Al Gore: Keith Olbermann Is 'Fine' With Current, MSNBC Not Consistently Progressive

[onehandle]

PASADENA, Calif. — Former Vice President Al Gore on Friday described Current TV as the "consistent" liberal TV network compared with MSNBC, and said it will keep Keith Olbermann in the fold. Olbermann, Current's most popular personality, didn't participate in Iowa and New Hampshire political coverage, reportedly because he was upset over production problems at the network.

"He's fine," said Gore, chairman of the network in 63 million U.S. homes, dismissing rumors that Olbermann was seeking to leave. "He has been the key to our ability to pivot and develop our whole network as a progressive news and commentary network." Olbermann did not attend a news conference here on Current's programming, with network officials saying he was on vacation. He also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

Gore himself has taken on the role of pundit, working as a commentator for Current's political night coverage on Iowa and New Hampshire. While he said it's been fun, Gore said in an interview that he has no desire for a regular on-camera job.

Current is touting Gore and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a regular prime-time personality, as offering a unique perspective since they have held political office and aren't like the journalists or political advisers on other networks. Granholm's prime-time show "The War Room" debuts Jan. 30. "They've got a few progressive shows on MSNBC in prime time," Gore said, "but they'll start the day with a conservative show in the mornings, and then they'll get the prison channel on the weekends. They'll be all over the lot in the middle of the day. We're consistent."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/14/al-gore-keith-olbermann-current-tv-msnbc_n_1206227.html

[7wo7rees]

1. Happy with this report.

Happy with Olbermann on Current.

[grasswire]

2. word from the man settles it

Thanks, Mr. President!

[pacalo]

3. This is good to hear. As for Keith's personality in the news field

in these times, I can understand that a man with his caliber of high integrity would have difficulty in settling for less in those around him. I'm just thankful that Gore has the ultimate say.

[cyberpj]

28. My dilema is liking Keith's intelligence and political opinion while I can also see the side of him

that creates problems for his employers.

From sports to politics, it appears he has had 'problems' at every endeavor.

I'm guessing that his intelligence can sometimes morph into problems related to ego that has not really served him well in his career.

Still, I never miss his show. And I'm happy Cenk joined the Current team as well. As for the person who suggested Maddow next - I must disagree because Rachael Maddow gets more exposure on MSNBC and she is both liked and respected for her interviews and commentary. We need her presence to remain in the larger network's arena until and unless Current grows into a much larger presence.

People are also missing a lot, not knowing about the Vanguard shows --exactly the kind of show network investigative news shows used to do to expose the truth to people (think 60 minutes back in the day when they had investigative power AND permission to expose the truth instead of debating it).

Unfortunately, without a much larger budget, Current is forced into showing a lot of repeats of Vanguard shows with its repeats of Keith and The Young Turks.

Anyone here remember the very start of Current TV? When they invited, selected and showed lots of viewer submitted video shows? I kept it on in the background of my day back then, all day long and there was some good work being done by ordinary citizens on all sorts of topics. I miss that.

[Fearless]

37. Ego definitely hits the spot right.

[JJW]

4. He sure didn't miss much

The primaries has been a freak show so far. Nothing worth reporting. We need to look for a 3rd party to replace the two failed ones.

[PDittie]

6. We need

progressive alternatives in order to pull the Dems back from the right. Marcy Winograd in California gets it:

http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2012/01/former-los-angeles-democratic-us-house-primary-challenger-marcy-winograd-switches-to-green-party/

[pocoloco]

9. Wow!

[Ikonoklast]

16. Why is she running as a Green, then? She removed herself from the party because she can't win

a primary against Harman?

How is that going to move the party to the left, if she no longer belongs to the Democratic Party?

All that does is guarantee a split vote on the left.

Republican running in that district will certainly be happy with that news.

[MADem]

21. My first thought was "Did the GOP pay her to switch?" nt

[kenfrequed]

35. It looks to me..

That she worked within and outside of the party for quite some time and eventually came to a conclusion that she couldn't get anymore done through Democratic party channels.


It is unfortunate, but I have been to caucuses and conventions in Minnesota and there exists and old-guard party apparatus that does tend to squelch progressive voices a bit.

They are very happy to accept our help or volunteer work and our passion just as long as they can keep nominating the same old candidates. Franken and Wellstone were both exceptions to this rule here.

I know a little of how she feels about this. I suppose that I am not yet tired of tilting at windmills.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Then there is the 49th district

yes somebody is running against Issa.. not a Democrat. The party surrendered that district a while ago.

No, will not post a link... as that may upset some folks. I'd think that somebody running for a seat the Democratic Party is not contesting should be fine. but I will not go there here... I will in other places.

[JohnnyRingo]

5. A free voice.

I can't think of anything I'd rather hear on a TV show.
Don't sugarcoat it, don't add bias, just tell me what you see and I'll reply with how I see it.

Rock On Keith Olbemann.

[craigmatic]

7. Gore is right about MSNBC.

I hate morning joe. It's obnoxious and stupid not to mention it's filled with dlc dems. Ratigan blatently says he's conservative. Andrea Mitchell is boring to watch and sucks just as much as any other beltway pundit. Tweety talks too much and half the time he's just pulling shit out of his ass. Lawrence Odonnel blatently lies to his audience. The only good thing about MSNBC is Maddow.

[totodeinhere]

11. Agreed. If Current can get in as many homes as MSNBC is then I hope the Maddow will

jump to Current when her contract is up.

[Honeycombe8]

12. MSNBC isn't supposed to be "progressive" all the time. It's a major network.

Some of the programs have viewpoints (most are liberal, one is conservative), and then it presents the news in a neutral way. It has never presented itself as a progressive network, and it doesn't want to be that.

I watched some of Current Iowa/NH coverage. I thought Granholm did very well. I'll probably tune in for future elections.

But I wouldn't get the bulk of information from a network that has a permanent viewpoint. I am going to stick with a variety of sources for information, with emphasis on neutral information reporting. That's the only way to know I've gotten the whole story, even the parts that don't fit a particular viewpoint.

I've caught O'Donald and Maddow giving incomplete information before, I guess because it didn't fit their thesis. If it's unethical to do what Fox does, then why would I think it's okay on another network, just because I like what they say more?

I never miss Hardball/Tweety...it's the best MSNBC political talk show. He's a more experienced interviewer than some others, and he's more likely to have opposing viewpoints. But he doesn't hesitate to call guests on their misinformation. He even said to a birther guest that his theory was "crazy." "That's just crazy!" Tweety said, as he held up a copy of Obama's birth certificate. Good show. He made the guy look like an idio, whereas CNN and Fox would've given the birther guest an air of credibility that he didn't deserve.

I don't care for KO, anymore, much. He's gotten too....too full of himself? Too "I'm right all the time, and everyone else is wrong?"? Too "the rules don't apply to me"? Or just too too. O'Donald has gotten just downright rude to his guests, to the point where his guest list is dwindling. Even his coverage of IA election results was biased; I don't feel I can rely on him for objective information.

[MADem]

19. Valid points. I like to look around the dial, myself.

I don't bother with Fox, though--they're just lousy.

Current TV and KO have a mutual non-disparagement clause. You will never hear one say anything bad about the other, at least not for attribution. Any time you hear any stories of disgruntlement, they will always be from unnamed sources attached to this camp or that within the organization. It's probably a good thing, otherwise there could be a food fight in the press from which there's no backing down.

[MMJjestic]

13. And let's not forget Pat Buchanan

And the head of MSNBC had to be dragged kicking and screaming to fire that racist, antisemitic blowhard.

[bathroommonkey76]

17. Let's not forget about this toad...

?key=1308079364

[MADem]

20. That was a payback of some sort.

He's not talented, but his father died in the saddle, thus, Junior gets to carry on.

His father, after all, was the first of the MSNBC crowd to jump on Jack Welch's GWB bandwagon, and played a key role in batting aside objections to him. He was also up to his eyeballs in the Plame business, a bit of messiness that, I think, encouraged Tweety to feel around and rediscover his Democratic principles after many years of leg-tingling, flight-suit praising by Tip's former staffer.

[Joe Bacon]

27. Someone else remembers!

Thank for posting that reminder MADem!

Every time somebody brings up an allegation about Tim Russert's integrity they need to be reminded of his whoring in the Valerie Plame affairs. And it's not surprising to see his son being twice the presstitute his Dad was.

[MADem]

29. He didn't buy that jazzy multi-million dollar summer home on an island off the Cape,

or send his kid to pricey BC, on a laborer's salary. He was well compensated for "going along with the program."

I have a relative who thinks he was going to sing like a frightened canary about the Plame business and more, and got stuck with an umbrella, like that Bulgarian guy, Markov...but that's probably a subject for the CT group!

[bathroommonkey76]

32. I remember watching MSNBC's coverage of Tim Russert's "State Funeral"

and thinking to myself... "What kind of world are we living in?"

They threw him upon their shoulders like he was Walter Cronkite. Personally, I liked him hosting Meet The Press. Tim was better than that demented Muppet they have now on the air now.

I agree with you about his son. The kid inherited something that most journalism students only dream of... His back and forth banter with Andrea Mitchell is pathetic.

[MADem]

34. I got a little weary of him on MTP, after a bit.

He'd have four Republicans, and one weakling Dem. No one would actually "Meet The Press," they'd sit at the table and get softball questions crafted from talking points sent over by the RNC. The claws would only come out when the weakest, newest Dem took the chair, and then you'd see fangs and blood.

I used to call it "Meet Tim Russert."

At least now, we get some members of the actual PRESS on occasion.

I won't speak ill of the dead, but I found that "state funeral" VERY strange, myself.

[IamK]

8. I predict Keith will be gone before election day.....

although he has a long term contract and not many options to go to...

[Change has come]

24. Would that...

make you happy?

[Coyote_Bandit]

25. I suspect you are correct

His ego probably wants to do election commentary and coverage on a network with a larger market share of viewers.

I turned him off during the last primaries and haven't missed his ego or his commentary or his biases.

[jwirr]

10. Glad to hear that - I was getting worried.

[budkin]

14. Not enough exposure for Current

I'm sure he's just pissed because Current hasn't really done anything to get more exposure other than hire him. They don't even have an HD feed for God's sake. No excuse for that.

[onehandle]

15. I never hear anything about Current anywhere, and outside of my political friends...

...nobody I know, knows what it is.

And in fact I doubt any of my political friends even watch it. I don't because I watch most things I watch online and Current won't post entire shows for some reason.

[bathroommonkey76]

18. People should give Current TV

time to blossom.

It's hard to break in a new (non MSM) news channel.

Progressives should start watching these programs before Current TV turns into the Air America of teevee news!

And why isn't Al Jazeera offered here in the states? Their coverage is 100 million times better than any American news outlet!!!

http://www.aljazeera.com/

[bullwinkle428]

22. Exactly - Fox News bled red ink for 5 years when they got started.

[niyad]

30. doesn't linktv carry it?

[bathroommonkey76]

31. What is linktv?

I'm talking about Dish Network, DirecTV, and other cable outlets.

[niyad]

36. link tv is shown on dish and directv (channel 376 {?} wonderful independent media.

fortunately, you can check out their website. www.linktv.org

[SoapBox]

26. "MSNBC Not Consistently Progressive"

Ditto Al!

MSNBC makes me nuts.

BUT, I loves me some Ed Schultz...and Cenk on Current. They have "fire in the belly"! Love it.

[tokenlib]

33. There is another network alternative..RT

First off, I like Keith and Current! But I can't afford the higher channel tier for Current. Lately I've been tuning into RT and really liking what I see. The news coverage is not so "America as the center of the universe"--and commentary is refreshing. And I haven't seen any 7 minute commercial blocks...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

38. Not exactly a rousing vote of confidence

For a guy who was brought in to be the face of the network, sounds to me like Keith is not going to be kowtowed to.