LOS ANGELES, Jan 13 (TheWrap.com) - Current TV hasn't soured on Keith Olbermann since their recent spat over Iowa caucuses coverage: Asked if he anticipates Olbermann remaining on the network for years to come, Current co-founder Al Gore responded with an unequivocal "Yes."
The former vice president spoke ever-so-briefly with TheWrap following a Current panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Friday. While Current personalities Cenk Uygur and Jennifer Granholm attended, Olbermann did not. The panelists said he didn't travel from New York to the event in Pasadena, Calif., because he was on vacation.
Olbermann tapped an attorney to "determine his rights" in his five-year contract during the rift over Iowa coverage, an individual close to Olbermann told TheWrap earlier this month.
A Current executive said at the same time, ""I hope Keith is part of our future, but it's up to Keith. ... Keith set us in the right direction and we're on that path now . and as I've learned over the years, everybody is replaceable."
But this week, the network and Olbermann made peace and reached a deal for him to run New Hampshire primary coverage.
On Friday, Gore and Current TV president David Bohrman said that all was right between Olbermann and Current.
Bohrman said Olbermann was offered the chance to lead election coverage months ago, but turned it down. He has since changed his mind, Bohrman said.
"We had approached Keith about doing election coverage a couple of months ago for the early primaries. He declined," Bohrman said. "We have now been told by Keith that he will be leading our coverage going forward. And that was what we wanted to do two months ago as we were gearing toward Iowa and New Hampshire, and that's what we want to have happen now, and that's what we believe will happen."
(Editing By Zorianna Kit)
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