We've had many requests for this show so here it is:

Keith Olbermann on Voter Irregularities: Part 2

Keith and the Voter Count-Down part I

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Keith interviews Craig Crawford part II

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Keith interviews Jonathon Turley part III

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CQPolitic's Craig Crawford says what he's thankful for, November 2009.

Apparently, Craig wasn't really all that thankful for Sarah Palin:

In a Friday surprise, MSNBC political analyst Craig Crawford announced on his CQ Politics blog Trail Mix today that he is leaving the network.

"Three months short of my current contract," he wrote, "I sent the following to the boss, [MSNBC President] Phil Griffin: 'Phil, Just wanted to give you the heads up that my situation with MSNBC has become so unrewarding for me that I've decided to move on. — Craig'"

In an email, Crawford tells TVNewser, "This was a long time coming. I haven't felt like a good fit for MSNBC since the presidential campaign, and their hard turn toward point-of-view programming.

"So many of my booking calls lately have been for segments bashing Sarah Palin, for instance. I was boring myself, and surely the viewers.

"But no particular event brought this on, just my desire to try other outlets and have more fun. I have a fine and rewarding home with the great folks at CQ-Roll Call. I enjoy blogging for them and doing our web videos.

"Perhaps I'm not cut out to be a cable cowboy anymore, dunno. Prefer remaining independent and do my own thing for any channel, including MSNBC, that books me. After a dozen years with one channel, I'd rather play the field for a while."

In the interest of disclosure, I have spoken with Craig in the past--as we set up his book chat last year--and I've communicated with him via Facebook on this as well. I like Craig as a person, and I can certainly understand a level of frustration if the only subject for which he's invited is Palin. However, I don't know if that's the whole truth. In the comment section of his blog, he revealed some more:

i simply could not any longer endure being a cartoon player for lefty games, just gotta move on to higher ground even if there's no oxygen

Lefty games? Oh dear. I asked Craig to explain what that meant, but he refused. In fairness to Craig, since his appearances were basically with Countdown, I don't think that anyone will argue there isn't a lefty slant, but games? It's a troubling characterization. Craig commented again:

i have never and never will forgive Chris [Matthews] for calling me a racist after the West Virginia primary (the last time I will ever go on air with him). Probably should have resigned then and there, but better late than never.

What was that again? I watched an excruciating number of hours of election coverage on MSNBC (and have the high blood pressure and heart troubles to prove it), I missed Chris Matthews calling Craig racist. Mediaite was more successful than I in getting a clarification from Craig:

I haven’t felt like a good fit for MSNBC since the presidential campaign, and the hard turn toward point-of-view programming. No particular event brought this on, just my desire to try other outlets and have more fun. As far as Chris is concerned, on Morning Joe after the West Virginia primary he accused me of always defending Clinton and what he claimed to be her racially motivated campaigning. That’s the problem. Trying to be fair became seen as bias in the new thinking over there. But I do wish my many pals at MSNBC nothing but good things.

This appears to be that incident from Morning Joe. (link goes to Newsbusters)

The truth is, there were times that the anti-Hillary coverage got to me, and I wasn't a Hillary-supporter. But that was over a year ago, and claims of loyalty aside, leaving with bad blood three months shy of your contract ending seems to be a strong statement to make for transgressions more than a year old. Now, I'd like to think that Craig was taking a principled stand against "point of view" programming, but as Mediaite points out, Crawford announced he was going from the frying pan into the fire:

Crawford says on his blog he will be on Fox & Friends as a guest on Monday, although FNC says he won’t be. He also writes in the comments that he is a “free agent.”

Update: Crawford took down the F&F booking info shortly after publication.

Oy. F&F isn't point of view programming, Craig? C'mon now. Clearly the free agent thing had Crawford thinking, because later on Facebook and Twitter he asked what people thought of CNN's Rick Sanchez as a possible new "anchor buddy". I admit, I wasn't too complimentary.

I do think that collectively we're reaching a form of critical mass on being tired of opinion media masquerading as journalism. There will always be a certain percentage of the population that needs their pre-conceived notions reinforced, but by and large, Americans don't trust "journalists" any more, with reason. And this stand of Crawford's--as contradictory as it appears on its face--may be another crack in the dam.

Please join us TOMORROW for a live book chat with Craig Crawford, co-author of Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do. The chat will be held at 1 pm Eastern/10 am Pacific.

Open thread below.

Andrew Card is out

Joshua B. Bolten is in. That should change everything. Is anyone surprised that President Bush chose someone close to him? It wasn't the "outsider" that we kept hearing about.

Craig Crawford writes: "Five reasons why Andrew Card’s departure doesn't help President Bush"

TMV has an analysis from both sides of the aisle and a collection of different news services...

C&L: John Amato interviews Craig Crawford

I had the chance to talk with Craig Crawford, columnist for CQ Weekly; News commentator for MSNBC and "The Early Show" on CBS; Author of the book, ATTACK THE MESSENGER.

He's a really smart and seasoned analyst and I thought his book was an excellent read. Craig makes his case simply and effectively that our media has carefully been manipulated by politicians over the years with one goal in mind. To render them as ineffective as they possibly can be.

Download | play -MP3 20 minutes Podcast also

Crawford explains how the simple task of attacking the messenger has now become the industry standard when a politician wants to deflect any criticism. We've recently seen it with the Valerie Plame incident and the smearing of Joseph Wilson. He uses case by case incidents throughout the last forty years that proves his conclusions to be correct.

I'm going to interview Craig Crawford tomorrow afternoon about his book "Attack the Messenger." It's really a good read and very timely. If you have any questions for him, let me know. He's up in the San Francisco area this week on his book tour.

Craig Crawford :Before we buy the claims of politicians that there was no way to predict or prevent the sinking of New Orleans, it's worth asking how Mr. Bill knew?...read on

And this Mr. Bill Tapped to Help Save La. Swamps (hat tip Booman Tribune)

Craig Crawford : "It's time for Novak to quit pretending he's a journalist and come back from involuntary vacation as what he really is: an ideological flak artist..read on."

Ezra Klein writes: Novak waits for what the cat drags in, then dedicates his column to dragging it back out. He's not a Krugman, a Brooks, or a Will, his columns aren't arguments or advocacy. Instead, they're transcripts. Whatever scuttlebut, rumors, hearsay, and smears Novak receives during a week are tossed in, and, lo and behold, a column comes out...read on

The Carpet Bagger Report writes it's the Katherine Harris Make-up: Clearly, Bob Novak's temper-tantrum was one of the more bizarre spectacles we've seen on CNN in a while, but as my friend Phil noted this morning, it wasn't the only odd thing Novak said yesterday...read on

It's good to see others jump on and demand some answers:

Steve G. Brant wonders what Rudy Giuliani will say if anything.

Mark Green gives her a big wet thank you.

Jonah Peretti asks for New Yorkers to respond.

Craig Crawford asks: Will Bloomberg "Surrender" To Coulter?

Keith takes a look at the Rove, Cooper affair. Also my pal Craig Crawford wants to see the perp walk.

Download | play -WMP

Download | play -QT

Lawrence O'Donnell keeps the pressure up on Rove : Three Questions For Rove's Lawyer...

I have a call in to Bob Luskin, Karl Rove’s lawyer, but I’m not holding my breath for a call back. He knows I know too much, since I broke the story last week that his client is one of the secret sources Matt Cooper has been protecting for the last two years. I have three questions for Luskin: read on