Life Without Olbermann

Last night, Keith Olbermann announced that last night's Countdown was to be his last. The reasons for his departure are not known, but it was pretty obvious that his relationship with MSNBC executives, Phil Griffin in particular, had become strained to the point of rupture, which is what happened.

Where Olbermann goes from here is unknown at this point. We do know that he won't be back on the TV any time soon, due to contractual restraints. He could take a radio show, write op-eds or books, (be a guest on other shows?), or go into politics. Who knows. As far as I am concerned, I would vote for Olbermann for President. How good would an Olbermann/Maddow ticket be? Though they are journalists, not politicians, that would be precisely the source of their appeal.

All we know for now is that we have lost a voice of clarity and truth in an increasingly bullshit-chocked news panorama. It's a sad departure and it will be made sadder by the gloating of his enemies at Fox News, who will now have one less formidable opponent to worry about.

I will end this post with DarkSyde's excellent farewell, from the pages of the Daily Kos:

I know we we're all disappointed to hear Keith Olbermann announce his last show last night. And I dearly hope to see the entire Countdown production staff grace my screen again. But on the off chance he is reading this, Mr. Olbermann and the entire crew, I consider myself lucky to have been among your viewers. You have withstood years of non stop threats, ugly mis-characterizations, and abuse from the usual suspects, you battled unending internal corporate bullshit and ended the suffering of countless thousands with your focus on healthcare clinics and the injustices of for profit insurance. You stood for the middle class when few did, when it would have been so much easier, and so, so much more profitable to just go along. And sir, you did it with the satirical wit of Jon Stewart and the piercing clarity of Edward R. Murrow that made you the number one slot on your entire network. That you did all this while losing both your mother and father brings tears to my eyes but hope to my heart.

If you want to take a break for the rest of your freakin life and compile baseball stats or scout the minor leagues for talent, you have earned it many times over.

Well said. And now, good night, and good luck.