Keith Olbermann may be driving Bill O'Reilly crazy. I am sorry, crazier.

Scarborough says O'Reilly is being driven by animosity toward Keith Olbermann, whose MSNBC show "Countdown" has been gaining in the ratings. "He's allowed his anger toward Keith Olbermann to damage his credibility," Scarborough says.

Olbermann, who faces off with O'Reilly at 8 p.m., has been denouncing his rival for years. He positions his program as an increasingly liberal alternative to the "O'Reilly Factor" and frequently bestows on "Bill-O" his "Worst Person in the World" award. "Countdown" was up 60 percent in the fourth quarter over a year earlier, to 656,000 viewers. But "Factor," despite a 21 percent decline during the same period, still dwarfs the competition with 2.049 million viewers.

Several times over the last year, according to three sources who asked not to be identified because they were describing private conversations, O'Reilly's agent called Jeff Zucker, chief executive of NBC's television group, urging him to tell his MSNBC commentators to back off. O'Reilly also posted an online petition demanding that NBC dump Olbermann.

Olbermann's fearless attitude toward taking Bill and his FOX News comrades down a few notches has been thrilling to watch. It is so satisfying watching somebody taking them on concerning their accuracy, their politics, and their journalistic credentials.

These guys have bullied the main stream media into running away with their tail between their legs. Only Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert dared to call the FOX guys on their bullshit, using comedy to provide them cover.

But Keith just wades into the fray with his chest puffed up and dares them to challenge his assertions that they are White House lapdogs who are doing our country a disservice by giving their audiences administration talking points and calling it news.

It is brilliant, it is entertaining, and it is about damn time!