3 Debates

That's how long it took for TVNewser to figure out that Keith Olbermann's Ego wasn't exactly serving as an "analyst" for MSNBC but was instead, still serving as an anchor on debate nights. What did this fool think I was going to do? Sit alongside the likes of Chris Matthews or Joe "Scar" Scarborough like they were my equals or something? Instead I got rid of the baggage (seriously, Matthews was dragging me down) and The Ego gets Two Hours to say and do whatever the hell it wants. As it should be. Ain't life grand? It is when you are the greatness that is Keith Olbermann's Ego.

TV Newser has turned on me too.

First the Times. Now TV Newser. Apparently they could not resist the temptation to mock me either.

TVNewser talked with several NBC and MSNBC insiders for their reaction and what the mood is like today. The comments range from 'it needed to happen' to asking, 'what's next?' An NBC News executive believes the Olbermann-Matthews pairing was dicey almost from the start — "It evolved into the monster that it is, and no one was minding the image," says the executive. "They banked on the team to do the events, and little by little the slippery slope lost its ground." An NBC News correspondent told us, it was "a move that needed to happen. There was a perception in the political world that what was going on at MSNBC was bleeding over into NBC News. It was an easy front for the GOP to exploit and thus a shake-up needed to happen." "It's important to note that we don't see this as a diminishing of Keith and Chris' role," says the insider. "They're still going to be front and center, it's just that we're adding David to the mix as anchor."

If I find out that little dweeb Phil gave this quote without my authorization he'll be sweeping floors at the network when I'm done with him.

In Washington, home base for 11-year MSNBC veteran Matthews, the perception is that he has become the fall guy. "There's a real sense of unfairness that Chris is being made to pay for Keith's behavior. As for the future, the NBC News exec tells us, "From an executive level, I don't know what they're thinking. Is Gregory the answer? Who knows? But there's a lot at stake." MSNBC decision-makers are also quick to make clear that Olbermann is still the anchor for big news stories, just not politics.

Screw Matthews-he's out of here in a year anyway. What about ME? What about MY Pain???