“A policeman guarding Mr Obama’s Mumbai hotel set off a major security alert after accidentally shooting himself in the leg last night.” [Daily Mail UK]

Keith Olbermann [Twitter]

Title: “Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure”

Authors: Glenn Beck and Kevin Balfe

Rank: 3

Blurb: “You’ll see how everything you thought you knew about the political parties is a lie, how Democrats and Republicans alike used to fight for minimum government and maximum freedom, and how both parties have been taken over by a cancer called ‘progressivism.'”

Review: “I havent had a chance to read it yet because I just got it but I did look though it. It looks great. The pages are water marked and glossy. It even feels good in the hand. Looking forward to reading it.”

Customers Also Bought: “Life After Death: The Evidence”, by Dinesh D’Souza

Footnote: We think that review is legit. But if not, it’s even better.

Broke [Amazon]

Buy or Die [Stinque@Amazon kickback link]

We’ve enjoyed Countdown, nightly, for about two years now. As our esteemed apocalyptic vulgarian FlyingChainSaw observes, it’s like watching Crooks & Liars live. Although unlike our esteemed apocalyptic vulgarian, we think that’s a good thing.

So we don’t come to this mess from the perspective of an Olbermann-basher. We like Keith. He’s fun. He’s the only reason we even turn on the tube at 5pm Pacific. San Diego has a 24-hour jazz station. We have options.

That said, we agree with MSNBC management: Olbermann violated a clearly stated ethics policiy, and his suspension is not unwarranted. Olbermann did the same thing with Richard Wolffe, after all.

What disappointed us after the news broke Friday is that we’re in the minority. At least among progressive bloggers — the progressive bloggers we also read daily as we scrape the Internets for story tips. They’ve ignored entirely the facts of Olbermann’s suspension, and the principles behind it.

And in so doing, they’ve shown themselves to be hacks.

Let’s take a tour…

Read more »

We’ve long said that Countdown is fine Left Coast dinnertime entertainment: We enjoy a good rant with our supper, and Keith Olbermann can deliver a stemwinder when he’s moved.

We also certainly don’t mind when a couple of our graphics show up on his program. Based on past performance, we should see another in 2012 or so.

But despite the slant of its primetime hosts, and its new slogan, MSNBC still styles itself a news organization, with certain ethical standards required of all journalists: You shouldn’t kick bucks to a political campaign you’re covering. And if you do, you should disclose it — preferably to your audience, but at the very least to your management.

Olbermann crossed that last line with three campaign contributions, and it seems that his boss learned the news from a Politico reporter. This is not, shall we say, A Good Thing. Said boss promptly “suspended indefinitely” the title character from “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.”

And unleashed a shitstorm.

Read more »

Last time around, he quit Daily Kos but kept his show. Maybe this time he’ll have more incentive.

Keith Olbermann suspended after donating to Democrats [Politico]

Oklahoma mom complains about son’s homework assignment: “‘English is our language… and I just feel it’s wrong that he would have to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America in Spanish. It’s just wrong,’ a frustrated Taggart told KFOR.” [Fox]