Olbermann Flip-flops, Tells Kossacks NOT to Dig Up Dirt on Beck

Want to know just how unstable MSNBC's Keith Olbermann is?

Within the course of 48 hours, he asked Daily Kos readers to send him everything they could dig up about Fox News host Glenn Beck, and then called off the dogs.

That's right.

The host of "Countdown," apparently worried about his image, posted a follow-up blog Tuesday telling his minions to stand down but remain ready to attack if he needs them in the future:

An update on this: to clarify something I obviously didn't previously, I'm not talking about letting up on criticism of Lonesome Rhodes' work here. I am talking about calling off the Baker Street Irregulars - while reserving the right to reactivate them. Trust me, I'm going after him tonight on the tweet to his masses that precipitated this, the "find out everything you can" about three Obama appointees.

For those unfamiliar with the literary references, Lonesome Rhodes was Andy Griffith's character in the 1957 film "A Face in the Crowd." In it, he played a small town comedian that makes his way to radio, and eventually television only to destroy his career by insulting his viewers on the air.

As for the Baker Street Irregulars, they were a group of street urchins who helped out Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes during some of his famous investigations.

But I digress:

In 2006 or 2007, Glenn Beck responded to something I said about him by going on his HLN show and ranting about me. He described how I write my show, how my research copy is delivered to me, and how the technical issues of handling and ordering questions are handled in my script. This came from a staffer or ex-staffer, directly or otherwise. [...]

In the '40s, Drew Pearson used to close his radio broadcasts by noting how many times his rival Walter Winchell had mentioned himself in his radio broadcasts.

Yet, all of this does raise an issue. Just because Fox and Beck have done this, do I want to? Do I want to, even for a moment, be Glenn Beck? I mean, I am risking at least three things he doesn't have: the respect of my peers, self-respect, and a conscience.

The self-delusion on display is quite astounding, isn't it?

After all, one would be hard-pressed to find a real journalist that has any respect for Olbermann.

As for a conscience, he's shown no signs of possessing such for years.

With this in mind, there's likely a much different reason for Olbermann to call off his urchins, especially within hours of returning back to work.

Stay tuned.

Exit question: Is this REALLY the kind of behavior General Electric accepts from such a high profile employee?