KEITH and RACHEL
are today's
CRONKITE and BRINKLEY

[Trueheart]

You just don't know what you are talking about.

Those grand old journalistic reporter dudes never inserted themselves into the news. They allowed us to observe, and their commentary was precise, understated, and devoted to providing the public with facts. They never digressed into the egomaniacal harangues that Olbermann and Maddow indulge in. And they never presumed they had the right to tell us what to think.

I hope you were joking.

[dajay]

I am sure there are plenty of ex-MSNBC viewers like myself who had gotten so turned off with that station with regard to the way their commentators acted during the primary season.

I knew their incessant bashing of Hillary and Bill Clinton and their tacky, tasteless commentators would lose them viewers.

I hope they get canceled.

[JanetE]

You hit the nail right on the head. That constant incessant bashing of half of all the primary voters' favorite Hillary Clinton was just plain STUPID. Why alienate half of the primary voters???? How dumb is that?

Respectable professional journalists do not bash either party, they are respectful of women and men who have done so much for our country. And MSNBC, it seemed to me, did the most Bill Clinton bashing too. Ridiculous. I only hope that if Obama is elected, he will improve our country as much as Bill Clinton did. He's our only hope since McCain is way too far out of reality to be able to do it.

[dajay]

JanetE: Yes, you are so right. "Respectable professional journalists do not bash either party."

ANd that certainly leaves out Keith O. and MSNB News, the new Fox News.

[ceasenake]

Clash of the Giant Egos.

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

That's exactly what it is

[RENREVARD]

Tim Russert tamed those giant egos.

[Americatortures]

Why hasn't Faux Noise hired that right-wing hater..Buc­hanan,yet?­? He does NOT fit in at MSNBC!! And Tweety still thinks he knows it all!! Just give Shuster a show rather than those obnoxious "Lockup" shows, and get Michelle Bernard- a smart and beautiful woman-on the air more!! That's it...No Buchanan and Tweety...MORE Shuster and Bernard!!!

[polaris12]

You don't understand. Buchanan is not a neocon so doesn't fit in with Fox. He has consistently opposed the neocon criminals in their trumped up war on Iraq so Fox won't have him.

[presto]

Why would they dump Buchanan? That makes no sense. He is MSNBC's Alan Colmes. Except he is more entertaining.

[wayofpeace]

where did my posts go?

i know they were cleared and got posted
but the just went 'poof'.

has this happened to you?

[Americatortures]

If they were pro Israeli comments---they were scrubbed within 30 seconds!!!

[polaris12]

And if they did not pledge allegiance to Israel, they were erased in 15 seconds.

[TheOldSchool]

It just happened to me, too. I posted a reply to someone who replied to your 9:10 post.