David Shuster Defends Keith Olbermann, Slams Fox News On 'Reliable Sources' (VIDEO)

On Sunday's "Reliable Sources," former MSNBC host David Shuster fervently defended Keith Olbermann and criticized Fox News while clashing with a fellow guest who compared Olbermann to Joe McCarthy.

Shuster--who frequently filled in for Olbermann when he was away-- and the other guest, Baltimore Sun critic David Zurawik, were both on the CNN show to discuss Olbermann's sudden departure from MSNBC on Friday. Their argument started after host Howard Kurtz played a clip of Olbermann's special comment after the Arizona shooting, where he apologized for anything he might have said that encouraged violence and urged people like Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly to do the same. Zurawik said that Olbermann's criticisms of O'Reilly were reminiscent of McCarthy than of the man who Olbermann quoted so often, Edward R. Murrow.

"I think that he will absolutely attack people and try to assassinate their character just the way Joe McCarthy did without facts," Zurawik said. "And to say that Bill O'Reilly, who has been much more reasonable in the last year than Keith Olbermann ever was on the air, much more responsible, to try to pin that on Bill O'Reilly, link him to that, is outrageous."

Shuster objected to this point. "Look, the fact of the matter is, is there are people who have tried to carry out acts of violence who were inspired by Glenn Beck," he said. "The fact of the matter is you're making a moral equivalency between Glenn Beck and Keith Olbermann, and it's simply not fair."

Shuster also said there were few journalistic standards at Fox News. "With the exception of a couple of new shows, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, they don't even attempt to subscribe to the journalistic principles that were attempted throughout the MSNBC schedule," he said.

WATCH

Shuster further speculated that part of the reason Olbermann left was due to the impending takeover of MSNBC by Comcast. The new owners plan to give NBC News president Steve Capus more control over MSNBC, and Olbermann was concerned that his "wings would be clipped," Shuster said.

Comments

[walkman56]

02:49 AM on 01/26/2011

What is David Shuster doing these days? His hosting of "Road to the White House" aws some of the best ever. Too bad no one(including MSNBC) isn't smart enough to sign this guy.

[Dunelm]

04:32 PM on 01/25/2011

Olbermann for the Senate, and Shuster for Congress!

[madashellvoter]

03:38 PM on 01/25/2011

It's pathitic! What I don’t understand is why do journalist who have empathy with the democrats have to defend their positions which are not out of the main stream. While the far right journalists, for example (Baltimore Sun Time) in this clip get to say whatever the want and defend radical hateful speech from O'Reilly, Beck, Limbaugh and don’t have to apologize for it?

[liberalOrgonian]

12:08 PM on 01/25/2011

Can some one explain how a work contract can supersede the FIRST amendment?
Free speech is free speech.
David was snared in that trap, now Keith.
I hesitate to use the word "owned", but it comes to mind.

[suec03]

02:27 PM on 01/25/2011

The first amendment to the US Constitution bars government (originally just the federal government, but then extended to the states) from restricting speech.  It does not restrict a private employer, such as a television news network.  MSNBC is not bound by the first amendment, because it is not a government entity.

[gustafson]

12:30 AM on 01/30/2011

maybe their not in an "Offical" government entity , but they run the government (just like all the other corporations run the government through the corporate republicans)

[liberalOrgonian]

12:01 PM on 01/25/2011

David Shuster the voice of reason in the craziness.
CNN seems to be playing the fox light role.
CNN milk-toast, failing at covering news, just talking points w/o follow up questions.
All those badmouthing Keith are really just jealous of his extraordinary talent.
And their lack there of.

CNN, let me help you.
When any repub says he/she want the U.S. to have JOBS,
just ask he/she why they did NOT support and vote for the "JOB's BILL"?
What was so bad about THAT bill, and what THEIR JOB bill includes?
Oh, Yes, and when can we see that bill?
And where are the JOBS John Boehner? What is his plan for JOBS?
So far we have watched house repubs try to take insurance away from sick children.

PS Repealing life saving HealthCare, just doesn't poll well, Mr Boehner.

[sgraham59]

02:02 PM on 01/25/2011

CNN Is Bad Mouthing Keith Because He Told Them To F-Off

[ItsAlinaHudson]

11:44 AM on 01/25/2011

So, Tom Brokaw's hands are all in this! Tom Brokaw who has NO value whatsoever!

[suec03]

02:29 PM on 01/25/2011

Tom Brokaw grew up in South Dakota and is a moderate Republican or independent isn't he?  He has never been a liberal, and is certainly not a Democrat!

[FreelanceWriter]

03:23 PM on 01/28/2011

Why is that a problem? What difference does it make WHAT Tom Brokaw is? What levers her pulls in a PRIVATE voting booth is HIS business.

As for being on TV, that is where he SHOULD be unbiased and NOT showing his political leanings since his job is/was to bring you the NEWS.

If you want a liberal or someone who "certainly is a Democrat", then go watch one of the MSNBC commentators -- like a Rachel Maddow -- where there's no hiding the fact that she's NOT a newswoman, but rather IS a paid political commentator, no different than a Sean Hannity is on the opposing right.

[want2run527]

10:48 AM on 01/25/2011

Zurawik just sank MSNBC's boat for me. If what he speculates is indeed the way the network is going then I wants no part of it.

[ItsAlinaHudson]

11:46 AM on 01/25/2011

Yup! And I don't feel sorry for em!

[Epiphany2b]

10:15 AM on 01/25/2011

"I think that he will absolutely attack people and try to assassinate their character just the way Joe McCarthy did without facts,"

And which of those people Olbermann "attacked" have received death threats? And then compare them to the number of death threats against those Beck and O'Reilly and Limbaugh attacked.

[johnr49]

03:55 PM on 01/26/2011

And let's not forget that Dr Tiller, someone who was attacked repeated by O'Reilly and others, was not just threatened but actually murdered.

[FreelanceWriter]

03:37 PM on 01/28/2011

Except now you're REALLY reaching with a truly BOGUS "cause and effect" analogy. For the record, O'Reilly never...let me repeat that NEVER...called for any harm to come to Tiller. And he never advocated that people should even confront the man.

All O'Reilly pointed out on his show...as a person who was clearly anti-abortion...was the cold, hard fact -- and mind you, it was a FACT -- that Tiller was performing abortions AGAINST existing state regulations and was NOTORIOUS for bending the rules. And there was MORE than enough evidence and testimony from individuals to support that accusation.

So the whole O'Reilly vs Tiller thing REALLY came down to the fact that O'Reilly was simply using his show to ask aloud WHY then-Governor Kathleen Sebelius (now head of Health & Human Services) was NOT responding to calls...even from Kansas state legislators...to open an investigation.

But to say O'Reilly caused Tiller's death is ridiculous. So what you're saying is -- as an example -- if a newscaster spotlights a pedophile who is repeatedly caught just WATCHING kids at a playground...and as a result the police legally cannot do anything about it...if he then has harm caused to him...that the NEWSCASTER caused the harm?

Sorry, but the whole "you showed it on the news, so you caused the end result" argument is ALWAYS going to be a MASSIVE stretch.

[FOXYROSE]

08:56 AM on 01/25/2011

Schuster, another D lister.

[bluegigi]

02:43 PM on 01/25/2011

Speaking of "D's", it's spelled Shuster. Just saying. Cheers.

[pinouye]

08:41 AM on 01/25/2011

"...Slams Fox News..." - the author of this piece surely took liberties in the title!

[BUSTERtheCAT]

08:41 AM on 01/25/2011

MSNBC whats the problem
5-chris
6-ed
7-schuster
8-Lawrence
9-Rachael
then run'em again

[pinouye]

08:47 AM on 01/25/2011

Look at the line up, and you can see the problem(s)!!!

[madashellvoter]

03:32 PM on 01/25/2011

Oh my TV guru, dus't you have a better list? Nah!

[Loggietoad]

08:19 AM on 01/25/2011

"Look, the fact of the matter is, is there are people who have tried to carry out acts of violence who were inspired by Glenn Beck."

I'd be interested to see what "facts" he is referring to.

[Clancy Weeks]

09:37 AM on 01/25/2011

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/10/11/report-would-be-terrorist-inspired-by-schoolteacher-glenn-beck/

Try to keep up...

[notreallyabadguy]

09:59 AM on 01/25/2011

Byron Williams. Committed violent political acts, admitted in jail that he was inspired by Glenn Beck. http://mediamatters.org/research/201010110002

That is just the beginning. For the past several years there has been violent domestic terrorism coming from the right and they are always dismissed as "isolated incidents" by crazy people. A hundred isolated incidents, all from the right, all from radicals targeting the targets of pundits, that is a TREND. It's dangerous

[CarolinaYankee]

02:28 PM on 01/25/2011

Personally, re: the guy who hurt Congresswoman Giffords, he was sooo  obsessed with her I am pretty sure after she spoke in March about the map she was on he probably went to the web site to see what she was talking about.. just sayin'

[roch20]

08:10 AM on 01/25/2011

I luuuve David Shuster!!!

[mollysmomma]

02:43 PM on 01/25/2011

Me too.

[bluegigi]

02:45 PM on 01/25/2011

Agreed! F&F!

[donnie-cheesehead]

07:06 AM on 01/25/2011

Zurawik .... what a PISS-ANT, always at the ready to defend
the twisted, lying rhetoric of FoxPac.

There is no comparison between a Olbermann Rant and an O'reilly rant.

One rages at lies and one lies in rage.

[Dbos]

11:24 AM on 01/25/2011

Great ! not bad for a cheesehead F&F

[msgirlintn]

05:59 AM on 01/25/2011

I'm glad that David defended Keith.  "Reliable Sources" is not at all reliable unless you want to hear something right wing, which is all CNN is now too.
 
I miss David on air on MSNBC.  I thought he did a great job. 

[katylied]

10:20 AM on 01/25/2011

Howard Kurtz is a RW tool.

[msgirlintn]

04:19 PM on 01/25/2011

katy,
 
Agreed.  That's why I don't watch "Reliable Sources" or read "The Daily Beast".