Keith Olbermann's Replacement Better Not Have Donated to Anyone, Ever

(Nov. 5) -- Like a bad segment on MSNBC's "Countdown," the Keith Olbermann suspension episode (which may rapidly transition into the Keith Olbermann firing episode) just keeps on getting more outlandish.

Late this afternoon, the unapologetically left- (sorry, "forward") leaning cable news show host was unceremoniously suspended by his network without pay, indefinitely, following the revelation that he gave undisclosed campaign contributions to Democratic candidates running in the 2010 midterms. Hours later, his supposed interim replacement, Chris Hayes, was yanked from the show as well, but this time, reportedly for making undisclosed donations to Democratic candidates in years prior. As The Wall Street Journal describes it:

Mr. Hayes, editor of The Nation, a liberal magazine, made a series of donations to Josh Segall, an Alabama Democrat, who ran for Congress in 2008 and considered running in the Democratic primary for this election. Mr. Hayes donated $1,500 to Mr. Segall in 2008 and $250 in December 2009, according to Federal Election Commission records.

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A host of questions come to mind, of course, upon learning this news, chief of them being: How can MSNBC, an openly (and once proudly) progressive network, realistically hope to find an anchor who hasn't given financial support to a Democratic candidate in the past? Surge Desk has reached out to MSNBC and is awaiting comment.

Political donations by reporters have, of course, been historically controversial. But it is worth noting that especially these days, Olbermann is in good company: Recent studies have shown record amounts of money flowing from the pockets of the press to campaign coffers -- and wouldn't you know it, the side receiving the most money happens to be the one that Olbermann supports: the Democrats.

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