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3:20 PM ET, January 22, 2011

Top Items:

Bill Carter / Media Decoder:

Olbermann Leaves ‘Countdown’ on MSNBC — Updated Keith Olbermann, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, announced abruptly on the air Friday night that he is leaving “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” immediately. — The host, who has had a stormy relationship with the management of the network for some time …

Howard Kurtz / The Daily Beast:

Keith Olbermann Quits Countdown — MSNBC's liberal crusader abruptly resigned on air tonight, ending a provocative eight-year run. Howard Kurtz on Olbermann's career highlights and his clashes with network brass. — The cable channel confirmed his unexpected departure as Olbermann …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, AmSpecBlog, Questions and Observations, Gothamist, Seeing the Forest, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Pajamas Media

Glynnis MacNicol / The Wire:

So Why Did MSNBC Just Dump Keith Olbermann? Hint: COMCAST — Okay. Wow. That was shocking. — But now that we've had a few minutes to contemplate a MSNBC world without Olbermann let's indulge in some speculation. — Why now? — Bill Carter reports at the NYT that Olbermann …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Magazine and First Draft, more at Mediagazer »

TMZ.com:

Keith Olbermann's Exit — Secret Deal — Keith Olbermann saw the handwriting on the wall with the new owner of NBC and cut a deal for his exit that will give him money and options — sources tell TMZ. — Here's how it went down. Sources familiar with the situation tell us …

Discussion: Epicenter and YID With LID

Mark Joyella / Mediaite:

Why Keith Olbermann Is Out (Update) — Sources tell Mediaite Keith Olbermann and MSNBC were headed for a breakup long before Comcast's rise to power, but clearly something set the divorce into motion quickly today, with network promos set to run touting Olbermann's role in MSNBC's coverage …

Discussion: The Wire, Weasel Zippers, The BRAD BLOG and TVbytheNumbers

Sam Schechner / Wall Street Journal:
MSNBC, Olbermann Call It Quits, Cancel Show

Discussion: No Left Turns, Doug Ross and Speakeasy

David Bauder / Associated Press:
Keith Olbermann gives abrupt goodbye to MSNBC show

Discussion: Moonbattery and FrumForum

msnbc.com:
Olbermann signs off msnbc

Discussion: Mixed Media, The Nation, NewsBusters.org blogs, The Daily Caller, Runnin' Scared, NewsBusters.org and Verum Serum

Richard Adams / Guardian:
NBC sacks Keith Olberman

Discussion: Scripting News, Washington Post, Liberty Pundits Blog, Raw Story, Firedoglake and The Daily Caller

Colby Hall / Mediaite:
Coincidence? Keith Olbermann Departs MSNBC Day After FCC Approves Comcast Takeover

Discussion: skippy the bush kangaroo, Taylor Marsh and News Hounds

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Breaking: Olbermann announces the end of “Countdown”; Update …

Discussion: Mediaite, Political Byline, Da Techguy's Blog, theblogprof, Z on TV, Michelle Malkin, Nice Deb, Daily Kos, HotAirPundit, Pajamas Media, Patterico's Pontifications, Pam's House Blend, The Gateway Pundit and Conservatives4Palin

David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars:
BREAKING: Keith Olbermann out at MSNBC, last broadcast tonight

Discussion: The Impolitic

The Politico:
Keith Olbermann, MSNBC part ways

Discussion: CNN and Pajamas Media

Alex Dobuzinskis / Reuters:
MSNBC and anchor Keith Olbermann abruptly part ways

Discussion: TMZ.com and Informed Comment

Brian Stelter / New York Times:

Spotlight From Glenn Beck Brings a CUNY Professor Threats — On his daily radio and television shows, Glenn Beck has elevated once-obscure conservative thinkers onto best-seller lists. Recently, he has elevated a 78-year-old liberal academic to celebrity of a different sort, in a way that some say is endangering her life.

Discussion: Sky Dancing, The Reaction, Outside the Beltway, Prairie Weather, TPMCafe, iOwnTheWorld.com, Balloon Juice, Hullabaloo, ccrjustice.org and News Hounds

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:

WHEN BECK'S MINIONS GET THE MESSAGE.... Glenn Beck doesn't just rail against perceived enemies, whom he considers dangerous villains who must be stopped; he also chooses obscure enemies he considers worthy of his rage. — It's one of the many oddities of Beck's bizarre message.

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, American Power and The Mahablog

Big Journalism:

Washington Post Organizes News Boycott of Sarah Palin; Starts Twitter Campaign Against GOP Star — The Washington Post is engaging in online political activism by encouraging its readers to boycott news coverage of Sarah Palin. — The Post has picked up the call initiated this morning …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Publius Forum, Outside the Beltway, Liberty Pundits Blog, Guardian, Weasel Zippers, The Huffington Post, Hot Air, The Wire, The Reaction, The Nation, Mediaite and newsfeed.time.com

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

First in nation, last with Sarah Palin — If Sarah Palin decides to run for president, she could quickly find that it's not Arizona, but New Hampshire that poses the bigger threat to her candidacy. — That's because in all of her travels since the 2008 election - during the midterm campaign …

Discussion: Conservatives4Palin, CNN, The Wire, TPMDC, Cubachi and Pajamas Media

CNN:

Former U.S. lawmaker assisting Duvalier — Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) — A former U.S. congressman was among a group of American attorneys accompanying former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier as he spoke in the country's capital Friday. — Former Republican Congressman Bob Barr …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Little Green Footballs, Eunomia and Outside the Beltway

Wall Street Journal:

Obama to Push New Spending — State of Union Speech to Call for Boosting ‘Competitiveness’ While Nodding to Need for Budget Cuts — President Barack Obama and GE's Jeffrey Immelt, left, with plant manager Kevin Sharkey, visited a GE factory Friday to talk about green jobs.

Discussion: Firedoglake, protein wisdom, The Gateway Pundit, Fausta's Blog, Pajamas Media and FrumForum

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
House liberals urge Obama to draw hard line: “Hands off Social Security!”

Discussion: The Impolitic, AMERICAblog News and Firedoglake

Paul Krugman:

“Competitiveness” — Sigh. So it appears that President Obama is going to make “competitiveness” his main economic theme. To be fair, he could (and may well) do worse. But this is hackneyed stuff, and involves a fundamental misconception about the nature of our economic problems.

Kathie Obradovich / Des Moines Register:

Bachmann impresses some top Iowa Republicans — Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann received strong reviews from some top Iowa Republicans tonight but left them guessing about her intentions for the 2012 presidential race. — I live-tweeted her remarks. There's also Register coverage at Iowa Politics Insider.

Discussion: CNN, Cubachi, Derek Wallbank and Raw Story

Jordy Yager / The Hill:

Who's your seat buddy? Congress pairs off for State of the Union unity display — Dozens of lawmakers are getting a second dose of high school as they venture across the aisle and ask colleagues to sit with them for President Obama's State of the Union address next week.

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and JammieWearingFool

Reza Sayah / CNN:

Women soccer fans in Iran may be banned from live broadcasts — (CNN) — Iranian authorities have ordered a ban on women from watching live broadcasts of soccer matches at public movie theaters, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported. — A state police agency that monitors Iranian businesses called …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch