Anchor fights go live at unruly MSNBC

Cable channel MSNBC has always relied on contention to get viewers. Now it may be getting out of hand.

Coverage of the Democratic National Convention has brought out the worst in some MSNBC hosts, including Chris Matthews (upper picture) and Keith Olbermann (center picture).

In an uncomfortable moment Tuesday night, an exhausted-looking "Hardball" host Chris Matthews shouted at a producer ("I'll wrap in a second!") before a stilted exchange with "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann, in which the two argued about who was talking out of turn.

Mr. Olbermann made a flapping-lips hand gesture, and Mr. Matthews took umbrage. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer sat quietly on-screen, waiting to be interviewed.

That incident followed a seven-minute back-and-forth Tuesday afternoon between "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough (lower picture) and network correspondent David Shuster.

Mr. Scarborough, a former Republican representative from Florida, accused Mr. Shuster, a registered independent, of taking a "cheap shot" by mentioning his party affiliation.

Mr. Scarborough sarcastically added: "I feel so comforted by the fact that you're an independent. I bet everyone at MSNBC has 'independent' on their voting cards."

Olbermann, Matthews and Abrams make no attempt at partiality and wear their staunch liberal views “on their sleeves.”

Link to the MSNBC anchor squabble story here.