W's Revenge: 'Bush Donor Takeover' of MSNBC Leads to Olbermann Suspension

Friday's suspension of MSNBC anger management counselor Keith Olbermann has sent the left reeling, flailing and thrashing about wildly looking to claim other scalps while comically badgering Phil Griffin with emails and phone calls. But finally the super-sleuths at the George Soros "think tank" Think Progress have uncovered the dark forces behind the scenes--Bush donors!

Late last year, Comcast — the nation’s largest cable provider and second largest Internet service provider — inked a deal taking over NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC. Comcast moved swiftly to reshuffle MSNBC’s top staff. On September 26th of this year, Comcast announced perhaps the most dramatic shift, replacing longtime MSNBC chief Jeff Zucker with Comcast executive Steve Burke. Burke has given generous amounts to both parties — providing cash to outgoing Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) as well as to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) and other top Republicans. But as Public Citizen has noted, Burke has deep ties to the Republican Party. Public Citizen’s report reveals that Burke served as a key fundraiser to President George Bush, and even served on Bush’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology

So he's given to both parties, but somehow his connection to the evil Bush make for great copy.

Just one little teensy-weensy problem here. Comcast doesn't formally own MSNBC yet.

The dope who authored this nonsense revised that last paragraph to add this does of reality:

[Updated: The shift from Zucker to Burke has not taken place yet -- Burke will preside over MSNBC once the Comcast merger is complete. We have been informed that no Comcast officials are currently involved in the decisions of NBC or MSNBC.].

Oopsy! Oh well, it made a a great conspiracy while it lasted. Yes, it gets sillier.

Olbermann has been a strong voice in favor of a free and open Internet. Republicans, on the other hand, have supported the telecommunication industry’s push to radically change the Internet so corporate content producers have the upper hand over start-ups like blogs, independent media, small businesses, etc. As Reuters has reported, the incoming Republican Congress has signaled that it will vigorously side with companies like Comcast against an open Internet.

Got all that? To summarize: Republicans want to silence dissent, Olbermann is all for free speech. Well, except if it's Andrew Breitbart appearing on ABC News' election night coverage. Can't have that. Yes, these folks are all for free speech, as long as it's theirs. Think Progress and the goons from Media Matters will go to the ends of the earth to stifle dissent, yet we're supposed to believe it's Republicans and not these stormtroopers who want to silence people.

Wait, it gets even better. Who does the author next cite as a source? Why, Media Matters! You can't make this up.