Chris Matthews: Serious Senate Run or MSNBC Contract Gambit?

Chris Matthews' Senate Run:
Serious Bid or Contract Contrivance?




What's a Left Wing Talking Head to Do?

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Chris Matthews, the Hardball Boy, is contemplating a run for the U.S. Senate.

Or not.

From Matthews inches closer to Senate run:

Chris Matthews is dead serious about running for the Senate in Pennsylvania — and is shopping for a house in the state and privately discussing quitting MSNBC as proof of his intense interest, according to NBC colleagues, political operatives and friends.

Politico's MICHAEL CALDERONE & JOSH KRAUSHAAR think it might just be a "negotiations ploy to jack up his contract" on the part of Matthews.

Matthews is receiving some pressure to step down from his "Hardball" spot if he truly is committed to making a run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Arlen Specter (R-PA).

If Matthews is serious about running, some within the network hope he commits to the Pennsylvania Senate race sooner rather than later. Otherwise, his nightly presence on “Hardball” provides easy fodder to critics fueling the narrative that MSNBC is in the tank for the Democratic party. After NBC News was stung by criticism during the presidential campaign — charged with bias resulting from the antics of more outspoken personalities on MSNBC — staffers worry the situation will be repeated over the next six months.

Reactions are mostly skeptical.

Sister Toldjah, Chris Matthews sets example other partisan journalists should follow:

I applaud Matthews for taking into serious consideration the possibility he’d need to leave the network in order to run for Senate (of course, he should have left it much, much earlier - but then again he wouldn’t have been able to help his fellow mediots with getting Obama elected, would he?). In fact, I encourage every other journalist out there who has a strong bias for one party or the other - who thinks it’s their “job” to help that party - to please follow Matthews’ example, retire from your profession and start pursuing your dream of officially working to advance that party’s principles - whether it be as a politico, an advisor or aide, or working for an advocacy group, or starting your own. Make your biases known upfront instead of continuing to hide behind a phony banner of “objectivity.”

Alex Paranee--Gawker--Chris Matthews to Hold Breath

Until He Becomes a Senator (or Gets a Raise):
There's no doubt that Chris wants to be a Senator—it's been his dream since he was a little boy, to join that undemocratic and increasingly deadlocked and feeble deliberative body—but the guy is also smart about the realities of politics, if not the realities of reality. Running against a five-term senior Senator would be tough for any Democrat, but "any Democrat" would probably have better luck against Specter than a man who's been on the world's craziest cable news network saying some of the craziest things on that network for years.

Jules Crittenden, Jackass-A-Palooza takes the long view:

Full disclosure: As a professional tabloid newspaperman and frothing rightwing blogger, I have a vested interest in chaotic hilarity, if that is what the American people in their wisdom and through their political processes determine is what will best serve their interests.

Other reactions to the Matthews' bid-maybe-not at Memeorandum.

Is this a serious story? Is this a contract gambit?

Who knows--other than Chris Matthews?

It might be hard slogging it out every night on MSNBC for an audience that approaches the number of people on Friday night at Denny's.

It might be hard playing second banana to the Olberdude.

It might be hard getting anyone outside the DailyKOS to take him seriously.

But it's still easier money than actually having to convince people to vote for him in order to get the job of Chris Matthews' dreams.


by Mondo Frazier
image: jossip

Rocketboom and Peggy Noonan Two-fer

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can't make two different items fit in the same post.

Unless you offer a Two-fer.

PEGGY NOONAN BASHES MSNBC

From AllahPundit, Hot Air, "Video: Peggy Noonan salutes MSNBC’s “fatuous suck-upping” … on MSNBC":

After you’re done here, go watch the clip at Olby Watch of our straight-down-the-middle modern-day Murrow urging an AP writer on air last night to “find new work” after he committed the grievous sin of not soiling his pants over Barack Obama’s speech. Remember, Olby’s always at pains to stress how his role as opinionated nutroots vlogger on “Countdown” is very different from his role as unbiased anchorthing when covering election events. See how different he sounds to you.

Peggy Noonan two-fer below: she rips Olbermann and has her fellows in stitches--all with the same comments.

Hilarious!


Deceiver Gets FAN MAIL from ANDREW BARON

Deceiver ran a post called "How Much Does it Take to make a Rocketboom?". It chronicled the madcap adventures of John Edwards' moneyman, Fred Baron's son, Andrew and his vblog, Rocketboom.

Simon, at Deceiver, then received the following from Andrew Baron:

I appreciate that we live in a world with checks and balances but it seems like the author of this blog is either on crack or working for Republican extremists.


Simon replied, "As if they’re mutually exclusive!"

The plot thickens daily.


by Mondoreb
image: posters

O'Reilly Continues to Pound Olberman in Ratings

Notwithstanding HuffPo's Story



Bill O'Reilly continues to pound Keith Olbermann in the ratings--including the key 25-54 demographic, regardless of how The Huffington Post spun its recent article.

The Huffington Post recently pounded its chest when Keith Olbermann's 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' beat Bill O'Reilly's "The O'Reilly Factor" in the important 25-54 demographic--for one week.

What HuffPo neglected to mention is that this was one day, one demographic, one time.

From Newsmax:

MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" did average 477,000 viewers in the age 25 to 54 demographic during the first week of June, narrowly edging out Fox News "The O'Reilly Factor," which averaged 472,000 in that demo, according to Nielsen Media Research.

"This marks the first time that MSNBC has beaten Fox News in O'Reilly's 8 p.m. time slot," the left-wing Huffington Post screamed. But in fact, O'Reilly and Olbermann squared off against each other on only three days that week.

On Tuesday, the cable stations covered that day�s primaries, and on Friday, O'Reilly was on vacation, with Laura Ingraham filling in.

Ratings for "The Factor" dip when O'Reilly is not the host.

Viewership Figures: First week of June 2008
O'Reilly vs. Olbermann

25-54 demographic: O'Reilly 503,000 Olbermann 491,000
Total viewers: O'Reilly 2,193,000 Olbermann 1,031,000
[total viewers for the 3 days Olberman and O'Reilly went head-to-head.

May 2008 marked the 90th consecutive month that 'The Factor' was the leading program on cable news, averaging 2,497,000 viewers a night, while 'Countdown' had less than half that many, 1,098,000.

O'Reilly also beat out Olbermann in the 25 to 54 demographic for the month, averaging 534,000 viewers to 408,000 for 'Countdown.'

Keith Olbermann continues, like Bill O'Reilly, to be an acquired taste.

What Huffington Post didn't mention, was that more cable viewers, more frequently have acquired a taste for O'Reilly's show--including that key 25-54 demographic.

by Mondoreb
images
* RidesAPaleHorse for DBKP
* insidesocial
Source:
* O'Reilly Trounces Olbermann in Ratings

NBC: Nothing But Crap

The network of Keith Olbermann, Chris Mathews and Rosie O'Donnell has finally found something really objectionable--a salute to U.S. troops.

WASHINGTON (AP) - NBC has rejected a TV ad by Freedom's Watch, a conservative group that supports administration policy in Iraq, that asks viewers to remember and thank U.S. troops during the holiday season.

NBC said it declined to air the ad because it refers to the group's Web site, which the network said was too political, not because of the ad's message.

"Anybody in the world who would look at this ad would come away with nothing other than we should be thankful for their service," Freedom's Watch president Brad Blakeman said.

The spot was to be part of a seven-figure campaign that includes newspaper ads and television commercials. The ads are to run on CNN and Fox News Channel and are running in various newspapers. The New York Times ran a full-page Freedom's Watch ad Friday that said "Thank You!" and depicted a soldier reading a letter. The newspaper ad also contained the Web site address.

Alan Wurtzel, NBC's head of standards and practices, said the network decided not to run the Freedom's Watch ad because the group insisted that the spot contain the URL address of its Web site.

The group's home page links to another Freedom's Watch Web page that lists nonprofit organizations that are sending care packages to soldiers and that suggests other ways of expressing support.

It also contains a welcoming message that states: "For too long, conservatives have lacked a permanent political presence to do battle with the radical special interests groups and their left-wing allies in government."

"We have a policy that prohibits acceptance of advertising that deals with issues of public controversy," Wurtzel said. "This particular ad, in and of itself, is fine. It thanks the troops for their action overseas. We asked them to eliminate a URL address where a person is asked to contact elected officials and told not to cut and run on the war on terror."

NBC rejected a previous Freedom's Watch ad that addressed funding for the troops.

"It's a long-term policy, it goes back decades," Wurtzel said of NBC's stance of declining controversial issue advertising.

He suggested that Freedom's Watch did not alter the ad in order to force NBC to reject it and thus get media attention.

--Source: AP - NBC Rejects "Salute to the Troops" Ad from Conservative Group
NBC can dance and spin all they like: people will watch the video, read the story and come to their own conclusions on this.

And they will most likely decide that they won't end their apathy concerning either NBC or MSNBC's network televised offerings.

Maybe when NBC viewership sinks below that of the Fatty Foods Network or Breathing for Credit Channel, someone will have the sense to let a businessman run the network.

Instead of the rabidly Left ideologues in charge now.

by Mondoreb
[graphic, notes: RidesAPaleHorse]

Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Rosie's Return to TV: MSNBC a Match Made in Heaven

Responding to the news that Rosie O'Donnell may be added to the nightly line-up at MSNBC, a spokeman uttered words sure make Pinocchio proud. Commenting on the network and the four guys who watch it nightly, MSNBC denied any attempt to lure left-thinking viewers.

The Quote Mostly Likely to Cause Nose Growth from New York Times:

“It happened naturally. There isn’t a dogma we’re putting through. There is a ‘Go for it.’”
--” Phil Griffin, a senior vice president of NBC News who is the executive in charge of MSNBC, said Friday, referring specifically to the channel’s tilting to the Left from 7 to 10 p.m.

More breathless reporting on the phenomenon that is MSNBC from the NY Times:

Riding a ratings wave from “Countdown With Keith Olbermann,” a program that takes strong issue with the Bush administration, MSNBC is increasingly seeking to showcase its nighttime lineup as a welcome haven for viewers of a similar mind.

Lest there be any doubt that the cable channel believes there is ratings gold in shows that criticize the administration with the same vigor with which Fox News’s hosts often champion it, two NBC executives acknowledged yesterday that they were talking to Rosie O’Donnell about a prime-time show on MSNBC.

During the nine months she spent on “The View” before departing abruptly last spring, Ms. O’Donnell raised viewership notably. She did so while lamenting the unabated casualties of the Iraq war and advocating the right to gay marriage, among other positions.

Rosie famously is remembered for her scientific knowledge during discussions on whether 9/11 was a conspiracy. "Fire doesn't melt steel" defines O'Donnell's style and substance.

And it looks like she'll soon be back on the airwaves. MSNBC is a perfect match for O'Donnell. She'll be among a like-thinking people. It might be a match made in Haeaven.

No one knows if there is TV in Heaven. Except for media reporters, bloggers and Internet news junkies, she was largely ignored in the morning.

Now she'll soon be ignored nightly on MSNBC.

By Mondoreb
[image:themoderatevoice]



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NBC's NFL Green Moment: NFL's Response is No Response

"Can you help me? I'm trying to find somewhere else to live.
Besides NBC, I mean."

The news of NBC's attempt to get an "NFL Greenest Hightlights" bandwagon rolling by Hot Air, sends off alarm bells in conservative NFL fans. The addition of Keith 'Barking When Not Raving' Olbermann to the sports team was something remedied by turning off the sound. Now that NBC Sports has come out of the Green Closet and turned off the lights, what's left?

From Hot Air:

Geez. Football used to be one of the few places on earth you could escape moonbattery and politics in general. But not anymore, at least not on NBC. Noooo. First they had to put Keith Olbermann in their coverage. And now they pull a lame green stunt on their pre-game show by turning off some lights.

Exactly. It's not enough that NFL fans pay through the nose for everything connected with pro football. Now their ears are forced to bleed, a natural reaction at having Left Wing political views forced on them during telecasts.

Contacting the NFL's corporate offices took a bit of digging, to secure the phone number. After some confusion by the switchboard as to who should be consulted, Human Resources was rung. Matthew Kinney was not at his desk, but another Human Resources number was provided. That too proved to be a dead end.

After switching gears, the NFL Media office was contacted, but a voice message informed the caller that Meredith wasn't available either. Meredith wasn't available on several other tries. Maybe out marching in a "Save the Polar Bears" parade?

Oh well. More attempts will be made later.

In any event, no NFL response was able to be secured on what the football big-wigs thought about NBC's game show tactics. It's just as well, the NFL's calculus, as well as ultimately, NBC's, is weighted toward profit. If enough people are annoyed by having environmental messages unsubliminally supplied along with their football, they may turn off or switch channels on their TV.

Turning off the TV may turn the lights on.

by Mondoreb
Hot Air Trackback



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This Weekend's A Carnival at DBKP Any Anti-Olbermann Zealots Out There?

[graphic: RidesAPaleHorse]
"I Hate Keith Olbermann" and "Right Wing Blog Awards" up this weekend.

This weekend's a carnival at Death By 1000 Papercuts. A BlogCarnival, to be exact. Tomorrow we host "I Hate Keith Olbermann" and Sunday it's the "Right Wing Blog Awards".

To those of you who can't get enough anti-Olbermann stuff, if you have any links to stories, pix, or anything at all dissing the Countdown Cuckoo, submit the links HERE!. It's a monthly special edition and we'll be looking for sites wanting to host future carnivals. Drop a note at the above link.

"The Right Wing Blog Awards", October Edition, will be on Sunday. Anyone who wants to nominate a conservative, right wing or Republican blog article, pic or graphic can submit the link HERE!. One entry per site, please.

Submissions close for KO tonight.
Submissions close for WRBA tomorrow.
All email to: Hummmbert @ gmail.com

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DO YOU HATE KEITH OLBERMANN?Death by 1000 Papercuts Call For Submissions For Special Edition

by Mondoreb

They're out there.
By the thousands.
There are websites devoted to them.

They are the legions of Keith Olbermann haters. Olbermann, the obnoxious host of MSNBC's Countdown spurs love--or hate. And the haters are what we're looking for.

Death by 1000 Papercuts is hosting a Blog Carnival/Special Edition on October 13, 2007 dedicated to the Olbermann haters worldwide. We're looking for articles, original material photoshops, links to websites, and anti-Olbermann graphix.

For more information: I Hate Keith Olbermann.

DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

DIGG THIS!

Olbermann: Coo Coo For CoCo Puffs MSNBC FEARED MISSING IN TWILIGHT ZONE

[Graphic by Little Baby Ginn]
by Little Baby Ginn

The MSM has reported MSNBC has gone missing as a credible and reputable news source. Sources say MSNBC was last sighted pandering to ratings with its hippest, newest Hip-Celeb-Journalist-Cum-Savvy-Political-Guy-on-the-planet, Keith Olbermann.

MSNBC extended Olbermann’s contract to another four years because of a ratings spike for the network. The decision was made from up on high that MSNBC’s reputation as a serious major news source would be sacrificed to ratings. Enter the schlock news guy Olbermann.

Olbermann’s tired angle is to attack President Bush at every conceivable opportunity. No need to question Olbermann’s patriotism because most question his sanity.

MSNBC’s cohort in the MSM, CBS, just learned the hard way about not checking the insanity of a top performer. Their ex-resident psycho, anchor Dan Rather, slapped them with a 70 million dollar lawsuit alleging fraud. “What’s the frequency” Gunga Dan’s latest salvo against CBS claims he was given unimportant assignments, a major cut in 'face time' on TV, and a smaller staff. Evidently this was so highly insulting to Rather that only 70 million bucks of moolah will soothe the savage, and quite nutty, beast.

This was in the aftermath of Rather “reporting” an unsubstantiated story about Bush just prior to the election. CBS chose to stand Rather down rather than frogmarching him from the building. The fiasco was a blatantly intentional attempt by Rather and his cronies to sway a presidential election.

The rest of us could see this coming from a mile away. You’d think a major news organization, chocked full of investigative journalists, could have seen this about Rather years ago--heck, decades ago.

Evidently not deterred by the moral of CBS’ long saga with Rather I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new nightly news lineup at MSNBC to showcase their new “news” star, Olbermann. Such gems as “The Ted Rall’s Roundup” followed by “The Opie And Anthony Show’ then onto “The Bill Moyer Vampire Hour.”

As a fan of MSNBC General Manager Dan Abrams, I kind of feel sorry for him: Olbermann’s antics have already tainted MSNBC as the Coco Puffs news network.

NOTE: We admit, hating Keith Olbermann is a guilty pleasure. We're looking for any articles, links, pix, graphics--anything anti-KO at all. We'll be putting out our special Death by 1000 Papercuts' "I Hate Keith Olbermann" edition on October 13, 2007. More info at I Hate Keith Olbermann.

DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
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