Keith Olbermann made his return to TV political commentary on ABC’s “This Week” this morning. Scandals, of the Secret Service and GSA varieties, the “dog wars,” the economy and 2012 polling were just some of the topics of discussion. This was a Sunday morning, not a Wednesday evening Olbermann: no raised voices, no demands, comity if not comedy. The most contentious it got was when Rob Portman‘s name came up as a potential Romney VP pick. Peggy Noonan liked the idea. Olbermann and Donna Brazile shook their heads. “Do you want another businessman on that ticket?” asked Olbermann. “Oh my goodness, yeah that would be just fine,” said Noonan, in the most calm, measured, non-cable news voice ever heard.
George Stephanopoulos ended the conversation talking about something Olbermann and conservative George Will agreed on: baseball, specifically the saving of Fenway Park which faced the wrecking ball in the 1990s and this week celebrated its 100th birthday.
While the show still focused on national politics and policy — and baseball — it originated from far outside the Beltway, at ABC News studios in New York.