Keith Olbermann is out at Current TV, Eliot Spitzer is in

Current TV becomes the latest television network to sever a stormy relationship with famously fractious Keith Olbermann.

Current TV founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt said in a letter to viewers that they decided to cut bait because the relationship no longer represented “the values of respect, openness, collegiality, and loyalty to our viewers.”
Olbermann’s prime-time show, “Countdown” has been replaced, effective immediately, by a new show anchored by former New York governor/former CNN show anchor Eliot Spitzer.

Olbermann issued his own statement Friday: “It goes almost without saying that the claims against me implied in Current’s statement are untrue and will be proved so in the legal actions I will be filing against them presently.”

Olbermann’s humdinger of a statement continues:

“In due course, the truth of the ethics of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt will come out. For now, it is important only to again acknowledge that joining them was a sincere and well-intentioned gesture on my part, but in retrospect a foolish one. That lack of judgment is mine and mine alone, and I apologize again for it.”

Olbermann had been back on Current TV, if unhappily, since a wild week of public brawling back in January. The feuding erupted Jan 3. slightly less than a year after he joined the network for what was to have been a five-year deal. That day, Current TV preempted “Countdown,” with coverage of the Iowa caucuses — the important first vote of the GOP primary season.

“Keith was asked to be the sole anchor and executive producer of our primary and caucus coverage. He declined,” Current TV President David Bohrman said in a memo to staffers that day.

Olbermann fired back with a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, a trade paper, in which he insisted he was “never given a legitimate opportunity to host under acceptable conditions. They know it and we know it.”

Speculation seemed to fall into two camps:

●The “Current TV is too low-rent for Olbermann” camp. His New York-based show has been plagued by tech problems, satellite feeds dropped out, and in early December a blown fuse caused the lights to go out while Olbermann was on the air.

●The “Hello? They hired Keith Olbermann” camp. No explanation required.

But, after a week-long spitting match, Olbermann issued a statement saying he was pleased that he would be running the election coverage on Current, following the New Hampshire primary.

Current TV is not the only network that’s learned it needs to fasten the seat belts when in business with Olbermann, because it was going to be a bumpy ride.

He feuded with ESPN, where he anchored “SportsCenter” for years, followed by a contentious relationship with MSNBC, which he dumped for Current TV.

Back in February 2011 when Current TV announced it was getting into bed with Olbermann, Hyatt hailed the hire as “the best investment that Current has ever made.”

Afghanistan: Explosion Kills Eight In Kandhar

A bomb explosion in Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar killed eight people on Saturday, including a U.S. soldier.

CNN cited local authorities saying the bomb exploded in the village of Kuhak in Arghandab district, even as Afghani and NATO security officers were trying to defuse it. The district is reportedly a Taliban stronghold and it borders the Panjwai district, where an army staff sergeant recently shot and killed 17 Afghani civilians.

Local authorities report that six Afghani police officers, a translator and a U.S. soldier were killed in the incident, adding that the bomb was probably remotely detonated.

CNN also reports that yesterday, March 24, it received an email from the Taliban vowing to take “strong revenge” for the March 11 shootings in the Panjwai district.

According to CNN: “Staff Sgt. Robert Bales has been charged with 17 counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault in the attack.”

Reports also indicate that the U.S. military has paid close to $900,000 to the families of people who were killed or injured in the March 11 shootings.

Haji Agha Lalai, a tribal chief and a member of the Kandhar Provincial Council, told AFP: “The elders called me and said they were paid $50,000 per person for the dead and $11,000 for the injured per person.”

There appear to be some discrepancies in the actual compensation amount, but CNN reports a U.S. official has confirmed that the payment was made on Saturday.

CNN quoted the official saying: “I can’t comment on the figure but I can say that it reflects the devastating nature of the incident.”

Afghani local authorities also told CNN that: “The American official who handed over the money to the families said it was not compensation but the U.S. government offering to help the victims and their families.”

In Afghanistan, the payment of “blood money” can take the place of a trial and punishment for a killer.

There have been demands to have the accused, Staff Sergeant Bales, face a trial in Afghanistan, but U.S. authorities have indicated he will be tried in the United States.