His return won't be complete until Worst Persons returns. The outrage is they discontinued it in the first place.

Randy from Maine.

@Randy207: I'm not sure about that. Keith's right in that is became a bit of a cliché. That's not t say that those actions shouldn't be highlighted, but it may be time for something a little more constructive. After all, if you tell a kid that they are bad, they learn nothing. If you explain them why, they stop doing it. Do you really think O'Reilly, Beck & Limbaugh are that much more complicated than that?

@Randy207: I agree with Robbert. I use my DVR to fast forward though the WPITW because it embarrasses me when Keith gets shrill. He has the facts on his side, so a little gravitas is welcome. That being said, Keith was that small light of reason during the Dark Ages of the Bush presidency (and I am grateful that he continues to shine that light when Obama foolishly or cravenly continues the policies of the Bush Adm.).

I agree with Jack in as much as Keith is very good at shining a light on foolishness ....

I won't miss Worst Persons. It's actually something of a relief to see it go. I liked him pointing out the outrages, but always cringed when it lowered into mean name-calling.

That would be funny. I agree - he has to make his Worst Person's list #1 spot the first day back.

I seem to be the lone dissenter who prefers Laurence O'Donell to K.O. for one reason: K.O. tries too hard to be a comedian with a strident voice. Bugs the heck out of me, when I really think he'd be far better with a slightly more serious tone. Nothing wrong with his instinct for news, but his delivery is so often over the top. O'Donnell approach is certainly more "adult".

I prefer Rachel to both Keith and Lawrence. I think her analysis is better than O'Donnell's and her interviews are better than both. Plus I am a real fan of Moments of Geek along with Cocktail Moments.

Yeah but Rachel hasn't had a cocktail moment or a moment of geek in forever *pouts*

She had a Cocktail Moment Friday (with Guinness Stout, yum!)

I prefer Rachel to both Keith and Lawrence.

Dutchie6

I equally enjoy all three although Keith is my favorite... Smile :-)

I don't disagree that KO can be shrill and full of himself. There are moments when even I can't stand to watch him pontificate, even when he's right-on (which is usually the case). As a humorous aside, there's NO better example of this than Ben Affleck's skewering of him on SNL on November 2nd, 2008 - you can watch the video here - it'll open in a new window).

However, Worsts gives Keith a chance to highlight the ridiculous in a 3 to 6 minute segment. It's humorous, topical/current, instructive AND entertaining, all at the same time.

So what, it may be partisan and not very nice? It's been pointed out many times by both pundits and strategists, and it's true - Democrats get sand kicked in their faces EACH and EVERY time they attempt conciliation. Doing away with Worsts is a conciliatory gesture. You want conciliatory? Try the House or Senate, but then, why bother? Unless of course you're a masochist.

Don't tread on my entertainment!!!

Randy from Maine.

Thank you for expressing my thoughts. Punishment? As though making a private donation to politician should be punished? This is not leaning forward, MSNBC!

Keith was not punished for making a private donation. He was punished for not disclosing it according to the rules of the company. Rachel spoke very eloquently about this. Like she said, "the rule is what separates us from the guys across the street (Fox)".

There was nothing appropriate about it. Phil "The Weasel" Griffin had to issue his statement on Sunday night because otherwise he would have lost a week's worth of ad buys in prime time. He had little choice in the matter, but still, as a petty effort to make himself feel somewhat relevant, he added a second day to his power trip punishment fantasy.

I can totally understand why Griffin is frustrated: he's apparently a right-winger who has been powerless to stop his network from becoming a home and haven for progressive voices. To add injury to insult, he's already been fired - he's just running out the clock waiting for the new kid to show up and take over his office. I understand his angst... but he is still a weasel.

This farce was nothing more than Phil trying to pretend that he is still relevant, and taking out his frustrations on Keith because of a personal grudge. Fortunately it blew up in his face, as the fans and advertisers made it very clear that Keith is indispensable and Phil is not, in point of fact, relevant at all.

I am very glad that Keith refused to apologize for his quite reasonable acts as a private citizen. If there were any justice to this situation, Phil Griffin would be the one issuing a public apology to Keith and to the viewers of Countdown live and on the air. I know it's not gonna happen, but I'm just sayin'... it ought to. I suppose just knowing that everywhere Phil goes at 30 Rock, people will point and snicker will just have to suffice.

... excellent retelling of this outrage. Thank you Richard, for your gift of language. I wish I could have said it like that.

Wow, Richard, how do you really feel?

I'm with you again, Richard!

Just wait until Comcast takes over. They are even more right wing, as they also own the Philadelphia flyers. They had a rally with Palin at the Flyer's rink during the 08 election. Expect them as the new owners to move farther to the right, meaning more of Scarborough, Geist and the gang, and less of Ed, Keith and Rachel. The last of the so-called "liberal media" will become more like Fox Lite. Yuck!

Well said, Richard. SCOTUS says foreign and domestic corporations can donate unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns anonymously as if they are citizen entities, but a CITIZEN can be prohibited from making contributions because they work for a corporation? Private citizens, as we all are regardless of profession, should be able to donate the legal limit as private citizens...period. It should be illegal to contractually prohibit citizens from participating in democracy. Maybe SCOTUS should look at that. I'm not holding my breath....

How true!!!

... ditto what bake1856 said.

Here Here!!! It is a slippery slope... not wanting to appear to endorse... but still disclosing contributions... not influencing what you are covering... keeping your rights as a citizen... impartial isn't easy... but oh is it sooo worth the hassle :-)

Stewart has already had to deal with Stephen Colbert being much more funny. He must hate being the lead-in for Stephen. I think he sees Keith as a threat, too.

Totally agree - bring back Worst person in the world-looked forward to it every night-why do we always have to cave in?!?

Since when does Jon Stewart decide MSNBC policy? Who made Jon the boss of not-his-station? I look(ed) forward to "Worst", sometimes scrolling thru long dissertations of policy to get to "Worst"... kind of like looking for the comics. It's the comic section of the news, tongue in cheek sort of thing, with a bite of truth. Rachel, tell him not to drop it. I'm not talking to that Phil person anymore. Keith, if you're reading, don't drop it.

Bill Maher was awesome Friday night in New Rules. He blasted Jon for false equivalencies between the left and right at his rally. One comment was, "Keith Olbermann is right, when he says he's not the equivalent of Glenn Beck. One reports facts, the other one is very close to playing with his poop."

The transcript is at DailyKos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/6/918124/-Bill-Maher-blasts-false-equivalencies-in-amazing-New-Rule but if you get a chance to view it, you'll get a kick out of it.

Yeah, Stewart screwed the pooch on this one. That the Right has a valid position and we should respect it and meet them in the middle. and be well mannered and everything.

The Tea Party, which is leading the way for Republicans, is the bat @!$%# crazy bastard child of Fox News sensationalism, which was designed to get huge ratings and sell GOLDLINE and razor blades, not govern the country.

To show where we would have to go to meet them half way today as Stewart suggests:

http://blogs.ajc.com/cynthia-tucker/2010/06/08/would-ronald-reagan-be-too-liberal-for-gop-today/

That said, everyone flubs some time. He is still pointing out how crazy they are every night.

I agree completely on the "worst person" coming back. Look at the success he had in shaming Walmat to cover the care of it's employee who was critically injured. I can't recall all the details of this one particular incident, but "worst person" has had many successful outcomes.

the problem with Stewart is he actually thinks he isn't a part of the problem. He believes his one sided rantings and ravings are okay because he's doing them. At his rally, (which was cool), he spoke how newscasters and pundits should calm themselves as he set himself apart from them, and blaming discourse and division on everyone else, but himself...yet he won an emmy for a singing and dance routine, telling someone who didn't agree with him to go "F" themselves. He insists on responsibility being taken without assuming any responsibility...it can't be comedy, since I often laugh with Olbermann, O'Donnell, even Matthews, and of course TRMS...yeah bring back "worst person"....Mr. Olbermann, welcome back...hope you enjoyed your long weekend...

I loved Worst Persons and looked forward to it. It gave Keith an edge and since I don't watch Faux, I got the highlights of the spewing clowns, and other people who needed to be on the list for doing idiotic things. Yeah, maybe it got a little nasty, but someone's gotta call these morons out!

... not likely.

Thank you! I could not have said it any better!

And he really should not have people on the air that he's also contributing to, without owning up to it in each segment.

Actually, that might sound like a round-about way to get others to contribute to that particular guest. He's right to keep his political contributions private. His gifts to other causes ... health clinics, aid to Haiti, etc, is another story.

... don't drop the worst!

I agree, bring Worst back. We with a brain understand the concept.

I have always thought the worlds worst person's was in bad taste. I think whenever you have a broadcaster calling people out as being a "bad person" it invariably leads to dangers. Granted he doesn't spew "Tiller the baby killer" every day and night, but to me it seems like the world is better off with worst person's gone.

You are absolutely right, Carol. Don't know why people find it so hard to admit they are wrong and to give credit to those who help them "see the light". Perhaps they feel as if they are belittling themselves. Personally, I've always viewed it as a tool to remind myself that I'm not quite as smart as I like to think I am........no one is. Also, it's a way to show (by action only) those with whom I disagree that I practice what I preach. I've learned alot in 71 years.........and am still learning.

Have you ever seen a Tea Bagger or any other coward for that matter, ever admit anything they do or think is wrong? Heck... look at most of these ultra right wingers... they are poor as dirt and have the audacity to believe that if the rich get JUST a little richer, then some of that wealth will dribble through their fingers on down to those idiots!! When the cold dirt is finally thrown over them in the end, they still wont admit they didnt have a clue, to go along with the estate they didnt have, waiting on Rich people to let those coins fall. So now, even the leader of a liberal news network wont admit they maybe, just a wee bit, jumped the gun and stepped on their own d*ck in the process.... Welcome Back, Kieth, and dont let the bastards get you down.

amen to that. I was going to send out a "boycott MSNBC" to all my 1000 friends on Facebook.

I think NPR needed and wanted to dump Juan Williams. You can't be a 'serious' journalist and work for FAUX Nooz. Period.

... notice how quickly Juan was willing to work for Faux News. It didn't take him long to accept that large salary. He's glad to be where he is, and NPR did him and us a huge favor.

Look, it's not as if KO is a saint or anything. People are fallible and make mistakes. The man is under so much stress, and we don't really have all the pertinent information about this situation. The one thing this proves is that MSNBC fails at transparency.

There's always Beck, LImbaugh, et al if you need to point that trebuchet at something. Never waste a good anachronism especially if it can toss a pumpkin at an a$$hole!

StayHomeDad, I love this reply ... and excellent use of a pumpkin.

In business when you are a middle manager and potentially bring down a organization with a bad decision you should be fired! Phil Griffin almost brought down MSNBC with his decision to INFINITELY suspend Keith Olbermann and as we can see there was such a backlash from his ill conceived decision, that viewers of Count-Down with Keith Olbermann were well on their way to boy-cotting the entire network!

If I were Phil Griffin superiors and I noticed that 300,000 customers were basically walking away from our product, Phil Griffin would have already gotten his walking papers! I'm sure Phil Griffin would be better suited at CNN or Fox!

And as far as worst persons is concerned, it is a staple of the show. The segment points out the hypocrisy that exists in our political system so it should remain a part of the show! Also, because he broke his agreement Keith should be the worst person in the world because no matter what side of the political fence you sit on, when you sign a personal services contract you must honor it! So Keith you are today's worse person...

and Phil griffin should be an ex-employee, because his suspension appears to have a political motive! a 2 day suspension, with proceeds going to a worthy charity is all this violation should've called for by management! I mean you don't suspend Tom Brady for posing nude in a magazine and I am sure his personal services contract with the New England Patriots would prohibit him from posing nude anywhere!

I am willing to wager that Phil Griffin will do this sort of thing again! I'd fire him for sure!!!! Few cable TV shows can afford to lose over 300,000 viewers!

MSNBC. Lean Forward.

Up next: six hours of Lockup:Raw!

I agree those tired prison documentaries should go! They should focus on developing some new programming for the weekend, because MSNBC's weekend programming is in a word LAME!

The Baggers were going nutso with a YouTube "tribute" to KO this past Friday. They thought he was gone.

oh, no punishment for them... they asked for "permission" from the teacher before they made their donations. and they got hall passes and everything.

That does look bad, as they both have a republican history. But I read somewhere that both events happened before the "rule" was put into effect. Not that the "rule" is a good thing, especially the way it was enforced. It would seem to be an attempt to sully Kieth's reputation and integrity. And a personal attack by Griffin. It backfired. That is a good thing. I hope the big guys at NBC realize what Griffins move could have cost them. Oh yea, I hope he brings back "Worst Persons...". It would be funny if Grifffen got at least dishonorable mention.