Much digital ink has been spilt on the Olbermann's suspension. I, like others, want him back.
But, I think he has bigger plans . . .
Looking at the facts, here is what I see:
- Olbermann is very, very smart.
- Olbermann would most likely know MSNBC's rules as he refrained from even voting.
- This year, Olbermann contributed the maximum amount to three campaigns.
- Olbermann had to know that his contributions were public knowledge and would come out.
And now the conjecture.
I think Olbermann planned this. I think he knowingly contributed with the express idea that he would be called out and suspended per MSNBC rules.
And, here's the trap. His suspension has garnered a lot of attention. He has been crowing for as long as I remember about Fox News supporting Republicans, and no mainstream media has really paid much attention. Now, however, his suspension is garnering a lot of attention.
His suspension allows him to set up a brilliant comparison to Fox News. He contributed, and he was punished. Whereas Fox is a fund-raising tool for Republicans without objection.
So, he sets the trap, gets all of media's attention, then comes back and points out his (intentional) error and compares it to what Fox does.
And the major media outlets talk about his "mistake" and also finally talks about how Fox is a Republican entity.
He set the trap, he got the attention, and he will make his point.
He is a genius.