'Narcissist' Olbermann vs. MSNBC: Inside Their War

He has almost no allies left, and some predict he'll walk
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 15, 2010 12:59 PM CST
'Narcissist' Olbermann vs. MSNBC: Inside Their War
In this May 3, 2007 file photo, Keith Olbermann of MSNBC poses at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif.,   (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

Keith Olbermann's battle with MSNBC is far from over, despite the fact that the network returned him to the air just days after suspending him for making undisclosed political donations. In the Daily Beast, Howard Kurtz takes us inside the tense relations between Olbermann and MSNBC, which have spilled over into NBC News and left him with no allies save Rachel Maddow—and which could result, some theorize, in Olbermann walking away. Sources use words like "narcissistic" and "hypocrisy" when talking about Olbermann and his response; even Tom Brokaw has reportedly weighed in, blaming Olbermann for damaging MSNBC's reputation.

Kurtz outlines the back-story: After the donations fiasco broke, MSNBC president Phil Griffin, a longtime friend of Olbermann's, threatened—during a phone conversation-slash-yelling match with Olbermann's manager Michael Price—to fire Olbermann if he went on Good Morning America. When Price later heard about Olbermann's reinstatement, he asked Griffin why he made the announcement in the way he did (to reporters, rather than Olbermann himself). Griffin's response: "We are at war."
(More Keith Olbermann stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X