Keith Olbermann may be MSNBC's shining star – the shining star that network GNM Dan Abrams takes credit for – but he's also the source for their biggest headaches. The higher ups obviously thought having Keith host their Republican debate coverage would be a great idea for ratings. And it was: While Fox News won Thursday evening's overall ratings, MSNBC's 1.76 million was a win for The Peacock. But perhaps what they didn't expect is the same backlash Fox News receives when it lets Brit Hume anchor a newscast: Why the hell is the most infamous liberal show host anchoring what should be objective coverage of the Republican presidential debate?

Phil Griffin, NBC News senior VP, claims it's a non-issue (just like when Chris Matthews does it), since Keith "can tell when it's appropriate to express himself in a commentary and when to be a journalist." But what was the adage we learned in j-school again? No, not the one about sleeping with your media ethics professor to score a pass. It was: Even the perception of a conflict of interest is inappropriate.

Also inappropriate, argue some: Keith's treatment of Rudy Giuliani.

In asking about Giuliani's response to a question on Roe vs. Wade, Olbermann asked, "Do you think that's consistent with _ let's use the kind word _ an evolving position on abortion?"

Similarly, he noted that Giuliani early in the debate appeared to offer an olive branch to Democrats but slipped back into harsher language, including the argument that a Republican president would keep the country safer than a Democrat.

"Did Mr. Giuliani correct course in the middle of the debate?" he asked. "Did someone slip him a note under the door and say, `don't be nice to Democrats under any circumstances?'"

MSNBC acknowledged Giuliani's campaign phoned the network to complain about Keith's involvement in the debate coverage. No word yet on whether they were thrilled to have Politico.com along for the ride.

Related Stories

• Highlights
• PORN PRINCESS COURTS CAVUTO
• Republicans debate abortion, taxes
• Rudy G. Gives Democrats Strategic Advice Out Of The Goodness Of His Heart
• Bush urges GOP to woo blacks
• Neil Cavuto Far More Interested in Mary Carey Possibly Dating Keith Olbermann Than Her Thoughts on Paris Hilton’s DUI
• Media Blitz: All The Republican Candidates Hate Roe v. Wade Equally, Except Cousin-Fucker/Chronic Divorcee Rudy Giuliani
• The GOP’s Problem of Perception
• Fat People Don’t Deserve to Succeed
• Nicole Kidman Has Urban On Lock-Down