Why would Current TV decide to exclude KO from tonight's coverage? What is this all about?

[hlthe2b]

Received from Current TV:
An email promo for coverage tonight of Iowa caucuses with Ceng Uygar, Al Gore, and Jennifer Granholm

Then I see this twitter exchange with Keith Olbermann:
Keith Olbermann Tweets 'Countdown' Will Not Air During Iowa Caucuses

@KeithOlbermann
Keith Olbermann
Headed into the office now in fact RT @OwensC08 @KeithOlbermann So is #Countdown back tonight?
January 3, 2012 6:08 pm via Twittelator Reply Retweet Favorite

Keith Olbermann @KeithOlbermann
Keith Olbermann
So as not to mislead: I am informed Countdown will not be on tonight. I must defer on all questions to @JoelHyatt @AlGore and @Current
January 3, 2012 11:47 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

Keith Olbermann @KeithOlbermann
Keith Olbermann
Back by popular demand, Countdown returns Wednesday Night 8 PM Eastern. Now with 99% less Santorum (google it)
January 4, 2012 12:22 am via web Reply Retweet Favorite

****
Which then apparently launched a twitter feud between KO and Piers Morgan:
ust before 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening, Olbermann tweeted that his Current TV show "Countdown" would not air during the network's coverage of results from the Iowa caucuses. Morgan responded to Olbermann's tweet and wrote, "Cheer up @KeithOlbermann - you can catch all the big Iowa political news on my live show at midnight ET."

Olbermann responded to Morgan. He wrote, "Great! So you'll be showing your latest subpoena?" Olbermann was referring to Morgan's appearance before the United Kingdom's Leveson Inquiry on press ethics.

Morgan shot back and jabbed at Olbermann's ratings. Morgan tweeted, "@KeithOlbermann Never been subpoena'd in my life. But on the subject of criminal offences, how are your Countdown ratings?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/keith-olbermann-piers-morgan-twitter-feud_n_1182335.html?ref=media


Anyone have a clue what is going on? Why would Keith have been excluded?

[Cleita]

1. David Schuster, who is supposed to be KO's back-up

has been reporting from Iowa. Otherwise,

[slay]

2. I just figured Keith was on vacation

and it looks like this is the same pairing that happened a few weeks ago when they analysized the last republican debate - was just Cenk, Granholm, and Al Gore. Same group hosted last night. I always figured it was Keith's call - but the way he said to "defer all questions" to Al Gore and JoelHyatt - now I'm not so sure..

[MADem]

3. It's obvious that "something" is going on.

KO does not have a reputation of working or playing well with others and this has been the case at every network where he has been employed. This is not a slam, it is the truth.

I'm guessing that Gore et. al. are giving him a bit of a timeout.

I think Piers Morgan is being snarky and baiting him, probably because KO baits him too--one of those "Who has the biggest grapefruits" type exercises.

I think it will all blow over in time. We'll see.

[JohnnyRingo]

4. I didn't know Joel Hyatt was involved in Countdown and Current TV.

He's really moving up the progressive ladder.

If it's the same Hyatt, he was a local personal injury lawyer in Cleveland decades ago. I still remember his commercials: "I'm Joel Hyatt, and you have my word on it". His legal sevice was bought out by MetLife.

He later took a leadership role in the Democratic Party Machine in Cuyahoga County. He is Howard Metzenbaum's son in law.

[Major Hogwash]

5. They're saving him until the playoff season in the fall.

They don't want any more fund-raising letters with Olbermann's name attached to them sent out this year like they have for the last 6 or 7 years.

Olbermann also tweeted on Sunday that he didn't have any beef with Current about him not covering the Iowa debates or caucus and said that was just bs that someone was slinging around about him.

[hlthe2b]

6. I saw the tweets on Sunday... but this revamping of tonight's coverage...

which excluded him--seems to have caught him by surprise, given tonight's tweets.

[Samantha]

7. I have been asking that same question here

and I turned on Current tonight to see if anything would be said. Nothing. It was depressing to me.

I don't care what people say about Keith Olbermann; few can compete with him as far as election coverage goes. I don't care about all the other stuff; I am just a political junkie who wants to hear his commentary.

I like the Young Turks, Jennifer Granholm and I adore Al Gore, but Olbermann could have added another dimension to that show tonight. I ended up switching back and forth between Current and MSNBC.

Sam